Southern Nebraska Register
When deceased members of St. Michael Parish in Hastings are laid to rest, among those assisting at the funeral are a group of parishioners who offer comfort and show their respect in a personal way: as members of the parish’s dedicated funeral choir.
Most funerals are held during the work week, making it difficult for a choir to gather to sing at funeral Masses. But at St. Michael Parish, a dedicated group does just that: The St. Michael Funeral Choir.
Pope Leo XIV recently met with an assembly of choristers and musicians observing a jubilee celebration. In the meeting he quoted a line from the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, 120: “…Today you show thanks to the Lord for granting you the gift and grace to serve Him by offering your voices and talents for His glory, and for the spiritual edification of your brothers and sisters.”
The pope added in his own words, “your task is to draw others into the praise of God, and to help them to participate more fully in the liturgy through song.”
The pope’s remarks reminded choir member Jeanie Byrne of sentiments from Father Michael Houlihan, who served as pastor of St. Michael from 2000 to 2017. At the time, St. Michael Parish, established in 1945, already had small choirs and accompanists who provided music for Masses, and a large adult choir that was established in the 1970s.
Father Houlihan, now pastor of St. Catherine Parish in Indianola, was so impressed with the adult choir that he made comments similar to Pope Leo’s 25 years ago... and made a suggestion.
It wasn’t a directive by any means, Byrne said, but Father Houlihan presented an invitation to consider providing choir music for funerals, rather than utilizing only a cantor or soloist and a pianist or organist.
Among the longer-time choir members, directors, and organists who were active within the 30-year period prior to Father Houlihan’s arrival and who helped begin the funeral choir were Cathy Krebsbach, Connie Consbruck and Pam Koch – all still very active today.
“When they said ‘yes’ to this ministry,” Byrne said, “they really meant it!”
Father Houlihan’s invitation planted the seed for more musicians to say “yes.”
The funeral choir “was another way to sing their praises to God while providing comforting words to their fellow parishioners, many of whom were their relatives and friends,” Byrne said.
Choir members were told that the door was open for them to come to funerals whenever they could. No practices were needed because of their familiarity with the music.
Koch and Krebsbach communicated with the funeral homes about music requested by families, or suggested hymns approved for Catholic funerals. Music selections were compacted into a few dozen hymns most often used at funerals, along with about four or five Responsorial Psalms and Gospel Acclamations. Koch gathered all the information in “Funeral Booklets” for use by choir members, and prepared bookmarks for each funeral, based on the finalized choices by the family.
It was understood that some of the choir members, especially those who were still employed or faced with other obligations, could not always get away from their jobs to attend funerals. Nevertheless, the musicians made concerted efforts to attend funerals whenever they possibly could.
“Connie was a dedicated soprano who attended on a frequent basis, and encouraged her fellow choristers to come, as well,” Byrne said. “Cathy played organ for almost all of the funerals. And Pam directed almost all of them, too.”
She said their impact caught on quickly, and before long, families of the deceased parishioners were asking local funeral homes if the St. Michael Funeral Choir could lead the music at the funeral Mass.
“You could tell that the choir members came to love this opportunity to be part of a Spiritual Work of Mercy, comforting the sorrowful, and the Corporal Work of Mercy, burying the dead,” Byrne said.
Most of the members of the Adult Choir, which sings on a schedule of certain Sundays and holy days, are also the volunteer members of the Funeral Choir. Other singers also volunteer for the Funeral Choir as well. Choir members who have moved away will even come back to sing when they can.
“The relationship between the choir members and so many people in the parish and the town is a blessing to behold,” Byrne said. “The choir sings out of deep respect for the parishioners. If you were to ask them, they would also say that the primary purpose of their talent in music is to use it for the praise, adoration, and love of God, and in turn it becomes their gift to their fellow parishioners.”
Byrne mentioned the decades of service many choir members have offered – to the music ministry, the parish and community.
“One of the best ways to say thanks to God for bringing together these dedicated musicians at St. Michael Church,” she said, “is to say thanks to Father Houlihan for planting the seed, and to (current pastor) Father Hazuka for expanding and nurturing it these last nine years.”
