Unexpected Departure

The last time I used this title for my column was over a year ago when Sharon Guerin and her hus­band Deacon Bert - longtime staff members at St. Martha Parish - discerned that God had given them an opportunity to move to Florida.

This time it is a longtime staff member at St. Mary Parish, Alex Kuznezov, who has decided to step down from his role as Music Director.

After sixteen years at St. Mary, Wrentham,  Alex's ministry has had a major impact on the Masses, funerals, weddings, and other special liturgies in the parish. As a published liturgical music composer, one of his principal gifts is his prayerful, meditative style of leading liturgical music which has added to the prayerfulness of the worshipping community. He has recruited cantors and rehearsed with them and with the choir, helping them grow into their roles and working with them to hone their vocal gifts. Another way his gentle spirit has been a blessing is in working with countless families at very difficult times, helping them to plan liturgical music for the funeral of their loved one.

Beyond his liturgical ministry, Alex has coordinated activities such as Christmas concerts, produced & directed! the musical play "Emmaus" and created St. Mary's "Christmas Village" for several years - an event that is fondly remembered by many, many parishioners. I am in dialog with Alex to find a way that the par­ish can honor him for his ministry.

Losing Alex creates a large void in our ministry team, and I am working on the preliminary steps of a search process for a new Music Director for St. Mary Parish. I don't have many specifics yet, but it will continue to be a part-time position that includes funerals and weddings.

If you know anyone who is qualified and might be interested, please ask them to consider applying - I want to make sure we have several candidates to choose from. While we search, we will rely on our cantors and musicians at St. Mary, with assistance from St. Martha music ministries, to keep the essential element of song part of our liturgies in both Parishes. If we have a few a cappella Masses on occasion, that will be a* reminder for all of us to sing more strongly for St. Augustine tells us singing is praying twice!

Please pray for Alex as he makes this transition and also for our search process that the Holy Spirit will guide all of us as he leads our discernment and lights a path ahead.