A Slow But Steady Calling

So here’s a little story about where I started, and where I am today.

Ever since I was little, for as long as I can remember, I have sung. Have enjoyed it (not always excelled at it), learned it, and sang every song I loved at the top of my lungs.

Even though my family often commented on how bad I sounded (my early days were no concert!), it eventually became a passion for me.

In our church, girls would join the choir in 6th grade. That’s just how it was. I could not wait to be in that choir loft, mostly so I could spy on all the attendees during Communion. I had a while to go to see the true benefits of singing for the Church.

My love for the music of the Catholic Church grew and grew, and having the wonderful acoustics in our church had made it that much more satisfying to sing, even at an 8:30 am Sunday morning Mass.

Eventually, I was old enough to where I was going to public high school (I was homeschooled until 8th grade) and was able to formally take choir. I was so excited about singing…. that I didn’t even enroll until my sophomore year. The truth was my mom thought I should get my computer requirements out of the way my freshman year (thanks mom, my only two B’s in my high school career!), so I did that instead.

I loved singing in the Concert Choir my sophomore year and auditioned for the select show choir at the end of that year. To my surprise, I got in! They told me later that most times nobody got in coming straight from Concert Choir. That made me feel quite proud of myself and my ability.

About that time, our parish had a priest change, not at all uncommon in the Northeast Kansas diocese. This time we were blessed to receive a very musically inclined and very funny Father Kent. Father Kent inspired in me a love for the music of the Church that I had never had before.

He invited me to sing with him during our Wednesday CCD Worship sessions before class, and I gladly accepted. It was very intimidating at first, but it may have very well been my first “cantor-like” experience.

I also believe that Father Kent helped influence my college major decision, Choral Music Education. Obviously, I loved to sing, and what better way to learn than to teach others?

While I sang the Psalm a few times in high school for Mass, I really started being a serious cantor in college. I sang for our college campus Masses and sang in our small church choir for special masses and events.

When I transferred colleges, it took me a year or so to really begin showing interest in the music ministry at the Church my friends and I attended. The accompanist was delighted that I had approached her, and I began attending choir practices that next Thursday.

My journey as a cantor was the most blessed by those people. Having a community of fellow singers to meet with, being surrounded by support and love every week from the cantor’s ambo, was irreplaceable.

I grew as a cantor and as a person tremendously in those years of serving that community. When the time came to receive my teaching certificate and move to begin my teaching career, it was bittersweet.

I didn’t stay uninvolved long. My new church in my new town welcomed singers, and though I was only part of the choir since they didn’t utilize cantors much, it was great.

During this time, I was also beginning my first teaching job. Seventh through twelfth-grade vocal music, all day long. My dream job! It was challenging, heartbreaking, and fulfilling, but something else came up that immediately superseded the need I felt to be a teacher.

I got married, of course! And shortly after had not one, but two kids in a short span of time. That leads us to today, where I have successfully retired from teaching (for now) and am happily trotting around my house chasing after babies.

Even now, my desire to teach and sing and combine the two hasn’t left me. It dimmed several times in my journey, but it keeps coming back to the surface. Calling? I think so.

Sometimes we might never know what God wants us to do. But if singing is like praying twice, I figure if I keep this up, maybe I’ll discover my purpose that much faster 😀

In all seriousness, thank you for taking the time to read this. My personal journey as a cantor has really impacted my life, and I only hope that I can continue to serve our Church as a Catholic Cantor for the rest of my good warbling days.

Please, when my vocal chords call it quits, someone kick me out of the choir!

7 Random Facts About Me

7 Great Places to Start

Why This Site