Music
Susan has devoted her entire adult life to music, most especially for the Church. At 16 she joined her first folk choir and has served nearly nonstop ever since. For over 15 years she has provided music with her guitar at St. Luke the Evangelist Parish in Westboro, MA. She delights in sharing music as prayer with the congregation and enjoys carefully choosing just the right song or hymn to match the theme of that Sunday’s liturgy.
Fr. Stephen LaBaire, pastor, St. Mary’s Parish,
Uxbridge, Massachusetts says of Susan’s ability as a liturgical music planner and presenter:
“I have known Susan for over fourteen years in my capacity as Parochial Vicar [formerly of St. Luke the Evangelist, Westborough, MA]. Susan is an outstanding musician and person of great faith. Susan brings her faith and her talents together in a variety of ways in service to our parish community. She is both musician and song leader at our 9:00AM Sunday Eucharist. Over the years, she has planned and participated in numerous special liturgies here at St. Luke’s. She is highly esteemed by our parishioners for her contributions to the liturgical life of the community.”
Susan and her partner Kathleen Bush currently lead music at various 5 pm Saturday masses and 6:30 pm Sunday masses at St. Luke the Evangelist. Here is their schedule for the summer of 2011 (note that Kathleen is off for the summer):
In 1993, Susan felt a call to take her music to a deeper level and ventured out from the church folk choir to concerts in the local, regional, and eventually, national and international arenas. Appearances at World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto, multiple appearances on CatholicTV, EWTN and the Catholic Family Network are just some of the highlights.
As a songwriter, Susan desired to share her music with a wider audience and thus released three CDs: Teach Me to Love (2000), Wait with Me: Advent of the Promised Son (2002) and Mater Dei (2004). Combining her writing and graphic arts skills with music, she shared her devotion to the rosary with her most ambitious 2008 release, the Mary, Queen of Peace Meditation Guide & Sung Rosary. This project features a totally sung rosary on CD and a scriptural rosary contained in a 48-page full color booklet illustrated with icons, stained glass windows and paintings.
Convinced that music touches the heart and leads people closer to Christ, Susan continues to share her musical talents with anyone and everyone.
Susan’s Sung Rosary is now available as a Power Point presentation, complete with beautiful images, scripture for each Hail Mary and the music of the Sung Rosary. Learn how you can bring Susan to your parish to present this beautiful, prayerful experience for Lent. Here’s a sample with the Third Sorrowful Mystery:
Actress and Public Speaker Linda Gray Kelley, Theatre Rising says of Susan’s presentation:
“The interdenominational audience embraced her and her original music as well as the classics in worship music. Not only does Susan educate and inspire via her music programs but her commentary on the music is entertaining and informative. Her heartfelt prayer-like expression is conducive to meditation, and her musicianship using guitar and pre-recorded tracks allows her to deliver a studio-quality performance.”