Betty Matyas              October 8, 2006


My name is Betty Matyas, a parishioner here at St. Catherine since 1965.

I have been a member of the Marian Choir since it was started in 1974.

That gives me, along with Jack Burns, the title of the longest active member of the choir here.  You notice I did not say the “oldest.”

Music is my first love – many kinds of music.

Stewardship was not a word we heard here in 1974.  It is a more recent term.  At that time we were recruited by way of a notice in the Sunday Bulletin.  Many responded.  There were about 20 of us who sang on a regular basis during those early years.

We have made good friendships, and we genuinely care about each other. The choir, under four different and very talented directors, has not only survived but flourished.  We welcome new members continuously, and we say farewell to other members when they move on to other locations or leave us for various reasons.

Now I realize that stewardship has made a large difference in my life.  When we have a talent we can share with others our personal worship time is enhanced as well.  A former pastor here, Father Maloney, reminded us that, “to sing is to pray twice.”

Six years ago I moved to a new home 12 miles north of here.  I continue coming home to St. Catherine’s because my heart is still here, and because our music program draws me back.

If you can find the time to share your talent and be a part of the Music Ministry at St. Catherine’s, please sign up with one of the people with clipboards at each of the doors today.  If you have questions regarding how much of a commitment to our music program you can make, stop by to talk with Jim Schaeffer after Mass.

We meet here every Thursday night for rehearsals and we meet on Sundays at 10:45 to prepare for 11:30 Mass.

I promise you that you will enjoy worshiping more than ever before with music in your life.