A Concert to be Remembered for a Lifetime

Written by Msgr. Padraic Loftus
(from the St. Mel Parish Bulletin, June 25, 2017)

Since my 80th birthday was in February, I decided to celebrate the gift of life in union with the gift of fifty-five years of priesthood. What a celebration that was! Once again I thank everyone involved in making it such a memorable day. Deo Gratias.

That was all I had planned. However, Francesco had other plans. He knows how much I love music. So he decided, without even giving me the slightest hint, to have a concert in June, the month of my ordination. Preparation for this concert was well under way when I heard about it. He didn't want to miss the opportunity, and what a concert it was! Francesco pulled out all the stops - our own St. Mel singing choirs, organ, piano, trumpet, guitar, flute and two bell choirs - Parish Handbell Choir and the Saint Melody Bell Squad (School Handbell Choir).

I have never experienced a concert with such exquisite variety. As the evening progressed, it continued to delight the audience to the very verge of ecstasy! How could I ever forget my 55th anniversary of ordination! Thank you, Francesco and all your cohorts, for sharing your God-given talents with us. I certainly will not forget this evening and I feel I can say on behalf of the entire audience, judging by their applause, that they too will long remember this most enjoyable evening.

I also wish to thank my dear friend, Bishop Jose Brennan, who - even though he had a busy day, including a niece's wedding as well an evening mass at a parish - graced us with his presence and his exquisite voice, once again delighting us with his rendering of Panis Angelicus. Thank you, Bishop Joe, We deeply appreciate your generosity.

To change the subject somewhat, I must add that I have always been deeply conscious of Divine Providence. I have progressively witnessed it at work throughout my life. This concert celebration prompts me to tell you a powerful story of Divine Providence, which I experienced in the aftermath of the 1994 earthquake.

I had a friend, Mary Di Roma, who was a member of the Board of Catholic Charities downtown, when I was the Regional Director there. Mary had a friend, Trudy Koenig, a Jewish convert, an elegant, dignified German lady, pianist and music teacher. Trudy had a friend, Mary D. Allen, a lapsed Catholic who desired to return to the Church, and share her joy as she received the Eucharist once again. She started coming to Mass at St. Mel with Mary Di Roma, in the aftermath of the earthquake.

Now Mary D. Allen was not poor, if you know what I mean! She wanted to show her appreciation for welcoming her back into the community of the Church, To make a long story short, she enriched our parish by donating $650,000 for the organ Later she donated the piano and the handbells in memory of her parents, Mary and John Dora. She is long since dead, however, her memory and legacy will live on here in our Parish. May she rest in peace!

I tell this story in appreciation of what Mary did for us, recognizing that without the organ, the musical life of St. Mel would have been very different. So we give thanks for the intervention of Divine Providence.

May God be praised!