The Folk Choir and the St. F. X. University Chapel
My fondest memories of St. F. X. are of the folk choir, and the wonderful group of people who celebrated 5:00 o’clock Mass through song every day at the University Chapel.
Being a part of the folk choir was a grounding experience for me as a young person away from home for the first time. It also brought a sense of peace to me at the end of a typical day filled with the struggles of student life.
Most of all there were friendships, some of which have just recently been rekindled. After 30 years, my involvement with the folk choir and the St. F.X. Chapel continues to be a truly amazing and unexpected gift in my life!
Music has always had a strong role in my emotional life, and the music we sang in the folk choir was no exception. The beauty of the lyrics, often drawn from passages of scripture, remained with me - as did the melodies - during the many years since graduation, even when my faith seemed to have all but disappeared.
I write now in support of the continued presence of the University Chapel as a spiritual centre of student life for St. F. X.. How important it is for students, faculty and staff to have a place of worship and refuge. A place where not only Catholics but people of all faiths can feel welcome. The Chapel was such a place for me, and the element that drew me to the Chapel was music.
I truly hope that the St. F. X. students, faculty and staff of today, and those in years to come, have the physical and symbolic presence of the University Chapel as a unifying force in campus life. In my experience, the “X Spirit”, about which much has been said and written, is embodied in this sacred space. A fund for directed donations to the Chapel would allow those of us whose lives have been touched by the spiritual centre of the campus to ensure that it continues to exist for others.
Katherine F. Carrigan
Class of ‘82
December 9, 2012
As a St. F. X. student in the early 1980s, my daily timetable was crammed with early lectures and afternoon science labs. By 4:30pm, I was ready for an energy-lift. Often that meant hurrying over to the campus chapel to join the choir for the five o’clock mass. From the upbeat rehearsal, to the reassuring words of the readings and sermon, and the afternoon sunbeams glowing on the wooden pews, it was a place to feel solace, regain perspective and share happy moments with those around me. The lyrics remain vivid in my mind, from the familiar “Yahweh, I know You are Near” to the joyful “Jazz Gloria” of Christmas celebrations. The melodies were uplifting, the lyrics were inspiring, and the harmonies drew us together to sing with one voice. Our choir directors, musicians, and soloists were enthusiastic and energized, inspiring us to become regular attendees at the chapel services.
Through our shared afternoons at the chapel, I developed lasting friendships, and I also left with memories that I cherish to this day. Music carries on through every generation of the campus community; the presence of music in liturgy and the involvement of an active chapel choir can help to provide balance and welcome relief during the stress of an academic year. I believe that a fund dedicated to the needs of the STFX chapel and chaplaincy would provide them with additional financial support and would allow alumni to make a tangible contribution to the ongoing work of chaplaincy on the ST. F. X. campus.
Michelle Paon
STFX – BSc ‘84
