December 4, 2016

Singing Priests entertain hundreds and honor their “brother priest”

REGIONAL
Story and photos by Peggy Weber

CHICOPEE — The Singing Priests of the Diocese of Springfield raised their voices in song at a two-hour concert at Bellamy School in Chicopee today.

The 15 priests, from parishes throughout the Diocese of Springfield, also raised funds for the purchase of an organ at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Belchertown. The organ had been the dream of the late Father Vernon Decoteau, the founder of the Singing Priests. Father Jack Sheaffer, the new pastor at St. Francis Parish, thanked the more than 700 at the concert and announced the organ had been ordered and should be ready for Easter Sunday, 2017.

Springfield Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski said, in an interview with iOobserve, “I think for all of us this concert is bittersweet. Father Vern was a wonderful man and the heart and voice of the Singing Priests. He was an inspiring presence. I know, though, Father Vern would be pleased we are continuing this wonderful tradition, especially today, in his honor.”

While addressing the audience, Bishop Rozanski thanked everyone for attending and joked that he was not on stage because if he sang “the place would empty out.”

Paul Vanasse, a member of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Belchertown and a member of the parish Knights of Columbus council 10698, said he was not sad at the concert. “Father Vern is in a better place,” he said.

He said he was happy to attend to see his new pastor sing and “we are grateful to the generosity of all who are contributing to the organ fund.”

Jean Braese of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish in Springfield praised the Singing Priests.

“They do a great job. We come every time and we enjoy it,” she said. She added that she also was happy to watch her parish administrator, Father Ryan Rooney. His rendition of the “Ave Maria” was greeted with loud and sustained applause.

The concert offered the chance for many priests to show their various talents. Many of the 15 priests had solos, told jokes or read from Scripture.

Father Matthew Alcombright, shown in the picture below, led the concert. He is the administrator of Mary Mother of Hope Parish in Springfield and director of the Ministry with the Deaf in the Diocese of Springfield. Father Alcombright accompanied the group on piano, arranged the music and wrote humorous lyrics to a Christmas song that described the life of a parish priest during Christmas time.

The song “Silent Night” was sung in English, Vietnamese, Spanish, German and French. Father Alcombright said that it showed the universality of the church.

He said the concert was both a lot of fun and a lot of work. However, he added that the priests made an extra effort to honor Father Decoteau.

“Father Vern was a man who taught us what it is to be a priest and to be of service. This concert was so unifying and heartwarming as we honored this wonderful priest,” said Father Alcombright.

The priests who sang at the concert were: Father Alcombright; Father Francis Reilly, pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Northampton; Father David Aufiero, administrator of St. Mark Parish in Pittsfield; Father Ha Dang, pastor of St. Paul Parish in Springfield; Father Rooney; Father C.J. Waitekus, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Longmeadow; Father Michael Bernier, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Pittsfield; Father David Darcy, pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Springfield; Father Sheaffer; Msgr. David Joyce, parochial vicar at Holy Name Parish in Springfield; Father Yerick Mendez, administrator of Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe Parishes in Holyoke; Father Wayne Biernat, pastor of St. Michael Parish in East Longmeadow; Father Richard Bondi, acting administrator of St. Mary Parish in Ware; Msgr. David George of the Maronite Rite; and Father Jonathon Reardon, pastor of Holy Family Parish in South Deerfield.

Father Darcy brought his drum set and accompanied the group. Appropriately, he dedicated “The Little Drummer Boy” to himself.

Father Reilly played the guitar and flute and also wrote and sang a moving song in honor of Father Vern to close the first act. The song accompanied a power point presentation with many photos of Father Decoteau, whose family was in attendance.

The Singing Priests were given a standing ovation at the end of the event

Catholic Communications, which helped organize the concert, videotaped many songs that will be featured on the Dec. 24 edition of “Real to Reel.”

For a video version of this story, tune in to an upcoming edition of “Real to Reel,” the Diocese of Springfield’s weekly news magazine that airs Saturday evenings at 7 on WWLP-22NEWS.