May 27, 2025

Singing Priests perform in Turners Falls

REGIONAL
Story and photos by David Martin

TURNERS FALLS- Once again, the spiritual and soulful sounds of the Singing Priests could be heard by a live audience as they performed their latest concert at Our Lady of Peace Parish in Turners Falls Thursday, May 22 at 7 p.m. The concert was a special Jubilee Year event for the Franklin County parish.

“The priests love to be with their people and the people love to be with their priests. We are here to sing along with them. As they say, if you sing, you pray twice. So we just want to sing with, have fun with and love our people. We are counting on the Holy Spirit to let us just sing,” said Father Francis Reilly, the longtime leader of the band and pastor of St. Jerome Parish in Holyoke.

More than 260 people filled the pews to hear the priests perform both religious and secular songs. The set list included: “How Great Thou Art,” “Be Not Afraid,” “How Great is Our God,” and the popular John Denver hit “Country Roads.”

Father Reilly and Father Paul Norman accompanied the group on guitar. Local musician Dan Kane backed them up on the keyboard. As they prepared to perform the Willie Nelson classic “On The Road Again,” Father Reilly passed out cowboy hats to his fellow priests.

Father David Aufiero, pastor of Holy Family Parish in South Deerfield, said he was looking forward to a fun evening of singing and clapping along to the music. Father Aufiero is also the vocations recruiter for the Diocese of Springfield.

“I think it is always important to be seen. They take you in a different context. They see that you are human, trying to have a good time. They see that you are approachable and those questions that they may have if they are thinking about being a priest themselves, that they would not hesitate to come up and reach out as well,” said Father Aufiero.

Father Stanley Achu performs at the Singing Priests concert held May 22 at Our Lady of Peace Parish in Turners Falls.

Father Aufiero said he was looking forward to his fellow priests showcasing their talent in solo performances. Father Stanislaus Achu, a professor at St. John’s Seminary in Brighton, gave a powerful solo performance of the song “The Prayer,” which prompted a standing ovation from the full capacity crowd.

Father Christopher J. Waitekus, the pastor of St. Mary Parish in Longmeadow, was pleased to see some of his parishioners had traveled to Franklin County to attend the concert.

“Whenever we perform, especially in a church like this, which is a smaller, intimate setting, the people in the congregation get really into it and sing along, applaud and they hoot and howl. They just make it ten times more fun and a better concert. We love when they clap. We love those big smiles and they cheer us on with their eyes. They definitely make us more animated. It is a joy to be here with my brother priests,” said Father Waitekus.

Father Achu ended the concert with an additional inspiring solo performance, “You Raise Me Up” prompting another standing ovation.

The concert was a fundraiser for the parish social justice ministry.

A video version of this story will be on an upcoming edition of “Real to Reel” which airs Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. on WWLP-22 NEWS.