Chanting the Melody of Friendship

About three years ago, I told my husband that I was going to talk to our church choir director about the possibility of Nathaniel joining the schola. "Then I will join, too," Herb said.

I was shocked. He had never before expressed any interest in the choir or schola and did not read music or Latin. Nevertheless, he and Nathaniel joined and started studying Gregorian chant notation, first with the Square Notes workbook, then singing along with the Schola Bellarmina Chant CDs in the "Liturgical Year in Gregorian Chant" series that is available from Angelus Press.

Fr. Stanich directed the schola, and Mickey, who learned to chant in seminary, intoned. As he improved, Herb began telling me how his voice and Mickey's voice blended together perfectly. Then, Fr. Carl Pulvermacher was hospitalized and not expected to live. The schola began intense practice for his funeral Mass. The experience proved to be a turning point. Herb now considered Mickey's right side to be "his place". Their friendship bloomed.

Saturday night we visited Mickey and feasted on his superb cooking: pickled herring, sauerbraten with gingersnap gravy, red cabbage, green beans, potato pancakes, and some awfully good Texas wine from Messina Hof. Then we adjourned to the patio for coffee, apple cake, and a wondermous fire.
It was a truly lovely evening, though too short. I didn't get but one decent picture of Herb and Mickey and none of Mickey's Liber collection. Two of his are on loan to seminarians. That's Carmen in Mickey's lap.