Tour visits St. John Neumann Parish
By Maggie Parsons
On night two in their returning countrywide Cathedrals tour, Catholic musicians Matt Maher and Sarah Kroger made a stop at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut for a night of Advent worship on Dec. 5.
The “Cathedrals: An Advent Night of Worship” stopped at 11 cities around the country, visiting different parishes to worship with different communities.
The sold-out show in the Diocese of Knoxville, with around 700 in attendance, followed the tour opener in Nashville, with over 1,100 in attendance at the Diocese of Nashville’s Catholic Pastoral Center the previous night.
In promoting the tour, Mr. Maher and Ms. Kroger invited concert-goers to experience a close, community-filled evening of worship, reflection, and music amid Advent as Catholics prepare their hearts for Christmas.
The hope of the singers/songwriters is to break up the busyness of the Christmas season and to remove the distractions of the secular world. They provided a space to breathe, deepen faith, and fill hearts with hope.
Mr. Maher and Ms. Kroger offer prayers, Scripture, music, and stories to provide those in attendance with hope as they walk away feeling closer to Jesus since He is the reason for the season.
Mr. Maher opened the concert with “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” with Ms. Kroger providing harmony and encouraging others to sing along. Emmanuel (meaning God is with us) in the song is a reminder that God is with everyone in this special season. As Mr. Maher sang his rendition, the congregation meditated on the lyrics for the coming of the Lord.
“Rejoice, for to all of us is born a Savior of the world. A weary soul take heart, for help is on its way, and holy is His name,” he sang out, reminding all not to fear because hope is coming at hand for all.
Popular Catholic singers/songwriters Matt Maher and Sarah Kroger performed their inspirational songs of faith at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut on Dec. 5. The concert was part of their “Cathedrals: An Advent Night of Worship” national tour. (Photo Maggie Parsons)
The musicians paid attention to each detail in all aspects of the concert to stay on theme for the Advent season. One of the beautiful ways they did that was by projecting different-colored lights to the ceiling above where they performed. The colors reflected the Advent/Christmas season and intensified the beauty of the sanctuary by projecting off of the gold mosaics behind the crucifix above the altar.
To help incorporate more intimate quietness with the Lord, Mr. Maher and Ms. Kroger incorporated eucharistic adoration in the second half of the concert.
“In the busyness of the Advent season, just take a moment to slow down and let God look at you, and you look at Him,” Mr. Maher remarked.
In preparation for his audience to come face to face with the Lord in eucharistic adoration, Mr. Maher recalled a story from St. John Vianney that he keeps with him as a reminder to always have that intimate moment with Jesus.
Mr. Maher invited all those in the pews, from any walk of life, to kneel before Jesus in such a reverent moment. As the holy Eucharist was brought to the altar, everyone who was able fell to their knees as they became face to face with Jesus.
With his guitar in hand and leading the congregation in hymns of prayer, Mr. Maher himself knelt before the monstrance, exemplifying that pure relationship with Jesus that He invites in all hearts.
To take part in a giving time of year, “Cathedrals: An Advent Night of Worship” is sponsored by the International Justice Mission, whose mission is to “protect people in poverty from violence by rescuing victims, bringing criminals to justice, restoring survivors to safety and strength, and helping local law enforcement build a safe future that lasts.”
The performers spoke on what the mission has accomplished during a break in the show, encouraging those in attendance to help any way they could to give the gift of freedom that each person has in Christ.
After Mr. Maher and Ms. Kroger departed from Knoxville, they looked ahead to their remaining nine shows of the tour. They headed next to Chester Springs, Pa., at St. Elizabeth Church, then to Boston at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, on to Brooklyn, N.Y., to the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph, then next to Bridgeport, Conn., at the St. Augustine Cathedral Parish. The tour then proceeded to St. Petersburg, Fla., at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle, and next to Akron, Ind., where they play at Tippecanoe Valley High School in the Performing Arts Center.
From there they traveled to Detroit to visit the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, and after that they were on to Chicago to perform at Holy Name Cathedral. The tour ended on Dec. 18 with an Advent night of worship in Cleveland at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.
With 11 shows in two weeks, the talented pair are touching hearts in many cities. Traveling from diocese to diocese to perform at a variety of parishes, they provided a worship experience that is a beautiful journey, reminding all of the quietness needed during a hectic holiday season.
The St. John Neumann concert-goers ended the evening feeling touched by the mystery of God’s Word through music.
In their own spiritual way, Mr. Maher and Ms. Kroger brought the Advent season to life in the lyrics they sang, encouraging each person in the pews to participate in a quiet and intimate moment with the Lord.
Their prayer was to not let the moment end after they stopped performing but to keep the Lord present in preparation to celebrate His birth and His life.