Gifts given to share

Dolores Becher has sung in the Manning church choir since she was 10-years-old

A unique part of my job in travelling around the archdiocese, gathering stories, meeting with parish communities and documenting their services, is getting the chance to encounter unique individuals whose lives and witness of faith may never be known outside of their own immediate community and family.

With this series, ‘Parishioners in Profile’, we plan to shine a light on devoted persons in our archdiocese and the inspiring witness of faith they live out in their local communities. If you would like to recommend a person for this series, please contact us at comdirector.agm@outlook.com

Across the decades, Dolores Becher has been the one constant of St. James the Major’s music ministry.

From the age of ten to today at age 73, she has been singing in the church choir of her home parish. Outside of a year in Grande Prairie and two years living in Edmonton, her life and voice have been immensely intertwined with the Manning church.

Every Friday, Dolores stays behind after Mass to select the music for that Sunday, preparing the books and music notes and laying them out for the musicians.

“We have the easy part of just showing up and doing the job,” said her daughter Jennifer Collins, who also plays guitar in the choir. “Often we are not able to have regular practices, but we’re lucky to have musicians who can show up and read the music on the spot.”

What has kept Dolores returning to the choir loft all through the years is her passion for music and her unending desire to hear the liturgy filled with song.

It’s also an intrinsic part of her family identity. It was her father who convinced her to join the church choir as a child, and her late husband was a versatile musician, specializing in piano, organ and violin.

“Music touches a lot of emotions and I think people can be comforted by coming to Church with the addition of music,” Dolores said. “It helps the Mass flow; it helps the priest; it helps the congregation. It’s a good way to bring joy to a Mass celebration.”

The participation of the congregation is particularly vital to Dolores – to hear all present come together as one voice singing to God. The Church, in her perennial wisdom, notes that the purpose of music at Mass is above all to help lift the mind to God, and to Dolores, this aim is what makes music ministry most rewarding.

“My faith is very important to me, and I know how much music enriches the life in our church,” she said. “So I never look at music ministry as just us being up there singing for everybody. I think we have to keep the congregation involved as much as they can with singing responses. It’s a wonderful way to praise God and thank Him – through music. And that’s when it’s really rewarding to be in music ministry – when you can hear the congregation joining in as well.”

St. James the Major Church has one of the more diverse choirs in the archdiocese. Although its membership can fluctuate each Sunday, there are an array of instrumentalists in the parish, from pianists, guitarists, violinists, drummers, to even flute and mandolin players. While Dolores can play some guitar, she prefers to just offer her voice. Her daughter Jennifer Collins and her husband usually play the guitar, and when home from his studies, Dolores’ grandson Ethan plays mandolin and violin in the choir.

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Alongside the witness of Jennifer’s mother, who has helped keep their Sunday Masses full of song all her life, it’s the advice of Jennifer’s father that has always guided her and kept her so steadfast in her love of music.

“My dad always said that the gifts we have, we’re given to share,” she said. “My dad has always encouraged us, especially with music, that, if we have a gift, it’s important to share it. So I’ve always felt that this is something we can do for our parish.”

It’s a gift and a piece of advice Jennifer has carried on to her own children as well. Her youngest daughter Grace is part of Jennifer’s youth choir and her son Ethan learned how to play the violin from his grandfather.

This is only an excerpt. Read the full story in the November 2024 edition of Northern Light