Father Alex Zenthoefer blesses the organ during the Nov. 6 Mass. The Message photo by John Rohlf
By John Rohlf
The Message assistant editor
On the anniversary of the dedication of St. Benedict Cathedral, the new organ was blessed as part of the 9 a.m. Mass.
Father Alex Zenthoefer, Diocesan Vicar General and rector of St. Benedict Cathedral, blessed the organ at the beginning of Mass Nov. 6 at the Cathedral.
“We present this organ for your blessing,” Father Zenthoefer said during part of the blessing. “Grant that its music may lead us to express our prayer and praise in melodies that are pleasing to you. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Father Zenthoefer noted the Cathedral was dedicated by Bishop Joseph M. Siegel several years ago to serve as the mother church for the Diocese of Evansville. On Nov. 6, they added to the “splendor of this place” and blessed the organ installed at the Cathedral so the celebration of the liturgy may become more beautiful and solemn, Father Zenthoefer said.
“The purpose of music in the liturgy is above all to give glory to God and lead us to holiness,” Father Zenthoefer said. “Thus the music of the organ wonderfully expresses the new song that scripture tells us to sing to the Lord. To sing this song is to live rightly, to follow God’s will eagerly and gladly and by loving one another to carry out the new commandment that Jesus gave us.”
After reading the blessing, Father Zenthoefer incensed the organ.
Installation of the organ was completed earlier this year. The organ features both a Nave and Gallery division. The Gallery division is the main organ and sits in the choir loft in the back of the cathedral. The Gallery organ features over 3,700 pipes. The secondary organ is the Nave division, which sits in the front of the cathedral near the statue of the Blessed Mother and the cantor stand. The Nave organ contains eight sets of pipes for a total of 560 pipes.
The organ was a gift from Virginia and the late Deacon Dave Cook.
“Today, we have the true gift of blessing this organ, a tremendous gift from Deacon Dave and Ginny Cook,” Father Zenthoefer said during his homily. “We’re grateful for that tremendous gift.”