Sacred music leads to encounter: How the Catholic Services Appeal strengthens parish worship
by Kristine Rilling
05/07/2026
At every Mass, sacred music does more than fill the silence – it invites the faithful into prayer. Through melody, harmony and the shared voice of a parish, music becomes a powerful path to encountering Christ.
At St. Francis Xavier Parish, McKean, that understanding is shaping an effort to strengthen the parish’s music ministry, supported from the generosity of the contributions made to the Catholic Services Appeal (CSA).
“When I think about the places where I have most strongly encountered the beauty of Catholicism in my life, every single one of those places had excellent sacred music,” said Father Ben Daghir, pastor. “It beautifully helped create the atmosphere in which people could pray, worship and encounter Christ.”
Like many older churches, St. Francis Xavier treasures the instruments that have accompanied generations of prayer. But time has taken its toll.
The parish piano – a Knabe instrument built in the early 1920s – has served faithfully for more than a century. Today, however, its structure is failing. Cracks in the soundboard, worn hammers and tuning pins that no longer hold tension make it increasingly difficult to maintain.
While restoration was considered, professional assessments confirmed that repair would be costly and uncertain. Instead, the parish is exploring the purchase of a used piano in good condition and updated hymnals, part of a broader vision to strengthen the musical life of the parish.
“Our parish goal is to have funds available from the generous contributions to the CSA allocated toward hymnals and a durable piano. This will strengthen our music ministry for years to come,” Father Daghir explained.
Additional improvements will integrate the instrument into the church’s sound system, ensuring music is heard clearly both in the church and through livestreams for parishioners who join from home.
For Father Daghir, the project is not simply about replacing an instrument. It is about strengthening the experience of worship.
“If we want to strengthen worship, attract people to the life of the Church and lift hearts toward God during Mass, then investing in music is not secondary – it is essential,” he said.
The initiative also reflects a broader reality facing parishes today. Just as the Catholic Church experiences fewer priest vocations, there are also fewer trained church musicians. Supporting and valuing the musicians who lead the faithful in prayer is an important part of sustaining vibrant parish life.
Father Daghir emphasized that authentic sacred music should reflect the Church’s incarnational faith and the gifts and talents of musicians at the parish.
He first met with the parish music ministry to discern where their gifts and talents are best expressed. Their response was clear and unified: “with a piano.” From there, he reflected not only pastorally but also theologically. When those two approaches came into alignment, it became clear that it was time to move forward in a way that would enhance the parish’s worship.
“Christianity is deeply incarnational,” he said. “God works through tangible, material realities – bread, wine, water, oil, human voices and human hands. In the same way, our sacred music should arise as directly as possible from human action and natural sound – from musicians engaging physical instruments, from the breath of singers and from the heart and soul of those leading us in prayer.”
Through the Catholic Services Appeal, parish communities across the Diocese of Erie strengthen ministries that help people encounter Christ, live the faith and share His love. While the CSA supports diocesan ministries serving thousands across the region, it also allows parishes to strengthen their own local mission – whether through formation programs, outreach ministries or initiatives like St. Francis Xavier’s music project. For this pastor, the goal is simple: to help create an environment where people can pray deeply and experience the beauty of worship.
“Growth requires that we strengthen every aspect of parish life that helps people encounter Christ,” Father Daghir said. “And music is certainly one of those areas.”
Through the generosity of parishioners who support the Catholic Services Appeal, that encounter continues to unfold each Sunday – one hymn, one prayer and one Mass at a time.
>> Learn more about the Catholic Services Appeal
-