'Loving' his music ministry

By Susan Bailey | CFP Correspondent

At 72, music minister Steve Sonia cannot imagine retiring. “I love what I do,” he said. “I’ve been so lucky to have wonderful pastors.”
In August of 1970 he was hired as part-time music director for St. Theresa the Little Flower Church in Harvard. In August of 2020, Mr. Sonia celebrated his 50th year at the parish. Although the COVID-19 pandemic prevented a formal celebration of such an important anniversary, Mr. Sonia’s service continues to be enthusiastically appreciated by clergy and parishioners.
“I had known Steve for a long time before I was ordained, and this year I am marking 45 years,” said the current pastor, Father Terence Kilcoyne. Besides praising his musicianship, Father Kilcoyne noted the extraordinary service that Mr. Sonia has rendered to the parish.
“He’s extremely kind and helpful to people,” said Father Kilcoyne. “You can call upon him to do anything, and he is there for you. He’s not just our musician; he’s almost our assistant. ”
Mr. Sonia’s interest in music ministry began in 1962 at Hudson Catholic High School when he accompanied the school choir on the organ. He admitted that it took a patient teacher and long hours of practice for the aspiring organist to become accomplished. His instructor/mentor was the late Sister Marie Kraus, SND.
“She suffered through four years of my piano/organ lessons but saw a glimmer of hope,” he remarked. “Ironically, Sister’s parents were parishioners at St. Theresa Church where I would soon be employed.”
During his tenure as music director, Mr. Sonia worked with six different pastors. From each, he gained a valuable lesson.
“Father Brendan O’Donoghue (who hired him) helped me realize that, if I made a mistake, I needed to keep playing,” he said. From Father William McGovern, Mr. Sonia learned not to take himself so seriously. Father James Hoey gave him a new appreciation of contemporary music, while Father Normand Gaumond taught him leadership skills.
“Father Dennis O’Brien taught me the love of liturgy, and Father Kilcoyne reminded me that, if I make things too complicated, more can go wrong!” Mr. Sonia said.
One of the more demanding periods in Mr. Sonia’s career involved the myriad of liturgical music changes post-Vatican II. In his ministry’s early days, Mr. Sonia was still under Sister Marie’s  tutelage.
“I was fortunate enough that Sister was not into all the experimental folk music,” he said. “All we had was ‘Kumbaya’ and ‘Michael Row the Boat Ashore,’ and that’s what they were experimenting with.”
He continued, “Back in the sixties and seventies, the whole language of Mass changed from ‘sacrifice’ to ‘meal,’ ‘chalice’ to ‘cup,’ the ‘host’ to ‘bread.’”
He particularly lamented the physical changes that took place.
“Carpet and cushion pews wrecked the acoustics,” he said, noting the current need for microphones to accommodate singers.
Another challenge for Mr. Sonia came in 2008 with the formation of Holy Trinity Parish from a merger of his parish, St. Theresa in Harvard, with St. Francis Xavier in Bolton. The pastor, Father Dennis O’Brien, invited Mr. Sonia to direct Holy Trinity’s music ministry full time. Recently retired after a 37-year career at the Milford Middle School in Milford, New Hampshire, teaching 7th grade English, Mr. Sonia accepted.
His primary focus was to combine two diverse music programs into one musical philosophy. Each parish had its choirs and contemporary groups and their own way of doing things.
Father O’Brien lauded Mr. Sonia’s efforts.
“The liturgical celebrations leading up to the decision to merge the parishes were an indispensable part of the discernment process. We had special Masses and prayer services, missions and discerning days, and music played an essential part in each event,” said Father O’Brien. “Through it all, Steve’s energy and excitement were contagious. He worked so hard to utilize all the musical talent that was already in place in each parish. Not an easy task! He worked very hard to bring everyone together peacefully, and he accomplished that end.”
Kathy Brule, a longtime parishioner and the parish secretary for the last 24 years, echoed Father O’Brien’s assessment. She first began her association with Mr. Sonia as a soloist, singing for funerals, weddings, and choir. As parish secretary, Ms. Brule worked with him concerning many aspects of parish life.
“Steve’s background as an educator has been an asset to all who work with him in planning liturgies,” she said. “His devotion to the Church is tireless.” 
Craig Stein, music minister at St Leo’s in Leominster, had nothing but praise for his colleague.
“His parish is incredibly blessed to have reaped the fruits of his hard work for these 50 years.”

Steve Sonia credits “kind and supportive pastors and collaborative staff, and loving parishioners for 50 years of a faith-nurturing ministry that I love.”