MARLENE Fitzpatrick, the director of the Castletownbere Church choir has been awarded a Papal Benemerenti Medal.
The prestigious award is in recognition of her work, not only with the Castletownbere choir, but also her lifelong commitment to the musical and liturgical life of the Catholic Church, in her previous parish in the diocese of Sioux City in Iowa.
Marlene, originally from Iowa, first started signing with her local choir at the age of 10.
After graduating from college she spent 28 years teaching at the Gehien Catholic Primary School in Iowa. In the late 1970s she took over the direction of her local St James Church choir where she would stay for over 30 years.
In 1988 Marlene fulfilled a lifelong desire to spend a year studying at the Irish Liturgical Institute in Carlow, where she was awarded a diploma in pastoral liturgy.
Following the death of her husband, Marlene returned to Ireland, settling in Beara where she joined the choir of the Sacred Heart Church, Castletownbere, becoming its leader in 2022.
Marlene was presented with her Benemerenti Medal during last Sunday’s mass in the Sacred Heart Church by Fr Martin Sheehan.
‘I love to sing and this is a huge honour and I’m still trying to take it all in,’ she said.
The Benemerenti Medal was first awarded by Pope Pius VI in the 1700s as a military decoration.
However, since 1925, the medal has been awarded as a mark of recognition for her service to the Catholic Church. Benemerenti means ‘well-deserving’.
Now in her 90s, Marlene continues to lead the 22-member Castletownbere Choir which sings at mass every weekend.
The choir is now busy rehearsing in the run-up to Christmas.
Marlene says she is a firm believer that ‘good sacred music plays a large part in good liturgy’ and that ‘a choir should exist to help people pray, as St Augustine is credited with saying ‘qui cantat bis orat’ – who sings prays twice.’
Speaking on Marlene’s award, choor member Michael Downey said the choir committee were privileged that Marlene Fitzpatrick had come to live and worship with them in Castletownbere.
‘We have witnessed her love for church music and can attest to the service she has given to our choir and parish. It is fitting that she has been recognised by awarding her the Benemerenti Medal,’ he added.
