Who's in the Pews
music leads john horan to faith and healing
You see them every Sunday, you nod to them across the aisle, you might even know their names. But what’s their story? Who are the people sitting in the pews at Mother of God?
John Horan thought he was joining the 11:30 Contemporary Ensemble in 2011 just to play music and sing, but God had other ideas. John is a Campbell County native and lifelong Catholic. He works two blocks from his childhood home in the old IGA building where he and his wife met as teenagers. He lives in his grandparents’ house that his father built. He enjoys hunting and fishing and was president of the Campbell County Game and Fish Club. But his real love and passion has always been music.
Stonehaus Trail was his first band, and he’s played for countless weddings and local venues since graduating high school.
It was at one of those weddings that he connected with Cindy Duesing, the director of the Mother of God Contemporary Ensemble. She invited him to audition for the ensemble. He had attended MoG previously for weddings and had heard the ensemble perform, so he knew the caliber of their performance.
He agreed to audition because he knew he and his family were at a crossroads in their faith.
“My father passed away in 2007 at the age of 57,” said John. “He had worked so hard to raise us kids and support the family, so he was to the point where he could relax and start living. It wasn’t fair that he died so young, and it really rocked my belief in God.”
Consequently, when his two children Abigail and Jack were born in 2007 and 2010, there was no faith development at home.
Said John, “When Abigail was starting kindergarten at St. Therese in Southgate, I thought maybe it was time to consider bringing the kids to Sunday mass.”
And then the Holy Spirit, through the Mother of God community and Fr. Ray Hartman, started to pour out grace and healing. The liturgical music spoke to John. He listened to Fr. Ray’s teaching and recognized him as an instrument of faith. He saw the diversity of the congregation and how everyone was truly welcomed. He listened to Joseph, a church regular with a big baritone voice, sing in the parking lot as parishioners departed. He meditated on the words of the music as he practiced for the next week’s liturgy.
John Horan thought he was joining the 11:30 Contemporary Ensemble in 2011 just to play music and sing, but God had other ideas. John is a Campbell County native and lifelong Catholic. He works two blocks from his childhood home in the old IGA building where he and his wife met as teenagers. He lives in his grandparents’ house that his father built. He enjoys hunting and fishing and was president of the Campbell County Game and Fish Club. But his real love and passion has always been music.
Stonehaus Trail was his first band, and he’s played for countless weddings and local venues since graduating high school.
It was at one of those weddings that he connected with Cindy Duesing, the director of the Mother of God Contemporary Ensemble. She invited him to audition for the ensemble. He had attended MoG previously for weddings and had heard the ensemble perform, so he knew the caliber of their performance.
He agreed to audition because he knew he and his family were at a crossroads in their faith.
“My father passed away in 2007 at the age of 57,” said John. “He had worked so hard to raise us kids and support the family, so he was to the point where he could relax and start living. It wasn’t fair that he died so young, and it really rocked my belief in God.”
Consequently, when his two children Abigail and Jack were born in 2007 and 2010, there was no faith development at home.
Said John, “When Abigail was starting kindergarten at St. Therese in Southgate, I thought maybe it was time to consider bringing the kids to Sunday mass.”
And then the Holy Spirit, through the Mother of God community and Fr. Ray Hartman, started to pour out grace and healing. The liturgical music spoke to John. He listened to Fr. Ray’s teaching and recognized him as an instrument of faith. He saw the diversity of the congregation and how everyone was truly welcomed. He listened to Joseph, a church regular with a big baritone voice, sing in the parking lot as parishioners departed. He meditated on the words of the music as he practiced for the next week’s liturgy.
Nothing happened overnight, but John couldn’t ignore the message, and a gradual but intense conversion transformed not only his spiritual life but that of his whole family. First, his family attended Mass, then his mom started to attend, then his stepfather, his aunts and uncles. Just like the Easter Vigil candle, his one light has spread to kindle the faith of the broader family.
We in the pews know that God has used John as an instrument to speak to us through his music and that of the Contemporary Ensemble. So many times, one of his meditation songs, especially the ones he wrote himself, have moved Fr. Comer and the congregation to tears.
John sees his faith journey represented by St. Michael the Archangel. The prayer really speaks to him as he starts each day reciting it. As a constant reminder, he wears a St. Michael bracelet, and he made a leather guitar strap depicting St. Michael conquering the devil.
Sometime after Mass, take the opportunity to ask John if you can see the guitar strap and tell him which of his songs brings you closer to God. Many of us have come for the music, but God does have other ideas.
We in the pews know that God has used John as an instrument to speak to us through his music and that of the Contemporary Ensemble. So many times, one of his meditation songs, especially the ones he wrote himself, have moved Fr. Comer and the congregation to tears.
John sees his faith journey represented by St. Michael the Archangel. The prayer really speaks to him as he starts each day reciting it. As a constant reminder, he wears a St. Michael bracelet, and he made a leather guitar strap depicting St. Michael conquering the devil.
Sometime after Mass, take the opportunity to ask John if you can see the guitar strap and tell him which of his songs brings you closer to God. Many of us have come for the music, but God does have other ideas.