We in the 5.15 music ministry are very sorry to lose one of our very loyal and talented members, Mauro Siragusa, who is moving to the US to embark upon postdoctoral research at the highly prestigious Yale University.
My first recollection of Mauro is from two years ago: I recall becoming aware of a good-looking young man with a fine baritone voice, singing enthusiastically from the pews. He was keen to join the music ministry and though his sight-reading was initially basic, he proved to be a very quick learner – an indispensable attribute for ministers, who have to assimilate often unfamiliar music in the rehearsal before Mass thoroughly enough to be able to lead the congregation with confidence.
Later, Mauro asked me to teach him to read music and he progressed extremely rapidly. He also became a cantor, leading psalms and Gospel acclamations from the front with great aplomb, though he was always emphatic about putting in as much preparation as was feasible in order to do justice to the role of the music ministry as well as to himself.
As the number of leaving parties he attended before his departure testifies, Mauro lived by the ‘work hard: play hard’ maxim. SMQ benefited considerably from the fact that singing was a pastime he used to help him relax away from his studies, though this in no way detracted from the level of commitment he brought to the ministry.
We in the music group are very privileged to have known Mauro as a colleague and a dear friend and will miss him greatly; regulars in the 5.15 congregation will be aware of how much he has contributed to leading the worship in this Mass. We are, however, delighted that he has gained a placement at one of America’s leading universities and wish him every success, with both his continued research and future musical endeavours.
Helen Jacobs
Photos: Mauro's Collection.
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