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Catholic Singer Says The Year
Of The Eucharist Is For The Whole Family
by Jeff Burson METAIRIE,
Oct 28, ’04 (CatholicMusicNetwork.com) - On October
18th, 2004, Pope John Paul II decreed this year to be
known as the Year of the Eucharist. He said “The Year of
the Eucharist is time of intense encounter with Christ
who is present in the Sacrament of His Body and Blood.
Through this mystery, He sacramentaly realizes His
paschal sacrifice which redeemed humanity from the
enslavement of sin and established God’s Kingdom of
love, justice and peace.” Bishop Loverde of Arlington in
his homily that day said, “...the "Year of the
Eucharist" will strengthen and deepen our prayer life if
we take practical steps to make adoration of the Blessed
Sacrament and regular celebration of the Eucharist even
more the very fabric of our lives.” Loverde then asked,
“Parents, is there a creative way in which you can
foster a deeper love and awareness of the Eucharist in
your family life?”
Are children prepared for this special year? Will they
understand the real presence in the Eucharist?
Catholic music artist Trish Foti Genco says
children do understand that Jesus is with us under the
form of bread and wine. Genco says that many parents
would be floored by what their children’s minds can
comprehend. She should know, since Genco is Choral Music
Director for St. Clement Rome Catholic School in
Metairie, Louisiana, and mom to two wonderful children.
Devoted to Catholic Music education, Trish’s focus is on
Children’s Music Liturgy and the inspiration of our
youth. Classically trained, Trish has performed
throughout the south with her friend and pianist Dreux
Montequt and has released two CDs. The first was called
Inspired
and won critical attention. Genco’s newest CD is called
In the Stillness...Lovesongs and Lullabies. It is
a meditative prayerful CD that parents and their
children would like. One of the spotlights of the CD is
on family Eucharistic adoration and quite time.
Trish Foti Genco tells us in this interview why the Year
of the Eucharist should involve parents and their
children.
CMN:
Why do you think the time is right to declare this year
the “Year of the Eucharist”?
TFG: With the unrest in our world and our society
I think that there is no greater gift that the Holy
Father could give us than to direct our gaze to the
Blessed Sacrament. There is such indescribable love,
peace, and joy in His presence. I know that in
strengthening our devotion we will strengthen ourselves
and our community.
I am very blessed to have an adoration chapel in our
parish that is open 24 hours a day. I cherish the time
that I spend there in quiet prayer. It strengthens me
and re-energizes me on a “daily-day” and comforts and
heals me in those times of need. It is a true blessing.
Its quiet reminds me to slow down and listen.
One of the things that lead me to recording my latest CD
“In the Stillness” is my own need as a working mom to
slow it down and listen to God. Our world moves so
quickly, I think children of all ages need to slow down
and be with God each day. The wonderful ritual of
rocking a baby to sleep…peaceful surrender and for some
busy moms and dads that bedtime with their children
might be there only “down time” in a very hectic day.
How wonderful, I thought, if that time could be
prayerful reflection for the young and “not so young.”
Something the family could enjoy together. It is quiet
meditations for every child of God…love songs to God and
His children.
CMN: Speaking of children, when is the right time
to talk to them about the Real Presence of Jesus in the
Holy Eucharist?
TFG: As a Mom, I think it is important to teach
our children about Jesus’ presence in the Holy Eucharist
from the time they are very small. When they are very
young it is about modeling respectful behavior and
reverence. Praying hands…bowing…quiet prayers… children
absorb all we do. Even small children understand the
concepts of “special” and “gift.” Even pre-school
students can understand the idea of Jesus being with us
in the bread and the wine. As a parent, I know that it
is my most important task to pass on the important and
sacredness of Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist.
Actually, as teacher, I think many parents would be
floored by what their children understand and observe.
Children strive for goodness…they seek love I can’t
think of a more beautiful way to share it with them.
Often they come back on a Monday and make some pretty
profound statements on their Sunday experiences. From
the teary-eyed “no one took me to church because the
game was on”… to “Jesus was in my heart today.”
CMN: Being a teacher, how have you been able to
reflect Christ’s love for us to your students?
TFG: My true calling, as a Christian educator, is
not only to mirror Christ to my students, but to be the
mirror that allows my students to see Christ in
themselves. This is a tall order in our crazy world, one
that I ask for guidance in daily. I pray with my choir
each time before we sing, “Lord please take my song and
make it your song.” We need to remind ourselves
constantly that this is about using the gifts that God
gave us for His glory.
I teach music to PK-8 in a Catholic school, so I am
given the wonderful vehicle of music to reach my
students. One of the things I like best in my job is
that no two years or days are the same. Children are
wonderfully honest and so they challenge me to keep my
own music ministry changing to keep up with their tastes
and needs. What worked 10-15 years ago may or may not
work today. I LOVE the challenge! I am refreshed by the
sweet innocence of those little ones and challenged by
my teens. My favorite moments though are the spontaneous
ones…when I see the pre-teens reaching out to help the
little ones in Liturgy. Recently a group of 5th graders
started volunteering recess to teach Kinders their new
favorite praise and worship songs….unplanned,
uninvited….so inspired, so touching to see them
spreading God’s word with these babies, a true gift for
me as a teacher.
CMN: Was there a teacher or person who help guide
you in your musical talent?
TFG: That’s funny actually…I was a VERY shy
student in a very traditional Catholic school in the
70’s. A Sister pulled me out of class one day…handed me
a guitar and informed me that I’d be playing for Mass on
Friday and left me alone in this big hall. I dare not
even question or hesitate. Two chords later, I was
playing for Mass. I started taking guitar lessons,
because I needed more than two chords, and that’s when
things changed! My guitar teacher gave me homework one
day. He asked me to write a song. When I returned for my
lesson I sang it for him and he rushed out of the room.
I had no idea what I had done! He returned with a tape
recorder, taped the song and sent it in to the local
University. A few weeks later I was singing with the
Loyola University Opera. I was 12 years old and
thankfully too naïve to be nervous. Actually, that’s
when Dreux and I met. He was my first accompanist! We’ve
been friends ever since…
 CMN:
Your debut CD is called
Inspired, who do you hope will
be inspired by your music?
TFG: You know we all need help and inspiration on
life’s journey. So young or “of wisdom” I hope that
everyone will be touched by something on the CD. I am so
concerned for our youth today. They are so surrounded by
media that brings them down. I tell them often they
become what they fill themselves with, musically. I work
hard to capture their attention with music that appeals
to them. After they are “pumped up” I try to introduce
the music that is part of our Catholic heritage. It’s
always interesting how much they like it! My favorite
story this year happened last October. My phone ran one
evening at home. It was a Mom of a Pre-K student from
school. She apologized for bothering me, but explained
that her son had been singing SOMETHING for weeks. She
held the phone out….you could hear the little boy in the
bathtub singing at the top of his lungs! The Mom came
back to the phone and said frantically that she was sure
this was not English. I was laughing and smiling…it was
the “Ave Maria”! From the mouths of babes…oh, how happy
Mary must have been!
Another touching moment is after a signing at a local
Catholic bookstore I had two Moms with disabled children
approach me separately. They told me that my first CD
“Inspired” was the only thing that calmed there little
ones. It seemed that God kept sending me people to
reassure me that we were on the right path and for me to
continue to make my music available to people.
CMN: Much of the money for the concerts you perform goes
to Catholic schools for families that are struggling.
Tell me a little about this school and what you do to
help them.
TFG: Dreux Montequt, my pianist and good friend, are
both very committed to Catholic education. We made a
decision early on that if we did concerts to promote the
CD we would donate the money to music programs in area
Catholic Schools. Music is such a vital part of Catholic
education, but most often totally unfunded in Louisiana.
One school in particular we had a concert for in April
2004 was for the “Good Shepherd” school. This unique
school was formed by the late Fr. Harry Thompson. It is
a “free” school for inner city children. Built in the
heart of downtown, parents “pay” tuition by service
hours to the school. It’s amazing really. It is funded
on private donations. Area business people serve lunch
on their breaks, it beautiful. Our Concert will help to
fund their music program.
I am also sponsoring a “Music for the Military" program
through the St. Clement of Rome School Choir and Band
Program. We are collecting Christian CDs for the
military and will be shipping them to the Middle East
for Christmas. The response has been beautiful. Many
artists from the Catholic Association of Musicians have
very generously donated their CDs. For more info readers
can check out my website tfotigenco.com.
CMN: Trish, you went through a struggle in you life
after you had your baby. Tell us about this cross and
what you had to do to overcome it and how it
strengthened your faith?
TFG: I think it’s Phil 4:13 that says, “In Him who is
the source of my strength is the strength of
everything”. Yes, after the birth of my daughter I had a
stroke. It was an indescribable experience really. It
seemed to be the consensus at the time that I certainly
wouldn’t sing again or play guitar or piano. I thank God
for my faith. Without the strength that my faith gave me
and my family, I am certain I would not have recovered.
My friends often tell me my life reads as science
fiction. I laugh, but I know that God only does give us
what we can handle. It’s been 13 years since my stroke,
and for many years I didn’t talk about the pain and
horrible and humbling process of recovery. Many
encounters in the past few years have shown me, that
there are others that need to hear my story. They need
to know that through God all things are possible. You
just can’t give up…God does have a plan for your life.
That’s why my first CD was called “Inspired” part of
this project is in thanksgiving really for those that
inspired me. Hopefully, it will “inspire” someone whose
life path as taken a detour.
CMN: Thank you Trish!
Look for Trish Foti Genco's new release "In the Stillness...Lovesongs and Lullabies” at CatholicMusicNetwork.com.
Also pick up her debut CD
Inspired on sale now!
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