Work We Do: Patti Homan, Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church

Hi, my name is Patti Homan. I am the music director for Sacred Heart Parish in Cutchogue but our predominant masses are here in Our Lady Of Good Counsel Church in Mattituck. 

The wonderful saying is that when you sing, you pray twice.

Ever since I was a little kid, my mother would always say that she always knew where I was because I would always be singing.

What I basically do is I minister to the Mass. It’s not performing but it’s leading the congregation in beauty to share in the music scripturally so that they become more associated with their faith through music.

It’s such a joy for me to teach the children, and the adults that I have, too, because we have different choirs. For the family Mass, we try to make it a little more simple.

I was educated to be an elementary school teacher, which I loved. I came out of college and I volunteered here. And the priest here at that time, he basically said to me, “I understand you play the guitar and sing.” And I said, “I haven’t played the guitar since eighth grade.” He said. “That’s OK. Show up Wednesday night.” And that’s how it all began. I taught first grade over at Little Mercy and here still doing one Mass with friends and then had three children in four years. Gave up teaching, became a mom. But this still maintained a real important role in my life through singing, through Mass, through liturgy committee. And then the rest is history.

It’s so wonderful to watch older children, advanced readers, help the lower readers with music. I’m also lucky to have the experience of picking out music. What I do is I read the scriptures, and then I meditate and pray on them and then I continuously find new music along with the old. And then I practice, practice and practice more.

The songs that we sing in church bring the word of God alive through music, so it’s really fun to see their love of their faith start to open up and develop.

“The Work We Do” is a Suffolk Times multimedia project profiling workers on the North Fork. It is made possible by Peconic Landing. See more photos on Instagram @thesuffolktimes.