Catholic Explorer

Members of Second Collection pause for a quick break in between providing praise and worship music to Mass attendees at St. James the Apostle Parish in Glen Ellyn.

The upbeat tempo and unique sound of Beatles songs are a noteworthy happening in the setting of a Catholic Mass. A praise and worship music group called Second Collection performs the eclectic music every other Saturday night at St. James the Apostle Parish in Glen Ellyn.

Dave Niedzielko, founder and director of the group, acknowledged that the “rock ’n’ roll” band has turned a few heads during the Saturday evening contemporary Mass. The unique sound “is worth the drive” said the parishioner of St. Anne Parish in Oswego, who drives over an hour to play the guitar, drum the percussion instruments and lend his voice.

“I don’t consider us a choir,” emphasized Niedzielko. It is a praise and worship music group that likens to a Christian rock band, however, they’re performances are essentially limited to the alternating Saturday Masses due to scheduling conflicts among members.

Second Collection is an appropriate name for a band in which its members—in their 50s and 60s—have all come from previous musical gigs, secular and religious, said Niedzielko. He added that the group is an ensemble of different talents, skills and experiences gathered by God’s grace for a specific purpose—a true special collection.

Using the bass guitar, piano, synthesizer, guitar and percussions, the group’s music is of the genre that might be played on the airwaves of a Christian music radio station, in addition to re-written popular rock songs and contemporary songs. It’s been about two years since the group first unpacked their gear and set up for the first time at the west suburban parish.

During certain parts of the Mass, the six musicians play their instruments and raise their voices to harmonize songs such as “Glory to God” and “Holy, Holy” from contemporary composers like Marty Haugen and David Haas. But other times, such as during the prelude, a rewritten version of the Beatles’ song “You Can’t Do That” has been performed.

Niedzielko deliberately recruited musicians from diverse settings in order to acquire a unique sound. He achieved harmony when Paul Jeziorski, a member of Southminster Presbyterian Church in Glen Ellyn, auditioned for bass and vocals. Shortly afterward, his wife, Linda, decided to add her vocals to the mix.

Linda, who is an elder at their church, told the Catholic Explorer the camaraderie and unique style attracted her to Second Collection. She added, “It’s opening up a lot of things for a lot of people in their worship experience.”

Linda expressed no hesitation about the ecumenical aspect of it all. In fact, she credited the Lord with making it happen and fostering “better communication” between the two congregations. She said, “There’s no mistake the six of us have been brought together at this time.” The blend of voices and musical talents of people from various backgrounds creates a distinctive harmony that enhances the worship experience for all ears, Protestant or Catholic. She mentioned that some fellow Protestants have visited the Catholic Church to hear the exceptional band. And the band has performed a handful of times at Southminster Presbyterian Church.

The diversity is refreshing for longtime St. James the Apostle parishioner Ray Klein. He told the Explorer that he has been singing the four-part harmonies with the parish’s adult choir for over 20 years. So when the opportunity arose for him to harmonize without the back-up voices, he auditioned for Second Collection. He said, “To me, the Mass isn’t about music, but nothing can ruin a liturgy more than bad music, and nothing can enhance the liturgy more than good music.”

Klein feels Second Collection strikes the right chord with the people in the pews because they can either tap their feet or join in and sing along. He humbly acknowledged that the chords he plays on the synthesizer are basic, and so he surmised that people must enjoy the new genre of music the best.

The group’s method of playing songs without sheet music creates a nostalgic memory of Klein’s old “garage-band days” in the 1960s. He said, “We’ve got to figure out the harmonies ourselves.”

The praise and worship music also has enriched Klein’s faith by being a better participant in the community aspect of Mass. He said, “I think it has allowed me not to be so private with my worship.”