The fifth virtual event in the Notre Dame Folk Choir’s The Way of the Cross series explored how the Passion project has deeply affected members of the Folk Choir in their everyday lives, and questioned how the piece might continue to shape lives beyond this academic year. This event was moderated by J.J. Wright, and featured Kim Belcher, Grace Murphy ’22, and Anna Staud ’22. This discussion focused heavily on Murphy and Staud’s personal experiences working intimately with the project, and was followed by an opportunity for questions and answers from viewers. Wright began the event by reminding viewers that we commemorate the Passion every Friday of the year and every time we celebrate Mass as Christians; keeping this in mind, there is no better reason to continue this series and the discussion of the Passion during the Easter season, with the suffering of Lent behind us.
Murphy and Staud reflected on how their work with the Passion aligns with their personal collegiate journeys, particularly as they embark on their futures beyond Notre Dame. Murphy spoke first, noting how her involvement with the Passion project illuminated the joys of each part of the Passion story, as well as each aspect of the development of and performance of the project. While Jesus’ journey included tremendous amounts of suffering and the creation of the Folk Choir’s Passion was not always easy, there are moments of happiness, strength, and profound meaning throughout. Murphy reported that joy is now easier to uncover in her personal life, finding joy not solely in graduation, but also in studying for the MCAT, getting accepted into medical school, and saying goodbye to loved ones as she embarks on a new path.
Staud echoed Murphy’s sentiment of finding joy in the ordinary moments. As she looks ahead to her next adventure — a high school teaching position through ACE — she found that cultivating creativity will be essential in remaining joyful, as well as instilling similar joy in her students, as that was an essential part in Staud’s own development as a child and at Notre Dame. As Murphy and Staud approached graduation, they discussed the difficult reality of leaving the Folk Choir and this Passion project. They took comfort in the art that they have created and that will continue to exist, be shared, and be enjoyed beyond performances, the trip to the Holy Land, and graduation from Notre Dame.
Before fully diving into what it means to say goodbye to this project as college seniors, Murphy and Staud answered questions from Wright and Belcher about how women factor into the Folk Choir’s rendition of The Passion. Murphy excitedly pointed out how many women are involved in the Passion story. These women are strong, proud of their relationship with Jesus, and stand by him through his crucifixion. In contrast, many of the men in the story betray Christ and are ashamed of their relationship with Him. This juxtaposition was embraced by the Choir, which was enthusiastic about shining a special light on the strong female characters in the Passion. Murphy, who portrays Mary Magdalene in the performance, found power in biblical women’s strength, their commitment to Christ, and their powerful acceptance of their own emotions and intuitions. Murphy shared an example of this deep emotion in the Peter scene, during which Mary Magdalene is furious toward Peter for walking away from Jesus during his moment of need. This reaction is different from how John the Apostle responded to the events unfolding, but Murphy felt empowered to portray Magdalene in an emotion-driven way. Through the scene, Magdalene’s response to Peter’s betrayal shifts, and her emotions become more peaceful and empathetic, truly capturing the complex scenes the characters in the Bible, more specifically the women, had to endure.
Finally, the members of the Choir reflected on their dreams for The Passion’s future, hoping that each time this Passion is performed, it is done so in such a spirit-filled way that new discoveries can be made and it can come alive in new ways. They hope that witnessing these performances and hearing the music will help “draw people more deeply into their relationship with Jesus.” Art serves as an invitation to open one’s heart in new ways or to things that might be the most discouraging in our lives. Through art, one’s faith can be strengthened to more comfortably recognize the good and parts of ourselves and our lives; the creators of the Passion hope that their musical piece can be a force for theological growth and spiritual development on the personal and communal level.
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