By and Ellen Rudolphi at the time of our ordination in September 1994.
I wrote this Psalm Offering for By and Ellen Rudolphi. By, by profession, was a dentist, and Ellen, a homemaker. These two people complimented each other so very well. Throughout formation, Ellen was struggling with cancer and the gentle and attentive care that By extended to her was remarkable for all of us to see. With the seriousness of Ellen’s health, we often wondered whether she would live through formation. Ellen has a strong will to live and nothing was going to prevent her from seeing her husband ordained. As it turned out, Ellen, though elderly and frail, is still living cared for by two of her sons. By died on February 3rd, 2013.
By and Ellen years later.
About this music, I had accompanied a group of teenagers from St. Hubert’s to a summer retreat. While they were busy involved in a number of activities, I found a room with a piano and began to write this Psalm Offering in a little music notebook I had. This Psalm Offering written in the key of C major begins with melody A stated quietly and gently, supported by chords in the left hand. The music segues into melody B which is louder and faster. Melody A returns at the original tempo loudly and majestically to conclude the music.
Procession, Psalm Offering 1 Opus 5 (1994), Robert Charles Wagner. All rights reserved.
All my music is downloadable from CD Baby, iTunes, and Amazon. You can also find my music on YouTube.
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Deacon Bob
I am a composer, performer, poet, educator, spiritual director, and permanent deacon of the Catholic Church. I just recently retired after 42 years of full-time ministry in the Catholic Church. I continue to serve in the Church part-time. I have been blessed to be united in marriage to my bride, Ruth, since 1974. I am father to four wonderful adult children, and grandfather to five equally wonderful grandchildren. In my lifetime, I have received a B.A. in Music (UST), M.A. in Pastoral Studies (St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity, UST), Certified Spiritual Director. Ordained to the Permanent Diaconate for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, in 1991. Composer, musician, author, poet, educator. The Gospels drive my political choices, hence, leading me toward a more liberal, other-centered politics rather than conservative politics. The great commandment of Jesus to love one another as he has loved us, as well as the criteria he gives in Matthew 25 by which we are to be judged at the end of time directs my actions and thoughts.
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