I composed this Psalm Offering as an ordination present in the summer of 1994 for John Mangan. John was the only bachelor of my class. John was a simple man deeply devoted to his Catholic faith. A naval veteran, he spent time ministering to veterans of our armed forces at the State of Minnesota Veterans Home in South Minneapolis. John later became a resident of that same Veterans Home and continued to minister to his fellow residents. John had the distinction of being aboard one of the naval vessels that blockaded Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis in the early ‘60’s. For those of us alive at the time, we came very, very close to a nuclear war with the Soviet Union at that time. John died at the Minnesota State Veterans Home on March 13th, 2017.
When John officially retired as a deacon at the age of 75 years (we all submit our resignation to the Archbishop at that age), they had a big party for him at the State Veterans Home in Minneapolis. John was very ill and confined to a wheel chair. Its amazing how one life can impact the lives of so many people. The large room in which the celebration was held was filled to capacity with all the folks paying tribute to John. My daughter, Meg, a nurses aid, and my wife, Ruth, an RN took care of John the many years he was a resident at the State Vets home. John died in March following his big retirement party.
The music is in three parts, composed in the key of C major. Melody A stated very quietly acts almost as an introduction to Melody B, the main melody of the Psalm Offering. Melody A returns to conclude the music.
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