For Mary Catherine Levri, music has never been just a skill or a profession—it has been a vocation intricately woven into her personal and spiritual life. As the Director of Music at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology, she has dedicated her life to the study, practice, and teaching of sacred music, and this has helped guide her and her students into a deeper communion with God.

Levri’s journey with music began in an unassuming way. As a child, she was first inspired by a friend whose father was an organist. Watching her friend play sparked an early desire to learn. She began piano lessons taught by two neighbors. Music became a steady presence in her life, nurtured by those who saw her potential. Today, Levri knows that Divine Providence was at work in these early years.

While earning her Doctorate of Musical Arts in organ performance from the University of Notre Dame, Levri found a musical family in Craig Cremer, Professor of Organ, and his wife, who led a liturgical choir. Their guidance refined her ear and expanded her appreciation for the sacred and technical dimensions of music, reinforcing her belief that music was not merely an art form but a vessel for theological expression. Sacred music, she says, has the ability to communicate profound theological truths: “When people encounter beauty in liturgical music, they are compelled to believe, not just intellectually but with their hearts.”

Today, Levri teaches courses in voice, music theory, and music history while also serving as Associate Professor of Music and Pastoral Studies. She sees music as a powerful force in vocational discernment. While some seminarians arrive with natural musical gifts, others must develop their abilities through practice. She has worked with students who initially struggled with singing but, through patience and repetition, found their voice. Beyond technical ability, she values the discipline, humility, and transformation that come with persistent effort. “Even more than being able to sing, I appreciate the process and hope it’s something they can take back to their parishes,” she shared.

Levri describes choral music as an expression of unity and divine intervention. As she conducts choirs, she experiences moments of awe when a group of individuals, each with his or her own unique voice and life experiences, unite to create a single, resonant sound. “Despite the potential for discord—coughing, sneezing, or missed notes—there are moments when everything aligns, and the Holy Spirit moves through the music, transforming it into something truly transcendent.” She added, “This is a reflection of vocation itself: an offering to the Lord, imperfect yet beautiful in its sincerity.”

Quoting composer James MacMillan, Levri said, “Music is one of the most spiritual of all the arts, an invisible presence—where the body meets the soul.” The act of making music calls for both technical precision and spiritual openness. She named Come, Thou Redeemer as her favorite hymn, a piece attributed to St. Ambrose. She treasures it for its poetic expression of Christ’s dual nature—both divine and human. “These complex truths about the nature of God can only be communicated as beauty. It compels you to believe it because it is beautiful,” she explained.

Levri describes her lifelong relationship with music as a light for her path: “It has been a means of doing good, making a living, and most importantly, co-creating with God.”

This article appeared in the May 2025 edition of The Catholic Telegraph Magazine. For your complimentary subscription, click here.