By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
August 19, 2004

SPENCER - A group of Sacred Heart parishioners from Spencer traveled to Cozumel, a small island off the coast of Mexico, on a Carnival cruise and sang at a local church.

Grayson Warren Brown, an internationally-known liturgical composer, author, recording artist and speaker from New York City, conducted a three-day parish mission in Spencer in March and had an impact on the Sacred Heart parishioners.

"Grayson Warren Brown is such a delightful person," said Marianne Fuchsen, the music director at Sacred Heart. "Our people responded to him like they have never responded to anyone else. It was a three-day mission, and we are going have him come back next March. The mission gave us such a momentum. We decided that we are going to build on that momentum."

According to Marianne, Grayson takes a trip every couple of summers to sing at churches in another country such as Ireland, Scotland and England and thought it was time for another trip. Grayson's assistant set up the cruise. Since the people in Spencer had just experienced a mission Grayson thought that some of them might be interested in going with him. He extended the invitation and several opted to go.

The cruise began in Tampa, Fla. Thirty-five people traveled with Grayson including 10 from Spencer Sacred Heart, Marianne and her husband Tom, an organist at Sacred Heart; Suzi and Kahley Nelson; Robin, Anne and Jane Barber; Peggy Bates, Chelsea Chapman and Jackie Hart.

"We thought it would be fun to travel with a group that had similar interests - a Christian and musical group," said Marianne. "It was very interesting to be with a group that had the same ideas and same feelings."

The group sang at a church in Cozumel at the Tuesday evening Mass while they were on their trip. There are three churches on the island and one priest serves all three.

"They have evening Masses because so many people are so poor and have to work two or three jobs to support their families," said Marianne. "They have Masses at various times throughout the week so that people can get to them."

Before the Mass, the group gave a 20-minute concert for the people of the parish in Cozumel. There were maybe 50 people at the Mass, noted Marianne.

"Everyone we sang to didn't speak English but you could tell by the smiles on their faces and the way that the crowd acted that they enjoyed it. I think a lot of people feel God through music. Music certainly leads me closer to God," said Robin.

Since the people in Cozumel did not speak English, Grayson's wife was the interpreter for the trip.

Marianne commented that she experienced God through "the appreciativeness of the priest and the people at the Mass." The group had to leave the Mass early due to timing problems with getting back on the ship, so they left after Communion. As they left, people just stopped whatever they were doing to come out and shake their hands or give a hug.

"I feel that music is what everyone falls back on in good times and bad times," said Marianne. "As a music director for me to be establishing in my parish a tradition of music that can support my parishioners in those good and bad times, I feel that is a gift that I can give them."

Robin felt as though this trip was a one in a million opportunity for her and she needed to take the chance. It was a bonus for her that her daughters could experience it with her.

"The rest of the time, we were typical tourists on a cruise. It was wonderful," said Marianne. "The fellowship with people from all over the United States was really special. We met several couples that we enjoyed and the way they sing and their enthusiasm for singing."