By Richard Tew/Faithful columnist
God gives all of us talents, some are easily-recognizable, while others are a bit more hidden. For Grant and Rose Bue, their singing talents have taken them to concert halls with acclaimed choral groups. It also helped them to be able to help lead their church in songs of praise as members of the music ministry.
Born in Idaho, Rose Bue is one of ten children. She says she can remember family gatherings which would be filled with singing and music. She was brought up Catholic and would find herself with her family in church each Sunday.
“I’ve been singing my whole life with my family,” said Rose.
During her college years, Bue shifted her career goals towards accounting but took electives which involved music.
Also from Idaho, Grant Bue has also been singing since his youth. He says both of his parents sang in the local church choir.
“One day a week they (parents) would go off and rehearse choir,” said Grant.
It wasn’t long until he found himself singing in church and in choral groups throughout college. Along the way, he performed in Europe and in operas in California.
“I was a singer since I was a little kid; my whole life,” said Grant.
Both met in college while Grant was taking a leave of absence from school in order to work and earn money. He was asked to audit a theater opera class Rose was a student in. He says he remembers playing a part in a play with Rose as part of a class production.
“I was bent over looking at her face when a voice said ‘One day you will marry this woman,'” he said. “She just had this smile. It wasn’t love, we were not attracted to each other but it was in my mind and boy it played out.”
Both Grant and Rose eventually began dating, and would eventually marry and have children.
Raised an Episcopalian, Grant says he fell away from his faith while in college and became an atheist.
He says it was singing in large concert choruses and the classical pieces involved—many with Christian themes—that began to bring him back to his faith.
“It was tugging at me all that time,” Grant said.
Grant and Rose would end up in Houston working for Lockheed (now Lockheed-Martin) at the Johnson Space Center.
Rose says her faith had also become weak during that time. She says her husband’s return to his faith helped her strengthen her own.
When she was giving birth to their first child, Grant decided to become a Catholic as well.
“I knew I needed to and it was a good experience,” said Grant.
Over the 33 years both Rose and Grant have been members of St. Bernadette, they have maintained a regular singing presence both as cantors and members of the choir. They also serve when needed as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion.
As for leading the church in song, both Grant and Rose say the experience for them is both cathartic and spiritually-moving.
Rose says she sees the songs she leads as a prayer.
“I just try to pray to the song that I might be singing,” said Rose. “I know that my whole purpose in the Mass is to enable people to pray through song. I always pray: ‘Holy Spirit help me make this what you want.”
Connecting with the audience is important, Grant says, noting the spiritual experience of good music helps connect the singer to their audience.
“I have a deep connection with trying to present the message of the song to the congregation; it’s a very spiritual experience for me,” said Grant. “You connect with the congregation.”
Cutline: Rose and Grant Bue are accomplished musicians and members of St. Bernadette Catholic Church’s music ministry. Photo by: Richard Tew.
