In Cleveland, Catholic singer and songwriter Matt Maher stood in the renovated St. John the Evangelist Cathedral. Beneath its star-studded blue ceiling, he reminded the audience of the generations that had previously worshipped here. Maher emphasized the importance of "depositing seeds to be sown by those who come after us" and encouraged the audience to commit to "building something that outlasts you."

During the Advent "Cathedrals" Tour

Maher, along with fellow Catholic artist Sarah Kroger and a three-person band, performed in several cathedrals across the country. Their stop in Cleveland on December 8 was unique as the diocese intended it to serve as an evangelization tool. For almost two and a half hours, they moved the audience with Maher's songs like "Lord, I Need You" and familiar hymns and Christmas carols. Special effects added to the atmosphere as the artists introduced their songs with observations for later consideration.

Concert Experience

Concertgoers listened quietly in the darkened cathedral at times and leapt to their feet to join in the singing. Bishop Edward Malesic welcomed a multigenerational crowd of approximately 800 attendees and urged them to take the joy out into the streets.During a pre-concert interview, Father Damian Ference and Christy Cabaniss explained that booking the concert was an outgrowth of the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. The diocese bought out the concert and distributed tickets to Eucharistic Congress delegates, asking them to invite unchurched, agnostic, atheist, or drifting Catholics.Father Ference advised against inviting non-Catholics to Mass as a starting point due to their unfamiliarity with Catholic practices. Instead, he recommended informal techniques like discussing artworks related to Catholic beliefs.After the concert, attendees expressed appreciation. Sarah Franks got her husband's best friend, who had stopped going to church, to attend and noticed him responding to the music. Dawn Cavanaugh brought 18 high-school students, some of whom were Eucharistic Congress participants, and they all responded positively. Veronica Susnjara invited her mother's cousin, who is preparing to enter the Church, and although her guest couldn't make it, she was inspired by the evening.Linda Bennett invited parishioners from St. Gabriel and other parishes, and they all found joy and peace in the experience.Both Father Ference and Cabaniss acknowledged that it was difficult to measure the success of the concert but believed that the stirring of the Holy Spirit and the excitement would have a lasting impact.In conclusion, this Catholic concert served as a powerful evangelization tool, bringing people together and inspiring them to consider their faith in new ways. It showed the importance of creating spaces where the Holy Spirit can move and touch hearts.