If you’ve watched any of Bishop Dennis Sullivan’s Sunday morning liturgies at Camden’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception over the past two months via YouTube or other livestream portals, you’ve also witnessed the soothing piano and uplifting voice of Mike and Molly Bedics. The couple, like countless other musicians and cantors throughout South Jersey and beyond, have continued providing a sense of the sacred, musically, to quarantined households in this time.
The Bedics, Cherry Hill residents, parents of four and approaching their 17th wedding anniversary, have been sharing their gifts together for almost 20 years, since they first met at Immaculate Conception Parish in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where Mike was the music director and Molly was the cantor.
After moving to South Jersey in 2005, they brought their talents to Saint Peter Celestine (now Christ Our Light) Parish, where he continued as director of music ministry until last year, when he became director of Worship and Christian Initiation for the Diocese of Camden. Molly still cantors at Christ Our Light.
Music and the Catholic faith have been in their blood since the beginning. Molly, growing up in Allentown, sang in her hometown church at Immaculate Conception, influenced by worship singers such as Kathy Troccoli and Twila Paris.
Mike, a native of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, grew up playing the organ in his parent’s home. In the sixth grade at Notre Dame of Bethlehem, he joined the music club; however, he wanted to play a different instrument.
“I wanted to strap on a guitar and look cool,” he says. However, when the music director found out about Mike’s background with the organ, instruments were switched and a passion was reignited.
“I fell back in love with (the organ); my head and heart were wrapped around it,” he says.
The Bedics grew familiar with performing every week for one parish community. They understood the identity of the congregation and its needs, and built a set list of complementary musical styles and works.
Now, the two are cognizant of the wider audience that is with them virtually, with a myriad of liturgical music tastes.
They’re mixing in new compositions and old standards that not only connect to the day’s readings, but “bring you back, provide nostalgia,” Molly says.
They’re also aware of the limited time they have to bring hope to viewers.
“You only have four or five songs to reach people,” Molly says. “People are sick, grieving, lonely, out of work. Through our music, we want them to know that we are not alone, God is with us, and he will carry us to the other side.”
Molly calls Sundays the perfect opportunity to perform a song that “will guide us through the week ahead.”
During the liturgy, Mike is focused on the piano and the sheet music in front of him. But for Molly, it’s been more of an adjustment. Instead of the joyful worshippers she is accustomed to leading in song, it’s two camera technicians scrutinizing her every facial expression, she jokes.
To better focus, she envisions herself “on the other side of the camera, and the people watching, singing and praying with us.”
On Mondays, the two are already brainstorming ideas for the next Sunday, and they spend the week practicing together. They are also busy raising their three at-home children — Isaac, 16; Ceili, 14; and Joshua, 11 — and Molly is continuing to educate students from home as a special education instructor.
Molly admits the days at home “aren’t without their struggles, but it’s been a gift” to once again create, practice and play music with her husband.
The practices might be long and tiring some nights, she says, but their efforts “always end up feeding us spiritually,” she says.
The couple’s love of music has trickled down to their offspring. Isaac plays the drums, Ceili the ukulele, and Joshua has been involved in his school’s musical theater.
Looking back on their lives of music, Molly and Mike see the ever-present hand of God, the spiritual conductor.
“It wasn’t just music, but the moments that were created and the prayer that happened in these surroundings between the songs,” Mike says.
“Music has shaped who we are,” Molly said.
“God used music to bring us closer together, and closer to him, and to help us bring others closer through our music. It’s a humbling blessing,” she continued.
They feel a responsibility to share their talents with worshippers on the other side of the camera, who are looking to find peace and hope at this time.
“We hope we’re reaching people where they need to be reached,” Mike says.
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