Hauer recognized for 50 years as church musician

Recently during a special mass at St. Scholastica Catholic Church in Heidelberg, Rose Marie Hauer was recognized for her 50 years as the church’s lead musician and organist. She was presented a Certificate of Appreciation signed by Father Eugene Theisen and Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

“It doesn’t seem that long,” said Rose Marie about serving her church that long. While she and husband, Don, live in Philipps Square senior apartments in New Prague now, they began the journey of music and faith together.

“I was in the choir since day one watching her play,” said Don. “It’s a part of our life that has been enjoyable.”

Rose Marie took over as organist for the church in 1970 after choir master/ organist Barney Ademmer died. He had served in that ministry for 60 years.

At the time the Rose Marie and Don were working their family farm and raising their four children, Daniel, Catherine (now Weiers), Dawn (now Buszmann), and Russell.

Father Wallace Hermes was pastor of St. Scholastica at the time and knew Rose Marie had played the piano. But she had no experience playing an organ. She decided to try and went up to the old pipe organ, which had been converted to electric power. She turned the organ on and literally received a shock!

“Apparently, there was a bit of a live wire connecting the starter lever,” she said. The parish redid the starter a couple of years later, ending the shocks.

On Mother’s Day of 1970 she, at the organ, and the choir joined together for Mass. “The very first hymn I played was a dedication to the Blessed Virgin, ‘On This Day, O Beautiful Mother.’ I have played it every Mother’s Day since that time,” said Rose Marie.

Since then she has played for every Sunday Mass, Holy Days and Holidays, Lenten services, weddings, funerals and special celebrations.

This year she had planned to mark her 50 years at the church on Mother’s Day with the playing of “On This Day, O Beautiful Mother.” Due to the COVID-19 pandemic they weren’t able to hold that mass at the church. She was surprised some time later by 10 members of the choir asking her to celebrate the occasion with a special mass. Father Mike Skluzacek officiated the service and presented Rose Marie with the certificate.

“This was a surprise. I was very pleased and thankful they remembered,” she said.

Over the years she has...

To see more on this story pick up the June 25, 2020 print edition of The New Prague Times or the Montgomery Messenger.