For an episode of the “Practicing Catholic” radio show premiering Dec. 23-25, host Patrick Conley shares with listeners one of his “outstanding memories.” It was a time when “the Lord really drove home the wonder and mystery of Christmas itself,” Conley said. 

It took place his first Christmas as a Catholic, at midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, in 2010. 

Conley said he remembers the beautiful music, with the “thousands” of people present at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, singing in one voice, “Oh Come, All Ye Faithful.”  

“I am again struck by, ‘we are coming to worship the Lord, our God made flesh,’” he said. “And … again, it’s moving me deeper into the mystery of all that is Christmas.” 

The large crowd drove a need for more extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, of which Conley is one. With a few hosts left in his ciborium after Communion, he headed toward the back of the sanctuary to return it to the altar. But as he entered the rear of the sanctuary, choir members stood and prepared to sing from the sanctuary, so he stepped back and waited in silence. 

“And as I stood there, holding Jesus in my arms, I listened as their silence overtook the place,” he said. And then the choir started singing an impactful arrangement of the Christmas Gregorian chant, “O Magnum Mysterium.” 

“I found myself moved as I held Jesus in my arms and stood next to this choir …,” Conley said. “It was like I was there in the stable with him, with the Holy Family, and privileged to hold the newborn king in my arms. 

“It’s a moving memory, as you may be able to tell,” Conley said. “I can’t even make it through that song now without breaking down, and in the memory that stirs within me.” 

As Conley finished his recollection, “Practicing Catholic” producer Cami Berthiaume and technical producer Paul Sadek joined in the conversation about sacred music.  

To hear Conley tell the memorable story, with more details and emotion — and to hear six and one-half minutes of Morten Lauridsen’s arrangement of the Christmas Gregorian chant, “O Magnum Mysterium” — listen to this episode of “Practicing Catholic,” which debuts at 9 p.m. Dec. 23 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM and repeats at 1 p.m. Dec. 24 and 2 p.m. Dec. 25.  

Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes an interview about Christmas music with Nick Chalmers, director of choirs at Chesterton Academy and director of music at Annunciation in Minneapolis, and a reprised interview with Allison Spies, archives program manager for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, who shares some fun stories from Christmases past in the archdiocese. 

Listen to interviews after they have aired at PracticingCatholicShow.com or choose a streaming platform at anchor.fm/practicing-catholic-show.