By Catholic Stewardship Consultants
www.CatholicSteward.com
We all have a way to serve our parish. The Llamedo family has the joy of sharing the same gift — music.
It all started nearly 40 years ago when Mary Ann Llamedo’s mother asked her to play guitar for the charismatic prayer group. This opened the door for her and her family to share their musical talents. Although it’s busy and can be stressful, they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Sometimes we wake up, and we don’t know what day of the week it is, and sometimes it’s the little things that make us want to drop everything and walk away,” Llamedo said. “However, God still tugs at our hearts and speaks to us. In that walk of faith, God continues to bless us as a couple in our journey together and with our family.”
Aniceto (Andy) and Mary Ann Llamedo have three adult daughters who are also musicians. Mary Ann leads the music at Our Lady of the Mount Church in Kalihi. Their daughter, Annie Llamedo Ragus, leads the music at Sacred Heart Church in Honolulu.
Between Mary Ann and Andy, they average five Masses per weekend.
“We enjoy being with our family, building relationships with the people around us, and making good music,” Mary Ann Llamedo said. “Music is something that my family does — a family business, so to speak.”
The end of each weekend is spent playing as a family at the 5 p.m. Mass at Sacred Heart, followed by dinner.
“Not only has music bound us together as a family, but it has also rooted us in our faith,” Llamedo said. “Even when we fail and fall, we are there to help one another get back up and continue the journey.”
The family also helps with technology needs, like computers and sound systems. Their son-in-law, Ryan, and Mary Ann’s brother, Fidel, also help.
The Llamedos’ desire to help the community and serve as a family drives their efforts.
“God has blessed us with so many rich experiences, gifts, talents and resources — it is only right to share what we can with the communities we serve,” she said. “Of course, it creates more work and requires more time and resources. The result is always edifying.”
Mary Ann Llamedo shared a story about their family’s love for liturgical music and service. In 2011, the Saint Francis School music group, which she led, traveled to Europe to perform at World Youth Day in Spain and in several churches and cathedrals.
The highlight of the trip occurred in Vatican City, where the group was invited to play for Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. Though they planned to perform with only a guitar, the basilica’s organist encouraged them to use the grand organ instead, giving Annie her first experience playing an organ at one of the holiest sites in the Catholic faith.
“It was with great pride and joy that everything culminated in that moment — my work and my students at Saint Francis School, my own faith journey with Christ, other family and friends who were with us, and my family’s music ministry being all together in that one place to sing and worship at the heart of the Catholic faith,” Llamedo said. “It was an auspicious and epic event for all of us. We were all speechless in the end while walking out of the Basilica.”
Llamedo offered advice to those who haven’t found where they fit in their parish — take it to prayer and trust God.
“When God starts calling, start listening,” she said. “Close your eyes and jump right in. God will walk you through the rest. He will lead you to people and through places you didn’t think possible. It won’t always be easy or smooth sailing. Everything in life is always a journey. Take it all in — the good and the not so good.”
Above: The Llamedo family gives back to the church in a variety of ways. (Courtesy Catholic Stewardship Consultants)