When Friar Gerry WATERMAN, OFM Conv., heard the Hendricks Chapel Choir perform an original choral piece based on his favorite verse, Psalm 139, he cried tears of joy.
“Every part of me was tingling, and I was sobbing because it just touched my soul,” said Friar Gerry, a Syracuse University Catholic chaplain. “It was just awe inspiring.” Friar Gerry is a member of the Province of Our Lady of the Angels in the USA.
The sold-out concert took place on Palm Sunday, March 29, 2026. It was part of Hendricks Chapel’s Malmgren Concert Series and was one of many performances at the Syracuse University Catholic Center celebrating the donation and installation of the Center’s new Harrold organ.
“Chancellor Kent SYVERUD commissioned Syracuse University’s Catholic Music Director, Dr. Peppie CALVAR, to compose a piece of music in my honor, for my ten years of service, and prior to my departure from the university,” said Friar Gerry. “Dr. Peppie asked me for a text of my choosing and I proffered Psalm 139. His piece is called ‘Fragments of a Psalm.’ Those sounds show why music is vital to the Catholic community because it helps amplify prayer.”
To watch the video of the composition performed in honor of Friar Gerry, visit:
https://video.syr.edu/media/t/1_a85y7oun
To watch the full concert from the “Malmgren Concert Series: Dedication of the Harrold Organ,” visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRepjNbAKB4
Kevin A. KEENAN
Director of Communications
