‘We are stewards of beauty,’ says worship leader

Andrea Thomas is co-director of The Vigil Project, which will provide music for Legatus’ Summit 2023 in Orlando, FL, in February.
 
Thomas grew up in Cincinnati as one of nine children in a large Italian family. At age 18, she began touring with VeggieTales Live, a touring show based on the VeggieTales television series. She also performed with country artist Collin Raye.

In 2006, she believed God was calling her to leave her secular music career behind. She earned a degree from Franciscan University of Steubenville and became a worship leader, songwriter, and entrepreneur.

Describe the work of The Vigil Project and what led you to pastoral music.

We are a Catholic music apostolate and collective of artists who make devotional music for the everyday Catholic journey. We are a touring band as well as a full ministry that exists in the Church to help support other Catholic artists in their craft.
 
I started in the entertainment world, and music in the Church was nowhere on my radar! I have come to discover through my own journey of discernment many moments of “failure,” some successes, and a lot of grace that God has been preparing me for a time such as this one in our Church to deposit my gifts here. I’m beyond honored to do that alongside these other amazing artists.

How do you go about selecting songs or hymns for a particular liturgy? 
The Church, in her wisdom, prescribes different music to accompany different moments of our lives. We begin with listening to what the Church has to say about music selection. Then, as Pope St. John Paul II says in his Letter to Artists, we are stewards of beauty, and therefore we must discern the right music for the right moment. In short, we listen to the Church, and we also take into consideration as pastorally as possible the culture and community we are serving when selecting music.

What role do you play in songwriting? Is there a song that has particularly resonated with your audience?

When we first released a project in 2016, we had no idea a full ministry was waiting for us to develop! We’ve now written and released songs for every liturgical season as well as other devotional albums. Co-writing is a frequent experience for us, and we love that aspect of what we do!
 
We still hold very dear in our hearts that first project and the songs we wrote for it. One of my favorites from that album is called “Lord Have Mercy,” by Greg and Lizzy Boudreaux.

How do you strike a balance between prayer and performance?
 
It has been an incredible journey to learn what it means to be a musician, and a musician in the Church at that. The fount of life for Catholics is her sacraments. They are the life-giving spring that flows in us as we go to lead others. I truly believe that in order to lead people in worship — music or otherwise — our strength begins and ends there. Also, we must cultivate and prioritize the interior life behind closed doors when we are alone “in the secret place,” as the Scriptures say, with the Lord. This is the foundation of being able to lead from a place of prayer versus performance, of keeping our eyes on Him versus seeking the fleeting glance of our fellow men.

What are your favorite hymns for Advent and Christmas?

I have always loved “O Holy Night.” I was excited to get to cut a version of that for our Christmas Classics album. I also love some of the Advent songs we’ve written: “Prepare Him Room” and “Savior of the World.”

What advice might you offer young pastoral musicians?
 
Hone your craft. Cultivate your interior life and receive the sacraments often. Find your people (aka community) where you can deposit your gift. If you need help, contact us! That’s why we’re here!