Claire’s swansong after 75 years
Claire Henshall has lost count of the number of weddings, funerals and sacraments she has played organ for at St Joseph’s Catholic Church. But chances are, if you have attended a service at the church in the past 75 years, you would have heard her music.
From the wings of the Warragul church, Claire has played on cue for parishioners for more than seven decades.
At 95-years-old, and performing a collection of her favourite hymns, Claire sat perfectly poised at her organ for one last time.
Surrounded by family, including many who travelled from interstate, and parishioners she proudly calls her friends, Claire signed off on what began as a chapter in her life but has become a significant part of her life story.
Aside from the period of COVID restrictions when weekly masses were suspended, Claire’s absence from the weekly mass has been limited. While a pandemic may have silenced Claire’s music temporarily, her return when mass resumed was music to the ears of parishioners.
Claire barely remembers a life without music, being just 10-years-old when her father surprised her with a piano. Little did she know music would bring her so much peace and enjoyment for a lifetime.
After the death of her mother, Claire moved to Warragul when she was eight with her father Frank O’Malley, grandmother Jean O’Malley and younger sister Margaret.
The family purchased the Club Hotel and the young sisters attended Our Lady of Sion Convent.
Claire was 20 when she began playing the organ for Sunday mass. She doesn’t remember how it came about, but she embraced the opportunity and has loved the journey.
Working with many priests during her years at St Joseph’s, Claire has given careful thought to her selection of music to reflect the sermon or significance of the week.
“I am not so good on the piano – I love the organ, it gives the music great depth with the singing. My choir are very loyal to me. We do practice every so often but we all know the hymns.
“Sometimes I find it hard to see Father on the altar, but after all these years I fudge my cues.
Claire has seen generations of local families baptised and married, sharing in their special celebrations through her love for music.
She represented the parish at the 40th International Eucharistic Conference in Melbourne in 1973. But her greatest honour was receiving a citation and medal from Pope John Paul II for 50 years service to the parish.
For Claire’s swansong, a letter was read from former Warragul priest the Reverend Father Peter Slater.
Fr Slater said his earliest memory of Claire was 60 years ago when he attended school at Marist Brothers with her son Peter.
He remembered her playing piano for school concerts, musicals and helping them to prepare for dances. “We took your efforts for granted,” he said.
In 2016, when he arrived in Warragul as parish priest, Fr Slater discovered Claire was still volunteering her time and providing music to the parish.
Fr Slater said Claire was genuine and loyal and had given generous service over more than seven decades.
“You have seen priests come and go and worked with all of them. “Your good humour has been a special gift,” Fr Slater said.
And as mass ended, Claire took all the fuss in her stride, gratefully greeting family, friends and parishioners after her final hymn, standing proudly aside her organ where after 75 year she says it was simply “time” to call it a day.