“I think our faith is such a powerful connector of people,” says Matt Maher, performing with Sarah Kroger during their Cathedrals Tour last year. (Photo courtesy of Ashley Parker)
PROSPECT HEIGHTS — Two Christian music superstars who have performed in venues across the U.S. are bringing their talents to the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph for a special Christmas concert to benefit Catholic school children in the Diocese of Brooklyn.
Matt Maher and Sarah Kroger will bring their 24-city “Cathedrals” tour to the co-cathedral on Dec. 9, with proceeds benefiting Futures in Education, the nonprofit organization that provides scholarships and other financial aid to enable low-income parents to send their children to Catholic schools in the diocese.
“It’s incredibly overwhelming and such a privilege to be a part of such a beautiful thing,” Kroger said of the idea of helping others through the concert. “And this is a perfect way to do that, to actually have our worship not just be songs, which is beautiful, but actually let it take root in the community and make a difference.
“I’m so excited to be a part of that.”
Alverlis, a singer who has performed at many events in the diocese, including the Eucharistic Revival in 2024, will be the special guest at the concert.
The concert, called “Cathedrals: An Advent Night of Worship,” is part of a national tour by Maher and Kroger, where the Nashville-based singer-songwriters, who are both Catholic, perform in cathedrals all over the country. The tour is in its second year.
The goal, they said, is to raise awareness of the beauty of cathedrals and the importance of preserving them.
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In addition to Brooklyn, the tour stops include Boston, Chicago, Detroit, St. Petersburg, and Sioux City.
Maher, whose songs include “Lord, I Need You,” “Because He Lives” and “Counting My Blessings,” said the Dec. 9 show will be a “grab bag” of Christmas songs and other tunes.
“I think that we’re trying to be mindful of the season of Advent and have a night of worship, of songs that, I think, focus a little bit more on the anticipation of Christmas,” he said, adding, “up in Brooklyn, it’s such a magical time of year as the holidays are approaching.”
Kroger, whose most popular songs include “Glory Be,” “No Filter,” and Take, Eat, Drink,” said she looks forward to performing in the co-cathedral.
“To be in a space like the cathedral is historic,” she explained. “It connects you to a history in a way that I think other venues maybe don’t.”
John Notaro, executive director of Futures in Education, said he is grateful that the concert will benefit the organization. “When we heard the news, we were very excited,” he said.
Whatever monies the concert raises will be put to beneficial use, said Notaro, who plans to attend.
“There’s always a need to fulfill this work that we’re doing to provide tuition assistance to our families,” he said. “Knowing that there’ll be more students that we can help and make a real impact on their lives is just something that we’re so grateful to have the chance to do.”
HOW TO GO
To purchase tickets for “Cathedrals: An Advent Night of Worship,” visit Matt Maher’s website at: https://www.mattmahermusic.com/cathedrals/