Surrendering

The crisis brought Kitty back to her music. She began working on her first CD, “Surrender.” The title song told about her family’s ordeal and the lessons they learned from it. It begins:

I had it all: fortune, power, acclaim,
Worldly success, a respectable name;
But then they vanished, illusions of safety,
My spirit was crushed, nothing worldly could save me.

How could this happen? They’ve taken my life.
No justice found, hope barely alive.
My heart was broken, my spirit despairing,
I cried out, My God, why have You forsaken me?

Later, in an emotional moment shared by a world-wide audience, Kitty sang “Surrender” to members of her family in the audience of EWTN’s “Life on the Rock.” The family’s difficult situation had eased; the words she’d written had proven to be prophetic:

Then came the peace touched so
deeply by Your mercy,
I lost my pride and found
You’re all I need.
You rescued me, felt Your love
in my surrender,
I reached my greatest height
down on my knees.

With the sound of applause still ringing in her ears, Kitty returned home to find that the first shipment of her debut CD had arrived. Eventually named 2001 Sacramental Album of the Year, “Surrender” catapulted Kitty’s professional music career. Her life as a musician took a giant leap.
This happily-ever-after story would be incomplete without the mention of the most decisive component of Kitty’s life from that time to the present—her relationship with God. Once a self-proclaimed “daddy’s girl,” Kitty had to find another source of strength during the bleak crisis period. She began spending an hour a day in the Adoration Chapel of Our Lady of the Lake, her parish church. During that time, she felt God calling her to be a “music missionary.”

It didn’t take long for Kitty to discern what she should do: share her story and songs with the world. She began by going with other family members to personally thank the parishioners of two out-of-state churches that had supported them with prayer. The songs and words came easily as Kitty performed what could be called her first two concerts. Next, she became a cantor at her parish church. Then Kitty began giving her concert and testimony throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.

Most recently, while in Rome for Thanksgiving 2004, Kitty performed for the American bishops in St. Peter’s Basilica. Kitty had traveled to Rome hoping to fulfill her dream of singing for Pope John Paul II. Unfortunately, the Holy Father was battling a stomach virus at the time and was wheeled out of the audience before Kitty could sing the first note.

Just the day before, Kitty had been invited to cantor for Mass with 23 American bishops, including Archbishop Alfred Hughes of New Orleans, in front of the tomb of St. Peter. Honored, Kitty complied with their wishes. In recounting the story, Kitty is amused at the irony of it all, “I asked God to let me sing for the pope. He did. I just forgot to say which pope. In this case, I sang for the first pope—St. Peter.”

The other loves
of her life

In addition to her concerts and speaking engagements, Kitty is dedicated to a teen outreach she calls “Coffee with Creed.” For the past three years, this group of up to 30 high school students has gathered weekly at Covington’s Coffee Rani to meet other teens and learn about their faith. “She has a great way with teens,” says Kara Klein, a member of the original group. “She is outgoing, funny and enthusiastic for God and life. She relates to teens and we really love her.” When asked what about Kitty most impressed her, Kara says, “She is incredibly content with where she is in her life. She cherishes the moment. With Kitty, it’s all about God. She’s not in it for herself; she’s in it to serve God.”

With music at the heart of much of Kitty’s work, it comes as no surprise that she married musician, music teacher and orchestra conductor Mel Rogers 10 years ago. When Kitty says she fell for Mel, she really means it. During a dress rehearsal for a musical, Kitty gave a high kick over the head of her 6-foot-plus partner and fell flat on her behind. When she looked up, the first person she saw was Mel laughing at her from the orchestra pit. They were formally introduced at the next cast party and married the following year.

Since then, the two literally have made sweet music together. On the one hand, Mel plays flute and other wind instruments on Kitty’s CDs and works on arrangements for her albums. On the other hand, Kitty occasionally sings with Mel’s jazz combo and German band at their engagements. As fond as Kitty and Mel are of working together musically, their next joint project will have little to do with making music and everything to do with expanding their family. The couple will soon be adopting a little girl from China; this summer, they will travel there to receive their baby daughter, Cecilia. After 10 years of waiting, the lady who sings for the angels will be lullabying her own little cherub to sleep, and the hands that surrendered it all to God will at long last cradle His greatest miracle.