Matt Gray leads the choir during the Sept. 15, 2024 dedication Mass at Immaculate Parish in Owensboro after the parish’s renovation. COURTESY OF NICOLE GRAY
Praying through music for three decades
BY NICOLE GRAY, SPECIAL TO THE WESTERN KENTUCKY CATHOLIC
Editor’s note: Do you know a parish staff member or volunteer who is celebrating a significant milestone or is just an all-around terrific example of service in parish life? Drop us a line at [email protected] and pitch their story to us – we might share it in a future issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
This past October marked 30 years that my husband, Matt Gray, has served as director of music and liturgy at Immaculate Parish. It’s hard to put into words what three decades of service really means, but I can tell you this — Matt’s heart has always been in the church.
He’s worked under five pastors during that time, but one thing has never changed: Matt’s love for the liturgy and his desire to help people connect with God through music. In 2017, he led the parish’s Renovation Committee and spent hours studying, planning, and making sure every decision honored both the tradition and future of Immaculate.
Matt has taught and mentored many singers and musicians, and today he leads four active choirs, each made up of dedicated volunteers and talented instrumentalists. To Matt, music isn’t just something you perform — it’s something you pray.
When churches were closed during the pandemic, Matt didn’t stop sharing the faith. Each week, he hosted a music worship service on Facebook Live, guiding viewers through the Sunday readings and Gospel before playing songs chosen to match that week’s liturgy.
In addition to his work at Immaculate, Matt plays and sings at diocesan liturgies throughout the year — from Chrism Mass and ordinations to other special celebrations. He has also led concerts, vespers, Taizé prayer services, and mission workshops. He’s even shared that same message beyond our diocese, once speaking at a church in Canada, and recently started a company to help other parishes improve the sound of their worship spaces.
But maybe the most special part is how his love for music and faith has shaped our family. Our sons — Nicholas, Andrew, and Daniel — grew up singing and playing beside him. They’re carrying on that same love for worship that’s been part of our lives for as long as I can remember. For 30 years, he’s been a steady, faithful presence at Immaculate — guiding, teaching, and bringing beauty to every Mass. He’s truly lived out what it means to serve God with your whole heart.
And as his wife, I couldn’t be prouder.
Originally printed in the November 2025 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
