Ministry Monday’s Story Series continues with Rodolfo López and Estela García-López, a husband and wife duo who serve in music ministry in the pacific northwest and are two of NPM’s Pastoral Musicians of the Year. Rudy López and Estela García-López are pastoral musicians, composers, and event presenters originally from Los Angeles, California, and from Portland, Oregon, for the last twenty-six years. They have been committed to enriching the liturgy -- in both English and Spanish--through music. They have served as music directors, cantors, choristers, and instrumentalists in parishes throughout Southern California and Portland, Oregon, for over four decades. Today I sit with Rudy and Stella and discuss their pastoral music journey with its joys, challenges, and many blessings.

This episode of Ministry Monday is brought to you by CLEF – Catholic Liturgical Ensemble Formation. 

CLEF offers in-person and online resources for ensemble musicians, including the annual CLEF Summer Program. Join us July 26-31, 2026 in Ohio for an immersive week of music, prayer, and community specifically designed for ensemble musicians. Experience vocal and instrumental ensemble sessions, clinic day breakouts, private coaching, and more. Visit clef.life for details.

Introducing "The Story Series", a recurring series of episodes on Ministry Monday! The Story Series interviews pastoral musicians across the country and shares their pastoral music journey, both in its rewards and challenges along the way.

Today we speak with Rick Gibala, a lifelong pastoral musician who started his ministry in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. He was the first layperson to be the Diocesan Director of Music, and founded the Pittsburgh NPM chapter. His ministry led him to the DC-Virginia area where he's ministered there since 1986. Rick shares how he began to serve in pastoral ministry, what brought him to Virginia, and why he thinks NPM remains a critical part of music ministry in the Church today.

This episode of Ministry Monday is brought to you by CLEF – Catholic Liturgical Ensemble Formation. 

CLEF offers in-person and online resources for ensemble musicians, including the annual CLEF Summer Program. Join us July 26-31, 2026 in Ohio for an immersive week of music, prayer, and community specifically designed for ensemble musicians. Experience vocal and instrumental ensemble sessions, clinic day breakouts, private coaching, and more. Visit clef.life for details.

Pastoral ministry seeks to include all those who feel called to offer their talents for praise and service to the Church. Music is a unique ministry in that, while we want all to join us, those who participate must have some sort of experience in music. It doesn’t necessarily need to be professional experience - singing in the shower can count as experience for a new potential choir member, and a simple handbell workshop can familiarize a music minister with starting in the handbell choir. But when it comes to instrumental ensembles, how do we make sure that all those who join us with their instruments in hand feel rooted in an ensemble and confident to work within it?

Today we speak to Luke Rosen about just that. Since 2019, Luke Rosen has served as the Director of Choral Music at Evergreen Local Schools, where he has taught middle school and high school choir, music theory, songwriting, and voice class. For 15 years before that, he served as Director of Choral and Liturgical Music at St. John’s Jesuit High School. In addition Luke is a published composer with multiple companies, including ECS, Santa Barbara Music Publishing, OCP, Liturgical Press, and GIA/WLP. Today we speak from compositional, directorial, and ministerial viewpoints, all focused on arranging for the unexpected. It’s a great conversation as we approach Holy Week.