Br Michael receiving his award, with APMN Executive Member Sophy Morley and APMN Chair Michael Mangan.

The Australian Pastoral Musicians Network was delighted to honour Br Michael Herry FMS with a Lifetime Membership Award at the recent National Liturgy and Music Conference in Adelaide. The conference takes place every two years in a different Australian city and is a partnership between the APMN and the National Liturgical Council from the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference. The conference theme for 2025 was Pilgrims of Hope – Transformed through Sacrament and Song, with Thursday Morning Prayer featuring Br Michael’s music.

Br Michael has offered music for both devotional prayer and formal liturgy over many years, and his music is sung all around the world. This includes Mass settings, spiritual songs, short mantra-style chants, and hymns. His Responsorial Psalms cover the three year Sunday Lectionary cycle, and all his music is available for free on his comprehensive Marist Music website. Willow Publishing in Australia also carries and promotes Br Michael’s music. In his own words, Br Michael “is passionate about the role music plays in worship and prayer, and in bringing us to a deeper experience of God, on truly ‘holy ground’, far beyond the horizon of mere thoughts and words.”

Above: Br Michael at APMN Awards. Top right: Br Michael and Fiona Dyball with singers from the Fijian Choir from Adelaide, who sang at the YCW Mass. Bottom right: Br Michael playing the organ at the YCW 100th Anniversary Mass in Melbourne, with Rev Dr Max Vodola.

Br Michael has been a strong supporter of developing liturgical musicians, sponsoring their attendance at past APMN conferences and offering workshops and resources. His presence, encouragement, and goodwill have quietly but significantly contributed to the growth and blossoming of many pastoral musicians across Australia in school, youth ministry, and parish contexts.

Br Michael completed a degree in music and education at the Elder Conservatorium of Music in Adelaide and worked as a music teacher and music leader in several Catholic parishes and schools across Australia. He served as a missionary in Timor Leste and also taught music and further developed the music program at the Marist LaValla School in Cambodia. In 2025, Br Michael accompanied the YCW 100th Anniversary Mass in Melbourne and also offered workshops for parish musicians to prepare for the seasons of Lent and Easter. In 2026, he embarks on his “farewell” tour around Australia. At 80 years of age, he remains fit and well, ever committed to supporting the singing voice of the assembly at prayer.

I am a member of the National Executive of the APMN and nominated Br Michael for the award. I was struck by the way Br Michael so freely gave of his time and resources to support and develop a new generation of pastoral musicians. I was also inspired by the way he thoughtfully addressed the Australian context in his texts; this is especially evident in Br Michael’s Blessing Hymn for Australia, and the poignant A Hymn of Healing for the Church. Br Michael joins other impactful leaders in liturgy and pastoral music in Australia, like Sr Deirdre Browne IBVM OAM, Roger Heagney OAM KSG, and Dr Jenny O’Brien, in receiving the APMN award.

Congratulations to Br Michael!

You can read my article about the conference, titled ‘Harmony and hope: reflections from the National Liturgy and Music Conference,’ published on the Melbourne Archdiocese website.

Fiona Dyball
Member, Marist Association
Warragul