Stephen has ministered extensively in parishes and dioceses throughout Australia and overseas. He regularly directs music for parish missions, Archdiocesan assemblies, and large liturgical events (e.g. ordinations, graduation masses, etc.).
“Stephen Kirk is a man of faith and a talented musician. These two are not always found together, but in Stephen they mix to provide a special voice in the Church and special service to the Church."
+Mark Coleridge
Archbishop of Brisbane
The Church “evangelises and is herself evangelised through the beauty of the Liturgy” (Evangelii Gaudium, 24). Liturgical music has a powerful role to play in this evangelisation. With its admirable balance of vibrancy, solemnity, simplicity, and beauty, Stephen Kirk’s Mass of the Holy Spirit setting is a worthy addition to the Church’s treasury of liturgical music. I heartily recommend Stephen’s Mass of the Holy Spirit.
+Christopher Prowse
Archbishop of Canberra-Goulburn
“a prayerful experience that reflected the very best of Catholic theology and spirituality. You have a real gift.” Shane Dwyer Coordinator Spirituality & Faith Formation, Canberra Goulburn Archdiocese
Click here to contact Stephen to minister in your parish or diocese.
“Stephen Kirk is a man of faith and a talented musician. These two are not always found together, but in Stephen they mix to provide a special voice in the Church and special service to the Church."
+Mark Coleridge
Archbishop of Brisbane
The Church “evangelises and is herself evangelised through the beauty of the Liturgy” (Evangelii Gaudium, 24). Liturgical music has a powerful role to play in this evangelisation. With its admirable balance of vibrancy, solemnity, simplicity, and beauty, Stephen Kirk’s Mass of the Holy Spirit setting is a worthy addition to the Church’s treasury of liturgical music. I heartily recommend Stephen’s Mass of the Holy Spirit.
+Christopher Prowse
Archbishop of Canberra-Goulburn
“a prayerful experience that reflected the very best of Catholic theology and spirituality. You have a real gift.” Shane Dwyer Coordinator Spirituality & Faith Formation, Canberra Goulburn Archdiocese
Click here to contact Stephen to minister in your parish or diocese.
Music in the Eucharist Workshop
Target audience: Musicians, Liturgists, and anyone who wants to understand the Eucharist better
Length: 3 hours
Content:
Session 1: Principles for using music in the Eucharist (90 minutes)
- The importance of music in the Eucharist
- What really happens in the Eucharist?
- What sort of music should we have in the Eucharist?
- Incarnational Liturgy: Presence and Transcendence
Break (30 minutes)
Session 2: Practical walkthrough of music in the Mass (60 minutes)
- A step by step walkthrough of the mass, identifying the themes and dynamics at each step and discussing appropriate musical selections.
Click here to contact Stephen to provide a workshop on the Eucharist in your parish or diocese.
Length: 3 hours
Content:
Session 1: Principles for using music in the Eucharist (90 minutes)
- The importance of music in the Eucharist
- What really happens in the Eucharist?
- What sort of music should we have in the Eucharist?
- Incarnational Liturgy: Presence and Transcendence
Break (30 minutes)
Session 2: Practical walkthrough of music in the Mass (60 minutes)
- A step by step walkthrough of the mass, identifying the themes and dynamics at each step and discussing appropriate musical selections.
Click here to contact Stephen to provide a workshop on the Eucharist in your parish or diocese.
Meet the Man Adoration / Worship services
Meet the Man Adoration/Worship service
Target Audience: People of all ages who want to meet God in a beautiful way both ancient and new.
Length: 90 minutes (can be longer or shorter depending on congregation)
Content:
- Introduction (5 minutes)
- Worship through song (15 minutes)
- Gospel reflection (5 minutes)
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (5 minutes)
- Guided adoration (45 minutes)
- Benediction (5 minutes)
- Thanksgiving (10 minutes)
Click here to contact Stephen to minister in your parish or diocese.
A Meet the Man event is centered around drawing people into an experience of meeting the person of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. These events draw upon the rich tradition of the Church, expressed in a contemporary way, joining together sacramental, liturgical, charismatic and contemplative elements into a cohesive whole. These events have proven very effective in drawing people of all ages into a new encounter with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
Length: 90 minutes (can be longer or shorter depending on congregation)
Content:
- Introduction (5 minutes)
- Worship through song (15 minutes)
- Gospel reflection (5 minutes)
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (5 minutes)
- Guided adoration (45 minutes)
- Benediction (5 minutes)
- Thanksgiving (10 minutes)
Click here to contact Stephen to minister in your parish or diocese.
"Stephen Kirk was involved as a workshop presenter at our recent professional development day which had ‘Liturgy’ as its primary focus.Stephen’s presentation put forward a theoretical and practical understanding of what constitutes authentic ‘liturgical music’. Stephen was able to show how contemporary music can be emotive, aesthetic, and liturgically correct and how these elements are fundamental in leading congregations into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.
I have no hesitation in endorsing Stephen Kirk as a professional and engaging presenter whose insights into liturgy, along with the music he writes, will be of great benefit to parishes and schools alike."
Anthony Gordon
Team Leader
Evangelisation and Religious Education
Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta
“I would highly recommend Stephen Kirk to speak to your Parish. He is insightful, inspirational and can deliver (what is often perceived to be) a difficult topic in a well structured, scriptually sound and interesting way. It was a pleasure to listen to Stephen perform and Forster Tuncurry Parish are extremely grateful for his visit.” Sharon Fowle Pastoral Associate, Foster Tuncurry, NSW
“I am really pleased I elected to attend your workshop. I learnt such a lot. Your presentation was clear and easy to understand as well as inspirational.“
Debra Benefield, Palmerston North, NZ
“Outstanding! I learned lots of new ideas related to the mass. The presentation was informative, interesting and gave great guidelines and ideas for music in mass. Very worthwhile.” Halim Sheridan, DRS at St Anne’s School, Wanganui, NZ
“Wonderful presentation! Clear and informative with great introduction to music for one who loves music but is not musical. Thankyou.” Anna, Palmerston North, NZ
“Excellent presentation. Inspirational, very practical.”
Rod Bennett, Palmerston North, NZ
“Your style of spoken presentation, and particularly your compositions for Mass does indeed facilitate the experience of people entering into prayer... I'm grateful for your ministry. I intend urging/encouraging our parish musicians to become familiar with your compositions... I do hope you can return again in not too distant future.” Fr Kevin Corrigan Parish Priest, Foster Tuncurry, NSW
"I have had the pleasure to work with Stephen Kirk regularly in delivering nights of prayer and Adoration over the past four years. His songs are prayerful, easy to pick up, beautiful and appealing to all ages. Stephen has the rare ability of being able to remind people of the presence of God, drawing them into the gratitude and openness that is at the heart of good worship. He is an excellent model of the prayerfulness and liturgical awareness that is necessary for good contemporary music ministry leaders.I highly recommend Stephen Kirk if you wish your people to experience the richness of the relationship between deep prayer and music."
Catherine Kennedy, Director of CREDO (Office of Evangelisation & Renewal, Archdiocese of Sydney)
"I wanted to personally thank you for creating the opportunity, and for the privilege of being nourished by such an accomplished musician, Stephen Kirk. This was truly a sacred time for me and I wanted to say thank you for organising him to come up to share his gift with us."
(Parishioner, Cairns, "Meet the Man" adoration event)
“We did Come as the offertory song and Soul of Christ for after communion reflection. The songs came together so well - I think it was our best singing ever... Thanks so much for writing the songs. The melodies are so beautiful and the words just encapsulate our catholic faith so well, that we just can't stop singing them around the house, in the car, wherever.”
Rosie, Casino, NSW