Gwendolyn Hull Mader: A Musical Legacy of Faith and Inspiration

By Kaelanne Jordan

mediarelations.camsel@catholictt.org

In the heart of the Caribbean, amidst the vibrant culture and rich history, one woman’s divine inspiration has left an indelible mark on the world of liturgical music.
Gwendolyn Hull Mader, Venezuela-born, migrated with her family to Trinidad at a tender age. She is a devoted mother to eight children, six girls, two boys, and humble housewife who heeded a divine call to compose hymns and songs that continue to resonate deeply within communities.
Her music, celebrated for its simplicity and heartfelt emotion, has touched countless lives, demonstrating the profound impact of using God-given talents for His glory and love.

Music was Gwendolyn’s way of expressing her faith. “I felt like I was going to Heaven every time I wrote a song. The words and melodies came to me in dreams, and I just knew they were meant to be shared with the world,” Gwendolyn said.
Her journey began in the most unassuming of ways. Inspired by figures such as then Fr Clyde Harvey and Bro Paschal Jordan OSB, she frequented Mount St Benedict, immersing herself in the spiritual and musical environment. “I used to hear him [Bro Paschal] singing his compositions, and it inspired me to try my hand at composing….” she shared.

She mentioned Fr Garfield Rochard as one of the “top” singers and composers from the liturgical group.
Her compositions quickly found their place in various significant events. In 1988, her songs ‘Reach Out’ and ‘I Will Comfort You’ were featured at Assembly 88 held in the National Stadium.

‘My Peace I Give to You’, performed at the 1991 Interfaith Service at the Simon Bolivar Auditorium, and ‘Be Open to the Holy Spirit’, sung during the Holy Spirit Celebration in 1998, are just a few examples of her music’s reach and influence. She was even involved in the liturgical committee at one time.
Her compositions, published in the Caribbean Worship and Song hymnal, have become an integral part of liturgical music in the region. Songs like ‘I Baptise You’ are beloved across the island, performed frequently during baptisms and other religious ceremonies.
Mariella, one of her daughters, vividly remembers how the song came to be. “Mom was washing dishes in the kitchen, and she pretended the plates were children she was baptising. The words and melody flowed effortlessly from her,” she reminisced.
“I compose all kinda thing,” Gwendolyn told The Catholic News. She mentioned a wedding song for the blessing of the rings – ‘Offer to God your bodies.’
Gwendolyn learned to play the mandolin from her music teacher Jose, from the Venezuelan Institute in Port of Spain. She had mandolin lessons at home and at the institute.

She attended a Eucharistic Congress one year and met Mother Teresa of Calcutta, now St Teresa.
Gwendolyn’s daughter, Jenny, also played a crucial role in her musical journey. “I learned to play the guitar quickly because I wanted to sing beautiful hymns on the altar,” Jenny recalled. “Mom always encouraged me, and I fell in love with the hymns.” She was the “only baby” singing in the choir with “old people” and her mom encouraged it. She has been singing since age seven.

Jenny clarified “the instrument is the voice first and foremost” and she learned the guitar “really fast” during the days of folk Mass with the help of seminarians who used to play their guitars when they helped in the parish of Mayaro.
Jenny’s musical talents, nurtured by Gwendolyn, were an asset to Gwendolyn’s future musical journey.
“Every time I hear ‘I Baptise You,’ especially during the Glorious Saturday night Mass at Santa Rosa Church, I feel her presence,” Mariella stated.
Majella also shared that “every time I hear mother’s composition of the ‘Our Father’ being sung at Mass by the junior and senior choirs of St Dominic’s Church, Morvant, I always feel emotional”.

It was Saturday and everyone else in the house was enjoying a late sleep. As Gwendolyn was about to rinse the first teacup, facing the louvred window, she was suddenly attracted by a light from above which penetrated the opened louvres and gently touched her forehead.
“I had a vision of the tap in the form of a hand, pouring water over a baby’s head (the teacup I was holding). A beautiful tune came to my mind set to the words ‘In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, I baptise you, I baptise you.’”

Gwendolyn said she knew at once it was a tune for Baptism. “I felt that a baby or anyone else being baptised ought first to be welcomed. So that’s how that song began with the chorus ‘Welcome, my little one.’”
Gwendolyn’s music was more than just melodies and lyrics; it was a spiritual journey that she shared with others. “Her songs were simple and plain, easy to touch anybody,” Jenny explained. “They cover healing, guidance, and the whole of life. They unify, transform, and renew.”
The family hopes that Gwendolyn’s legacy will continue to inspire future generations. They believe in the ongoing promotion of Caribbean liturgical music, urging others to embrace their talents and rise to God’s call.

“Young people have to be encouraged to create music out of love and service to God,” Gwendolyn asserted. “Those in charge, like the liturgical committee, should focus on young composers and support their musical journeys.”
Gwendolyn’s final composition in 1997, dedicated to her daughter Jenny, encapsulates her gratitude and love. “Dearest Jenny, thank you from the deepest depth of my heart, encouragement for my songs, you help me keep on. May God bless and richly reward you. Love, as always, Mother,” she wrote.
The Mader family envisions a future where Gwendolyn’s music is widely embraced, taught in choirs, and performed across parishes. They dream of producing a CD of her gospel songs, with proceeds benefiting numerous charities. This endeavour reflects Gwendolyn’s lifelong commitment to using her talents for the greater good.
Gwendolyn is grateful to God, her family, friends, and well-wishers who supported her during her journey of faith and inspiration.
In the words of the Mader family, “May her legacy live on. Let others rise to His call, as Gwendolyn did, and let God work wonders through them, bringing others to Him through music.”