WHITESTONE — Acclaimed singer and songwriter Michael Zabrocki just released his seventh CD of devotional music. The director of music ministries at Holy Trinity Church in Whitestone is a multi-talented musician whose new album is inspired by the Sisters of the Visitation in Bay Ridge. His hope is to spread the devotion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The project began during the COVID-19 pandemic when Zabrocki and Father Joseph Gibino — then pastor at Holy Trinity and current pastor at St. Charles Borromeo in Brooklyn Heights and the vicar for evangelization and catechesis in the diocese — worked together to help the Sisters of the Visitation create videos and post their Masses and novena online.
Zabrocki was moved to learn more about the history and devotion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and about St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and others whom Jesus used to bring this devotion to the world.
Pope Pius XII said the Sacred Heart of Jesus “is quite rightly considered the chief sign and symbol of that … love with which the divine Redeemer continually loves the eternal Father and all human beings.”
Father Gibino and Zabrocki recorded the weekly Masses to post on YouTube. While most churches were still not prepared to stream their Masses, Father Gibino and Zabrocki found a way to bring the Masses to their congregations.
The editing process would take three days before it could be posted, but Father Gibino said that wasn’t a problem, as Zabrocki was extremely dedicated to this project.
“Every year the sisters at the monastery have the novena of the Sacred Heart, and we weren’t going to be able to have it during COVID,” Father Gibino explained.
“I was delighted when Mike offered to help me do the nine days televised. So, we put together the nine liturgies for them that they could just air on YouTube and it was very, very successful. And then Mike began that relationship with the sisters and with the Sacred Heart devotion. And it ultimately turned into this project.”
Zabrocki next called up Sister Susan Marie and asked her if there were any hymns that they would specifically like to include. The two that she requested were “Heart of Christ” and “To Jesus Heart All Burning.”
He listened to the hymns and found the lyrics to the latter to be beautiful but he felt the music was dated, so he rewrote the music to make the hymns more appealing to a contemporary audience. In addition, he added some more familiar hymns such as “What Wondrous Love Is This” to flesh out the album.
And just when he thought he had it all finished, he received a call from songwriter Lenny Smith, who wrote the popular hymn “Our God Reigns.” In fact, Smith changed the lyric to “One God Reigns” to make it a true worship song to God. Zabrocki was the first to record Smith’s updated version of the song.
The release of the new CD was originally delayed due to the pandemic, and then with the passing of Zabrocki’s twin brother Ron l year.
According to Zabrocki, his brother “was an amazing guitarist, songwriter, producer, engineer, and he was my partner from the womb. Ron passed away on May 9 from a stroke and for the first time in my life I felt alone. We depended on each other our entire lives.”
They were also partners in music. While Zabrocki was immersed in Christian music, his brother devoted his talents to worldly music, although they collaborated on every album Zabrocki released.
The new album, “Consecration: Hymns and Prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus” is the first album Zabrocki has worked on without his brother. It features new compositions by Zabrocki along with traditional hymns with new arrangements. The hymns include beautiful orchestral and vocal arrangements geared toward reflection or congregational singing.
Zabrocki admits that he initially struggled with it until he focused on the notion that Jesus was human and walked among us. “He walked as a man, He could relate to us, so He loved and He hurt,” explained Zabrocki.
“The best thing they say that ever happened to music is a broken heart. And I think the important part about the message of the Sacred Heart is that we’re supposed to see Christ in each other.”
For the most part, Zabrocki has recorded all his albums in his own basement. He orchestrated and arranged the entire new album himself, using samples of strings, violins, and flutes, while laying down all the vocals, with some tracks having as many as 36 background vocals.
Once he lost his brother he knew that he had to see this project through on his own. “In the past, it would have been myself and my brother and I miss the dissonance and harmony we had together,” admitted Zabrocki.
“This time I had to recreate that by myself, although I truly felt that I wasn’t alone. The synergy I had with Ron I found with Christ. I relied on God, and I had Jesus with me.”
Father Gibino said that he is very excited for Zabrocki. “I’m thrilled that it worked out so well for everyone — the sisters and for Michael and for the larger Catholic community because there is so little quality music that’s available on the Sacred Heart. We have older music but nothing really contemporary, so this will really fill in the niche very nicely,” he added.
When he is not working in the church, Zabrocki works with multi-platinum Grammy and Dove award winning Catholic recording artist John Michael Talbot. In fact, Talbot plays guitar on a few of the tracks on the new album.
Zabrocki’s hope is that his new songs and traditional hymns will help spread this devotion to others. “It’s like a drill going into your heart. You’re not just singing them, you’re praying them, and it just took over,” explained Zabrocki.
“I couldn’t go to bed without singing the lyrics in my head. It became my prayer as I went to bed at night and when I’d wake up in the morning.”
The CD can be purchased at zabrockimusic.com.