Patricia Zollner

Director of music

Pat Zollner has been on the parish staff as Music Director at St. Mary Parish since 2012. Besides directing music at the 10 AM Mass on Sundays and parish-wide celebrations (Thanksgiving, Triduum, Memorial Day, etc.), Pat coordinates and supports coverage of music at the various weekly and seasonal liturgies throughout the year.
“It’s truly a joy and a privilege to direct Music Ministry at St. Mary Parish,” Pat explains. “We are blessed with many musicians here who generously contribute their time and skill, adding the beauty and mystery that music uniquely brings to our liturgies. As the language of the soul, music lifts us to higher realms, both giving expression to and speaking to our hearts. Our singing unites us as an assembly. Because of music, scripture often reverberates in our daily lives. Ultimately, it joins us in joyful communion with the heavenly saints and angels as we give glory to God.”
Pat earned her Bachelor’s in Choral Music Education from the University of Oregon in Eugene and in the ensuing years has served in a variety of roles and levels of responsibility in Music Ministry, both independently and as a team with her husband, Paul, in many parishes: St. Thomas More, Eugene; St. Dominic, Los Angeles; St. Paul, Silverton; Our Lady of Angels, Hermiston; Our Lady of Victory, Seaside; St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Astoria; and St. Jude, Eugene. These involvements have included directing youth and adult liturgical music ensembles, seasonal and specialty choirs, and parish music ministry, as well as simply song leading and cantoring, bringing a wealth of experience to her work as Music Director at St. Mary, Mt. Angel.
In addition to Church work, Pat taught private music lessons during her many years as a stay-at-home mother of four daughters. As part of the family band Z Musikmakers, she’s performed German folk music at Mt. Angel’s Oktoberfest and other festivals throughout the Northwest and produced numerous recordings. Pat’s love of songwriting, arranging, and recording has given birth to a host of musical creations and collaborations for various occasions and purposes over the years: A Mother’s Love, Christmas in Mt. Angel, St. Michael’s Prayer, Meet Me at the Glockenspiel, Merciful Like the Father, and the Mt. Angel Mass Glory to God are a few of the musical compositions to her credit. As a vocalist for the musical ensemble All Four You, she performed and recorded The Blessing Song—inspired musical works of Alan McCullough.
Aside from musical endeavors, Pat is on the Publications staff for the Oregon Judicial Department, and in her free time enjoys the outdoors—hiking with friends, canoeing and traveling with her husband, Paul—sewing, and the rewards of now being a grandmother.