By Alex Bass
Alex.bass@triangletribune.com
DURHAM – Gloria Burton began her music journey as a student. She still considers herself a student – one who without her own words is deemed well-deserving by Pope Francis.
Burton, among the brightest shining beacons of Holy Cross Catholic Church, was one of 16 individuals from the Diocese of Raleigh honored Feb. 12 at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral in Raleigh, where she received the Benemerenti Medal. According to a Diocese of Raleigh document, “The word ‘Benemerenti’ translates to ‘well-deserving’ in Latin, and the award is given to people who have done significant good for the church.
Raleigh Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama presented the awards on behalf of Pope Francis, who validated the honors. “For what?” Burton asked when she first learned of the honor. “That was just my job. I enjoyed what I was doing. To God be all the glory.”
Burton, whose mother was a vocalist, recalled learning to play piano, and playing for mass as an eighth grader during segregation in her native Gaston County. She came to North Carolina College (now N.C. Central) as an undergraduate student, where she considered studying world languages, but embraced music. Upon arriving in Durham, she discovered Holy Cross – then located on the outskirts of the NCCU campus.
“They were singing a capella,” Burton said. “I started to feel guilty. I said, ‘I can play for them.’”
Burton taught music for more than 30 years in Durham Public Schools – before and after the historic city and county schools systems merger in the mid-1990s. Through it all, she ministered musically, including as Holy Cross’ choir director and the Diocese of Raleigh’s Gospel choir director before her 2022 retirement.
Harry Taylor, spiritual choir director at the Cathedral, was mentored by Burton as early as 1984. “Black women have always stood in the church. I don’t care what church it is,” said Taylor, who succeeded Burton as the Diocesan Gospel choir director. “Black women have a strong ability to sing and praise God, and they teach it to their children.”
Burton and Toni Hall – Holy Cross’ office administrator and one of Burton’s previous students – shared a light-hearted moment on Valentine’s Day while recounting Burton’s golden ministerial tenure.
Burton had Hall among her schoolchildren. Hall later converted to Catholicism and joined Holy Cross’ choir. She also is a dance instructor. “The same principles she applies, I apply to my students,” Hall said. “The young folks just don’t train and teach like she does.”
While a bevy of Black Catholic male composers (Father Clarence Rivers, Leon Roberts, Grayson Warren Brown, all deceased; Rawn Harbor, Clifford Petty, Roger Holland, still living) can be named readily, Burton laments how opportunities for Black female composers and their work have not emerged to the degree she hoped by now.
“It’s like an addition to, instead of a regular part,” she said. “It should be a regular part.”
These sentiments were echoed by Wilton Cardinal Gregory, Archbishop of Washington, D.C., and the first African American ever elevated to the Catholic Church’s College of Cardinals. “Our music, our culture, we have a lot to offer,” Gregory said during a Nov. 8 visit to Raleigh. “The faith that we have and that we love can only be passed on actively.”
For Burton, even retirement means continuing the practice of being a well-deserving student and teacher, ever ready to share the Gospel through song. “What we have come through, what we are going through, we still have work to do,” she said. “I’m grateful for the journey. When I see Jesus, I’ll say ‘Amen!’”
