DYTR "Live"

St. Genevieve Choir Rehearses Fro's Music

They wanted to be called a gospel choir. I told them "No, you're not!" "You're St. Genevieve's Choir," I insisted. End of story. (".)

That was many years ago, of course.

They love to sing gospel songs and they are very good at it. I wish they were purely a gospel choir coz they'll be good at it.

I see my self in them; they love music and they love to sing. The only difference between them and me: I'm comfortable with the same old songs I've learned when I was a youngster and don't tire of singing them. Them? They're more aggressive and open to learning new songs (which is really admirable)... only, sometimes to a point of learning too many in so short a time. End result? They never learn enough songs by heart.

I mean, second nature. Memorized that would last a lifetime.

Needless to say, that's just my personal observation. For all I know, they could be masters of what I haven't heard yet! (LoL)

While me? I bore myself to death even with just a single song... until that said song becomes me and I that song. Sometimes I feel like I'm the one - or wish that I was the one - who wrote that very song I'm trying to become. Get the drift?

Well, I'm not really that stagnant or stuck with the oldies. In fact I'm very open to creativity or newly "hatched" music... but that's because songwriting happens to be one of my most treasure gifts - or hobby - that I never seem to run out of new music. Even more so learning new songs all the time.



A special "thank you" to St. Genevieve Chorus for accepting the request for the possibility of singing my original compositions at the celebration of my 25th to the Priesthood. To Mr. Ryan Rhodes, the music director, for tirelessly teaching the choir the music, almost all of which are "strange" to their hearing as many of them have been "shelved" for the longest time since their inception (LoL). Although a number of the tunes, like, "Glory To God," "Touch Of Heaven" and "Dear Jesus" are quite familiar to them and the parishioners as they have been taught and sung quite frequently in our parish. To all the choir members for deligently - and with enthusiasm - trying to "crammed" all the songs in so short-a-time that I didn't even bother to suggest how those songs are better expressed in singing. The choir had done enough and that was more than enough for me. And I really appreciate.

Believe it or not, I'm no proponent of perfect music. Don't get me wrong, I love good and great music. But I love it even more when people - choirs included - sing their hearts out, without regard to the possibility of making mistakes or not singing the right tune. Even more when they empower people to sing and lead the singing... and they become just the congregation choir! (Do you believe it's possible?)

As far as loudness is concerned, I never forget what an old mentor used to say when I was in my previous parish in Metairie, "If you think you're out of tune, sing louder all the more!" I happen to share the same sentiment in terms of singing for God. Period.

That's what I call great music. Great church music!!!

If God would have envisioned perfect music to His praise and glory, He would have none to do with earthly choirs. The angels alone (Sola Angela bwahaha!!!) would have been perfect!!!

To be continued...

The Mark Of Priestly Bliss

POPE DECLARED YEAR OF THE PRIEST TO INSPIRE SPIRITUAL PERFECTION

By Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI declared a year of the priest in an effort to encourage "spiritual perfection" in priests.

The pope will open the special year with a vespers service at the Vatican June 19 -- the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the day for the sanctification of priests. He will close the celebrations during a World Meeting of Priests in St. Peter's Square June 19, 2010.

The pope made the announcement during an audience March 16 with members of the Vatican Congregation for Clergy.

He met with some 70 participants of the congregation's March 16-18 plenary assembly, which focused on the missionary identity of the priest and his mission to sanctify, teach and govern.

During this jubilee year, the pope will also proclaim St. John Vianney to be patron saint of all the world's priests. At present he is considered the patron saint of parish priests.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the death of this 19th-century saint who represents a "true example of a priest at the service of the flock of Christ," the pope said.

St. John Vianney is widely known to Catholics as the Cure (parish priest) of Ars who won over the hearts of his villagers in France by visiting with them, teaching them about God and reconciling people to the Lord in the confessional.

In his address, Pope Benedict said the priestly ministry consists of total adherence to the ecclesial tradition of participating "in a spiritually intense new life and a new lifestyle which was inaugurated by the Lord Jesus and which the apostles made their own."

Priestly ordination creates new men who are bestowed with the gift and office of sanctifying, teaching and governing, he said.

The pope underlined the necessary and "indispensable struggle for moral perfection which must dwell in every authentically priestly heart."

The pope said he was calling for the special year for priests in an effort to foster the priest's yearning "for spiritual perfection, upon which the effectiveness of their ministry principally depends."

"The awareness of the radical social changes over the past decades must stir the best ecclesial energies to look after the formation of priestly candidates," the pope said.

This means great care must be taken to ensure permanent and consistent doctrinal and spiritual formation for seminarians and priests, he said, specifying the importance of passing down, especially to younger generations, "a correct reading of the texts of the Second Vatican Council, interpreted in the light of all the church's doctrinal heritage."

Priests must also be "present, identifiable and recognizable -- for their judgment of faith, their personal virtues and their attire -- in the fields of culture and charity which have always been at the heart of the church's mission," he said.

"The centrality of Christ leads to a correct valuation of ordained ministry," he said, adding that, without priestly ministry, there would be no Eucharist, no mission and even no church.

Therefore, he said, it is crucial to make sure that new bodies or pastoral organizations are not set up "for a time in which one might have to 'dispense with' ordained ministry based on an erroneous interpretation of the rightful promotion of the laity."

"This would lay the foundations for further diluting the priestly ministry, and any supposed 'solutions' would dramatically coincide with the real causes of the problems currently connected with the ministry," he said.

See also: THE MARK OF PRIESTLY BLISS VIDEOS

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THE MARK OF PRIESTLY BLISS

Words by Fr. J. Roel Lungay

Music by Fr. Arnold Zamora

Performed by Fr. J. Roel Lungay

Arranged and produced by Romeo C. Mascariñas
Romimash Studio, Tagbilaran City

Mastered by Roy Tutor at Sound Garage
Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines

1
A priest forever, a priest for life
Called to serve, to live and die.
Through many years and happy tears,
God's joy abounds, His grace supplied.

2
A priest for always, a priest I am,
In poverty I am to be;
A good example for all to see -
Salt of the earth, light to be seen.

Chorus:
You called me to proclaim your goodness to the world,
Make peace with everyone, uniting all as one;
May all the sacraments, in your most holy name,
Lead us to holiness - the mark of priestly bliss.

3
A priest for Christ, a priest for love,
A priest for all, that's who I am;
One blessed vision in Christ our God
For all his chosen, anointed hands.

(Repeat Chorus 2x)

Coda:
May all the sacraments, in your most Holy Name,
Lead us to holiness - the mark of priestly bliss.

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