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4. Granito de Mostaza
If you had faith even as big as a mustard seed, you would move mountains; you would be healed; you would triumph over your enemies! This lively setting, based on Matthew 17:20 and Mark 4:30-32, has been popular in the Spanish-speaking charismatic community for many years, and I was privileged to learn it as well as many other traditional Central American melodies from Francisco Aguilar, assistant director of our beloved Coro San Camilo and mi mano derecha. The driving salsa rhythm has never failed to get the entire assembly at our 12:30 pm Sunday mass clapping – all 1000-plus! We joke that Latinos and West Africans clap on beats one and three, while ourAfricanAmerican brothers and sisters clap on beats two and four – what this means from a musicological standpoint may well be worth researching! The important thing as far as we see it: el canto tiene ritmo! 5. Ave Maris Stella
Since arriving at the exciting multicultural mecca of St. Camillus in 1991, I have come to appreciate more profoundly liturgical Latin! Far from a dead language, it is alive and well in this corner of the church, from classic polyphony to contemporary Taizé chants. Indeed, one may well envy our Jewish brothers and sisters who still enjoy more universally the practical and spiritual rewards of an international liturgical language. As our global village continues to grow and diversify, may we strive to always nurture and share the beauty of these timeless sacred works for our own and future generations. This simple but joyous hymn of praise to Mary, Star of the Sea, dates from the 11th century.
6. Hosanna!
When I first heard this setting of the Sanctus sung by our West African choir, Choeur de Marie Reine du Monde, I was overwhelmed by its joyful exuberance! We are forever grateful to Emmanuel Adueni, assistant director of the Choeur, for transcribing it so that we could share in its amazing joy. Emmanuel learned the piece from his colleague in the Ivory Coast, Sahuié Serges, and later shared it with director Jean-Pierre Sangwa Kibwende and the rest of our French-language music ministry. It was soon part of their core repertoire and our Multicultural Choir quickly followed suit. As the saying goes, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!" We continue to be richly blessed by the beautiful music of Choeur de Marie Reine du Monde. Merci, frPres et soeurs bien-aimés! |
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