St Ignatius Parish

CHOIR

The Choir

The choir offers active participation in the liturgy, through song and by playing musical instruments. Most of the singers are older people and our instrumentalists are younger people. We need younger singers to help plan the music and participate in the liturgy. The Choir has about 15 singers, but often the number available for the 10am mass is quite small. New members would be most welcome, and participation can be most rewarding.

The choir leader is Adrienne Cullity  (telephone 8431 0158).

Music and song ~ a present to our community

Adrienne Cullity invites us to inject some musical zest into the Mass

(Taken from an article written for the March 2007 edition of 'Sharing News')

You may have noticed that sometimes there is neither music nor singing to enhance the liturgy of our Masses.  For some reason there is a dwindling number of parishioners in our fairly large parish willing to be musicians or choristers to provide musical accompaniment or to sing in the choir at 10.00 am Sunday Mass.  It is a sign of the times as many parishes do not have dedicated musicians and singers.

We are really quite lucky to have our three groups as well as the Loreto boarders.

The many hundreds of young people who learn an instrument or how to sing in school choirs seem to have no inclination to inject some zest into the musical slump we are in.  Time may be a factor as we are all busy people these days.  To add to the demise in the numbers of musicians coming forward is the 'sacrament' of Sunday sport!  So many of our young families are engaged in this liturgy.  What can be done?

We don't always need instruments, but singing is to be encouraged as an uplifting communal experience.  Words seem to take on a new dimension when they are sung or chanted.  In the early church, for many years, psalms were sung unaccompanied.

But it seems no one is eager to develop unaccompanied communal singing towards aesthetic excellence.  I wonder why?  Too archaic!  Too shy!  Too busy!  Can't find the right starting note!  We can all find excuses.

The choir in our parish isn't really a formal or regularly constituted choir, in the sense that it practices only in preparation for the Easter Liturgies, St Ignatius Feast Day, Christmas, Pentecost, and special occasions such as the very rare ordination.

Only at these times is it under the direction of a choral director.  At other times the same dedicated folk turn up and sit near the organ in the north transept ready to help with the singing.  Some have been doing this for a long time and would be so pleased to see reinforcements.  Whether you are male or female, it is so easy to join in.  It just means breaking the habit of always sitting in your favourite spot.  The rare evening rehearsals are more of an effort but this is why the choir is very special.

Our choir and musical groups give not only of their time but share their faith through musical experiences and/or expertise.  Why?  They give of themselves in the spirit of Christ.  There is also an obvious love of music and song, but doing this publicly requires risk taking.  I dare you to try it!  Are you prepared to stand out and share your music skills.  In doing so, music skills become musical gifts, a present to our community.  The musicians and singers give quite a bit of themselves and we are grateful for their contribution.

When the musicians or singers enhance the liturgy through the appropriate choice of hymns, and deliver the message of the Gospel through sensitive tempo and tasteful performance, there is a real sense of uplifted connection with the congregation and I'm sure you have all felt this from time to time.

Thank you to the musicians and choir for sustaining and contributing to the musical life of the parish.  A big welcome too, to anyone with an ounce of musical experience who joins the musicians or choir in what is a very special journey of expressing faith and connecting with others one may not know, but whose voices resound at Mass.