The Vigil Choir plays for the Saturday evening 5:30 pm Mass.

In addition to the choir, the group includes guitars, mandolin, flute, trumpet and piano. It plays a mixed-repertoire of traditional music and contemporary music, with a special focus on Praise & Worship contemporary music. The Vigil Choir rehearses in the church at 4:00 pm before the Mass.

 

Vigil Choir

Schedule

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When is the Choir singing?

Weekend Schedule. The choir sings primarily for the Saturday 5:30 pm. It also sings at all major celebrations during the liturgical calendar year, Holy Days, Solemnities, and special services.

Holy Days and Special Celebrations. The choir sings for all Holy Days during the year, joining the other choirs and music groups in the parish: Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Mary Mother of God, Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, Triduum (Holy Week, Easter Vigil). Easter Day masses are also Sunday masses (9 am Ascension Thursday, All Saints, Thanksgiving.

Special Celebrations. The choir may be also present for special celebrations. The choir also participates to the yearly St Cecilia Concert presented  the Sunday before Thanksgiving.

What style of music is sung by the choir? The choir sings a mixed-repertoire of traditional music and contemporary music, with a special focus on Praise and Worship contemporary music.

I want to join the choir, but I don’t know if I have what it takes? Not to worry. As with the other music ministries groups,  If you have the desire to sing and want to join the group, you will make it! Talk to the Director of Music or other choir members to understand the requirements and commitment of a choir member. If you play an instrument, the better. The Vigil Choir is a very welcoming and friendly group. We love adding instruments to our group, let it be additional guitars or others.

I don’t read music. Can I join? Absolutely yes, you can join. Many of the choir members do not read music. You will quickly learn skills how to recognize notes on a staff and other notation using simple techniques. In addition, you will also be singing alongside seasoned musicians who can read music and will help you along. If playing an instrument, it is of course recommended to read music. For guitar players, playing basic guitar is a must.

I want to join and sing but it is a bit intimidating. Don’t be intimidated. In addition to being a group of dedicated volunteers. the choir is a fun group.  The group is know for its camaraderie and joyful atmosphere.

I want to join but I am not sure I can make all the rehearsals! Although being a minister and singing in a choir is a commitment, it is understood that all choir members are volunteers. As such, many things in our daily lives can interact and interfere with our commitment. It is totally understood and accepted. The only important thing is to let the Director of Music know ahead of time if you are not going to be there (rehearsal or mass). If you only find out at the last minute (due to work or family obligations or due to illness), you can always send a text message to the Director of Music on his cell phone or send him an email on his personal email address.In any case, you will find great flexibility from the Director of Music regarding your ability to meet the rehearsal schedule. It is especially important if you are scheduled to cantor.

I have attended churches where choir singing looked more like a performance! This is a danger with all church choirs and music groups. We always need to keep in mind that we are doing the work of God, not our own. As such we are only instruments of His Will and sing to His Glory.Our focus is liturgical. The choir is not a performing group presenting a show at each of our celebrations. Our liturgies are not performances. With humility, we help leading the congregation in songs and in prayer. We are not performing to the audience (the assembly). We are in fact performing to God. Our primary focus is prayer. As you probably heard before, singing is praying twice.

I want to join. How do I do it? You need to contact the Director of Music either by mail or by telephone or see him after mass. No audition is necessary.

Rehearsals. The choir rehearses on Saturday afternoon before Mass from 4:00 pm to 5:15 pm. Additional rehearsals can take place when preparing for Christmas and Easter. The rehearsal always starts with a prayer. Following the prayer, we work on the program for the Mass and sometimes for the following week.

Information regarding the other choirs:  The contemporary choir rehearses on Tuesday evening in the church. The Traditional Choir rehearses at 7:15 pm on Thursday night and on Sunday morning at 8:15 am prior to the 9″00 am Mass. The Youth Group choir rehearses the week prior to the Youth mass. The cantors rehearse with the choirs during regular rehearsal time. A specific program is being developed for the cantors/leaders of songs. Also, there is a proposal to create a small schola to study and sing plainchant (Gregorian) from time to time. The Spanish Language Choir rehearses prior to the 1:30 pm Spanish Mass on Sunday afternoon.

During The Christmas and Easter Seasons as well as during the liturgical year, all choirs join together for Bilingual Masses.

Liturgical Notes.

Penitential Rite (Confiteor and Kyrie) (I confess… Lord Have Mercy, Christ Have Mercy, Lord Have Mercy) can be done in two different ways, at the discretion of the celebrant.

Form 1: The celebrant and assembly recite the Confiteor (I Confess to God the Almighty….) – followed by the Kyrie said or sung in antiphon (celebrant saying the stanza then the stanza being repeated by the assembly), (Lord Have Mercy (2), Christ Have Mercy (2), Lord Have Mercy(2) ) – immediately followed by the Gloria with no invocation prayer in between.

Form 2: The Confiteor is omitted. Each of the three stanzas of the Lord Have Mercy is preceded by an invocation. At the end of the Kyrie an invocation prayer is said (May the Lord Have Mercy on Us….. and Give Us Everlasting Life – Amen) followed by the Gloria.

Note: Sometimes the celebrant will sing the Kyrie Eleison (Lord Have Mercy). Kyrie is not Latin but Greek contrary to the other parts of the mass such as the Gloria, Sanctus-Benedictus. Agnus Dei which are in Latin

Gloria (Glory to God): Remember that during Advent we do not sing the Gloria to the exception of the Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday). We also do not sing the Gloria during Lent.

Preparing the Rehearsal at home: As much as possible please listen to recordings of the music to be sung prior to rehearsal when feasible. It is especially advised to listen to the Responsorial Psalm of the week (see link below for the 5:30 pm Vigil Choir)

Psalm Setting and Gospel Acclamation: The greater part of the psalm settings sung throughout the year are found in the Spirit and Song psalm book. However, for some masses different setting of the psalms of the day will be used instead of the settings in Respond and Acclaim. Please, listen to the music for the Psalm, Gospel Acclamation and also other songs if you are not familiar with it. They are all available on YouTube. When feasible, the recording will also be provided. The Contemporary Choir uses The Living Church Acclaims by Zeal Music (Contemporary Psalm book), the Vigil Group uses the Spirit and Psalm Contemporary Psalm Book, and the Spanish Language Choir uses Flor Y Canto.

 

You can listen to the Spirit and Psalm Weekly Responsorial Psalms on YouTube