Carmelites produce songs that touch heart and soul

CEBU, Philippines - The Philippine Province of the Order of Carmelites (OCarm) through the Carmelite Mission Office, for the first time produced an album titled “Faith: Like and Share” featuring artists from the Visayas and Mindanao.

“We hope to popularize spiritual music wedded to the gospel message of faith, love, and compassion through the songs in this album,” said Fr. Gilbert Billena, OCarm.

The songs, according to Fr. Billena, are mellow love songs that many young people could easily identify with. “This is also our way of supporting young and promising music artists who wish to contribute their God-given talents to the beat and rhythm of the new evangelization,” he added.

The album’s carrier single, “Mercy and Compassion,” was inspired by the sufferings of the victims of typhoon Yolanda, especially those from Bantayan Island, Cebu.

“When we went to Mambacayaw Daku Island in Bantayan for relief operations and rehabilitation efforts, I was touched by the sacrifice that the children had to go through, especially in going to school to another island. Education was really a very big problem in the area and extreme poverty was prevalent, and for them to go through Yolanda, it was very tragic,” lamented Fr. Billena.

He said that it was apt for the  Apostolic Visit of Pope Francis on January 15 to 19 to carry the theme Mercy and Compassion as those twin virtues are needed to help ensure the dignity of victims of both man-made (war, violence, demolitions, poverty) and natural calamities.

As the song goes: “God calls us to be merciful and compassionate; He calls us to open our hearts to those who seek. God is calling us all over, to lay our lives to others..calls us to save His people from raging storms.”

The songs were written by Fr. Billena, a parish priest of San Isidro Labrador Parish in Bagong Silangan, Quezon City and sits in the Provincial Council of the Order.

Music was composed and arranged by John Cadeliña of  Davao-based band Skeights, ABS-CBN’s “Pilipinas Got Talent Season 2” finalist. The songs were given life by Laarni Lozada, ABS-CBN’s “Pinoy Dream Academy Season 2” Grand champion, and Rocky Rosabal, first runner-up and fan favorite of international singing competition “The Voice of McDonalds” 2014 held in Orlando, Florida,  among others.

The Order of the Brothers of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel was founded in the 1200s in Mt. Carmel with their rule given by St. Albert of Jerusalem. They came to the Philippines in the 1960s and helped the Human Rights Victims during the Marcos dictatorship through their strong prophetic and social justice ministry. (PR)