400 priests showcase talent for IEC

CEBU, Philippines – Four hundred priests of the Archdiocese of Cebu have showcased their talents in a two-day concert of faith and prayer held at the venue for the 51st International Eucharistic Congress in Barangay Mabolo, this city.

One of the performers, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, said performing is one of the ways to glorify and praise God through music.

“Priests are talented with gifts of voices. Wonderful way to praise God for his goodness,” he said, adding, the event was also an opportunity for them to offer and share their talents with the people.

Palma recalled how he was inspired by the talents of all performers even during rehearsals. “It was very inspiring. I really admire the talents of the performers… I see the relationship of the music and many parts of the mass like the various renditions of Our Father,” he said.

He considers the first day of the concert, dubbed “400 Priests of Cebu in Concert: Faith, Love and Songs”, as a success.

“I’m very happy of the performance from the priests, choirs and other artists. It’s a good sign of how much we put in order to be able to come up with the performance,” he said.

The two-day concert concluded last night to help raise funding for the 51st IEC next year. Proceeds of the concert will be used to help finance the congress. The concert committee is yet to give the total proceeds of the concert.

The concert started promptly at 7:30 with a dance performance. It was followed by the singing of liturgical and classical songs by 400 priests.

The concert featured 25 classic and liturgical songs on love, faith and hope, friendship, among others seeking to entertain but also to teach. The songs were sung in different modern renditions of Ave Maria, for instance.

Repertoire of Cebuano and Tagalog songs like Babayeng Sugbuanon, Usahay-Kanunay, Magandang Pilipinas, and Barkada, among others were also sang.

In the next few songs, the priests were joined by singing seminarians of San Carlos Seminary; Sto Niño and Cathedral choirs, Mandaue Children’s choir, Elvis Somosot and Jessica Mcyorker, among others.

In a solo performance, Fr. Jonas Mejares, OSA, known as one of the singing Agustinian priests, serenaded the public with the popular song “This is the Moment.”

The concert was capped with a religious song—He Who Eats My Bread.

All performances drew applause many times from an audience of 3,000.

One concertgoer said the event was proof that the priests are blessed with fine voices, the blending of which was superb.

“It’s also a way of giving importance to the Eucharist. This is our way of appreciating the Eucharist,” Palma sai. — Kristine B. Quintas/JMO (FREEMAN)