PROVIDENCE — In just a few short years, the African Catholic Community Choir has distinguished itself for distinctive sound and passion for African Christian songs.
Now the choir has set itself apart in another way: it has produced its own music album.
On Sept. 14, members of the African Catholic Community at the Church of the Holy Name of Jesus in Providence held a celebration to mark the release of the album.
“It’s a wonderful gathering of a small but very, very vibrant African Catholic Community here in the Diocese of Providence,” Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, told the Rhode Island Catholic. “We are so blessed by their presence and we are enriched by their faith.”
The celebration was marked by singing from the African Catholic Community Choir, dancing, fundraising, and food — prepared and served by members of the choir.
“We are very, very happy with what they are doing,” Father Joseph Santos, pastor of Holy Name told the Rhode Island Catholic. “One of the blessings of Holy Name is that the parish is Catholic in all senses of the word.”
In addition to a Mass for the African Catholic Community, the parish offers Masses in the Extraordinary and the Ordinary Form.
The parish’s diversity was on full display at the event. In addition to the African Catholic Community Choir, there were performances from the Schola Cantorum, Holy Name of Jesus Parish Gospel Choir, and the Sisters of the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, who helped run a youth camp at the parish. In addition to singing, there was dancing by youth members of the African Catholic Community Choir and Motherland Dance Group at Providence College.
In brief remarks at the start of the event, Bishop Tobin congratulated the community on the release of their album.
“I’m sure this has been a work for you of great love and faith and prayer and we’re proud of you,” he said.
Bishop Tobin read from Colossians 3, where, in verse 16, St. Paul writes, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”
The bishop led the gathering in the “Our Father” and “Hail Mary” and offered a brief blessing. “Don’t go in peace, stay in peace,” Bishop Tobin added at the end.
The event drew well over 100 people, packing the basement at Our Lady Queen of the Rosary Church. (It was held there since Holy Name does not have a parish hall.)
“It’s been a very long journey,” said Father Lazarus Onuh, the chaplain for the African Catholic Community who helped organize the choir. “It’s a dream come true,” he added.
Father Onuh said singing is one way that members of the African Catholic community worship God with their whole selves. He quoted Deuteronomy 6:5, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with your whole heart, and with your whole being, and with your whole strength.”
“There is a way that music helps us to bring out that love,” Father Onuh said.
He said the decision to publish an album came after visitors kept asking for a copy of their music. Having an album, he said, is a way the community can live out the Gospel command to bring the good news to the ends of the earth.
The African Catholic Community Choir has existed in its present form for about five years, according to Ignatius Ahamiojie, the choir director. Before the choir, the community had a single singer at its Masses, a cantor. When the cantor moved out of state, the community had to rely on a radio to play the songs members wanted to hear at Mass.
That’s when Father Onuh joined the community as its chaplain. Father Onuh decided to bring structure to the community’s music, putting out an announcement asking if anyone wanted to “sing for God,” according to Ahamiojie. Those that responded became the choir. Father Onuh served as the first choirmaster and taught choir members most of the songs they know, including most of those on the album, according to Ahamiojie, who briefly recounted the choir’s origins in a speech at the event.
“As the choir was growing, our community was growing,” Ahamiojie said.
Individual choir members told the Rhode Island Catholic they took pride in producing an album which they believe will be uplifting to others.
“It means a lot because it’s a spiritual song,” said one choir member, Jane Eze. Even though some people listening may not understand the words, she added, just listening to the album will bring them happiness.
“It’s wonderful to see it come to term,” said Liliane Irenge. “It’s a joy and a blessing.”
When the album finally came out, Father Santos was the first person to see it.
“It is amazing — the amount of work that went into this,” Father Santos said at the event. “It is really something.”
The event also doubled as a fundraiser, with a number of large-dollar donors contributing. In all it raised $3,840, according to Father Onuh. The funds will support both the African Catholic Community and others in need in the area.
