Every Friday evening, the African choir meets in the house of its director Francis, to put together the hymns to be sung at the 11.00 o’clock mass of Saturday. Among the choristers, who sum up to about a dozen, are a few ladies from Kerala. A few years back, the Catholic African community were a few more in number and the choir had many more participants.
The rehearsal hall is nothing but a room in an apartment of Francis who shares it with other African brothers, and that during the day serves as a nursery that nestles African and Filipino children from the Tel-Aviv central bus station area. The nursery is run by Francis wife, Charlotte.
The celesta is wrapped in a plastic bag, as should be in a choir where it is respected, the hymn sheets are wrinkled due to excessive use. What remains is to wait for the others who arrive to choir rehearsal after six days of hard work, tired but satisfied. They begin, as Good Christians do, with prayer: the Lord’s Prayer, Hail Mary and the Glory be. They do not have any musical instrument. Francis keeps rhythm by tapping with the palm of his right hand on a book that he holds firmly in his left. The songs are known by ear and are taught to the others by repetitious singing with those who already know them.
When, by chance someone makes a mistake or goes out of tune, Charlotte- holding their last born in her arms- raises her bright soprano voice above the rest and leads the group back in tune. It is the choir of the poor; rich in faith and joy.
The rehearsals end with a simple prayer of thanksgiving. Some stay for the vespers as well. The majority of the members go home to prepare Saturday’s festive lunch, and to cook the store of food that they keep refrigerated to eat during the following week. With the busy rhythm of work during the weekdays, there is not have enough time to prepare food every day.
Saturday morning they arrive in church. Those responsible prepare the cymbals and the tambourine: when all is ready, the members of the choir wear their choir uniform that includes a cap as well. In procession, the choir precedes the priests and altar boys from the end of the Church up to the major altar, singing the entrance hymn accompanying it by movements of a soft African rhythmic dance. At the same time, those helping the service distribute the hymnal books that are especially brought from Ghana, for the other faithful: Indians, Filipinos and Europeans. Everyone is invited to sing. The choir, as a matter of fact, animates the liturgy without hindering the faithful from participating in song.
Undoubtedly this community would stay hours on end in church glorifying the Lord with hymns of praise! It is up to the priest to restrict the time. The mass lasts about two hours, but for these people it is the time when they feel totally free to be children of a Father who really loves them!
Liturgy is carried out in the best of places. At the end of the mass, the choir accompanies the priest until the sacristy, where they are blessed by him, as well as thanked and encouraged. Everyone then goes back home happy and satisfied to have been of service to the Lord and the Church.
Fr. Arturo Vasaturo ofm
The rehearsal hall is nothing but a room in an apartment of Francis who shares it with other African brothers, and that during the day serves as a nursery that nestles African and Filipino children from the Tel-Aviv central bus station area. The nursery is run by Francis wife, Charlotte.
The celesta is wrapped in a plastic bag, as should be in a choir where it is respected, the hymn sheets are wrinkled due to excessive use. What remains is to wait for the others who arrive to choir rehearsal after six days of hard work, tired but satisfied. They begin, as Good Christians do, with prayer: the Lord’s Prayer, Hail Mary and the Glory be. They do not have any musical instrument. Francis keeps rhythm by tapping with the palm of his right hand on a book that he holds firmly in his left. The songs are known by ear and are taught to the others by repetitious singing with those who already know them.
When, by chance someone makes a mistake or goes out of tune, Charlotte- holding their last born in her arms- raises her bright soprano voice above the rest and leads the group back in tune. It is the choir of the poor; rich in faith and joy.
The rehearsals end with a simple prayer of thanksgiving. Some stay for the vespers as well. The majority of the members go home to prepare Saturday’s festive lunch, and to cook the store of food that they keep refrigerated to eat during the following week. With the busy rhythm of work during the weekdays, there is not have enough time to prepare food every day.
Saturday morning they arrive in church. Those responsible prepare the cymbals and the tambourine: when all is ready, the members of the choir wear their choir uniform that includes a cap as well. In procession, the choir precedes the priests and altar boys from the end of the Church up to the major altar, singing the entrance hymn accompanying it by movements of a soft African rhythmic dance. At the same time, those helping the service distribute the hymnal books that are especially brought from Ghana, for the other faithful: Indians, Filipinos and Europeans. Everyone is invited to sing. The choir, as a matter of fact, animates the liturgy without hindering the faithful from participating in song.
Undoubtedly this community would stay hours on end in church glorifying the Lord with hymns of praise! It is up to the priest to restrict the time. The mass lasts about two hours, but for these people it is the time when they feel totally free to be children of a Father who really loves them!
Liturgy is carried out in the best of places. At the end of the mass, the choir accompanies the priest until the sacristy, where they are blessed by him, as well as thanked and encouraged. Everyone then goes back home happy and satisfied to have been of service to the Lord and the Church.
Fr. Arturo Vasaturo ofm