Introduction

Christianity is rooted in the primacy of grace and poverty of spirit. It is a religion whose fundamental mark is ‘thanksgiving’. One of the main ways Christians express their gratitude is through ‘singing’ the praise of God. We sing and proclaim the mighty acts of God who created us and has called us out of the darkness of sin into his marvellous light to be a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people (cf. 1 Pet 2:9).

Liturgical Singing

As a Church, our utmost occasion for singing and praising God is the liturgy.

We sing (ecclesia cantans) for creation, redemption and sanctification: Grace of Christ, Love of God, and Communion of the Holy Spirit (cf. 2 Cor 13:13). Through musical instruments – the organ, guitar, trumpet, lute, harp, tambourine, strings and pipe and clashing cymbals – we sing and praise God for his mighty deeds and his surpassing greatness (cf. Ps 150).

We have public, official and communal ritual worship involving songs. Called ‘liturgy’, it is the Church’s celebration of her redemption by offering due glory to God and receiving his sanctification. Hence, liturgical singing aims at animating the faithful and promoting their full, conscious and active participation in divine worship as “the singing Church”.

Therefore, during the unfolding of the liturgical actions, the Church often relies on a competent Choir. She has high expectations of the choristers as good singing helps the Church achieve acceptable divine glorification. Moreover, as proper liturgical singing has capacity to evangelize people, liturgical singing must meet the triple criterion of beauty, genuineness and pastoral efficacy.

 Beautiful Singing

So that singing touches the heart of the singer and listener, it must be harmonious and beautiful. The words of the music can attract listeners if they are beautiful. However, this attraction is heightened when the words are accorded sweet and harmonious melody. Therefore, Choirs will render invaluable service to the liturgy as they sing beautifully.

Descent liturgical space, materials, and participants express the dignity, honour, beauty of the mysteries of Christ. Similarly, beautiful music is a decoration in songs and hymns for the unfolding liturgical celebration. The Fathers of Vatican II noted this value of music:

The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art. The main reason for this pre-eminence is that, as sacred song united to the words, it forms a necessary or integral part of the solemn liturgy. It adds delight to prayer, fosters unity of minds, or confers greater solemnity upon the sacred rites (SC n. 112).

Genuine Singing

Genuineness in liturgical singing is judged by how the songs express the mood of the Church for the seasons, actual days or theme of scripture readings. The Choirs must not only ensure the beauty of songs, but importantly choirmasters are earnestly required to select genuine ones. Genuine-beautiful singing stirs up and rouses faith and piety, hence the Church stated:

Composers…should feel that their vocation is to cultivate sacred music and increase its store of treasures. The texts to be sung must always conform to Catholic doctrine and inspired mainly by sacred Scripture and liturgical sources (SC n. 121)

Pastoral Singing

Singing must nourish the faith and raise our minds to God and offer Him our rational service and more abundantly receive His grace (cf. SC 33). The Choir must facilitate an encounter of the congregation with the Lord. Therefore, Choirs must exercise singing leadership and for active participation and avoid rendering some participants passive spectators (cf. SC # 48).

Pastoral singing by the Choir is reflected in its service and direction. This means that apart from their specific songs, the Choir must lead in the congregational singing, dictating the appropriate musical pace and rhythms. In this way the congregation can be brought up to singing and doing so well. The Choir links up with the priest and takes responsibility of the Ordinary of the Mass (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei).

Conclusion

Besides integration and the establishment of interpersonal relationships, music is an integral part of community worship. It purifies, elevates and saves from selfishness to turn toward universal horizons. The challenge to all—musician, presider, each member of the assembly—is how to get all to sing, how to sustain our singing and how to improve the singing.

We must nurture an attitude of thankfulness in each and in all believers. Though music is not constitutive of the liturgy, singing truly enhances it. For choristers, music unites minds and hearts in love and voices and attires in identity. Choirs play a ministerial role, and choristers must be trained, imbued with the spirit of the liturgy so that with sincere piety and decorum, they sing can beautifully, genuinely and orderly (cf. SC n. 29).

Sources consulted:

Catechismus Catholicae Ecclesiae, Editio typica, Liberia Editrice Vaiticana, 1992. English Translation, Catechism of the Catholic Church, Geoffrey Chapman, London 1994.

Guardini, Romano, The Spirit of the Liturgy (transl.) Joanne M. Pierce, Von Geist der Liturgie, Sheed & Ward, London 1997

Lang, Jovian, OFM, Dictionary of the Liturgy, Catholic Book Publishing Company, New York 1989.

The Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, Catholic Truth Society, London 1966.

Vatican Council II, ‘Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy’, Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963) in The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents (ed.), Austin Flannery, OP, Dominican Publications, Dublin 1992.

Source: Rev. Fr. Prosper Abotsi

Some few months ago, I was talking with some friends, all of whom are committed to their local churches and also work for Christian organisations. In our conversation, one of them shared a situation in her work place where an obviously unfair situation was not being dealt with. She expressed worry and her frustration about how it was being permitted to continue. The example of her story led to similar examples coming from the others. In fact, it was all depressingly familiar to me.

Over the past 10years I have served as a church Pastor, and now as a member of the Inter-Congregational Justice and Peace and Integrity of Creation. I have consistently heard and seen the same picture here and there, we have to be honest about this that too often churches manage their staff or employees badly. Reality is liberating and the truth will set us free as the Holy Book says. Of course such bad management can occur and do occur elsewhere. Nevertheless, I think there are some common symptoms which are manifested in Christian culture which are worth examining.

It is common to find that majority of the workers Churches employ either have very little or no knowledge at all about labour laws. If we closely observe, one would realize that, there are two categories of workers who are engaged by the various church institutions: voluntary workers and those who are “officially” employed.

But what does the Law say about who an employee is? “An employee is a worker who performs services for the employer, and the employer controls how and what the employee will do” (Fair Labor Standard Act). In other words, “employee means to be permitted to work for an employer who pays you not less than a minimum wage” Voluntary workers on the other hand, are also people who out of sentiments or for fear of God, offer help to their church on daily or regular bases.

Voluntarism is a good spirit, but where do we draw the line? When practically, the individual seems to be doing exactly what labor law describe as employment or what others see as normal work, except that they are not officially permitted and are not paid. Labour laws of the State do not permit us to engage or treat people this way and God equally frown on such acts.

As Christians, we should not take undue advantage of such kind and generous people. In reality, these voluntary workers engage themselves for the number of hours a normal employee works and for years; to a point that everyone turns to think the person is a normal worker. Unfortunately, when such a person does not show up for work or the said work is not done properly, the person gets queried (sometimes even insulted) by some members of the church for not coming to do his or her duty. Some of the treatment these poor volunteers get from church members and Religious Leaders is un-Christ-like. In most cases, you may even have these volunteers doing an enormous chunk of the work around as compared to the “officially” employed ones.

The other category of workers in the church and religious setting are the “officially employed employees”. If we examine the conditions under which they serve, some do not have their employment status regularized, some are paid below the minimum wage and their employers get away with the fact that it is a religious institution, others do not get their Social Security paid as well. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that there are a few workers in religious communities and churches who generously, give some incentives besides their pay.

However, it is sad that there are some instances, where workers are engaged to do more than what they have been employed for; they worked more than the stipulated hours (over time) and even report to work on days they are not supposed to be working. Most times, church authorities do not consider these as abuses of the rights of workers. Beside these, there are other domestic abuses that are meted out to these workers, particularly, the female workers: sometimes they are sexually abused, employers speak disrespectfully and impolitely to these workers and do not be surprised if some are assaulted.

Quite often than not, Church Leaders mostly take it for granted that their workers know it is God’s work so the workers would not react to the bad treatment they receive. On the flip side, some of the workers also swallow these bitter treatments from some church members and pastors because they probably do not have any other option or they respect their employers because they are men and women of God (for it is written: touch not the anointed).

Jesus, in Mark’s Gospel chapter 12:17 said, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God”. The Church and State are not two opposing entities but rather complement each other. Paying according to State laws and for that matter labor laws is not optional but mandatory. Treating our workers with dignity, respect and as equal as humans are Christian values, which should be adhered to by every Christian and for that matter every Christian institution.  It is absurd for anyone to even perceive that the worst offenders of employment laws would be Churches and other Religious Institutions; the worse form of treatment coming from people impacting the word of God to others.

Yes, it is true some workers can be nuisance: cunny, disrespectful and sometimes think nobody can tell them what to do. Yet, that does not exonerate anyone from the treatment meted out to them. Some react the way they do because they might feel fed-up. Therefore, it may not be wrong to say such attitudes may be described as outbursts. And so, when it comes to the best treatment of workers most church authorities are quite lacks and defaulters.

Again, concerning volunteering, it would be proper for their employers (church authorities) to sit with such a person(s) and let them understand the intricacies of what it means to be volunteering on regular basis. As much as you do not want to discourage such free and generous acts, do not also involve yourself in acts which will make you default as much as human rights are concern. The voluntary workers should not be encouraged to engage on daily bases.

The number of hours is a factor that needs to be looked at; a voluntary worker(s) should not be seen doing the number of hours a normal employee is engaged. As followers of the compassionate Christ we need to be mindful of the workload voluntary workers are engaged in; it should be minimal as compared to a normal worker. On the other hand, church leaders should be encouraged to give regular incentives to their workers at their own discretion; giving of such tokens would serve as a motivation.

Honestly speaking, the picture is not so bleak everywhere. In that, there are some sensitive and compassionate pastors and Religious Institutions or Communities, who would occasionally give these volunteers a token or some “handout”. There are also a couple of cases where some Religious Authorities helped paid school fees or took care of other basic needs of such people. Otherwise, these volunteers labor unnoticed by some church authorities and members.

It is very important that a normal employee, after the probationary period (6 months at least) the worker is either made to continue as full worker or he or she is made to discontinue; probationary period should be strictly adhered to. Workers should be paid not less than the minimum wage. Social Security of all workers should be paid. Employer-employee relationship must be good and exemplary after the life of Christ. However, it is very vital not be carried away by the euphoria of such relationships. Create a clear boundary line between work and pleasure (especially female workers).  Treat all workers with love, dignity and respect as you would have others treat you. When workers do more than they are required, compensate them to inspire them. It is imperative that we do not lord it over our workers in any way.

On the other side, if workers disrespect, disobey or behave unprofessionally they should be treated with love unlike the secular employment, and as it is deemed fit according to the severity of the situation, they should be served a written query and if this persists they should be suspended and consequently dismissed.

About The Author

Nicholas Nibetol Aazine, SVD

(Coordinator for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation, Ghana-Liberia Province)

Divine Word Missionaries: A Catholic Missionary Society

justiceandpeaceint@gmail.com or nicholasbetol@gmail.com

It was all joy when Formators, Seminarians, and the entire community of St Peter’s Regional Seminary in Pedu, Cape Coast, gathered to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of one of the formators of the seminary, Rev. Fr. Dr. Raphael Mensah as a Priest.

In a homily by Rev Fr Raymond Bright Acquah, the Secretary to the Archbishop of Cape Coast, he was full of praise for his former formator, and senior brother in the priesthood. He enumerated several attributes which have made Fr. Raphael Mensah the wonderful priest that he is today. He described Fr Raphael as a man who encourages people, supports those in need, a disciplinarian, and someone who always pushes people to bring out the best in them.

On the part of the seminary, the Rector, Rev. Fr. Robert Charles Snyper acknowledged the immense contribution of Fr. Raphael Mensah to the work of formation in the Seminary. He was grateful to God for such a gift to the Church. He made a presentation to Fr. Raphael Mensah on behalf of the Governing Council of the Seminary. The Vice Rector, Rev. Fr. Richard Mawusi, also made a presentation to Fr Raphael on behalf of the Formators. There were several presentations from seminarians who also acknowledged and appreciated the great sacrifices of Fr Raphael to the course of their formation.

On his part, Fr. Raphael Mensah, who is a lecturer in Canon Law, was overjoyed at the outburst of love shown him on his 25th Priestly Anniversary. He thanked everyone and prayed for God’s blessings on them.

The Holy Mass was concelebrated by almost all the formators of the seminary.

Source: Radio Angelus

The Holy Father, His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Very Rev. Fr. John Kobina Louis and Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Narh Asare as Auxiliary Bishops of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra.

Very Rev. Fr. Louis, who is currently the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Accra and Very Rev. Fr. Asare, who is also currently the Parish Priest of SS. Anne and Joachim, have been assigned the Titular Seas of Fessei (Fesseitanus) and Castello di Numidai (Cestellanus in Numidia), pr. Numidia respectively.

The Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, His Excellency Henryk Mieczysław Jagodziński announced the appointments at the Holy Spirit Cathedral, Accra on Tuesday, 14th February 2023, which was welcomed by the Priests, Religious and the Lay faithful gathered with joy and gladness.

Source: Radio Angelus