Pope Francis highlights 3 pillars of musical choirs to be a strong sign of faith and unity

This morning in the Paul VI Hall, Pope Francis addressed the participants of the IV International Meeting of Choirs, reminding them of the three fundamental characteristics that they must have in their service to the Church: harmony, communion and joy.

This event, promoted by the Choir of the Diocese of Rome on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of its foundation, is organized by Nova Opera and is sponsored by the Dicastery for Culture and Education and the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music. The meeting takes place in the Vatican from June 7 to 9, 2024.

At the beginning of his speech, the Holy Father thanked the organizers of the event and highlighted the service provided by Monsignor Marco Frisina, founder of the Choir of the Diocese of Rome.

Next, the Pope focused his speech on the three essential aspects of the choir service.

Harmony in musical choirs

Referring to harmony, he explained that music has a “universal and immediate language, which does not need translations.”

“Music generates harmony by reaching everyone, consoling those who suffer, restoring enthusiasm to those who are discouraged,” he said, underlining how this art form can take people beyond a materialistic vision of life.

“It thus gives those who cultivate it a wise and calm look, with which divisions and antagonisms are more easily overcome,” he noted.

Communion in musical choirs

Regarding communion, Pope Francis highlighted the value of working together in a choir, “not alone.” “And this also tells us about the Church and the world in which we live.”

“Our walk together, in fact, can be represented as the performance of a great ‘concert’, in which each one participates with their own abilities and offers their own contribution, playing or singing their ‘part’ and thus finding their own uniqueness. enriched by the symphony of communion,” he explained.

In that sense, the Pope recalled that this is how the Church works, “so that a song of praise to God rises from the entire world.”

Joy in musical choirs

Finally, the Pope addressed joy, warning of the dangers of ambition and the divisions that can arise in a choir or community. “Do not let the mentality of the world contaminate you with its own interest, ambition, jealousy, divisions,” he advised, encouraging those present to maintain a high spiritual level and live with enthusiasm his vocation.

The Pope concluded his speech by thanking the participants for their service to the Church and asking them to pray for him. “I thank you for coming and, above all, I thank you for the service you provide to the prayer of the Church and to evangelization. I accompany you with my blessing. And I ask you please, while you sing, to also pray for me,” he concluded.