Catholics can sing! Here’s how one music director leads congregational singing at Mass in bilingual and multi-ethnic parishes.
Darrell St. Romain is the Director of Music at Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Farmers Branch, TX. With his background ranging from rural Louisiana to the Cathedral of Dallas (where he worked while studying for his Master’s Degree of Sacred Music at Southern Methodist University), he has a keen understanding of leading music programs in bilingual and multi-ethnic parishes.
In our conversation we discuss:
Congregational participation that doesn’t necessarily entail congregational singing (something I discussed with Mary Catherine Levri in an earlier podcast episode)
Teaching new music to the congregation
Using Latin in bilingual Masses to build community
Supporting various music ensembles in your congregation without micromanaging the leaders of those groups
The dangers of labeling services by musical style (the “Gospel Mass” at 9:30, the “Traditional Mass” at 11)
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Favorite Quotes
Darrell on teaching new Mass settings: remember, “no matter where you are working, there are always going to be people who want to participate.” (So help them out!)
“Why do we have to be comfortable when we come to worship? I don’t think anybody who had an encounter with Jesus was comfortable the whole time.” –Darrell St. Romain on congregational singing at Mass
