Baltimore’s Black and Hispanic Catholic choirs inspire unity and joy

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“When I’m singing, I feel that I’m speaking to God – it’s the closest thing that I can get to an angelic chorus in heaven,” said Michelle Sheldon about her experiences singing in parish choirs.

As a registered nurse affiliated with two Baltimore parishes, St. Ambrose in Park Heights and St. Matthew in Northwood, Sheldon emphasized her dedication to gospel music, viewing it as a profound expression of faith.

“Bringing together diverse voices in the same genre for collective worship is a wonderful experience. It’s one of the things that really lifts my spirit,” she said.

In less than two weeks, the archdiocese introduced two distinctive ensembles, each representing significant communities and emphasizing unity among Catholics while celebrating the church’s rich diversity – the Black Catholic Mass Choir and the Hispanic/Latino Archdiocesan Choir.

Baltimore, with one of the largest Black Catholic populations in the country, according to data from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has also seen a notable increase in its Hispanic Catholic population. Both choirs were established under the initiatives of the ministries to the respective communities, with unity being a common theme among their directors.

During the recent debut of the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Black Catholic Mass choir, Sheldon shared the overwhelming joy she experienced.

“It was a joyful experience,” she recalled. “It was the first time that I felt really connected with a Mass choir in a Catholic church.”

The 26-person choir – consisting of sopranos, tenors and baritones from across the archdiocese – sang at a Mass Nov. 28. The performance consisted of songs from the African American heritage hymnal, accompanied by a keyboard, percussion and the congregation’s voices. The choir, through musical expression and a diverse repertoire, brought unity among the choir members and the broader community.

“Christ tells us that we are like a city on top of a hill, and I’m hoping that through music, we will continue shining and guiding others to the Lord,” Deitrick Goodwin, the director of the Black Catholic Mass Choir, said. “Our love for music will continue to keep us moving forward.”

Building on this shared vision, Kathleen Mason, a parishioner and choir member at St Bernardine, said, “They say when you sing, you’re praying twice. When we sing, we are singing passages from the Bible, and this drives people closer to God.”

The joy and sense of community experienced by the Black Catholic Mass Choir during its debut resonated Dec. 9 with the inaugural performance of the Hispanic Archdiocesan Choir at the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass.

The Hispanic Archdiocesan Choir, consisting of 19 members, sang traditional songs such as “La Guadalupana” to celebrate the rich culture of Mexico and commemorate the apparition of the Virgin of Guadalupe to Juan Diego in 1531. 

Melvin Alvarado, director of the Hispanic Archdiocesan Choir, said he was enchanted with the group’s performance, success and diversity.

“We are very excited because it is an archdiocesan choir that was created with volunteers from all the choirs of all the parishes in the archdiocese who want to serve,” Alvarado said.

Lia Garcia, director of Hispanic Ministry for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, recalled her dream of creating a Hispanic choir despite pandemic challenges. With the “Seek the City to Come” parish process ongoing, Garcia emphasized the choir’s role in reminding parishioners of their shared identity within a unified faith community.

Expressing his gratitude for this new opportunity, Noel Lopez, a parishioner and chorus singer at Resurrection of Our Lord in Laurel, feels proud to share his vocation and be part of this archdiocesan choir as a Hispanic member. “It’s a very beautiful experience that I’m living, learning, and participating in,” he said.

Silvia Martinez, a soprano in the choir and coordinator of her community’s group at St. John Parish in Westminster, highlighted the significance of forming an archdiocesan choir and hoping it bears more fruits beyond its debut.

“It is more than a privilege – it is a satisfaction to know that they are giving us the opportunity to participate here in this debut at this Mass. Being here finally at this event for which we have prepared so much is truly an overwhelming experience,” Martinez said.

Extending an invitation for more individuals to participate, Alvarado urged the community to go beyond their parishes and embrace these opportunities. “It is a sacrifice, but it is truly rewarding to meet more people and continue sharing our culture through music.”

Email Adriana Montes at amontes@CatholicReview.org

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