Catholics enjoy Christmas singing

Maybe it's the Christmas spirit. Or maybe everybody just knows the words by heart. Whatever the reason, churchgoers tend to sing their hearts out during Christmas Masses, joining choirs and cantors in spirit-filled renditions of such traditional carols as "Silent Night," "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "Joy to the World."

That's music to the ears of Timothy Fitzmaurice, music director at Corpus Christi Church in Ushers.

"Christmas is just one of those times that they're pretty much ready to celebrate and ready to sing those songs," he told The Evangelist. "It's great. You wish it was like that all the time."

At Our Lady of Grace parish in Ballston Lake, parishioners are particularly quick to join in singing the carols that they've heard since childhood, according to Patty Neumann, music director.

"People have known [the songs] since they were born, so they automatically sing them," she said.

For some Catholics, especially visitors from out of town, it's a homecoming when they attend Christmas Mass and hear familiar carols. "I think it feels like home [and] Christmas to them, if they can come and sing the same folk carols every year. It's their way of coming home," Ms. Neumann said.

At St. Gabriel the Archangel Church in Rotterdam, the music will vary from Mass to Mass this Christmas, according to Malcolm Kogut, music director. On Christmas Eve, the 4 p.m. Mass will feature three cantors, a child soloist, a guitarist, a violinist and a trumpet player. The youth choir will sing at the 7 p.m. Mass, and the adult choir will lead the Midnight Mass congregation in song. For Christmas Day, three adult choir members each will sing at the 9 and 11 a.m. Masses; each liturgy will feature one-half hour of singing beforehand.

"The people do know the songs extremely well, thanks to radio and TV," Mr. Kogut said. "They are more apt to sing."

Interestingly, churchgoers often don't sing songs in their entirety. "I find that people tend not to sing on verses because they don't think they're allowed to," as though it's a responsorial psalm, he said. "It's something we're trying to resolve, but it's taking a long time."

Special holiday songs and traditional carols will be sung at Christmas Masses at St. Joseph's Church in Rensselaer. The parish is offering two Masses on Christmas Eve, at 5 and 10 p.m., and a 10:30 a.m. Mass on Christmas Day.

Rita Asai, the parish organist and choir director, encourages participation by asking just the men to sing a particular verse and then asking just the women to sing. "I have very good participation, and I have taught a lot of hymns to them through the years," she said.

Mrs. Asai is pleased that parishioners -- and the pastor -- are such enthusiastic singers. "Father [Adam Forno] has a wonderful voice, and he sings right out up in front, and that helps, too," she said.

(12-18-97) [[In-content Ad]]