On the last Saturday of November, Auckland diocese put on a significant music ministry event, “Gaudete, Advent and Christmas Carols”, ushering in the season by gathering musicians and choirs from parishes, schools and ethnic chaplaincies.
Randall Ramos and Hinemoa Finau were MCs at Gaudete,
Advent and Christmas Carols
Auckland Liturgy and Ministry coordinator Randall Ramos and his co-MC Hinemoa Finau, started the event with high energy, getting the crowd into the spirit at the Due Drop Events Centre in Manukau. Entry was by koha, and funds were donated to the Catholic Caring Foundation. Sponsorship for the event came from Gallagher Insurance NZ.
Some 18 choirs and duos gave their interpretations of Christmas carols. Some of the items were in the original languages of the singers.
Rachel Wilson from The Sations also performed two Christmas songs – much to the crowd’s delight.
Mr Ramos said that the initial idea for the project came from just wanting to put on a small event for the choirs.
“It was initially going to happen at a smaller scale in one of the parishes at Christ the King in Owairaka . . . the weekend being [the Solemnity of] Christ the King,” he said. “As schools and ethnic chaplaincies got interested and wanted to participate, we had to look for a bigger venue.”
Tongan Catholic Community
Ms Finau added, “it’s the first time we’ve had a big sing and a night of praise, but it’s also including a lot of different ethnic communities. It’s their second year of doing the Ethnic Communities Festival. So, I guess it’s just keeping that buzz.”
Mr Ramos said that another reason for the event was encouraging the different music ministries in the diocese to get some synergy and inspiration from each other.
“We operate in silos, and parishes sort of fend for themselves,” he said.
He said that this idea of getting the music ministries together is “out of the box”.
“We gathered these people to create synergy to celebrate, as Christ has intended for us to be,” he said. “As we head towards the . . . season of Advent, the start of the liturgical year [building up to Christmas], it is fitting to be singing about that.”
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