‘Voice of victims’ soar in songs at Luneta Mass

MANILA, Philippines—Pope Francis’ concluding Mass at Quirino Grandstand in Luneta on Sunday will be highlighted by hymns sung in the country’s many dialects and musical forms, in a nod to the inclusive character of the papal visit. The songs will also hew closely to the theme of mercy and compassion, which has been central to the 78-year old’s papacy.

The Mass, expected to draw a record 6 million Filipinos hoping to get a final glimpse of the Pope before he flies back to the Vatican tomorrow morning, will be livened by songs sung by a 1,000-member choir and composed by Fr. Manoling Francisco, SJ.

The choir will be composed of representatives from parish and school choirs from Quezon City, Pasig, Caloocan, Antipolo, Parañaque, Laguna, Bulacan, Batangas and Tuguegarao, as well as Singapore-based overseas Filipino workers.

Accompanying the choir is a 120-member orchestra to be conducted by Edsa Shrine rector Fr. Nilo Mangussad and composed of 60 representatives from the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, ABS-CBN Symphony Orchestra, UST Symphony Orchestra, UP Orchestra and Musicians-Friends of the Jesuits, as well as a 60-member youth orchestra from Supertyphoon “Yolanda”-hit Samar.

Voice of victims

The songs are “the voice of the victims (and) survivors of various calamities crying out to the Lord for intervention and redemption,” Francisco said. “[They’re] almost dirge-like and plaintive,” added the Jesuit who composed the entrance hymn “Laudate Dominum (Praise the Lord)” and communion song “Iesu, Panis Vitae/Tinapay ng Buhay.”

The communion song, with lyrics written by Fr. Rene Javellana, will highlight seven Philippine dialects in its verses, although the refrain is in Latin, the composer added.

The song “speaks of Jesus as the bread of life,” Francisco said, adding that the song expresses “the central tenet of our faith [because] Jesus is the bread who gives life to the hungry and weary, and water to those thirsting for justice.”

Francisco was commissioned by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to compose the multilingual hymns for the Mass which, under the Vatican-approved setting, will be in Cebuano, Ilocano, Bicolano and Hiligaynon, among other dialects.

The text of the Mass will be in Tagalog, Sugbuanon (Cebuano) and Ilocano, with selected verses in Bicol, Capampangan, Hiligaynon (Ilongo) and Waray, as well as in English, Latin and Spanish.

National consciousness

The idea was to “create a greater sense of national of consciousness,” said Francisco, who has composed over 100 songs, including “Tanging Yaman,” “Sa ’Yo Lamang,” “I Will Sing Forever” and “One More Gift.”

At the same time, “we’d learn to sing and praise in the tongue of other brothers and sisters [and] create a spirit of solidarity,” the composer said.

Francisco had to work under a tight deadline of two months from July 2014 when he was commissioned by CBCP president Archbishop Socrates Villegas.

In those two months, he’d scribble notes on music paper “anytime a melody came to mind” between his classes at Loyola School of Theology and retreat talks, and wherever the inspiration came: on planes, buses, taxicabs and jeepneys, in the chapel of the Jesuit residence at night and in his office inside Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City.

“The task was daunting because of the multilingual character [of the songs]. I had to ask other Jesuits to help me write the lyrics,” the composer said. “Even as I set music in different languages, I was constantly consulting people,” he said, adding that the work was a “collaborative effort” between him and a pool of arrangers and digital encoders, among others.

God’s finger

“I don’t know how I was inspired,” Francisco said, chuckling. “During the times I was composing [the songs], I was thinking of the deadline … I didn’t sense being inspired, but looking back, I see God’s finger. I’m happy with the turnout.”

“The Mass [songs] were not just my work, but the contribution of so many Filipinos,” he said, citing “Glory to God,” which has three verses. The first section on God the Father is in Ilocano, and incorporates the Kalinga indigenous rhythm; the second on God the Son is in Tagalog, and is patterned after the kundiman, while the third verse on the Holy Spirit is in Cebuano, and employs the rhythm of the singkil dance, Francisco said.

The simple four-line refrain is in English, Latin, Cebuano and Tagalog, he added.

The more complex verses are reserved for the choir, but the congregation is invited so sing the simple chorus, Francisco said, adding that bringing in several languages in the songs was a way of “making God’s compassion and mercy more inclusive.”

Sung in Greek

Francisco composed other songs in the Mass, including “Kyrie/Lord, Have Mercy” which will be sung in Greek, English, Tagalog and Cebuano; “Alleluia,” “Credo/Creed,” “Prayers of the Faithful,” “Alay sa Diyos,” and “Sanctus/Holy” in Tagalog, Cebuano, Bicolano and other Philippine dialects, and “Agnus Dei/Kordero ng Diyos” in Tagalog, Cebuano and Latin.

The choir will also sing “Ama Namin,” which Francisco composed a few years ago, as well as three compositions by Ferdie Bautista: the “Responsorial Psalm,” and the communion songs “Prayer for Generosity” and “Hidden God.”

After communion, the choir has lined up other songs, like Jamie Rivera’s “We Are All God’s Children,” the theme song of the papal visit, Trina Belamide’s “Tell the World of His Love,” the theme song during Pope John Paul II’s 1995 visit, and Fr. Eduardo Hontiveros’ “Pananagutan.”

“[The Mass songs are] a mixture of the old and the new, of traditional sacred music and contemporary sounds, [and] indigenous rhythms with western melodic patterns. All [are] showcasing the rich culture that represents our country for the purpose of fostering solidarity,” Francisco said.

Biggest security challenge

President Aquino himself is expected to be at the Mass later on Sunday, which deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said posed the biggest security challenge to the government.

Valte extended the government’s thanks to the public for their cooperation with the government-imposed measures “to protect our Pope, our friends and family members who all went to see him.”

“We are now on Day 3. We hope that we will be able to get through the visit without anyone getting hurt. We hope that everyone continues to be patient and cooperate, especially at the Mass at Quirino Grandstand,” she said.

“We continue to hope for everyone’s cooperation and we have seen what our self-discipline can do in the past two days. We hope we can continue this and let us sustain the very warm welcome we have shown our Pope,” Valte said.

She also reiterated that the people prepare for today’s Mass not just spiritually but also “physically and mentally.”

“We are going to a place where we expect there will be many people. We appeal to everyone to follow the reminders issued by authorities so that we can limit the inconvenience to us,” she said.

The public has been encouraged to bring transparent bags instead of backpacks to speed up security inspections.

People are also urged to bring raincoats instead of umbrellas. Valte said umbrellas would not be allowed at Maria Orosa Street, the main entrance to the park grounds. With a report from Nikko Dizon