The rhythms of the Gospel

In the Philippines Jesuit music is not a hobby but an industry. Over the last twenty years, Jesuit Music Ministry has produced over fifty albums. They are marketed by Universal Records.

The Director of the ministry is Jessel Gerard Gonzalez, universally known as Jboy. He says that Jesuits and music have long been associated. Jesuit musicians contributed to the baroque music performed in churches and taught it in the colleges.

In the Philippines Jesuits brought with them music in other languages. First, the Gregorian Chant and polyphony, all in Latin. Later they introduced Spanish hymns and, immediately after the Vatican Council, songs in English by the St Louis Jesuits.

Shortly afterwards the first steps were taken towards Jesuit church music in the Filipino idiom. In 1965, the then Rector of the San Jose Seminary, Fr Eduardo Hontiveros, composed a Filipino Mass. He continued to compose music for many Biblical and liturgical texts. Many musicians, including Jesuits, followed his example over the next fifteen years. By 1981 there were sufficient Jesuit composers to put together an album, Himig Heswita, to celebrate 400 years since the arrival of the first Jesuits in the Philippines.

There was subsequently an explosion of Jesuit church music in the Philippines. Many groups combined in 1994 to make another album, Himig Heswita 2. It created a stable singing group and a core group of musicians who work in different groups each with its own style. They include Himig Heswita, Bukas Palad, Hangad and Musica Chiesa.

Of course, Jesuit music is more than making records. Himig Heswita has held concerts for the ill, and members have also given workshops on liturgical music. Composers have moved beyond the Filipino idiom into Mandarin for the Chinese-Filipino community. Many recordings of music for prayer and reflection have also been made.

Fr Jboy has thought much about music as a ministry. He says, ‘Whatever people do and wherever they are, our music helps them enrich their relationship with God. From the mundane such as driving a car, lounging on an easy chair and reading a book, to sitting on a pew and reflecting on Scripture, music uplifts and brings people to God.’

The music ministry constantly adapts to the changing needs of its audience. It receives requests from people who want to play religious songs while caught in their cars during peak hour traffic. Schools ask for liturgical music, multi-media performances and prayer guides based on music.

After World Youth Day in Manila, there was much focus on youth ministry. Fr Jboy believes that music is a very important way to form young people. ‘Youth responds very well to music’, he says. ‘It is non-threatening, never preachy, at at the same time, enjoyable.'

But to reach the young, music needs to use modern technologies. 'To be effective an mobile', he says, 'So our music is now easily downloadable from their mobile phones.'

'If people are in cyberspace, our music should be available there. If the way to the hearts of the young is thorugh rhythmic music such as rock, then the Church should be present in rock concerts. Look at World Youth Day: the young pray and praise God with contemporary music.'

Finally, music is also for ministry. Volunteers with Gawad Kalinga, an organisation that builds houses for the poor, make music central to their work. ‘Before, during and after they build’, says Jboy ‘they pray and sing songs. Just as music brings us to loftier things, it can also inspire us to concretely praise them.'