To sing like an angel.

They sing like angels.

Sometimes when we hear exceptional choirs, we utter these words, referring perhaps to the lilting effect of a song in one's heart that only a holy creature can do.  Angels, after all, are supposed to be the guardians leading us to happiness.

The Westminster Cathedral Choir

Church choirs have a very important function in church services and ceremonies. They inspire the congregation into singing and make the communion with God more intimate and holier.

In a visit to the Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Hanceville, Alabama a few years ago, we had the privilege of hearing the cloistered nuns, the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, sing. And what beautiful voices they had! You don't see them but only hear them.

In our city of Toronto,  the St. Michael's Cathedral runs the St. Michael's Choir School, a school with over 75 years' history. The choir sings regularly on Saturday and Sunday masses, and on weekday masses, it is common to see a choir member leading the church singing. Tourists to the City make it a point to attend mass to hear the boys sing.

At the Blessed John XXIII church I regularly attend in Don Mills, there are at least two Filipino choirs. One sings regularly at the 9 am Sunday masses.

When the Filipino Chaplaincy was still at the John XXIII, the 5 pm Tagalog mass had the San Lorenzo Ruiz choir singing. And on Christmas Eve when the weather was at a minus degree, it was heart warming to hear Tagalog songs being sung at the midnight Filipino mass. I remember the former parish priest of John XXIII Fr. Rudy Imperial saying "Pascua," and it was like being transported back to Manila. It was not unusual to see Pinoys crying during these masses as they reminisce, perhaps, on Christmases at their native provinces with their loved ones.

In the Philippines where the karaoke was invented by a Filipino and where there are more than 600,000 Catholic churches and some 20 million chapels, you'd definitely expect to have an astounding number of church choirs. And it does.

At the Megamall chapel for instance, there's the regular Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord choir, the ADB choir performing at the 12:15 Wednesday masses and the Assumptionist Choir which sings regularly at the 6 pm Wednesday masses. among other choirs. 

At San Andres Apostol Parish in Cainta where we worship, there are a number of choirs which lately have been banded together into a Grand Choir in preparations heading towards the church's dedication. Individually, there's the IHMMEC choir, the Kids' Choir, an all-male choir, the El Shaddai, Dictum Veritas, and the San Andres Apostol choir.

Westminster Cathedral Choir is acclaimed as one of the world’s great choirs. Since its foundation in 1903 it has occupied a unique and enviable position at the forefront of English church music, and is featured frequently on radio and television.  When its busy liturgical schedule permits it, it takes its music further afield.  In addition to regular concerts around the UK, recent tours have included Hungary, Norway, Germany, Belgium, Italy and the USA.

The Bible says that a band of mighty angels announced to the lowly shepherds that the Messiah was born in a cave in Betlehem. The shepherds could have been roused from their sleep by the angelic voices whispering in their ears amidst the cold winter in the wilderness.