New Notes August 2012 by Mel Libre

NEW NOTES TawagAwit Newsletter

August 2012

VISITING THE CHAPTERS In July 2012, Bro Mel B Libre, Lead Servant, visited three of the chapters with the objectives of touching base with members and observing their best practices. Together with Sis Debbie, they visited St Mary’s Northcote (8 July); St Thomas More Glenfield, photo below (13 and 15 July) and St Mark’s Pakuranga (22 July). In St Mary’s, though depleted due to the illness of some of the members, the group consisting of ten, delivered their offerings with confidence, accompanied by pianist Jenny Fox, who said that “the group is getting there”. Led by Bro Cyril Bas, the chapter practices every Sunday after the 10:30am mass. The members are provided each a copy of the music sheets of songs that are selected by the parish’s music coordinators.

We Need You TawagAwit invites you to help in spreading God’s Word through music and other acts of love. You can be a: (1) member; (2) supporter or (3) organizer

Bro Mel and Sis Debbie joined the practice session of the St Thomas More chapter in the home of Bro Allan-Sis Perla Campo. Bro Peter Gayaman (chapter coordinator), guided the members in the songs which were approved by the parish music coordinators. Prior to their actual singing, the members congregate early in the church to practice the intros of each of the songs. On 15 July, the group sang for the first time a Tagalog song that was welcomed both by Filipinos as well as parishioners of other ethnicities. At St Mark’s, Bro Mikki Guantero heads the chapter, and usually the members meet at least two times prior to the actual mass offering. One of the strong features of the chapter is the active participation of the children numbering nearly ten, whose voices are well-defined as they sit in the front pews. A family usually hosts the practice gathering, with time set aside for socials.

A member is one who can attend to the regular activities of the Ministry. The minimum participation are: attendance during practice sessions of songs, usually once a week or once every two weeks AND singing with the group during the assigned mass usually once a month or once every two months.

“What is inspiring with our members are their commitment to do their utmost best to learn the songs and deliver these well during the masses,” said Bro Mel. “Also, I’ve noticed that most of our members have realized that group singing requires discipline of ensuring that one’s voice does not overpower the rest, maintaining a volume level that harmonizes with those of other members.”

A supporter is one who can donate services or resources to the Ministry. There are special events that TawagAwit organizes and the events need finances or helping hands.

Bro Mel plans to visit the other chapters in the following months, while at the same time, look for opportunities to establish new chapters both in New Zealand and in other parts of the world.

An organizer is one who initiates the formation of a chapter in a parish. The Ministry will provide all the assistance within its means to help in the vital task.

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Our Vision: Harmony in the World

Our Mission: To spread God’s Word through music and other acts of love.

Our Values: Godliness We believe in God and live His Word. Offering We share our talents, time and resources for God’s greater glory. Devotion We commit ourselves to the mission of the Ministry. Love We love God with all of our heart will all our soul, with all our minds and with all our strength. Originality We promote artistry and creativity to express our faith. Victory over Sin We fight Satan in each and every moment of our lives. Evangelization We bring the Light of God to those who are in the dark. Sustainability We contribute and manage our resources effectively. Unity We are one with the Lord, one with the Church, one with the community, and one with the Ministry.

For more information about TawagAwit, please contact Bro Mel Libre sl at tawagawit@gmail.com

Best Practices of Chapters 1. Open and close each gathering with a prayer.

2. Do a vocal warm up prior to the practice. Use the “TawagAwit Gathering Song” sang acapella which also serves as the opening song for the activity. 3. Study the readings for the assigned mass and select relevant songs. Communicate with parish music coordinators if required. 4. Send out in advance the complete lyrics of the songs. Make corrections on errors observed during the practice. 5. Use Youtube videos to learn selected songs. 6. Group according to voice assignment. 7. Encourage the children to form a group, assigning them one song for the mass. 8. Rehearse at least two times prior to the assigned mass. 9. Conduct a separate rehearsal for the instrumentalists. 10. At least once a quarter, allocate a practice gathering in the home of one of the members to strengthen camaraderie. 11. Invite new members from within the parish. 12. Select attire color for each mass. 13. Practice song intros prior to the mass. 14. Assign technical team to set up sound equipment. 15. Ask members to suggest songs inspired by the readings of the assigned mass.

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VATICAN NOTES: August 2012 Papal Intentions: General: That prisoners may be treated with justice and respect for their human dignity’ Missionary: That young people, called to follow Christ, may be willing to proclaim and bear witness to the Gospel to the ends of the earth… Going to

Mass together and setting aside time each day to talk to each other are two simple practices that can help Catholic couples strengthen their marriage and be examples to others, said a papal message. Pope Benedict XVI "invites Christian couples to be 'the gentle and smiling face of the church,' the best and most convincing heralds of love sustained and nourished by faith," said a message to the participants in the international meeting of the Teams of Our Lady. The group, a movement for Catholic couples started in France in 1938, was meeting in Brasilia, Brazil, July 2126. The papal message to the couples was signed by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state. While pressures on married couples have increased since the movement's founding, the message said, members continue to be committed to proclaiming, "not only in words, but also through their lives, the fundamental truths about human love" and how it is a reflection of God's love for humanity…. Pope Benedict XVI expressed his hope that the Summer Olympics would help bring peace and reconciliation throughout the world. The Olympic Games, held this year in London, are "the greatest sports event in the world," drawing athletes from the myriad nations of the world to one city, the pope told visitors gathered to pray the Angelus with him July 22 at the papal villa in Castel Gandolfo. The games have "important symbolic value," and for that reason the Catholic Church looks to them "with special fondness and attention," he said… Threats to religious liberty and other basic rights, the global financial crisis and crises in politics and education signal a "worrying crisis of democracy," said a note from the Vatican announcing Pope Benedict XVI's choice of a theme for World Peace Day 2013. In a message reflecting on the theme, "Blessed are the peacemakers," the pope will offer "an ethical reflection" on measures that the global community is considering or should adopt in response to the various crises afflicting many countries around the world, said a Vatican communique published July 16. Announcing the theme for the Jan. 1 peace day, the Vatican said Pope Benedict's message -- which usually is released in December -- also would mark the 50th anniversary of Blessed John XXIII's encyclical, "Pacem in Terris" ("Peace on Earth")…Just as individual musicians in an orchestra turn dissonance into harmony through hard work, sacrifice and listening to one another, so, too, can the world's people turn conflict into peace, said Pope Benedict XVI. The pope made his remarks following a July 11 concert performed in his honor by young musicians from Israel, the Palestinian territories and other Arab countries. The WestEastern Divan Orchestra is directed by the Israeli conductor Daniel Barenboim and was co-founded in 1999 by Barenboim and the late Palestinian-American scholar Edward Said. The interfaith orchestra celebrated the feast of St. Benedict by treating the pope to two Beethoven symphonies -- Nos. 5 and 6. The pope thanked the musicians for their performance, held in the courtyard of the papal summer villa at Castel Gandolfo, and said that the orchestra's existence reflected the conviction that music can bring people together in spite of all dividing forces. "Music is a harmony of differences as happens every time before a concert begins," when all the different instruments are brought in tune, he said. (All items taken from the Catholic News Service)

NEW NOTES Page 4 So Laff :-) You get more than a gold medal if you run a good race in life.

Invitation: +TawagAwit invites everyone to join the ministry: (1) St Mary’s Church, Northcote (2) St Thomas More Church, Glenfield (3) Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Glen Eden (4) St Mark’s Church, Pakuranga (5) St Patrick’s Church, Taupo (6) Blessed John Paul II Mass Centre, Albany (7) Mount Mary’s Church Titirangi

+Should you be in another area in New Zealand or other parts of the world, TawagAwit will help organize a chapter. Existing music groups or choirs can also affiliate as a chapter. Email: librelaw@yahoo.com

Photo at right: Fr Sam Pulanco poses with TawagAwit-Blessed John Paul II Chapter members during the blessing of the Jose family home.

TAWAGAWIT http://www.tawagawit.host56.com email: tawagawit@gmail.com