A Tour of the Madonna House Training Centre

Our Schola, Music and Recreation

As we progress on our tour, we can hear faintly the strains of the Madonna House schola, or choir, practising in the distance. Let's go listen now, to hear their inspiration, Catherine Doherty, as she instructs us on keeping in tune with the Gospel by praising God in song:

Today I would like to discuss how we should praise God in song. We as Catholic Christians should encompass all ways of singing, while emphasizing our own Roman Catholic heritage.

Let us open our musical horizons as we open our spiritual ones, for the two are connected. Music, after all, is the echo of God's voice. We should have the freedom of the children of God, yet such a freedom is always disciplined.

We must not abandon the old for the new just because it is new, nor discard the old just because it is old. We must blend the new music with the old, which is part of our heritage and tradition.

There should be harmony among the priests and laypeople in this blending of music. We should blend our voices in joyous praise to the Lord without too much discussion about when, whether, and how to sing this or that. If we have clashes, if each wants to have his or her own idea about music, if we forget to blend into a joyous and harmonious whole when we sing to the Lord, then our songs will fall flat and will never reach him! For it is important to sing with our whole minds, our whole hearts, and our whole souls, lest our songs be rejected by the Lord.

Even if we cannot carry a tune, we can still sing from the heart, with great love. What matters is not how we sound, but what goes into our singing — passionate love for the Lord and Our Lady must fill our hearts.

Another aspect of our life is recreation. Recreation takes many forms and is essential to a healthy family life, whether it be music, hikes, games or just a few minutes to enjoy the setting sun. Catherine says:

To recreate does not mean to do nothing, to rest — it means to be engaged in an activity of re-creation. The best recreation is together. “A family who prays together stays together.” A family who recreates together stays together on the natural level intelligently and lovingly. Doing things together makes us know and love each other more. Joy binds us and laughter cements our relations. And knowledge gathered and shared with one another brings a deeper union.

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