Please don’t stop the music!

This is an open letter to Mr. Noli Santos, director of the Filipino choir at Kristo Rai Church: This morning someone called my attention to a letter written by you that appeared in the Saipan Tribune titled “Discrimination in church.” I must tell you that it was one of the saddest letters I have ever seen in any of our local papers.

Since you mention in your letter that several people witnessed the incidents that you relate in your letter, I have no reason to doubt the truth of what you describe. Please, please believe me when I tell you and the members of your choral group that what those few people said and did to you is NOT what we, the congregation of Kristo Rai parish, think about you. We think that what all of you have been doing for us, week after week, during Mass at Kristo Rai, is beautiful! I have been going to Kristo Rai Church since I first got to the island in October 1974, and I’ve never heard better singing. I hope that counts for something! Besides, you and your colleagues have every right to be there and to participate along with all the rest of us.

Except for the fact that I have more than once come up to one or the other of your group to thank them for their singing at Mass, I haven’t often spoken publicly about your singing…which I always enjoy.

I believe I have a right to say that, because I wager that I have more experience in singing liturgical music than anyone else on this island. Truly! I first began singing in a “men’s church choir” as a boy soprano in 1934. (Among other things, I learned to sing Gregorian chant.) In the next 10 years or so, as my voice changed, I moved from soprano to alto, and later I also sang (sequentially) tenor, baritone and even bass. Eventually, I sang in a men’s church chorale as a tenor, and as a soloist at midnight Mass and on special occasions. I also learned to sing all of the celebrant’s parts for a Latin “high Mass”. So when I say that I have had a lot of experience singing church music, I know what I am talking about.

I can tell you that the singing you and your chorale do at Kristo Rai church is good music, believe me. It is!

And we appreciate it. So please don’t let what one or two or three people have said to you make you feel you should stop singing at Kristo Rai. We like you. We appreciate what you have been doing for us every week. We want you to stay, and to keep singing at Kristo Rai. Please do!