365 Days to Go

One year from today, on Dec. 26, 2015, 46 young singers from a Catholic church in Scottsdale, Arizona will board a plane for Rome, Italy.  When they get there, they will embark on the one of the greatest weeks of their young lifetimes.  It’ll be a week filled with singing, seeing the history of ancient Rome, more singing, touring the Sistine Chapel and other holy sites, and singing some more.  The week will culminate on Jan. 1, 2016 when they will join voices with thousands of other kids from nearly 40 other countries in singing the Holy Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, with Pope Francis presiding.

These young singers make up the choir of Pueri Cantores - St. Bernard of Clairvaux.  These Catholic children will, for the rest of their lives be able to say, “when I was young, I sang in church for Pope Francis.”  How many of the rest of US can say that?

My name is Kent Campbell and I am the Director of Music at St. Bernard of Clairvaux Catholic Church in Scottsdale.  Although we have 46 kids going to Rome, there are over 100 children and teens in our music programs plus about 50 other adults in our other choirs.  The families and adults that are not going on the trip understand that this is more than a trip to Rome - this is about building a program that will carry forward the rich musical heritage of the Catholic Church in our Parish, in our community, and hopefully throughout the Diocese of Phoenix and all of Arizona.  We pray that we are building a program that is “fostering the faith of young people through music.”

Our children are the only ones from Scottsdale attending the festival.  In fact, we’ll be  the only children’s choir in Rome from Arizona, and we’re actually the only children’s choir that has EVER represented Arizona in the Pueri Cantores Congress held in Rome every 5 years.  What an honor!  What an event for the people of Arizona to be aware of, to get behind and to be proud of!

So...Over the next 365 days I hope to keep you informed as to what is happening with our group and our story. This isn’t meant to be our official website. (Our official website is www.pcsbc.org.  That’s where you can learn how to help us financially, and we ask that you stop by there and help us out if you can.)  

No, this will be more the “personal musings” of the choir director, sharing the highs and lows as we go along:  the joys that are experienced, the work involved in learning the music, even the struggles that we go through as we grow together as a choir and as a community.   There will be reports on the different events that we sing at, both at church and elsewhere in Arizona.  There will be stories about some of the children, stories of some of the parents, and even some vignettes about the choir director himself.  If you check back here from time to time you’ll get to know us better.  By the time we get to Rome, we’ll be carrying a little part of you with us.

You may be asking, “But Mr. Campbell, Mr. Campbell - in addition to helping to defray the costs, how else can I help?”

Well, other than financially, you can help us in three ways:

1. Spread the word!  People are amazed when they hear our story.  Let them know what’s happening here in our community!
2. Pray for our choir, Pueri Cantores - St. Bernard of Clairvaux.  Ask the Holy Spirit to guide our efforts, to help our children, our families and that all of our travels be safe.
3. Finally, pray for our Church.  That ultimately the Word of God, the love of Jesus and the true message of Christianity be more fully known because of what we are doing.  Whether you are Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, some other denomination or even belong to a non-denominational church, one thing is certain:  We are all “One Body in Christ.”

Hmmm...that’s something I think even Pope Francis would agree with!