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“To sing is to pray twice,” but I objected to sing in church while I was an adolescent in Portugal, despite I was a soloist and my pastor’s claim I had an excellent voice and should direct the choir.  I did not appreciate music because of my tragic life, music often saddened me and I avoided it.

I participated briefly in the English choir of my church during a parish revival after the church was restored from the damage caused by hurricane Gloria.  The American director affirmed the choir sang better with me.

Hispanics came to the parish, the pastor was Hispanic, and they had Spanish mass and choir.  I participated sometimes in the Spanish mass and appreciated it because of the Hispanic conviction and enthusiasm and the music quality.  The director formed a choir with a few adults, but most children who sang and played musical instruments . . . the songs were melodious, type “Julio Iglesias.”  I used to sit next to the choir to enjoy the music.

The choir moved from the front of the church to its traditional place, and once I asked the director permission to sit next to the choir in its private place.  “Yes, but do not sing with us,” he replied.

I sang a mass without interfering with them, but some singers noticed my voice and at the end of the mass invited me to join the choir.  I did, and singing has improved my quality of life and expiated my sins.

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