MANILA, Philippines – A 13-person choir from the Pontificio Collegio Filippino (PCF), the home of Filipino priests studying in Rome, sang Filipino songs during a Mass at Saint Peter’s Basilica on Tuesday, October 1 (Manila time), for the historic Synod on Synodality convened by Pope Francis.
Father Andrew Recepcion, spiritual director at PCF, told Rappler that their choir was composed of 12 student-priests who recently arrived in Rome, as well as himself.
The student-priests come from the dioceses of Cubao, Surigao, Palo, Zamboanga, Malolos, Calbayog, Imus, Capiz, Cagayan de Oro, Lingayen-Dagupan, and Iloilo, according to Recepcion, who comes from the Archdiocese of Caceres.
At the Mass presided over by Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, their songs included Filipino favorites such as “Panginoon, Maawa Ka,” “Unang Alay,” “Anima Christi,” “Isang Pagkain, Isang Katawan, Isang Bayan,” and “I Will Sing Forever.”
The second session of the Synod on Synodality is set to begin on Wednesday, October 2, and will last until October 27.
Watch the PCF choir perform one of the songs, “Panginoon, Maawa Ka,” in the video at the topmost portion of this page. – Paterno R. Esmaquel II/Rappler.com
