Corpus Christi School Choir receives international award
On Sept. 30, a children’s choir in the Archdiocese of Newark was named one of three recipients of a prestigious international prize that recognizes “outstanding achievements by international youth and children’s choirs.”
The Magnificat Award was presented to the Corpus Christi School Choir of Hasbrouck Heights, NJ, “for nurturing strong roots of faith in children… by inspiring them to pray, worship, and sing together in the life of the Church.”
The annual award is sponsored by Stiftung Magnificat, a foundation dedicated to promoting the new evangelization in the spirit of Pope Benedict XVI and was presented during the first International Week of Sacred Music in Rome, organized by the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music.
Only three Magnificat recipients are chosen each year from among hundreds of nominees around the world. During the selection process, judges evaluate catechetical accompaniment, quality of liturgical education, inclusiveness, and how programs catechize students through music, among other criteria.
Learning to appreciate God’s gifts
“When I got the news early in the morning, I was so surprised and happy, I almost cried,
said Geraldine Ferrera, the choir director and music teacher at Corpus Christi School. Ferrera, who was attending the sacred music week in Rome, said that as she accepted the award for her choir, she thought of “all the students I’ve taught music to over the last 20 years.”
“I remembered teaching them to read music while looking after their voices and telling them when they struggled with a note that they should appreciate the talents that God gave them,” Ferrera said. “That blessing is what brought them to serve Him.”
She added that the moment “felt completely surreal” and that being recognized in Rome among so many international choirs was “a feeling I’ll never forget.”
In addition to receiving certificates for all the choir members, Ferrera and two of her students who have been in the choir since third grade were awarded special medals. The school will also receive a financial grant to support the choir’s activities.
A source of music, grace, and pride
The Corpus Christi School Choir is open to all student from grades 3 – 8 who wish to explore their faith through music. Ferrera said that the program “is dedicated to fostering a love of God through song, providing students with a meaningful opportunity to experience the joy and grace of communal worship.”
Founded 15 years ago, the choir meets for weekly 45-minute sessions and serves the school community by singing during prayer services, Masses, Christmas concerts, the yearly Baccalaureate Mass, and other liturgical and school events. Ferrera is helped in her work by choir coordinator Natalie Santos and choir assistant Madelyn Williamson.
The choir not only provides Corpus Christi with the gift of music but is also a source of school pride, said principal Jason Feliciano.
“We were surprised and excited to learn that we received the award,” he told Jersey Catholic. “While we are very proud of our choir and think the world of Ms. Ferrera as a music teacher and a spiritual leader, we didn’t expect to be named a recipient of such an internationally renowned award on our first try. It was definitely a wonderful surprise.”
You can watch a video of the choir below:
Featured image: The Corpus Christi School Choir received the Magnificat Award on Sept. 30 during the International Week of Sacred Music in Rome, Italy. (Photos by Corpus Christi School)
