Singers reflect on experience, prepare for event in Lincoln
By Reagan Scott
for the Register
From Oct. 3-9, 65 individuals from across the country participated in a pilgrimage to Mexico City to sing Frank La Rocca’s “Mass of the Americas” at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Celebrated by Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco, the Mass took place at the basilica Oct.7, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. For Becca Deaver, who attended from the Lincoln Diocese with her mom, Sue Mach, the pilgrimage was a once in a lifetime experience.
The trip was open to singers and non-singers alike throughout the United States, and when Deaver, who serves as the choir director for All Saints Parish in Holdrege, saw the notice for the trip in her church bulletin, she reached out to Mach – a member of St. Wenceslaus Parish in Wahoo – to see if she would like to attend with her.
“We both love to sing,” Deaver said. “My mom comes and sings in my choir in Holdrege sometimes, and so it was really cool to be able to sing in this kind of a setting and experience the whole thing together.”
While a few participants, like Deaver and Mach, signed up for the pilgrimage as individuals, others came from cathedral choirs, with large groups from Philadelphia, Santa Fe, San Antonio, and San Francisco, as well as a large group of students and professors from the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO), where the choir’s director for the trip, Dr. Richard Carrillo, teaches.
All of the singers received practice tracks before leaving for Mexico so that they could travel with the music well-learned. Once they arrived in Mexico City, the singers had rehearsals for the first four days before performing at the basilica Oct. 7.
The next day, they performed the Mass again at the shrine for Blessed Miguel Pro at the Church of the Holy Family in Mexico City.
“We could all feel the gravity of being able to sing the piece,” Deaver said.
Archbishop Cordileone asked La Rocca, the composer-in-residence at the Benedict XVI Institute for Sacred Music and Divine Liturgy, to compose the piece as a tribute to both the patroness of the United States, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, and Our Lady of Guadalupe, who is patroness of Mexico and the Americas.
Deaver said getting to perform the Mass at the basilica in Mexico City with La Rocca in attendance felt like the highest place that it could be performed.
“It was just really powerful to be a part of that. It was very, very moving. When we sang in the basilica, we faced the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and to be able to sing to her image—it makes me emotional just talking about it,” Deaver said.
The Mass incorporates multiple languages, including Spanish and Latin, and Mexican folk hymns. Perhaps most special though, is the “Ave Maria” (“Aue Maria”), composed in Nahautl, the language in which Our Lady of Guadalupe spoke to Juan Diego. This piece was sung by a local soloist during the Mass.
Deaver said the group was also joined by a professional orchestra of about 12 members who were from the surrounding area, and that the culmination of the Mass had a profound impact on the pilgrims.
“The last piece is the ‘Salve Regina,’ and it’s this incredible, majestic piece that Frank wrote,” Deaver said. “When we got done with it I think most of us were sobbing and hugging each other because it was just really a powerful experience for us to all come together.”
In addition to their performances, Deaver appreciated being able to spend time before the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe at the basilica and visit the National Museum of Anthropology, where the group was able to learn more about the Aztecs and the connection to the culture in the symbols on the Tilma of Guadalupe.
“Five hundred years ago, the Aztecs would have seen that image and known that Mary came for them,” she said.
Deaver greatly enjoyed having the opportunity to meet and sing with people from across the United States and experience the diversity of the Catholic faith.
She said, “Singing is one of my biggest passions, and especially singing Mass music, so being able to sing this particular Mass setting on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary in the basilica was an incredible experience that I never knew I wanted until I had it.”
Deaver is hopeful that she will have the opportunity to participate again at the upcoming Mass of the Americas celebrated by Bishop Conley at the Cathedral of the Risen Christ in Lincoln at 7 p.m. on Dec.12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
This Mass is one of 12 scheduled to be celebrated across the country in the next few months as part of “Project Guadalupe 2031,” launched by Archbishop Cordileone and the Benedict XVI Institute in answer to Pope Francis’s call to prepare for the 500th anniversary of the appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego, which will be marked in 2031.
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Courtesy photos
Carrillo, who works as an assistant professor and director of choral activities at UNO, will travel to Lincoln to direct the Mass.
Amy Flamminio, the director of liturgical music for the Cathedral of the Risen Christ said, “We’re really lucky to have him direct the Mass of the Americas here at our Cathedral since he was able to do it at the Basilica of our Lady of Guadalupe as well.”
Deaver said having the opportunity to work with Carrillo during her pilgrimage made the experience of her pilgrimage even more special, so she was excited to hear that he would return to direct the Mass in Lincoln.
“I did not expect to have a director who just incorporated Christ into every part of singing. He was absolutely phenomenal, so I really hope I get to work with him again. He is just this really, rich, profound vat of love for Jesus. It’s really beautiful,” Deaver said.
While this Mass won’t include the congregational singing that most attendees will be used to, programs will be provided so that they can follow along and see what prayers are being sung.
Flamminio said close to 40 musicians from across the diocese will participate, including singers, a marimba player, violinist and organist.
As another special addition, Flamminio said the soloist from Mexico City will attend and perform as well.
During the Mass, Flamminio will serve as one of the section leaders under Carrillo’s direction and has been helping him find the musicians for the Mass.
She said, “I’ve been happy to facilitate all of this for the bishop,” she said, “because the bishop was just so excited at this opportunity, and I am really blessed to be able to be part of helping make this happen.”
After following La Rocca and his work for many years, Flamminio is thrilled to be able to participate in the performance in Lincoln.
“He has this incredible sense of sacred music, so getting to have this big Mass by this composer here is really wonderful and exciting,” she said. “I hope more people fall in love with his music and the way he writes and prays, like I have.”
In addition to the Mass, Scott Watts will give a presentation on Our Lady of Guadalupe on Monday, Dec. 1, at 6:30 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Risen Christ.
Watts is the founder of Guadalupe Missions, a non-profit with a mission to evangelize by sharing the love of Christ through His mother Mary. All are invited to attend.
