Saint Bartholomew - Saint Rita - Detroit

At this stop on my Year of Faith journey, I reflected on the importance of song in the Catholic worship service. During Mass we sing at both the beginning and the end of the service. We also sing during the procession of the gifts, we sing during communion and in many churches we sing the Psalms and the Lords Prayer. And why are we singing? Is it because song is so pleasing to God? or is it because our hearts are so filled with joy that all we can do is sing?

In our daily lives we all have songs that we just can't help but sing aloud to. We can't help but lift our voices when that favorite song plays on the radio while we are driving or in the shower. We sing because we are filled with great happiness. And it is no different when we are participating in Mass, we are singing because we are so very happy.

At Saint Bartholomew-Saint Rita we sang three hymns that I adore; O' Sons and Daughters, On Eagles Wings and Christ the Lord is Risen Today. Oh how I sang during that Saturday evening Mass. But the best was yet to come. At the end of Mass the priest acknowledged the birthday of a parishioner and we all joined together singing Happy Birthday- in Polish. (someone had to help me with the words, but it sure was fun)