The Broken Guitar Project (BGP) was born in Kilong, Sagada, Mountain Province last year.
Due to the pandemic, the Sunday Holy Eucharists and daily masses were also suppressed. It was at the height of these unhealthy social environment that the youth started to look for avenues to lift them from the predicament.
Usually, the youth of Kiltepan go to the cities during summer to help in the wagwagan industry. Due to the pandemic, they were forced to stay in their barangays. It was a big change for them. Some wasted their time to unhealthy activities like vices and addiction to computer games and cellular phones. Some were caught up isolating themselves unhealthily inside their rooms with their Mobile Legends games and Facebook.
The BGP was born for the youth, liturgy, and positivity. It helps many young people to see their talents and hone them. It gives life and solemnity to the church and liturgy. The BGP is becoming a humble home for the youth to learn musical instruments and new songs. It reaches out to many youth groups of the province and is creating ripples of goodness.
Many testimonies of the youth who undergone the BGP revolve from their beautiful experiences of singing in the church and seeing music as a beautiful way to worship and thank God. The BGP also is, in a way organizing music ministries in the different basic ecclesial communities.
The BGP wishes to thank parents who supported the genesis of the music ministry. The music ministry advisers too cannot be missed for their helpful counseling and to all those who donated musical instruments to sustain the in-house trainings.
One good thing the BGP assures is the students’ willingness to learn. Not all music can fit the liturgy and not all songs with religious terms are meant for the liturgy. At least BGP finds time to teach the youth music ministry the guidelines for church music. The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops provides the 2015 revised guidelines for liturgical music.
Instrumentalists
The organist and other instrumentalists provide the primary support for the song of the assembly and the other music ministers. At particular moments in the liturgy, instrumentalists can add a note of festivity, lend dignity or create a meditative atmosphere for the people’s prayer. Like all ministers of music, instrumentalists are not primarily performers, but rather servants of the Church’s prayer. “During Advent, the organ and other musical instruments should be used with a moderation that reflects the character of this season, but does not anticipate the full joy of the Nativity of the Lord. During Lent the playing of the organ and musical instruments is allowed only to support the singing. Laetare Sunday (fourth Sunday of Lent), solemnities, and feasts are exceptions to this rule.”
The presider
The ordained or lay person who presides over the liturgy is also a minister of music. For example, when presiding at the eucharist, the bishop or priest is encouraged to sing some of the greetings, invitations, prayers (especially the eucharistic prayer) and blessings. During celebrations of the Liturgy of the Hours, the presider is encouraged to chant some of the texts provided. The presider, like other music ministers, always sings in order to add dignity to the liturgical texts and to foster the participation of the assembly in its song of praise to God. As a member of the assembly, the presider’s participation in the song serves as a model for the participation of the entire assembly.
In the celebration of the Eucharist on the Lord’s Day, the Christian community gathers to remember the death and resurrection of Christ.
By listening to God’s word in faith and responding to it with praise and thanksgiving, the assembly is united in the one perfect sacrifice of Christ which has reconciled humanity to God.
In Communion, God’s holy people are nourished and strengthened to go forth as faithful witnesses to Christ in the world.
July 27, 2024
