A STUNNING MOSAIC portrait of patroness St. Cecilia is strategically placed on the west wall near where the choirs for this Tustin parish practice and perform. Inspiring choir members and parishioners alike, the St. Cecilia portrait is a visible reminder of the hope that music brings.
MIGUEL PRIETTO AND TERI SCHULIST AT ST. CECILIA CATHOLIC CHURCH IN TUSTIN WITH THE MUSIC CD THEY RECORDED. PHOTOS BY STEVE GEORGES/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
Driven by the consistent inspiration from patroness St. Cecilia, the parish follows these words from St. Augustine: Cantare amantis est, or, “Singing belongs to one who loves.” (PL 38:1472)
In the Summer of 2022, longtime St. Cecilia parishioner Dr. Miguel Prietto was attending Mass and was drawn to this same portrait and moved by this vision and the relationship of the patroness to the parish.
This was at a time when parishioners had returned to indoor Masses in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, but live music was not allowed.
Prietto recalled this time vividly.
“The portrait asked me, ‘what are you doing?’ and I replied, ‘I am at Mass.’ The portrait replied back, ‘let them sing.’”
He approached St. Cecilia’s music coordinator, Teri Schulist and asked, “How can I help? Can we do something profound?”
From this encounter, Prietto provided vision and underwriting, and Schulist rallied the various multi-lingual music ministries to record a CD entitled, “An Offering: Vol 1.”
The project was completed in January of this year. CDs are available at the St. Cecilia parish office and online under “An Offering St. Cecilia” on YouTube.
The idea of one force so powerful that it can unite people in a common cause can be challenging. Using music as a “unifier” is not new. Executing the idea is where the challenge comes about. Schulist drew inspiration for this project from Franciscan Brother Rufino Zaragoza, who has dedicated his work to researching multicultural communities and lectures on the joys of intercultural worship.
Schulist became a bridge-builder at St. Cecilia, whose collaborative approach was supported by the many multilingual liturgies and events she had previously organized.
“The St. Cecilia choirs are vital and strong and have a nice rapport among each other,” Schulist said.
He went on to bring together brought the Filipino Choir, Hispanic Choir, St. Cecilia Chorale (English-speaking choir) and the Youth Ensemble. The Vietnamese community was also represented among the soloists. The group further collaborated with Prietto’s son Luke, an accomplished musician with a music editing company.
The group began the rehearsing and recording process in earnest.
The CD includes six songs sung in English and four songs translated into all four languages. Those songs are “I am the Bread of Life,” “Prayer of St. Francis,” “Here I am, Lord” and “On Eagle’s Wings.”
As the choirs began rehearsing and recording, many of the singers were experiencing the process for the first time.
This is where Luke Prietto became the “guiding light.”
Schulist calls him “a great person to collaborate with. He is patient and supportive.”
Each of the individual choir directors played vital roles and supported the project.
Marga Garantiel, director of the St. Cecilia Chorale, called the experience “one that united people, unifying in a common cause.”
Javier Martinez, who directs the Hispanic Choir, called this project “a big opportunity to grow as a community.”
For many years to come, “An Offering” will serve as a call out to Catholics, not only at St. Cecila and the Diocese of Orange, but nationwide and worldwide — with the message that music can unite us all and take our faith to even higher levels.