Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; serve the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful song. Courtesy of Gannon Archives
Psalm 100: 1-2
Mass on the Grass 2009 Gannon Chapel Choir singing at the inauguration of President Antoine M. Garibaldi, Ph.D., in 2002.
Gannon Chapel Choir 1985 Courtesy of Gannon Archives
confidence in front of large groups of people, in turn making me more comfortable during class presentations or student teaching.” Participating in Gannon’s choir provides double duty for senior Kelly Miele: it connects her with her classmates through teamwork and enhances her studies by serving as a healthy form of stress relief. A fouryear choir member, she is an English and secondary education major at Gannon. “I think more students have seen choir members having fun together, and they can tell we are a very inclusive group. Those who have an interest in singing or playing an instrument often want to share their gift of music with others, Opening Mass of the Holy Spirit 2009
so they recognize that choir gives them this opportunity to get involved and practice something they are passionate about,” Miele said. Like Laino, junior Cassandra Wasson had always been active in her church’s music ministry but was unsure how to continue that participation as a college student— until several friends invited her to join the Chapel Choir last year. Today, the pre-med major is a choir commissioner. “I feel the choir brings life to Mass and helps college students get more excited about their spirituality,” she said. “It has also allowed me to broaden my horizons and get to know people outside my major. I have made friends who force me to think outside my comfort zone and allow me to see things from a different perspective.” Not only a fixture at University Mass, the group is available to enhance a variety of campus functions. They sing hymns at
monthly Gathering in Praise ecumenical worship services, lift spirits at the annual Relay for Life cancer awareness and fundraising event and spread Christmas cheer with carols in A.J.’s Way. “There are so many great things about being a member of Gannon’s Chapel Choir. The sense of community is wonderful, and I see my fellow choir members as a sort of family. We have fun together and it is such a joy to make music with each other,” Miele said. “I have had many people come to me after Mass and compliment me on the nice job our choir has done, and that makes this a very fulfilling ministry. It is so rewarding to be part of something that not only enriches my life, but also impacts the lives of others.” Gannon University strives to be a community where faith is vitally present and dynamic. Log on to www.gannon. edu/mission to find out more.
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