Ireland 1997 (#12): "Africa Gloria" St Iberius, Wexford

(For some reason, the earlier version of this vanished after a thousand viewings.)

The Notre Dame Folk Choir in concert at Saint Iberius Church in Wexford, Ireland. Friday 30 May 1997.
Congas: Bryan Ball; J.P. Hurt; Djembe: Kevin Fleming.

The "Africa Gloria" is a piece the Folk Choir picked up which became a favourite at Mass at the University of Notre Dame. The different sections of the piece are taken from different tribal songs of principle tribes of South Africa, making the Gloria not only a key part of the Mass in its worship of God, but also a strong symbol of the quest for unity and peace in South Africa.

When I was at the Vatican the next year, it was this piece I most imagined performing for Mass at Saint Peter's Basilica, as I knew of no music that sounded more of pure worship. And compared to the Notre Dame Folk Choir, the Sistine Chapel Choir sounded a little impotent, if beautiful. (A Curial Archbishop I spoke to at another point expressed the same opinion to me, on the sly, and thought it would be an eye-opener if the Folk Choir lead worship at Saint Peter's.)

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