杏MAP导航

By Kielce Gussie

With over half a million views on the first 鈥淪ing with the 杏MAP导航鈥� video, Fr. Robert Mehlhart, OP, says he is shocked at how people have responded to the series.

In an interview with Vatican News, the President of the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music shares that it was a spur-of-the-moment idea.

After watching 杏MAP导航 Leo XIV burst into song during his first Regina Caeli greeting, he realized he had a chance to help people get more involved. 鈥淚 saw the 杏MAP导航 addressing his people,鈥� Fr. Mehlhart explains, 鈥渁nd most people could join him.鈥�

But he noticed there were people who 鈥渨ould have liked to have joined him, but they weren鈥檛 really prepared.鈥� He immediately thought about how the Dominicans could offer a helping hand. With that, the "" series was born.

Not as easy as it seems

Fr. Mehlhart confesses that singing in St. Peter鈥檚 Square during a liturgy is not as easy as it seems. It's hard to follow along, because, he says, 鈥測ou can鈥檛 really hear the others so well."

What does help is if the person has a background in music or if they have had the chance to listen to the song beforehand to know 鈥渨hat the words are and how the melody goes.鈥�

The Dominican priest agrees that singing is an integral part of Christian celebrations. Yet, no matter whether you are classically trained or if your only experience is singing karaoke, your musical skills should not keep you from participating in Christian liturgies.

鈥淐hristians sing; lovers sing, as St. Augustine reminds us, and Christians are lovers as they love God,鈥� Fr. Mehlhart points out. So, when we burst out into music and song鈥攚hether in tune or not鈥攚e do so 鈥渋n communion with humanity and with God.鈥�