April 6, 2020

Youth music group joins voices together online to share faith, praise God

REGIONAL
Story and photos by Nick Morganelli

Isabella Morganelli rehearses with other members of her youth contemporary music group Psalm 33 through the online app called Zoom.

WESTFIELD — “We don’t just rehearse, we are worshiping,” said Ariana Roldan, a member of Psalm 33, the contemporary music group at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Westfield.

Praising God in song is what “Psalm 33” loves to do, but with the current social distancing directives, there is no opportunity to bless their church family with their talent or meet for their weekly rehearsal. Comprised of middle school students to college age young adults, they, like many, turned to the growing online face to face meeting place called “Zoom.”

“Even though we cannot hear each other when singing simultaneously because of how the app works it gives us a feeling of oneness with each other and the Lord,” said Tom Fucci, the adult music advisor for the group. “When working on a song, we have one person unmuted to lead, and everyone else sings along with one’s microphone muted. Music charts are distributed electronically.” 

Ariana Roldan

Roldan talked about the special relationships that have formed through the group. “Not being able to be together twice a week has been tough,” she told iObserve. “We have a faith bond and enjoy being physically present to each other and always find a way to laugh and have a good time. Tom Fucci  is like a father figure for us and when he said we’d have the Zoom meeting, I didn’t think it was going to be a rehearsal, just a get together. Then he described how we could do it. 

“When I’m in the online rehearsal, I don’t feel alone,” Roldan continued. “It’s emotionally and spiritually uplifting to see each other. We love and cherish each other and we all share a common ground to praise the Lord.”

Jake Harlow

Jake Harlow has been part of the group since high school as a vocalist/guitarist. “This quarantine has certainly challenged me in more ways than one,” said Harlow. “The absence of church has shown me that I don’t need to be in the church to feel connected with God.”

Harlow is one of the members who posted a solo on the church’s Facebook page as members were asked to share a song with others to uplift each other and the wider congregation.

Father Daniel Pacholec, pastor of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, said he is overjoyed at how the church family is “zooming” together. He posted encouragement on the parish’s Facebook page saying, “They are able to talk together, play their uplifting worship and praise music, and keep the strong ties of faith and relationships with one another alive from the safety of their homes.” 

The group will continue their online rehearsal this week and plans to continue until they can reunite their voices in church again.