In honor of the feast of St. Benedict the Moor, members of Spelman College’s Glee Club debuted original compositions of sacred music on April 14 at St. Benedict the African Parish, 340 W. 66th St. The parish commissioned Kevin Johnson, associate professor of music at Spelman College and director of the glee club, to compose a soulful style of African-American musical arrangements that commemorate the season of Easter. This special performance was part of the Archdiocese of Chicago’s peace-building and violence-prevention efforts.
On Easter, pope asks Christ to 'roll away' the stones of war worldwide Just as Jesus removed the stone that sealed his tomb on the morning of the Resurrection, on Easter Christ alone "has the power to roll away the stones that block the path to life" and which trap humanity in war and injustice, Pope Francis said.
Pope prays people will experience, share Easter joy Like the women disciples who discovered Jesus had risen from the dead and ran to tell the others, Christians should be filled with such joy at Easter that they cannot help sharing it with others, Pope Francis said.
Pope prays that Easter joy would break through gloom of sin, war, strife On a bright spring morning, Pope Francis prayed that Christians would experience the joy of Easter and allow Christ's resurrection to be "the light that illumines the darkness and the gloom in which, all too often, our world finds itself enveloped."