Catholic Extension Society is honored to host a concert series to support and recognize poor faith communities who, already struggling for daily survival, have been thrown into further turmoil because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Join us here on Sunday, June 28 at 8 p.m. CT for a special performance from the international sisters group SIERVAS.
“SIERVAS” Es una agrupación musical conformada actualmente por 7 religiosas de 5 paises distintos (Chile, Costa Rica, Japon, China y Perú )Pertenecen a la Comunidad Religiosa Siervas del Plan de Dios que se dedica a ayudar a los masnecesitados, pobres y frágiles. Uno de los medios para realizar su misión es a través de la música por ello hace 5 años formaron el grupo musical “Siervas”. La letra y música de sus canciones son compuestas por ellas mismas y tocan ritmos como pop, pop rock, latin pop entre otros, fusionando instrumentos clasicos con modernos.
SIERVAS is a musical band conformed by seven Catholic Sisters from five different countries (Chile, Costa Rica, Japan, China, and Peru). They belong to the Religious Community Servants of the Plan of God, which dedicates their work to help the poor, fragile, and those in most need. One way to realize their mission is through music, which is why five years ago they formed the musical band “Siervas.” They write their own music and songs and play various genres like pop, pop rock, and Latin pop among others, using a fusion of classic and modern instruments.
In times of crisis, churches are always the first to open their doors and help those in need. The social distancing mandate has turned this response upside-down. In order to keep people safe, church doors must close.
Unfortunately, for poor communities that already only see a few hundred dollars in the collection basket each week, these contributions have been immediately cut to zero. Sudden job loss has created further financial instability.
Despite this, churches are coming up with creative ways to reach out to and help their communities. They are offering drive-through blessings, ministering through FaceTime, and bringing food to home-bound elderly.
Catholic Extension Society’s mission is to work in solidarity with people in America’s poorest regions to build up vibrant and transformative Catholic faith communities. By joining in our watch party, we invite you to join us in solidarity as we work to support these communities and their much-needed outreach.
Concert series line-up:
This line-up will update as we set more dates for artist performances.
Sunday, June 21
Blanche Jones | Diocese of Biloxi
Blanche Jones is from Fernwood, MS. She started playing piano at the age of 4, and attended Alcorn A&M College, majoring in Music Education. She retired from Ingalls Shipbuilding after 28 years as a warehouse clerk at the age of 67. She, said, “I thank God for my ministry at St. Peter Catholic Church, Pascagoula, MS where I have been for 30 plus years and Second Missionary Baptist Church, Moss Point for 8 years.” She is the mother of three children (two sons — one deceased) and one daughter. She has 9 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
St. Peter the Apostle was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina. Catholic Extension Society, with the generosity of our donors, built the new church in 2019.
Sunday, June 14
Juan Romero | Diocese of Stockton
Juan Romero Espinoza is a native of Michoacan, Mexico. He belongs to the parish of St. Mary of the Assumption from the Diocese of Stockton. He has participated with his music in the diocese for over 15 years, in the Youth Ministry under the direction of Jose Lopez in retreats for teens, young adults, quinceañeras, Our Lady of Guadalupe procession, and the Annual Youth Congress.
He says, ” This journey of service has been full of blessings and spiritual joy. There’s still a long way to go but with the blessing of our brother, father, and friend Jesus we will go far.”
This performance is in support of Catholic Extension Society’s Trauma Intervention Program, which addresses the long-term suffering caused by a system where parents are forcibly removed from their children.
Thursday, June 4
Francis Leblanc | Diocese of Lafayette
Mr. Francis Leblanc, a native of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, has served as the music director of the Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana, for over 35 years. He is a graduate of the University of Southwest Louisiana, currently known today as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He has been employed as a music teacher for Vermilion Parish Schools for over 20 years. He serves as the music minister at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Lafayette; Immaculate Heart of Mary, Lafayette, St. Elizabeth Seton, Lafayette and St. Francis of Assisi, Breaux Bridge. He is also the diocese’s music director for the Office of Black Catholic Ministries’ annual African American Catholic Youth Congress.
Thursday, May 28
SkaAmen, Performance #2 | Diocese of Stockton, California
SkaAmen was formed in 2008 by Diego Hernández, after his encounter with Jesus Christ in a youth retreat. His love for music and the desire to put himself at the service of God led him to form the alternative rock band, Amen (former name of SkaAmen). SkaAmen is a multi-member band from all over the bay area, with members from the Diocese of Stockton, Oakland & San Jose. Read their full bio.
Thursday, May 21
Rev. Edmundo Zarate-Suarez | Diocese of San Diego
Rev. Edmundo Zarate-Suarez was born and raised in Mexicali by Agustin and Margarita Zarate. One of six siblings, he was raised on a farm. After going back to university, he was given the opportunity to begin seminary formation in Ireland, where he lived for four years studying Philosophy and Theology. On June 29, 1996, he was ordained to the priesthood. He served as associate pastor for his first two years of priesthood, then began his first assignment as pastor at Our Lady of Guadalupe, a parish three blocks away from the border with Mexico. Since then he has been a pastor of three other parishes, and currently is pastor of St. Anthony of Padua in National City, CA. All of his pastorate assignments have been working in communities with high percentages of immigrants.
Sunday, May 17
Greatest hits
Noelle Garcia and David McHugh | Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
Noelle Garcia is a Catholic recording artist and speaker, wife, and mom to five kids. She travels the country sharing the faith through witness, Scripture, catechesis, and music. David McHugh is a percussive guitar player and singer songwriter who invented and patented his own “drum trigger pick guards”. David uses his unique music as a platform to capture the attention of the audience so he can share the Gospel through teaching and witness.
Thursday, May 6
Jaime Torres, aka “El Serio” | Diocese of Little Rock, Arkansas
Jaime Torres is not just the amazing rapper “El Serio”—he also has an incredible ministry that reaches out to gang members people struggling with drug addiction and the incarcerated in the Diocese of Little Rock. Read his story.
Sunday, May 3
SkaAmen, Performance #1 | Diocese of Stockton, California
SkaAmen was formed in 2008 by Diego Hernández, after his encounter with Jesus Christ in a youth retreat. His love for music and the desire to put himself at the service of God led him to form the alternative rock band, Amen (former name of SkaAmen). SkaAmen is a multi-member band from all over the bay area, with members from the Diocese of Stockton, Oakland & San Jose. Read their full bio.
Thursday, April 30
Sinai | Diocese of Stockton, California.
Sinai has been serving their church community for over 15 years. They are thankful to God for the gift of music.
Sunday, April 26
Father Norman Fischer & Christie Pabin | Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky.
Thursday, April 23:
Mariachi Nuevo Santander | Diocese of Brownsville
Mariachi Nuevo Santander is the National Champion mariachi band from Roma High School in Roma, Texas. Read about this amazing music program.
Wednesday, April 8:
Edd Hightower | Diocese of Jackson
Sacred Heart in Camden, Mississippi, is a vibrant parish that is faithfully served by the Missionaries of the Most Blessed Trinity, an international religious congregation of men.
Edd Hightower, Sacred Heart’s talented director of music, is saddened that this tight knit faith community will have to wait a while to gather once again in church. For now, we can enjoy the uplifting Gospel sounds of Sacred Heart’s music in Catholic Extension Society’s Songs of Solidarity series.
Tuesday, April 7:
Nathan Stell | Diocese of El Paso
Nathan Stell works as a youth minister to spread God’s love and hope to young people in his hometown. Check out his story: “God has transformed me.”
Sunday, April 5:
Catholic artists | Dioceses of Tucson, Kalamazoo and Fajardo–Humacao
Tuesday, March 31
Jossie Santiago | Rincón, Puerto Rico
Jossie Santiago is from the small town of Rincón, in Puerto Rico. He’s been actively participating in church ministry since the age of 15. Through music ministry, he’s been able to participate in masses, retreats, workshops, nights of adoration, and concerts. Read Jossie’s full biography.
Your support today will ensure the strong, healing presence of the Church is available and accessible during this pandemic and into the future.
