News and Views from Rome – 8: CONCERT AT THE SISTINE CHAPEL

Today, 19^th March, the Feast Day of St. Joseph,  I joined the members of the General Chapter of the Salesians of Don Bosco for a visit to the Vatican. We were to attend a Concert at the Sistine Chapel.

The Sistine Chapel Choir is currently led by a Salesian – Msgr. Massimo Palombella. He was appointed to this post by Pope Benedict in 2010. He is also a professor at the Pontifical Salesian University of Rome ion the faculty of Theology, Music and Liturgy.

We entered the Vatican through the back door next to St. Martha’s where Pope Francis resides. We could walk through the Vatican Gardens (where the Popes take their private walk) and had a view of St. Peter’s Basilica, not available to the normal tourist.

Even though the concert was a private performance, exclusively for the members of the General Chapter (what a privilege), there was a glossy eight page programme brochure describing the musical pieces that would be performed. The Vatican does things in style! 

The concert in itself was fantastic. It was mostly performance by the Sistine Chapel Choir of famous choral pieces. The clarity and harmony of voices were remarkable. The two pieces that stood out for their grandeur, at least for me, were “Stabat Mater” and “Credo” both by Palestrina.

There were also two organ recitals by Juan Paradell Sole, The Titular Organist of the Sistine Chapel choir.

At the end of the 90 minute concert the audience expressed their appreciation through prolonged applause, which lasted several minutes.

Cardinal Tarcisius Bertone  (a Salesian) and his successor, the current Secretary of State, Archbishop Pietro Parolin, were both present during the Concert.  At the end of the Concert Parolin gave the Salesian “Good Night, for the second time in his life, he said; the first was when he visited the Salesians in the heart of the Amazon. He was glad, he said, today’s Good Night is to an international group of Salesians. He was familiar with the Salesians in Venezuela where he had been the Vatican Envoy earlier.

A number of us remarked among ourselves on the simplicity of Parolin, dressed in simple clergy attire, quite a contrast to the Princes of the Church at the Vatican. That must be one of the reasons Pope Francis chose him to be his Secretary of State.  Parolin has also been very active in peace and justice issues in South America.

We were back at the Generalate for supper.  And praise the Lord!  We were served beer for the first time! That really marked the feast day of St. Joseph as different from all our days at the Chapter.