SEA GIRT — For the first time, St. Mark’s Roman Catholic Church welcomed the traveling Caritas Chamber Chorale last Saturday for its performance of “Grace for the Wayfarer,” with free will offerings to support the Adorno Fathers’ African Mission in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Caritas Chamber Chorale, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, includes about 22 experienced vocalists who possess a love of singing, and are “dedicated to serving the poorest of the poor through the art of sacred music” a cappella.
Founded and organized in 2005 as a performing chorale by director Barbara Sanderman, the group members are from various faith backgrounds and areas of Central Jersey, but they all have one thing in common: the dedication of supporting underserved communities.
“It’s a very special singer who ends up singing with Caritas, somebody who not only is an excellent singer vocally, also has some kind of interest or willingly or understands the beauty of singing sacred music, and sees the purpose in supporting those who have so little,” said Sanderman.
She described the chorale as a community choir that arose out of several different church choirs and has expanded over the years.
“I had been music director at one church, and then I moved to another parish, and some of the people from the old church wanted to get together and sing again, and some of the new people wanted to sing, and I had other connections and friends and we brought together a group of people, and presented our first concert in 2005,” she said.
The chorale, composed of vocalists who are selected to join based on “voice excellence and singing experience,” perform at parishes across the state in concert series with various themes.
Last Saturday, April 5, Caritas Chamber Chorale held a Lenten performance titled “Grace for the Wayfarer,” which included various songs that all conveyed “God’s unceasing love and endless grace available to us simply for the asking.”
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