Gospel Music Workshop - Honey from the Rock, August 12-13, 2016 ~ Article by Sr. Tiberh Zerezghi, Camboni Missionary Sisters

Roger Holland teaching "Honey from the Rock"

On August 12 and 13, M. Roger Holland, enthusiastic, passionate and well-known musician and composer, gave a workshop at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Richmond, VA. and shared the role of African American Music in Black Catholic Worship and its importance in the liturgy,

Roger Holland has taken antiphons from the Roman Missal and paired them with psalm verses, creating compositions that have wide use in the liturgy.  The participants practiced various processional and communion songs.  While practicing, we were all "set on fire and moved" by the alive, colorful, harmonious and Black spiritual nature of the songs.

There were a good number of participants and Roger encouraged everyone to be authentically Black and truly catholic because Black Catholics have to share their gifts with the entire church.



~ Article by St. Elizabeth parishioner, Sr. Tiberh Zerezghi


~ Photo by M. A. Allen