Voices from Columbus parish ring through St. Peter's

By John Shaughnessy (Assistant Editor, The Criterion)

The voices of the choir of St. Bartholomew Parish in Columbus soared inside St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican as they became one with the Sistine Chapel Choir during the consistory of cardinals on Nov. 19.

The St. Bartholomew Choir is so talented that the singing group performed in Carnegie Hall in New York City in 2014. Yet even that opportunity didn’t match singing in St. Peter’s as Pope Francis installed 17 new cardinals, including Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin.

“This is a huge honor for everybody,” said Bogdan Minut, the director of music ministry at St. Bartholomew Parish. “Everyone is so excited. It’s a great joy for all of us.”

The choir actually received the invitation to sing at St. Peter’s Basilica near the beginning of 2016, when it was invited to join the Sistine Chapel Choir for the closing Mass of the Holy Year of Mercy on Nov. 20. Then they were asked to sing at the consistory of cardinals—an honor that led to even higher notes of joy for the choir when it was announced that Pope Francis had chosen Archbishop Tobin to become a cardinal.

“We were excited already, and to find this out just blew our minds,” Minut said. “He’s an extraordinary man, a wonderful pastor and a model of faith in action. It’s a great accomplishment to be named a cardinal. The fact that we know him personally is so good for our faith and our trust in the Lord. It’s a great opportunity to witness this in person.”