Voices of Faith Gospel Choir, founded in 1977, is a faith-centered student-run music group. The group performs at various events, specifically social and racial justice events around campus and the local South Bend community, while also performing their own concerts and producing music videos. Voices of Faith is one of eight ministry choirs at Notre Dame.
Meet three members of Voices of Faith and learn how their participation in this unique choral ensemble has made a big impact in their student experience.
Julia McKenna '23
Major: Sociology
Minor: Data Science and Linguistics
How has Voices of Faith shaped your experience here thus far?
Voices of Faith has been such a wonderful part of my experience at Notre Dame so far. I've built beautiful relationships with my fellow choir members as well as learned so much about music theory and history. Voices of Faith is a key way that I'm able to connect with the Notre Dame and South Bend communities and hopefully offer people positivity in their life.
Have you had any special experiences or opportunities because of Voices of Faith?
My freshman year at Notre Dame Voices of Faith was given the opportunity to perform at the MLK Day luncheon and perform for Civil Rights activist Diane Nash. This was an amazing experience and really humbling for our choir to be able to perform for such a historic figure. Afterwards, we were able to meet her and hear her perspective on her time in SNCC and the larger Civil Rights Movement.
How has Voices of Faith furthered your faith journey or has it influenced it in anyway?
Gospel music is first and foremost music of praise -- but it's also music of hope, joy, suffering, sorrow, and great history of trauma. To sing Gospel music means that you have to embrace both this hope and this suffering and offer it up to God. This has given me great perspective on my own faith journey and given me space to reflect on my relationship with God. Spending time each week in praise and worship with my friends has been really special to me and is something I will miss dearly about Voices when I graduate.
Finally, has Voices of Faith formed a community for you? If so, in what way?
Voices of Faith has definitely formed a community for me through my connection to other choir members. Whether it's movie nights, choir dinners, retreats, or just rehearsals and performances, it's really great to be able to connect with so many other wonderful students. We have students from all around the world and from a variety of backgrounds which makes it so fun to meet and connect with our whole choir. Whether you're familiar with Gospel music or not, Voices welcomes anyone to join!
Xolisa Melody Ngwenya '22
Major: Psychology
Minors: Business Economics, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
How has Voices of Faith shaped your experience here thus far?
As a protestant in a predominantly Catholic institution, Voices of Faith helped me feel connected to my faith and meet new people that love music and just as much as I do.
Have you had any special experiences or opportunities because of Voices of Faith?
Each time we get to perform is a special experience for me because I get to share my ministry with other people. I also feel honored each time we are invited to perform at justice-centered events such as the Black Catholic Symposium and MLK day because it gives our ministry purpose, restores hope, and demonstrates our solidarity as a choir to courses of justice.
How has Voices of Faith furthered your faith journey or has it influenced it in any way?
Voices has helped me stay connected and in touch with my faith regardless of my time commitments or emotional state. The Gospel songs we rehearse every Friday have allowed me to speak to God, even on days when I felt discouraged, as Hans Anderson said "where words fail, music speaks." It has also helped me stay balanced because the moment I step into rehearsal and start singing and learning new songs, my mind completely forgets all the worries I was carrying throughout the week and focuses on the present moment.
Finally, has Voices of Faith formed a community for you? If so, in what way?
Yes, it has! Since Voices is a diverse choir, I have had the opportunity to interact with people from different cultural and religious backgrounds from mine, which is amazing! Despite our different backgrounds, our faith and love for music are what unites us.
Connor Patrick '23
Major: History
Minors: Real Estate; Sustainability; Portuguese and Brazilian Studies; and Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
How has Voices of Faith shaped your experience here thus far?
Voices is committed to being a little family on campus and to spreading joy on our campus. I certainly have found so much joy in singing for Voices of Faith and believe that it is a little family that I can always turn to. I joined Voices in the spring of my freshman year, and despite all of the uncertainty and craziness of the past few years with the COVID-19 pandemic, Voices has continued to sing and to spread positivity on campus. I also am currently serving in my second term as President of our choir, which has taught me so much about being an effective leader. Singing for Voices of Faith has changed my time at Notre Dame for the better!
Have you had any special experiences or opportunities because of Voices of Faith?
I have been to experience so many amazing things while at Notre Dame because of my participation in Voices. I had only been a choir member for 3 days before I was singing for Notre Dame's annual Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer service and at an event with civil rights activist Diane Nash! And just within the past month, our choir sang at the Mass for the Black Catholic Theological Symposium, which was celebrated by Cardinal Gregory of Washington, D.C., the United States' only Black cardinal of the Catholic Church. Even last year when most opportunities were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our choir was still able to participate in amazing events such as the ND Music Festival which took place in Notre Dame Stadium.
How has Voices of Faith furthered your faith journey or has it influenced it in any way?
St. Augustine is famous for saying "to sing is to pray twice"! Voices of Faith has provided me an opportunity to step away from all of the stresses and anxieties of the week to sing with my choir family and pray with them. We are not strictly a Catholic choir, and people of all Christian denominations (and even other faith traditions) are members of our choir. This being said, we are still a very spiritual community and we always end our rehearsals in prayer together. Participating in Voices has strengthened my faith life, and has given me insight into the traditions of other non-Catholic communities as well.
Finally, has Voices of Faith formed a community for you? If so, in what way?
I truly mean it when I say that Voices has become a "little family" on campus for me. Aside from our rehearsals, we try to get dinner with each other or plan other fun activities with each other when we can. We even returned to campus early this year so that we could have a pre-semester retreat together, where we participated in some group bonding activities and prepared for the year ahead together. My fellow choir members are people who always greet me with a smile when I see them outside of rehearsal. They are all amazing individuals and I am blessed to know them!