With a song in our hearts: Loretto loves music!

Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti Do!

Loretto loves music! All kinds of music. Loretto loves popular music and old songs that touch our hearts. Loretto loves jazz. Loretto loves religious music because it lifts our hearts and minds and souls to God.

Loretto loves kids’ songs because we all taught them. We love to sing together. We love to sing in church. We love to sing at Assembly and during other meeting times. 

Music unites us with many cultures. We love to sing in Spanish. A few people can do French. And a few more can do Italian (Andrea Bocelli is one of our favorites!). And, of course, our Sisters from Pakistan enjoy singing to us in Urdu. And, yes, some of us can still sing in Latin!

We love to sing about the Earth: about water and air and sunshine. We like to sing together, and we like to sing in parts. 

Music attaches us to our past and present. The 1816 Rule of the Sisters of Loretto positioned song as part of religious education: “It is for the school an [sic] help to piety, a pleasant recreation, a refreshment of zeal and an addition to education.” Music continued to be part of the education at Loretto schools throughout their histories. Many Loretto members used the Ward Method. That curriculum, aimed at Catholic children and the renewal of ancient sacred music, was put into place in Loretto schools in the late 1930s. Those who went to Loretto schools started with the Ward Method in first grade. By the time they got to eighth grade, they – and we – were all pretty darn proficient in reading music and appreciating wonderful scores. In experiencing different kinds of music, we were introduced to many wonderful composers, too. 

Loretto members sing and dance and play music and share it with others. Music raises our hearts and minds and souls to God as it expresses the wondrous aspects of all God’s creation. So sing your hearts out. We do!

Join us this week on Loretto’s Facebook page as we share some of our members’ favorite songs with you!