By Rocio Granados - La Voz Catolica

MIAMI | Accustomed to listening to songs about lost love, lies and violence, the majority of today’s Catholics are indifferent to music that speaks about God’s love. 

However, music “moves you, motivates people and transmits faith,” said Gustavo Mendez, producer and director of the program “Alianza de Amor” (Alliance of Love) of the Schoenstatt movement, which is broadcast Sundays on Radio Paz 830 AM.

The songs played during the program, Mendez said, are generally from singers who are members of the Schoenstatt movement and convey a Marian message. But “again and again I have played music composed by Protestants because even though they do not mention the Virgin they speak about God.”

Catholics have the tendency to listen to popular music that is not Christian, unlike some Protestants whose faith instructs them to listen only to Christian music.

 “That is what made the Christian music industry, which is so powerful today, grow so much,” said Ivan Diaz, a songwriter, native of Colombia, and parishioner at St. Francis de Sales Church in Miami Beach.

Currently, the religious music industry is dominated by evangelicals. That is due, in large part, to the indifference and lack of transmission of religious music among Catholics themselves.

“We are not used to listening to religious music. We go to Mass and listen to the music at Mass. Afterwards, we turn on the radio and generally listen to salsa, merengue or ballads,” said Diaz.

Catholic radio does not regularly play religious music. The programs focus on catechesis, dialogue and discussions, without a musical segment.

In the parishes, the musical directors are, in most cases, volunteers who do not have adequate professional training and have not updated the musical repertoire, which has consisted of the same songs for many years.

“The transmission has to start with priests promoting music more in their parishes, with music directors putting different songs out there so that their parishioners can learn them, and Catholic radio stations in every city should program Catholic music because if people do not know about it they cannot support Catholic singers,” said Diaz.

At the same time, many Catholic and evangelical singers sound alike; their message of praise for God is the same. Many Catholic singers also do not have a solid formation in the doctrine of the Church so their songs are often superficial.

On the other hand, the Christian music industry favors compositions with standard evangelical themes. If a Catholic composes a song for the Virgin Mary, the doors are automatically shut and the music won’t air on radio stations where the majority of listeners are evangelical.

But Catholic music does not necessarily need to air on Christian stations, said Diaz. “Our mission is to make our music reach those who need God. The most important thing is for our music to serve as a message of inspiration that will touch that woman, that child, that young person at Mass, in that prayer group or in a youth group.” 

For many young Catholic singers, making music for God is not easy. Many lack the economic resources to produce CDs. There also are no commercial record labels that will sign Catholic singers. 

“The only option for a Catholic singer is the Lord,” said Johann Alvarez, a Colombian songwriter from St. Dominic Church in Miami.  

For Catholics, “the center of our faith is in our eucharistic experience, which is why music is not the center: Music accompanies Christ, who is the central message,” he said.

But music is necessary because “it is part of our liturgy, of all of our celebrations, baptisms, weddings and even funerals. Beyond our sacramental life we have a daily life, where the idea is that we can take that sacrament with us; and Catholic music gives us that option to remember that which you live in the Church, but in daily life,” Alvarez said. “Take this message that you have received and reflect while listening to it, while you sweep, cook or drive."

Alvarez, 36, has composed Catholic music since the age of 15, more than anything, he says, because of a calling. “God gifts talents and the one he has given me allows me to write songs and, obviously, as a Catholic, they are for the Church. Songs open doors, hearts, and they permit that message to enter the heart of a person and begin to come alive.”

For Nana Angarita, a Colombian songwriter with a long artistic career, “music is everything, because it has the quality to touch the fiber of the soul.” She says she feels happy because she has always had a smooth journey during her career as a singer. But Catholic music “is still not valued as it should be. What I mean is that Catholics need to be part of it by buying the music and sharing it with others. They do not share it. Catholics are not interested in buying the music. Only when they buy our CDs can we record more,” Angarita said. 

“The Catholic singer needs to stop thinking about fame. This is the Lord’s mission, not ours; that must be the balance so that the music can give fruit,” said Diaz, who is the musical director at St. Francis de Sales Church.

He started working as a liturgical singer when he was 13. He recently released his latest production, “Honor y Gloria a El” (“Honor and Glory to Him”) on the Oregon Catholic Press (OCP) label, which he signed onto in 2012.

“Music can elevate us and truly help us feel the presence of God. We have moments when we are sad or overwhelmed by something and we listen to a song and we feel as though God were responding to us through the music,” Diaz said. “I think that this aspect of music is very powerful and, if done correctly, with good intentions, it can nourish the community and we can truly create Christians.”