The music and the Eucharistic celebration for the Christmas Mass at Don Bosco Church, Panjim
will be lit up in glow unlike any other as innocent voices will fill the air. For the first time, the Don
Bosco Church will have children as young as five years old to 12 years old forming the choir and
doing the readings. The choir is being conducted by Vinita Freitas Fernandes who conducted her first
choir for the youth choir at Don Bosco Christmas midnight Mass when she was 22.
“I started my choir classes in April and Fr Romulo Noronha asked me if we could have
a children’s choir for the midnight Mass. I was very thrilled as this would be the first time that
children would get an opportunity to sing for the Christmas Mass. This was never done in the past. I
approached the parents of the 28 choir students I was training and informed them that it would take
hard work and their commitment too. They were all very encouraging. The children will be singing
20 hymns, including five hymns for Communion itself,” says Vinita.
The children are too young to read hence they have learnt their songs by heart after practising
for so many months. “When they sing, it sounds fulfilling as their voices are very innocent. I didn’t
give any child to sign the bass voice as it was too low for their young voices. The children will also be
doing the first and second reading and the Prayers of the Faithful. My choir students also include three
Hindu students who showed enthusiasm in joining the midnight Mass.”
One would expect these young ones to feel sleepy at the wee hours of midnight, but these
talented little bundles of energy are excited to stay up and be an important of the celebration. “I doubt
they will doze as their excitement can be noticed during practice itself. They will be waiting to sing,”
assures Vinita.
The central support in all of Vinita’s musical
endeavours is her husband, Karl. Being a pianist
himself, he has always been a part of Vinita’s
previous choirs but this year, he has taken the
backseat to take care of their baby.
Shruti Nair’s daughter, eleven year old Tripti
from Vasco, is a part of the 28-member children’s
choir. “Tripti loves singing and when we came
across Vinita’s choir class, we thought it would be
good to expose Tripti to as many new things as
possible. Vinita has a lovely way of teaching. Now,
after every class, on our drive back to Vasco, Tripti
will be singing all the hymns in the car. We believe
that God is one and music is a form of dedication
that unites us.”
Runa Menezes’ daughter, Tiara, and son, Zayn,
sing duets with the voice training they receive
through the choir classes. Tiara, a student of
Sharada Mandir School, Miramar will also do the
first reading for the Eucharistic Celebration. “Zayn
is too small to understand but Tiara realises the
value of what she is doing. They both are very
excited and at home, we felt like Christmas has
come early this year. Vinita has trained them in two
different voices so when they practise at home, it
sounds like a perfect duet,” says Runa.
“I could train my students to perform in shows
and concerts but my primary aim in taking this
step is to encourage them into serving the Lord
through music from a young age. They all have the
God given talent of beautiful voices and an ear for
music,” concludes Vinita.
