Vincits Music Month officially started

As communicated before about the “Vincits Music Month” in preparation of the first Audio CD, trainings started on Tuesday 27^th December where about 41 choir members attended the opening of the training, but due to some Bus difficulties the trainer everyone has been waiting for failed to make it to the choir on time but because he is not only a trainer but also a friend of Christus Vincit Choir, he managed to get to the choir to greet them and plan how the training will go despite the bus lag he had by the time.

Mr. Lawrence giving instructions

Wednesday 28^th the training started and this time about 56 members were present, where we started with some physical and vocal warm ups for they are key to choirs to perform well, throughout the training Mr. Lawrence never ceased to remind members that In order to function as a member of a choir, singers must listen to the other voices singing around them, because sometime you may think that you are doing it great yet you are spoiling for others.

Taking music training from Mr. Lawrence is one of Christmas blessings for he is mostly busy in Christmas season but still he foregone all the other things he had to do and drove to Kigali to train and take us to another level, and secondly like he said nothing great in music as learning from the composer, Christus Vincit Choir sings a number of songs composed by Lawrence Ssemanda namely: Abayonta, Holy, ….

Story in Pictures: 

Come one come all, for practice makes it perfect

© CVC

Vincit Music Month

Vincit Music Month

Learning music skills allows members to use their talents to serve in the Church. Choirs can be a great way to bring together people from across the community and can improve an individual’s self esteem, confidence, concentration, team work and generally enhance well-being. Singing in a good choir is a very special activity for human being, giving the life-long gift of musical training and appreciation.

Members of Christus Vincit Choir

It is in that context Christus Vincit a 4 years choir celebrating English masses at Centre Christus Remera organized a “Vincit Music Month” in preparation of their first album ever which will be released next Year 2017. In this music month choir members will be practicing everyday starting December 27^th at Centre Christus as well with the help of one of the recognized musicians in Catholic Church in East Africa and Worldwide Mr. Ssemanda Lawrence a Ugandan music director, conductor and music composer who will be here with CVC for about 2 weeks.

Ssemanda Lawrence Music expert

Choir Officials believes that a 10 tracks CD masterworks will touch a number of listeners across the country especially those who are into English community, and connect them to the historical culture and deep spirituality of the Catholic Church, the CD to be released is also believed to take Christus Vincit Choir to another level. Mr. Lawrence is not the only musician who will work on this album but also other musicians from East Africa and regular Choir musicians namely Soda, Freddy, Joachim, Manzi, …

Research shows that involvement in music improves academic performance, develops mental capacity and increases powers of concentration. Many leading musicians including modern artists, soloists, composers and conductors started their careers as choristers.

Rehearsal Schedule: 

• Tuesday 27th to Saturday 31st December from 6:00 - 8:00PM
• Monday 2nd to Saturday 7th January 2017 from 6:00 - 8:00PM
• Extra Schedule to be communicated later...

 “Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.” 


© CVC IT Team

Vincits brought Christmas Joy to the weary

The Christmas season is a good time to start thinking about helping other people. This includes providing food, clothing and toys for families to enable them to experience the joy of the Christmas Season. Giving warmth, love and hope. That’s what Christmas should be all about. A time to share our good fortune with our neighbours in need across the world.

Above, right, road leading to Home of Hope

It is in that essence that Christus Vincit Choir organized a charity act to help and share Christmas joy with the weary at the missionaries of charity “Mother Therese Home of Hope, near S^t Famille Parish in Kigali. Mother Teresa was born in Yugoslavia and at a young age felt compelled to care for the sick and poor. When she was eighteen years old, she left home and joined the Loreto sisters, an Irish community of nuns, working in India. After teaching at St. Mary's High School, she left the mission to work in the slums of Calcutta. In 1950, she received permission from the Holy See to establish her own order, called the Missionaries of Charity. The aim of the order was to care for orphans and to establish homes for people suffering from leprosy, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. The Missionaries of Charity began to expand, with missions being established world-wide. In 1979, Mother Teresa was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize and in 1980, she received the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honor in India for her humanitarian work. At present, the Missionaries of Charity operate in 120 countries with 600 missions.

shared also a drink

vincits sang a number of songs with them together

Christus Vincit Choir had fun with everyone at the Home of Hope where they sang a number of songs together, prayed and shared a drink together. They also provided with a number of basic materials needed like food, clothes, hygienic materials and most of Christmas joy. The home of hope has children from the age of newborn to the very elderly who have no family to take care of them.  Many of the children are HIV positive, handicapped or simply children that parents have left at the orphanage gates because the parents are too poor to provide food or medicine for them. The Sisters have never turned anyone away and they somehow find room.

 “The government of Rwanda has put forth a mandate to have all orphanages shut down in the next few years. The goal being that all the orphaned children would be adopted and the country can show that they are capable of taking care of all their children. It is a lofty goal, and many doubt that it will come to fruition, but steps are being taken in that direction. Many adoptions have been happening recently, and orphanages don’t have as many babies and children as you might think, but the children they do have (at least at the Missionaries of Charity) are special needs.

After sharing the Christmas Joy Vincits took a group photo

Source: - DG in Rwanda

             - CVC IT Team

© CVC 2016

Vincits gathered at Centre Christus Remera for a one day retreat

Vincits listening to the teachings

Like communicated before Christus Vincit Choir members on Sunday 5^th June they gathered at Centre Christus Remera for a one day retreat where they had teachings about the theme

“LIKE A YOUTH HOW CAN I BE A TRUE CHRISTIAN” About 40 choir members attended the retreat and did variety of activities like group discussions, teachings, presentations, Q&A (Question and answers sessions), Testimony, ..

Abijuru Emmanuel guest facilitator from communaute del’Emmanuel at the beginning he stressed on a scripture from John 15:1-17 and also reminded attendants that’s it was laity day and everyone should celebrate in a holy way. Apart from that attendants also had an impressive session about how do my life prove that Jesus won? For now days people have changed and bad deeds seem to be normal and nothing is wrong with it yet good deeds diminishes daily.

For social media have became like drugs to the generation of now days CVC members were encouraged to pray as good as they can and read the bible as well for As believers we must never neglect God’s love letter to his children. Many Christians ask why should I read the Bible? We have time to do just about everything else, but when it comes to reading Scripture we say well look at the time I have to go. You must set a daily time when you’re in God’s Word. Instead of watching TV in the morning get in his Word. Instead of scrolling up and down Facebook and Instagram like the daily news open your Bible because it’s more important.

Angelique giving out testimony

Attendants were divided into groups and discussed about some topics and present

Attendants were divided into 6 groups and discussed about some topics then presented, this activity requires personal participation and all people seemed to enjoy participating. They also had a testimony how to live life without losing virginity a pure offertory to God. And after all people had lunch together under the so called Bring and Share and later received a Sacrament of Reconciliation (also known as Penance, or Penance and Reconciliation)

Story in Pictures

©CVC 2016

Choir retreat a day of reflection

The annual choir retreat meets many of the same objectives as the prayer meetings. Holding a retreat is a powerful tool for revitalizing and focusing vision. Christ often withdrew with His disciples for a time of teaching and prayer. An annual choir retreat affords abundant opportunities for building relationships with each other, and for encouraging spiritual renewal with the Lord.

Eric liturgy Chief says that retreat strengthens believers

Christus Vincit Choir prepared a one day retreat at Centre Christus this Sunday 5^th June, According to Eric the chief of liturgy commission a choir retreat is necessary for it helps us to stand tall in what we’ve been called up to (singing) and it also brings us closer to our Lord, the teachings from retreat strengthens us in our journey to follow Christ. The theme for this year’s retreat is “HOW CAN I BE A REAL CHRISTIAN” this theme is wide but facilitators will try to focus on how one can be a true Christian in the world of today full of technological evolution and bunch of temptations.

Jack and Odile Facilitators of the retreat

Among the Facilitators of this year’s retreat we have Mahoro Jack and Odile Ineza. In this year’s retreat we will have a variety of activities going on like Worship and Praise, Teachings, Bring and share and lastly a holy mass. Remember the retreat will start at 8:00AM and attendants has to be at the venue by 7:45AM.

”Proclaim the victory of Jesus Christ ”

©CVC 2016

Pope Francis - End world hunger through 'PRAYER & ACTION'

PRAYER - Prayer is Powerful. Lord hear our prayers.

ACTION - Our Global 'Action' campaign is a three-phase SOLUTION:

Step 1: Food; feeding hungry children is the first part of the solution.
Step 2: Education, the gift of literacy and moral education; Children will develop the knowledge, understanding, skills and moral values to enable them to meet the challenges they will face in the 21st century. When children learn they are better able to succeed, opening new opportunities for themselves and future generations.
Step 3: Learning Tools; Using our own global distribution network, we will provide XO Tablets for children to optimize their learning and morals and help empower the world's poorest children through education. 

World Hunger and Malnutrition

• One child dies every 10 seconds from hunger.
• Poor nutrition causes nearly half (45%) of deaths in children under five - 3.1 million children each year.
• One out of six children -- roughly 100 million -- in developing countries are underweight.
• 870 million people in the world do not have enough to eat.
• Asia has the largest share of the world's hungry people (some 552 million).
• World Food Programme (WFP) calculates that US$3.2 billion is needed per year to reach all 66 million hungry school-age children.

We face a hunger crisis unlike anything seen in more than 50 years. But together, we can end this crisis and eradicate hunger worldwide.
For over 20 years, Catholic Online has been an integral part of the world Catholic landscape. It's this experience and brand recognition that now allows us the opportunity to implement and accomplish the vision Pope Francis has set in motion - End World Hunger by 2025.
Together we are God's hands in the world, Pope Francis and Catholic Online with Your Catholic Voice Foundation invite you to join with us to support our projects and raise your catholic voice to end world hunger through 'prayer and action'.

Source: Catholic Online

CVC to receive new members this summer

like it has been for several years back, Christus vincit choir have had a good relationship with other choirs across the country but particularly with the Good News Choir from St Dominic University parish of the former National University of Rwanda, both choirs have been supporting each other in one way or the other like offering a platform to practice from for GNC members when they are in holidays. from there people who finish their studies from Good News Choir they normally continue serving the Lord through praise and worship at Christus Vincit choir.


(Photo: Joachim Upcoming CVC Choir Master)

"This year is different for the outgoing people from GNC to CVC are many compared to the ones of the past classes, we are leaving as total of 66 singers from which around 50 of us will be full-time members of Christus Vincit Choir for we live or will be working in kigali" said Joachim the current choir master of GNC and President of the outgoing class of 2016. among those people who are coming to be full time members of CVC they are some who used to be our part time members like Jorry, Jenny, Simbi and Joachim himself. not only those who are finishing studies will be our members there's also other 12 GNC members who are coming to kigali due to university reformation and they also ready to join CVC. 

(Photo: New members to come)

The new members that are coming are not only regular singers for some of them have other abilities like playing music instruments and can conduct the choir. this will be an awesome recruitment for CVC for we needed more active and trained members to join us, "Christus Vincit Choir is always keen to receive new members and we are pleased to welcome a new and enthusiastic chorister to Sunday evening mass celebration" said CVC President Regis

Author: CVC

Why should people join choir

Music is awash with neurochemical rewards for working up the courage to sing. That rush, or “singer's high,” comes in part through a surge of endorphins, which at the same time alleviate pain. Many people thoroughly enjoy being in a choir. You get a chance to sing different kinds of music, and you get to be around others who share your interest in music. Making music with a group of people may give you just the balance you need between practicing alone at home and singing with a group.

The following list details some of the benefits you gain from singing with a choir.

• You discover how to listen carefully. When singing in a choir, you have to listen so that your voice blends with the voice of the person next to you, as well as with the sounds of the particular type of song you’re singing. If the music requires a specific style of singing, you have to work to make sure that you’re making the appropriate sound with healthy technique.

• You discover how to monitor your sound based on how it feels. If you can’t hear your voice standing out, you have to rely on the feeling to determine whether your technique is still in good shape. Monitoring how your voice feels is a good idea because each room is different — you can’t rely on the sound bouncing back to you. Sometimes choral singers cup their hand around their ear to hear their voice. You can try using this technique to direct the sound of your voice back to your ears. Just make sure that the person next to you doesn’t think that you’re trying to block out the sound of their voice.

• You get an opportunity to work on your ear. Picking out your part when the other voices of the choir are surrounding you is a good workout for your ear. Solo singers may not have someone else singing different notes in their ear. The choral singer may be mixed up with other voices singing other parts and may have to rely on her ability to read music or really listen for her note in a chord.

• You get a chance to work on your social skills. In choirs, you often find people who like similar music or are inspired by beautiful music. You may feel right at home around people with similar interests, which can boost your sense of belonging.

• You get to travel with the choir. You may have to raise money to go on trips, but traveling with fellow musicians who enjoy making music in beautiful concert halls can make it worth your while. Teenagers and young singers often enjoy going on the road with the choir because they get to travel around doing what they enjoy: singing with their peers.

• You can work on reducing your performance anxiety by singing with a group. Onstage with your peers, you may find that your anxieties about performing dissolve. If you feel comfortable within a group, you may be able to transfer that comfort level to your solo singing. If you suffer from anxiety about singing in public, slowly work your way from singing in the choir to auditioning for one of the solos with the choir.

The challenge and joy of singing in a group may be just the lift you need at the end of a long week of work. Singing is a wonderful release and opportunity to express your thoughts and feelings through music and singing. Joining a choir may give you that regular opportunity to enjoy singing if you just don’t have the time to practice on your own.

Author: CVC