Sunday church services often include music and prayer. However, what sets the services apart at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Los Angeles is a 12-15 piece band consisting of guitars, piano, percussion, woodwinds and upward to a dozen singers. While the songs are familiar to church services, the congregation, largely of filipino-descent, relate to the music in a way that is also unique to Filipino culture.
“Bayanihan Spirit,” refers to the sense of camaraderie and cooperation that inspires Filipinos to work toward collective welfare regardless of the benefit. The term “Bayanihan” within itself is derived from the words “bayan” and “bayani,” which mean ‘community’ as well as ‘one who loves his community,’ further instilling the concept’s emphasis on civic unity.
“I choose to sing in Mass as a service to our Lord and to the parishioners,” Rodette Deiresa said. She is a parishioner of St. Bernard Catholic Church in Los Angeles and sings at Mass every week. Rodette joined her husband Dennis Deiresa, a member of the original choir who took over the direction just before the 2020 pandemic. Shortly after the change, several other women, all mothers of St. Bernard Catholic School alumni, joined their husbands in the choir.
Generosity and cooperation are rooted deeply in the Catholic identity of countless Filipinos. Devout Catholicism resides at the core of nationalism and principles, especially in veneration to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception and Santo Nino, that prompt Filipinos to mirror their example. These notions of faith are evident in the efforts of the Deiresas and their organization to share their musical talents with the community of St. Bernard Catholic Church.
The gospel songs they play resonate with the congregation, invoking a desire to sway with the rhythm, tap your feet at the beat, sing the hymns, and clap along to the notes. Parishioners find themselves humming the melodies while completing daily tasks or playing them on the car ride home, depicting the music’s ability to linger long after it is gone.
Born and raised in the Philippines, Deiresa began participating in choir at fourteen years old, describing her weekends growing up as revolving around Church. Following their migration to the United States in 1999, she and her husband joined the St. Bernard community, a parish where her in-laws were already heavily involved.
From the entrance procession to the dismissal, the group of Filipino musicians radiate a tremendous amount of pride and joy to proclaim the Word of the Lord, nurturing a lively atmosphere and encouraging those in attendance to join them in worship. Deiresa said she strives to be, “a model for the parishioners to see how a Catholic should behave and how Catholics should express their faith.” By heartening the congregation, she aspires to uplift each individual person to not only involve themselves in the Mass, but take action and initiative for their own spirituality.
From the youngest of children to the senior members of the community, all are drawn together under a single unifying force. The service of these musicians extends outside of Mass as well. Deiresa states that “we are really invested in our parish because we can see that it is God’s Church so we have to be a living Church for the community.”
The skillful arrangement of songs are designed to lead the people of God while allowing the message of Christ to dwell within them, an objective made possible by the band. Their ministry beautifully brings people together, fostering harmony, hope, and belonging. Her organization collaborates to host potlucks and collect funds from anyone interested in supporting the parish. At a recent fundraiser the choir formed a live band and played to a sell-out crowd of over 300 guests. “We’re really invested in our parish because we can see that it’s God’s Church so we have to be a living Church for the community, so that’s our ministry,” Deiresa said.
