It's been fairly quiet and thoughtful at my Catholic school this week as we prepare, like Catholic schools and communities around the world, to have a special Mass tomorrow in memory and celebration of the life of Pope John Paul II. Originally we were having an Easter Mass and I was concerned on the weekend that I might have to change all the joyful, "new life" Eastery-type music we have ready for the Mass to quieter and more somber music, but my principal's attitude was that Pope John Paul II had led a long and remarkable life worthy of upbeat celebration (though, as I type, I do find myself aware and sensitive to the understandable objections I know many who read this post may have with some Catholic doctrine). We are staying with our Easter music and adding one more reflective song of peace, a theme important to the Pope.

I always teach Celtic knotwork in art sometime during the year, often around Mother's Day, but this week I decided making Celtic crosses would be a nice class memorial to the Pope and in solidarity with Catholics and other people around the world touched by, or lending support and understanding during this time of transition. Plus, Celtic artwork is fun and the students really love doing it ("for the third time, put -away- your Celtic crosses, we have to do -math- now..." :)).

While the students have been designing and colouring their crosses I've been adding joyful music as background atmosphere, specifically the music of "Youthful Praise", a gospel group filkers met quite by chance at FilKONtario this weekend and who provided some of the most unexpectedly magical moments of the con.



As usual, Deb, Jodi and I attended an open filk circle at FilKONtario on Saturday night. It was a poker chip bardic with folks such as Becca, Graham, Jane, Phil, Heather, Carolyn, Dave, Peter, Norma, Ingrid, Cat and many others and much fun was had. Around 2:30am, UT decided to head off to bed. As we headed to the elevators we got drawn into the edges of a filk happening in an alcove off the lobby, being led by Dave Clement and Pete Grubbs. It was fun, as such gatherings tend to be, and as Dave launched into "Dixie Chicken" I noticed a group of African-American women, also staying at the hotel and hanging out in the lobby, who began to bop along with the music. As "Dixie Chicken" morphed into "Volcano" and morphed again into "The Hockey Monkey Song" the women drifted closer and Debbie started to pass out instruments from her percussion bag while the women started dancing with the filkers and accompanying the music with claves, shakers and Deb's cowbell :).

A bit of conversation began and the filkers discovered this group of woman were actually members of a 30-member gospel choir called "Youthful Praise" visiting from Connecticut to perform in Toronto. Whoa, most cool, so "Sing for us!" the filkers implored and after a quick whispered debate these woman launch into this gorgeous harmonized gospel song called "Awesome God" as the filkers listened entranced. Thunderous appreciation followed at which time the two groups, giddy with a common musical bond, moved into a song we could all sing together. A wonderful soloist from the gospel group began a soaring version of "Amazing Grace" and we all joined in on the second verse with harmonies that just rang to the rafters. Filker Pete Grubbs took the third verse while the gospel singers shouted encouragement and added counterpoint and it was all just an incredibly magical moment.

Someone asked into the afterglow, "Does your group have a CD?" and when we learned they did and filkers started waving funny-coloured Canadian twenties in their direction, one singer frantically got on the cell phone saying, "Yeah, I know it's 3am in the morning, but tell the director to come down with the box of CDs now!".

As I left for bed with my "Youthful Praise" CD, filkers and gospel singers were still hugging and comparing notes and getting autographs and it was just one of those convergences one could never predict and that one feels lucky fate placed you at the exact right moment and place to experience.

You can read more about "Youthful Praise" and listen to some sound clips of the group at http://www.youthfulpraise.org/index2.html .