Saturday, October 20, 2012

London rock band sings the Creed in Latin

Credo in unum Deum, patrem, creatorem coeli et terrae, visibilium et invisibilium. 

The words are an unmistakable copy of the Latin version of the Creed. 

Except that their context is light years away from traditionalists’ liturgies.

These are in fact the opening lyrics to Credo, the new single released by London rock band  Ooberfuse on 11 October to mark the beginning of the Year of Faith.
 
The language is not desecrating. On the contrary: the aim of the song is to bring the core message of the Catholic faith into the slightly unusual environment of fusion music. In this sense, the Catholic trio already has some interesting experiences under its belt. The group’s talent is recognised even outside the Christian music scene.
 
Because of this, Ooberfuse has also attracted the interest of the youth pastoral of the English Episcopal Conference: in 2010 one of their songs - the hip hop piece Heart’s Cry – was chosen as the hymn for Benedict XVI’s meeting with young people in Hyde Park. 

In 2011, Ooberfuse won a music competition launched on the occasion of the World Youth Day in Madrid, with the song Faith in You. This year, they made headlines because of two tracks about the suffering of Christians in Pakistan: Blood Cries Out - in memory of Minister Shabhaz Bhatti who was assassinated in March 2011 - and Free Asia Bibi, which asks for the woman’s release from jail where she was imprisoned in 2009 on blasphemy charges (which were never proven). 

The YouTube video of the group’s latest song has already had 60 thousand views.
 
And now, the Year of Faith, called by Benedict XVI. 

“We are excited and humbled to be a part of this worldwide initiative to share the love of Christ with others who perhaps have not heard the message of faith because it has not been spoken in a language that they understand – Cherrie Anderson, the band’s British-Filipino front-woman explained in an interview with Independent Catholic News. Credo demonstrates that the subtle textures and nuances of our faith, condemned to silence because they cannot be articulated through traditional means, can be expressed through modern cultural forms and contemporary musical traditions. This insight was the vision that inspired the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council whose 50th anniversary coincides with the launch of the Year of Faith on 11th October 2012."
 
On the very anniversary of the Second Vatican Council, Ooberfuse were guests at a workshop in Saint Aidans, a Catholic school in Sunderland, in the UK. 

“The aim of the workshop - Hal Saint John, from Ooberfuse, explained - is to explore, in the light of the Holy Father’s Apostolic Letter Porta Fidei, the ancient truths of our faith in fresh ways."