Story and Photos by Peter Willott
On Friday night, a packed audience filled the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche Church for a unique fundraiser, one led not by professional musicians but by priests.
Titled “The Sound of Love, Our Lady of La Leche,” the May 9 concert brought together clergy from across the diocese and even a friend from Canada for an evening of spiritual and heartfelt performances to raise funds for the shrine’s much-needed sound system upgrades.
The evening opened with a prayer led by Father Erlin Garcia, IIC, who then joined his colleague, Father Arcangel Lopez Burbano, IIC, who accompanied him on the guitar as he sang to the crowd. Both priests serve at the shrine.
“We were overwhelmed with the response,” said Catherine Sevilla, the shrine’s liturgical music minister. “We sold all 230 advance tickets and had even more people purchasing at the door—probably close to 300 by the night’s end.”
The event was a testament to the community’s generosity and musical talents cultivated in the seminary and beyond. Among the performers was Father Rafael Lavilla, pastor at St. John Paul II Parish in Jacksonville, who took the stage on guitar and vocals with a group of friends, including Father Alex Carandang of Resurrection Parish in Jacksonville.
“We’ve been playing together since we were 13 in the seminary,” said Father Lavilla. “After lunch or dinner, we’d grab our guitars and just hang out and play. Music has always been a part of our vocation.”
The program included a mix of spiritually resonant songs such as Lead Me, Lord, Lift Up Your Hands to God, and I Will Be Here, made popular by Christian artist Steven Curtis Chapman. Father Carandang also performed Beautiful Things, a song he’s been singing since his early ministry days.
“Music is the language of the soul,” Father Carandang said. “It helps us connect to the sacredness of the liturgy and brings us closer to the divine.”
Adding to the night’s atmosphere was David Alday, a former seminarian and longtime Lavilla and Carandang friend who flew in from Toronto to accompany them on the keyboard. “These priests have been my childhood friends,” said Alday. “It’s a joy to support them and be a part of this.”
Joining the lineup was Father Matt King, pastor of Blessed Trinity Parish in Jacksonville, who brought his two sisters, Kaylee and Sarah, to round out a family band performance. “We grew up playing music together,” Father King said. “Back in seminary, I even had a band called Monsignor and Sons—like Mumford and Sons, but holier.”
Father King played acoustic guitar during the show, supported by his sisters on vocals and keyboard. Along with their other selections, the trio also led the crowd in a spirited rendition of the John Denver classic Country Roads, with many in the audience singing along.
“It was great to support the shrine and share music with such a loving and generous community,” Father King said.
The concert raised funds to replace the sound system inside the historic church and to purchase new equipment for outdoor services and events, which have been growing in popularity at the shrine.
“People love the shrine, they love Our Lady, and they responded generously,” Sevilla said. “Tonight was not just a fundraiser, it was a celebration of faith, friendship and music.”
If you would like to donate to the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche for their sound system or anything else, email Jon Carres at jcarres@missionandshrine.org.
