ATLANTA — The power of music is not only bringing people together at a downtown Atlanta church, but it’s offering the un-housed hope and a sense of belonging.
The words of the music being rehearsed echo throughout the Shrine, and the Sanctuary sends a strong message to the homeless: “Never, never, never, oh, never give up."
It’s a theme that resonates inside the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception as the homeless join in the singing and strive to become members of the Homeward Choir.
“Our friends who live on the street, when they come in and join the choir, they come in together. They are no longer living life in isolation. They are no longer on their own. They are no longer silent. They are no longer just being ignored. They are coming in. They are standing up to be counted and they are finding their own voice,” said Donal Noonan, Music Director of the Shrine and its Homeless Homeward Choir.
Building confidence and self-esteem through song and the Homeward Choir is his mission.
And the results are impressive.
A holiday concert by the Choir at the Church packed the sanctuary, with the Choir enjoying a history of concerts at the White House and at a major holiday gathering in Chicago.
Music, being universal, unites all classes of people. But for the homeless, it is especially important because it gives a sense of community, a sense of togetherness, and a sense of belonging.
The Church of the Shrine of Immaculate Conception has attracted almost 400 homeless people walking through its doors, ready to sing. Among them are John and Jefferson.
“I love making people happy and just seeing joy on people’s faces…nothing tops that!” John said with a big smile on his face.
For Jefferson, another Choir singer, the rehearsals and concerns mean “camaraderie and brotherhood, as all of us are in the same predicament. It kind of brings us close together and you learn to be patient with one another.”
“It keeps your mind off being homeless to a certain extent,” he added.
Noonan added, “It’s giving them an avenue into a family of people who will care for them and will give them an avenue for support that people can belong to. It is the music that will be the glue that keeps them together."