Presence new prayer album

The Servant for All series introduced the concept of the prayer and music album to local music buyers and its success encouraged other producers to come up with similar releases. There have since been several albums of the same make in the market. Each has songs alternating with prayers and inspirational messages calculated to give busy listeners that oh-so important chance to meditate and commune with the Lord while in the midst of the hassle and bustle of everyday life.

The latest among these is simply titled Music and Prayers, Presence. This was inspired by a popular book of prayers known as Presence Prayers for Busy People, written by Fr. Rafael Borromeo, SJ, Fr. Andres Arboleda, SSP and Maribi Mapa-Garcia. This was first published by St. Paul’s Publications in 1990. It contains common prayers, special prayers and devotions, the Holy Mass, the Way of the Cross, the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, examination of conscience, reflections about life, love, pain and other things. It even provides help for personal prayers and dialogues with God." The album Presence includes some of the prayers included in the book placed alongside the appropriate song.

What makes the album truly interesting though is the fact that for only P375 for CD’s and P250 for cassettes, the buyer gets not only Presence the album but also the book Presence, Prayers for Busy People in one attractive package that is truly ideal for gift-giving. Beautifully illustrated, gold-edged and hard-bound, the prayer book is a handy addition to all of those things you tote around during the day. No one should ever be too busy for God. It would of course be best to set aside time for prayers everyday but when your schedule makes this difficult, you can simply whip out Presence wherever you are and get into the prayer mood. Better yet, play the CD as you go about your daily chores and keep yourself in the presence of the Lord.

Singer and songwriter Jose Mari Chan leads the line-up of performers who recorded the songs and prayers included in the album. Aside from reading selected prayers from the Presence book along with author and producer Maribi Mapa-Garcia, Jose Mari also does the songs I Offer My Life with his daughter Liza Chan Parpan, and sings solo in People Need the Lord, Let Your Spirit Come and May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You. There is also his own take on The Lord’s Prayer with a new melody and one of his original works, It is the Lord, an Easter song written for the golden jubilee celebration of Mother Angela Ansaldo of the Religious of the Assumption.

The other artists who lent their talents to complete the album are Anna Tirol with In His Presence, Karylle with Let Thy Will be Done, Gino Padilla with You’ll Never Walk Alone and Give Thanks, Danny Cruz with Nearer Than Before and Jeanne Young with Something Good. Jeanne, a well-known singer and TV host who originated the prayer and music concept album, also duets with Jose Mari in Be Still My Soul.

Feeling the pinch

For a while there, it looked like the local entertainment industry was geting a badly needed shot in the arm with the lively concert scene. Though times are hard, music lovers were willing enough to fork out more or less a thousand bucks for the chance to see and hear their favorite entertainers perform live. Successful concerts spill over into record sales, TV ratings and other income generating efforts. Even peanut vendors earn more when people come out to be entertained. Then the bombings happened.

Of course these incidents scared people away and it also followed that foreign acts set to do shows here cancelled their bookings. First to go was the British rock band Oasis whose Oct. 23 show at the Araneta Coliseum was called off. Then teen-aged singing idol Aaron Carter followed suit. he was also supposed to be at the Big Dome on Nov. 9. Brian McKnight, who is due for performances in December promised he will show up. Let us all hope he does. Let us all pray there will be an end to these terrorist acts soon and let us not stay disappointed because the intrepid Pinoy performers remain active and sometimes they do even better than their foreign counterparts.