Mount Carmel is a school with many different cultures all tied together as a community. Spanish teachers and Mr. John Stimler, Director of Mission and Ministry, came together to hold a Spanish-language choir during Mass on October 1, 2025, celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month through music and worship.
This choir brought nearly 250 students from all of MC’s Spanish courses together to not only sing but also improve their language skills, gain confidence, and connect with other peers they may not have known before. The idea was not only to celebrate Hispanic heritage but also to reflect the school’s diversity through prayer.
“I sent a note to the faculty, thanking the Spanish Department and Brother Ergan, who played guitar for us and Brother Eduardo, who helped kind of facilitate a lot of that translation material,” said Mr. Stimler. “We had more singing yesterday at Mass than probably we normally have here.”
The idea first began through talks held between Mr. Stimler and Spanish teacher Mrs. Valerie Beavers.
“Mr. Stimler asked me if Spanish class wanted to sing a song, and that process just grew and grew and grew,” Mrs. Beavers said.
She also noticed how the performance connected with the school community. The songs brought energy and emotion to the service, making it a more immersive experience for those who know the culture and those who are not familiar.
“We have a huge Latino community, and I think representing all the beautiful cultures we have here is very important. I think it makes students feel seen and also helps parents understand that their students are seen, but it also teaches the students who are not of that culture.”
The experience was meaningful to students who participated, with a student remembering memories tied to singing with family.
“When I sang, it felt like I was seven years old, back at church, singing with my sisters,” MC junior Kyron Wright stated.
As most of the students in this particular choir do not speak Spanish fluently, these songs and singing them in front of a live audience presented challenges. Still, the challenge turned into something rewarding for some.
“I just learned to be patient because at first I didn’t want to sing,” said MC junior Christopher Foley. “But then it got fun after a while when I actually learned the words.”
Involving a different language also deepened the meaning of the Mass, creating a new perspective on how faith connects those who are from different cultures.
“Performing it in Spanish helped me connect a different way,” Wright said. “Because I realize even though we all speak different languages, we all have the same belief–that there is a higher power and that we should sing for him because he’s done so much for us.”
The music itself also left an impact. After mass ended, the songs still stayed with many students.
“I heard guys singing throughout the halls the rest of the day yesterday,” Mr. Stimler said. “Still singing these songs as they were coming into my class, and I heard it in the halls.”
Despite the difficulties, teachers observed growth. Students began working together to strengthen their confidence in both singing and speaking Spanish.
“Many of the words were difficult to pronounce,” said Mrs. Beavers, “But I saw Spanish-speaking students teaching classmates how to pronounce some things. Also, even with students who speak Spanish at home, they learned some new words as well.”
Students echoed that it brought them closer together.
“I definitely sat next to a couple people I didn’t know. And I got to know their names and make some jokes,” Foley said.
The teachers also noticed how alive the mass felt, with more students participating than usual.
“I think they made the mass more vibrant,” said Mrs. Beavers. “May have increased interaction with the mass and what was going on. Being a participant, fully involved, that’s what I think certainly that didn’t happen for everybody, but I thought I saw a change.”
