Seventeen priests, known professionally as “Priests Evangelizing Through Song,” may be new to the music business, but they know a prime opportunity when they see it.

The singing priests chose to make their musical debut at a luncheon in honor of Bishop William K. Weigand’s 25th anniversary of episcopal ministry.

A few hundred clergy, religious and laity who attended the event gave the group a standing ovation.

Father Rey Bersabal, pastor of St. Paul Parish in Sacramento and a member of the singing group, said Priests Evangelizing Through Song is now primed to get to work.

“Finding out that people were satisfied with our singing was a nice feeling, since one of our main intentions is to attract young people to vocations,” he said. “There is an inward journey (in discernment) but it can now become an outward journey as well.”

Formed six months ago by Father Polycarpo Gumapo, pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Lincoln, Priests Evangelizing Through Song began as a support group for Filipino priests new to the diocese, living in a new country.

The group’s members serve in parishes in the Sacramento area, Yuba City, Vallejo, Anderson, Winters, Lincoln and Elk Grove.

Their music is a combination of religious, pop and Filipino folk songs.

“We’re taking this group on tour,” Father Gumapo told The Herald. “The dream is to evangelize with our songs.”

The priests meet every Monday — a day off for many — at St. Paul Parish for a pick-up game of basketball in the gymnasium followed by dinner and singing practice.

Father Cormac Lacre, parochial vicar of Good Shepherd Parish in Elk Grove, is a member and coordinates the singing group.

“Lots of us are new priests, some of us are older and many of us just met here,” he said. “This is a venue to know each other more.”

Father Lacre said the objectives of the group are “to strengthen our bonds, to evangelize through song and support parishes in fund-raising efforts.”

It was not the priests’ musical ability as much as their basketball skills that made a definite impression a few weeks ago on a youth group from Good Shepherd Parish in Elk Grove.

Father Lacre and eight members of the group challenged about 20 teens, ages 14 to 17, to a basketball game.

Aaron DelMonte, coordinator of the youth ministry at Good Shepherd, said the game was “a real eye-opener” for the youth.

“I don’t think the kids envisioned the priests in shorts and sneakers,” DelMonte said. “They found priests are real people just like them.”

Since the teens had gone into the game thinking it would be an easy win and ended up being outscored, they have called for a rematch.

Another member of Priests Evangelizing Through Song is Father Joel Genabia, parochial vicar of St. Basil Parish in Vallejo. He said singing together reflects the spirit of the seminary experience.

“Singing is part of the whole rigor of the seminary. Every day we have music. It is part of life,” he said. “This is one way we can express ourselves as we evangelize.”

The priests will be singing next at a Mass where seminarians will be ordained to the transitional diaconate on Jan. 25 at St. Paul Parish.

Their first official concert will be next summer at St. Joseph Parish in Lincoln, followed by concerts at other parishes in the Sacramento area.

“We’re open for invitations to entertain at parish events,” said Father Gumapo, who has had several requests for the group to appear at events in the Stockton and Oakland Dioceses.

For more information, call Good Shepherd Parish at (916) 684-5722 or Father Cormac Lacre at (916) 683-9355.

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