Mater Dei: Twelve years of friendship, songs, prayers and purpose

Mater Dei Music Ministry is a group of students and young professionals that started in 2010 as a quartet parish choir from San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish in the town of Macabebe in Pampanga. Macabebe, a town that is situated on the southern side of the province towards the banks of the Pampanga River. Its name may have been from Makabibe for its abundance of shells and maybe ducks or perhaps translation of which loosely means that it is surrounded by rivers. 

They chose the name “Mater Dei” which is the Virgin Mary’s Latin title meaning Mother of God. This also shows the closeness and devotion of the group to the Pampanga’s Patroness Virgen de los Remedios.

In the beginning, the group would sing whenever members were available for Saturday anticipated masses. Currently their schedule is almost always filled with invitations to sing for parishes within the Archdiocese of San Fernando, Pampanga. Mater Dei has gained recognition even outside the province and has performed in concerts and events organized by Hangad and Bukas Palad. 

Kenneth Yumang, the group’s Musical Director, shares the group vision of “Our voices, your prayers.” Their mission is to lead people to prayer through songs. This guided them to do more than being a choir during masses. 

Yearly, Mater Dei has been celebrating their anniversary. This year to celebrate the group’s vision, mission and support activities of the parishes, they have mounted a benefit concert for Bahay Pag-ibig Home for the Aged, a care home for the elderly and abandoned Lolo’s and Lola’s. 

The concert titled: Twelve Years of Christmas will be held on Dec 10, 2022, 7:00 pm at the Bahay Pag-ibig Grounds in Telebastagan, San Fernando, Pampanga. It will also feature performances from the Ateneo Chamber Singers, who graciously donated their time and talent to support this benefit concert. In partnership with Limang Siglo, POP! as the official online media partner, TV Maria, Solar, Veritas as the media broadcast partners, sponsored by Central Luzon TV, Potang Bengi, The Red Crab, HDI, United Neon, Human Nature, Solar Resources, and Teravibe. 

Tickets for this benefit concert are available at the Bahay Pag-ibig Home for Aged or through the Facebook Page of Mater Dei. You can also contact Mater Dei thru this number: +63-917-899-0679.

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