16/04/2026
SEXUAL IMMORALITY IN THE CHOIR: An Open Letter to All Catholic Choirs
Dear beloved members of our Catholic choirs. I write this message with both love and concern.
I have always been, and I will always remain, a strong supporter of our Catholic choirs. You bring life to our liturgy. Through your voices, the faithful are lifted into prayer, hearts are consoled, and the Holy Mass becomes even more spiritually alive. Time and again, I have spoken in support of choirs and even encouraged that they be supported materially as a way of appreciating the beauty they bring to worship.
I love you deeply for your service to the Church.
But it is precisely because your ministry is so beautiful and powerful that it often becomes a battlefield. Wherever there is grace, Satan the enemy seeks entry. Wherever there is beauty in worship, temptation tries to corrupt it.
Sadly, we must admit that in many parishes, serious moral failures, unhealthy relationships, seduction of young priests, rivalry, scandal, homosexuality, lesbianism and different forms of sexual misconduct have found their way into choir groups. A ministry once admired not only for purity of voice but also for purity of life is, in some parishes, losing its spiritual focus.
The choir is not merely a social club or organization. It is not a networking space, nor a stage for emotional manipulation or hidden misconduct. It is a sacred ministry. Those who stand before the altar to lead others in praise must remember that they are ministers of worship.
We must sing not only with beautiful voices, but with beautiful hearts. This is therefore a wake-up call.
Every Catholic choir should consider having a mandatory monthly retreat or recollection, even if only for a few hours. Invite a priest, a religious, or a spiritually mature guide to offer direction, confession, prayer, and honest reflection. Let there be moments of Eucharistic adoration, examination of conscience, and renewed commitment to holy living. A choir that prays together stays pure together. A choir that sings together must also grow together in virtue.
Never forget, Jesus loves your voice, but He loves your soul even more. Let your harmony before the microphone be matched by harmony in your conscience. Let the beauty of your sound reflect the beauty of your life.
This is a call to return to the sacredness of your ministry.
May every Catholic choir become once again a school of prayer, discipline, purity, friendship, and holiness. Sing for heaven. Live for heaven too.
Satan has a special interest in the choir. Perhaps it is because music and praise are among the most pronounced realities in heaven itself. The choir, more than many other departments, mirrors the worship of the angels before the throne of God. And because of that sacred beauty, the devil seeks tirelessly to infiltrate, corrupt, and destroy it.
This is why choir members must be doubly vigilant, guarding not only the harmony of their voices, but also the holiness of their lives. The battle around the choir is often deeper than we imagine, because what is meant to echo heaven must never be allowed to become an instrument of scandal.
May your songs always rise like incense before God, and may your lives remain as pure as the praises you offer.
Although this message is addressed in a special way to Catholic choirs, its call extends far beyond one church. It is a message to all Christian choirs and music ministries, whether in Catholic, Pentecostal, Evangelical, or Protestant communities, including ministries such as Dunamis Choir, Living Faith Choir, Deeper Life Choir, and every group dedicated to leading God’s people in worship.
Rev fr Prince Chidi Philip
