"Doing What We Do Best:" A Joyful Noise in Belgrade

The kindness of friends and strangers enabled a group of New Jersey teens to bring beauty to a corner of Europe that has witnessed war and heartache for generations.

On the Road to Belgrade, Teens Encounter History and Create Beauty

I decided not to blog about Stretto Youth Orchestra's tour of Europe, even though I had asked readers to contribute money to helping some of the needier musicians afford it. That's because our son, nearly 17, is on the trip and likely wouldn't appreciate his mom giving moment-by-moment accounts from New Jersey of the journey that I could glean from his instagram account and his messages to me. This is his journey, not mine. 

That said, I thought it would be okay to share an email that all the orchestra parents received today from Sherri Anderson, founder and leader of the group. This will move you. Thank you to those who helped to pay for this journey and to those of you who continue to send out your good wishes and prayers.

Krist Kralj (Христ краљ) and His Church Are Everywhere

Never can the Roman Catholic Church be accused of being groovy. But I gotta say, its universality makes it come pretty darned close.

Tonight, in about five minutes, I was able to find online an 11:30 a.m. Catholic Mass, in English, in downtown Belgrade, Serbia, for our son. Gabriel will be in that city on July 30 with his chamber music orchestra. Gabriel plugged that time and location into his iPod. If it turns out that Mass time doesn't work for him, he also has the option of going to the 8 a.m. Mass in Slovenian or the 10 a.m. Mass in Serbian.  I just emailed the pastor to check, but our son said he feels comfortable attending Mass in any language.

"It's all the same Mass," he just told me.