A group of pop-singing nuns who call themselves Siervas (or “The Servants”) showcased their talent before the pope during his cross-border Mass in Juarez, Mexico on Wednesday.
The group went viral last year after the release of their first video “Confía en Dios” or “Trust in God” stunned viewers getting more than 365,000 views.
One of the nuns, Sister Monica Nobl expressed gratitude over the invitation to come perform for the Pope saying, “We are very happy…we never imagined that we would receive an invitation,” Sister Mónica Nobl told CNA Feb. 17.
“We posted our video online only a few months ago and couldn’t believe how popular it became,” Sister Monica said, “A Mexican priest watched it and messaged us saying, ‘Come to Mexico,’ so we did.”
The immediate reaction was “Of course! How can we not participate in this great event?” Sr. Monica said, adding that they were “very, very happy and very excited to participate.”
The 12 sisters in the group are all part of the community of the Servants of the Plan of God. Founded Aug. 15, 1998, in Peru, the community lives a life of full apostolic availability, evangelizing in the areas of youth, the family and culture, with a special emphasis on the fragile, ill, poor and suffering.
Late last year, the nuns released their first CD in Spanish, “Ansias que queman.”
One of the members of the group Sister Cindy who is the band’s standup bass player expressed her excitement saying:
“I went to the Brazil [in 2013] during the Pope’s trip there and got to see him in the popemobile, but never dreamed I would actually get to play for him,” she said. “Words cannot begin to express how overwhelmed I am.”
Sr. Monica explained that they compose different types of songs with a blend of rock, mixed with Gospel music for people’s entertainment, and this talent has won them great popularity among Catholics and other denominations.
“We prepared a variety of songs to encourage people,” she said, “and our rhythms are well motivated,” since they are a mix of pop, rock and Latin pop genres.
Majority of the comments on their “Confia en Dios” video in YouTube from Non-Catholics say that despite the fact they don’t believe in the Catholic’s way of Christian fellowship, they think it’s an amazing song that speaks humanity on every level.
The group actually hopes to reveal that even Catholic music can be composed with the highest musical standards.
The Nuns who are already recording their second album are collaborating with prominent musical producers in both Peru and the United States.
To perform in a place like the violent and conflicted border between Mexico and the United States “excites us a lot because this is why we do music, so that the message of the faith arrives to and crosses borders, and arrives above all to those who suffer most,” Sister Monica said speaking on significance of their trip to Mexico.
“Our mission is to help those in need. We assist poor people, those who suffer. So it is very meaningful and very symbolic for us to be in Ciudad Juarez, which suffers a lot,” she added.
