New Orleans Choir =Voices of Peter Claver= Win Rose d’Or

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IKON Dutch Television invited twenty-one choir members and Father Michael of the Voices of Peter Claver to Amsterdam and the Netherlands. The Gospel Concert in Paradiso was a joyous ending to their stay. Not only the recording from this beautiful concert and lots of swinging gospel music, there was also interlaced a documentary of the Katrina disaster in New Orleans.

The church of the choir, the St. Peter Claver Church, is located in the local community of New Orleans in the 9th parrish. The district was pauperized with much criminality, until the community church got a new pastor: Rev. Michael Jacques, more popularly know to all members as simply Father Michael. Father Michael made a difference. He took care and new facilities came to the district and a new self-confidence came to the parishioners. Although the poverty remained in the community, it became one of the safest districts of New Orleans.

Hurricane Katrina devastated most what had been renewed in many years of hard labor. The St. Peter Claver Church was destroyed and the parrish – as many other areas of New Orleans – was one great disaster area. The destruction also touched the members of the Voices of Peter Claver and their relatives. They were not put down and had the courage to continue what they loved most. Their music plays an important role and the characteristic Afro-American gospel is an important part of their lives.