Voices Found

  Voices Found:  The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Matthew, Mark, Luke and John say nothing about Mary's parents.     The earliest known account of her birth is found in the  Protoevangelium of James  (5:2), an apocryphal text from the late second century, with her parents known as Anne and Joachim. The Protoevangelium of James describes Mary's father Joachim as a wealthy member of one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. He and his wife Anne were deeply grieved by their childlessness. (The Lectionary home page) When babies are born mothers sing!   (Patricia Adkins Chiti, founder of the International Foundation Adkins Chiti: Donne in Musica) Patricia Adkins Chiti, president and founder of Donne in Musica supported Voices Found even before its  publication.  At her invitation I presented our work for the St. Brigid Celebrations at the Vatican in 2000 where the Voices Found Sampler was distributed internationally with the blessing of St. John ...

  Image above is a painting that adorns the Flower Room in the Church of Bethesda By the Sea in Palm Beach, Florida Magnificat!   Voices Found  # 152 My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in you, O God my savior, for you have looked with favor on your lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: you, the Almighty, have done great things for me, and holy is your name. You have mercy on those who fear you from generation to generation. You have shown the strength of your arm and have scattered the proud in their conceit, Casting down the mighty from their thrones and lifting up the lowly. You have filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. You have come to the help of your servant Isreal, for you have remembered your promise of mercy, The promise you made to our forebears, to Abraham and his children forever. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning...