The Diocesan Choir of the Diocese of Birmingham is preparing to start a new year. After a short break for the Christmas season, rehearsals will resume the last week of January for the Birmingham and Huntsville regions. Every other week, singers from around the diocese gather to practice at a designated parish: one in Birmingham and one in Huntsville. The two ensembles join together for diocesan celebrations.

The choir is growing in numbers and quality, and a beautiful community is being formed in friendship and music. The Diocesan Choir is a non-auditioned volunteer choir and is meant to represent the variety of backgrounds present in the diocese. The invitation to join the choir is always enthusiastically open, especially now as the choir begins a new year.

New this year is the invitation to instrumental musicians of the diocese to join the new Diocesan Instrumental Ensemble. This group, like the choir, will have a similar aim in accompanying and playing for various diocesan liturgies. A rehearsal schedule will be determined once the ensemble is formed.

Among some of the highlights for the coming year are the Chrism Mass, adult confirmation for the Great Vigil of Pentecost, ordination to the priesthood, and the festival liturgy for the Diocesan Eucharistic Revival to be held at the Shrine of Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville.

Another highlight is a Lenten presentation similar in style to the Christmas at the Cathedral event.

Birmingham Diocesan Choir rehearsals will start at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 31 at St. Peter Catholic Church in Hoover. The church is located at 2061 Patton Chapel Rd. The Huntsville Diocesan Choir rehearsals will start at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 3 at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Huntsville. The church is located at 13550 Chaney Thompson Rd., S.E.