COR Courage and Solidarity Award

Old St. Patrick’s
700 W. Adams
January 18, 2006
7:00 p.m.

Catholic Schools Opposing Racism hosted the sixth annual COR in Concert and the first presentation of the COR Courage & Solidarity Award at Old St. Patrick’s Church downtown on Wednesday, January 18, 2006.

Over 450 students from 14 high schools and two grammar schools in the Archdiocese and from Gimnasio Fontana School in Colombia celebrated by singing out against racism and for harmony at COR in Concert. The concert began with all of the students joining together to sing “Why We Sing” by Greg Gilpin and ended with all students singing “Go Make a Difference” by Steven Angrisano and Tom Tomaszek.

In between, schools sang everything from the sacred a capella sounds of “Salmo 150” by Emani Aguiar to the joyful gospel praise of “Brighter Day” by Kirk Franklin to the uplifting song written just for COR—“We Are Cor”—by Robin Edwards. In keeping with the 2005-2006 COR Theme of Journeys of Hope: Immigrant Stories, students sang in a variety of languages, such as English, Spanish, Latin and Hebrew. Each song was introduced by a Catholic grade school student who read a prayer he or she wrote for inclusion in the concert. To view all submitted prayers please visit our website (see www.racebridges.net/cor).

The evening began with a welcome by Patricia Nolan-Fitzgerald, principal of Queen of Peace High School and director of COR, and Suzanne Wille, COR Coordinator. Christie Billups offered the opening prayer. Midway through the concert the COR Courage & Solidarity Award was presented to Ailia Ali, a senior at Mt. Assisi Academy, for her efforts to work for unity after the attacks of 9-11 by sharing the truth of her Muslim faith with the students at her school.

High schools that performed in the concert: Carmel High School, De La Salle Institute, Fenwick High School, Gimnasio Fontana School, Guerin College Preparatory, Hales Franciscan High School, Maria High School, Marian Catholic High School, McAuley Liberal Arts High School, Mt. Assisi Academy, Nazareth Academy, St. Patrick High School, Queen of Peace High School, St. Scholastica Academy, and Seton Academy. Grammar schools that performed in the concert: St. Bernardine Grammar School and St. Gall Grammar School.

Students who prayed before the songs came from the following grade schools: St. Albert the Great, St. Alexander School, St. Benedict School, Bridgeport Catholic Academy, St. Daniel the Prophet, St. Francis Xavier, St. John Berchmans School, St. Philip Neri, Pope John XXIII School, and St. Symphorosa School.

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