Nuestra Alegría/Our Joy
By Iván Díaz
Iconic Catholic songs beloved among English-speakers are now available in a bilingual and Spanish format.
View Songs
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Alleluia! Love Is Alive/¡Aleluya! Vive el Amor
Iván Díaz, a prominent figure in bilingual worship music, masterfully provides new versions of songs with which multicultural assemblies will quickly become familiar. As Catholic communities in the U.S. evolve and incorporate the Spanish language into their worship services (or add new Spanish Masses), the music that serves God will evolve too.
Iván teamed up with well-known Catholic composers to offer songs that have become classics among English liturgy in a bilingual format. However, Iván’s project didn’t stop there. Alongisde Fr. Juan Sosa, he carefully developed all-Spanish lyrics to the songs that were previously only available in English; or in some cases, English lyrics to Spanish songs and hymns. Iván’s goal was to build a bridge that would unite bilingual communities as they worship together in liturgy. Through collaborations, deep faith and musical and ministerial experience, Iván’s new collection is helping to build this bridge.
Some collaborative highlights include: “Alleluia! Love Is Alive/¡Aleluya! Vive el Amor,” developed with Steve Angrisano, Jesse Manibusan and Sarah Hart; as well as “Give Us Your Peace/ Danos Tu Paz,” with the latter two. Tom Booth is present in two songs, “Nuestra Alegría/Our Joy,” the youth theme song for V Encuentro and “Sacred Silence/Paz Sagrada.” Curtis Stephan, Chris Muglia and Anna Betancourt are also part of this collection.
Iván composed “Aquí Estoy/Here I Am,” for World Youth Day Panama 2019 with Fr. Rob Galea, managing to add new rhythms and make worship songs accessible to younger generations, and to both English and Spanish speakers. Now, the songs in Nuestra Alegría/Our Joy, with melodies that choir directors, musicians and community members already know, can easily be learned in a new language and incorporated into multicultural liturgy.
“Nuestra Alegría/Our Joy is a blessing for the growing Hispanic community in this country. The dream of creating a new collection of contemporary bilingual songs began after a night of praise and worship I spent with Sarah Hart, ValLimar Jansen, Steve Angrisano, Jesse Manibusan, Cooper Ray, and Tom Booth in San Jose, California, two years ago. I was the only Hispanic singer in the group and I felt that the beautiful Spirit & Song repertoire that we had performed that night should be translated into Spanish. I wanted to share the joy, poetry, music, and faith of these songs with young people and with everyone around the world…I want to dedicate this collection to the brave Hispanic Youth and Young Adult Ministers that are lifting up so many souls to the heart of Christ. Please, don’t give up! You are not alone in this journey. It is my hope that these songs will be used by the Holy Spirit to renew your communities.”
—Iván Díaz
Track Listing
Alleluia! Love Is Alive/¡Aleluya! Vive el Amor (S. Angrisano/J. Manibusan/S. Hart) | Give Us Your Peace/Danos Tu Paz (J. Manibusan/S. Hart) | Miracle of Grace/Milagro de Gracia (C. Stephan) | Nuestra Alegría/Our Joy (I. Díaz) | Sacred Silence/Paz Sagrada (T. Booth) | Our God Is Here/Dios Está Aquí (C. Muglia) | Fly Like a Bird/Suba Mi Alma (K. Canedo) | Bendito, Bendito/O Blessed Be Our God (Trad./Arr. I. Díaz)