Ever since its foundation as the official choir at St. George’s Basilica during 1975, the Chorus Urbanus and its members have always cherished truth as an absolute value. The recent article uploaded on St. George’s Parish official website about our Choir’s thirtieth anniversary celebration contains gross inaccuracies and even tries to slander our organisation vis-à-vis the Laudate Pueri choir, the other choir that started life at the basilica as a children’s choir in 1976.  In this article about Chorus Urbanus, the unnamed author dwells upon      

 “ …the Laudate Pueri Choir, which was officially set up by the then numerous seminarians of St George’s , has its roots in the outstanding musical past of the Victoria parish. This choir remained faithful to its original ethos and has always given unstinting and loyal service to St George’s …” 

Although not stated, this mud-slinging statement comes to imply that the other choir [Chorus Urbanus] never gave unstinting and loyal service to the Basilica. Moreover it is the Laudate Pueri choir that has deliberately not observed its original ‘ethos’ [click on the image to read the letter of recruitment signed sem. J. Farrugia]  that was proclaimed black on white by its founder, the present archpriest Mgr. Joseph Farrugia, then still a seminarian.

The truth is that some years after the setting up of both basilica choirs, some seminarians started to take part in the Good Friday Liturgy during the Adoration of the Cross and eventually started to team up with Laudate Pueri under the direction of George Frendo, then also a seminarian. Thus the original ‘ethos’ was already being bypassed under the tenures of the late Mgr. Mercieca and Mgr. Borg as archpriests of the Basilica. But a ‘modus vivendi’ always prevailed until the installation of Mgr. Joseph Farrugia, when Chorus Urbanus was forced to opt for independence as serious threats to its existence were being mooted in the air. These threats were already preceded by Archpriest Farrugia’s arbitrary and unilateral decision that the Chorus Urbanus will cease to take part in the services that were assigned to it ever since its foundation. These were in turn given to the Laudate Pueri, the Archpriest’s blue-eyed choir. This is the painful truth that has been manipulated by the author of the article on the website.  

Chorus Urbanus knows its foundation as a parish choir, and it fulfilled all its obligations during the first twenty five years of its existence, by providing an excellent team of dedicated amateurs who have given their time in favour of St. George’s Basilica. This did not only include the major feasts and the various Sundays but also the liturgical observances of lesser feasts and various novenas that are celebrated in the basilica. The members never ‘conceded’ their participation but did so in an act of pure support and collaboration with the parish without any financial remuneration. Moreover, it was always totally elbowed out during the July feast of St. George.  

The Choir has never excluded anyone from joining its ranks and will never do so. It boasts of an all-inclusive choir that however aims high in artistic choral excellence. It suffices to say that the suggestion that both choirs should unite for services like St. Michael’s and St. George’s feast came from our quarters.  It has never turned down invitations from other parishes that desired its services. It did only decline a one-time offer of a couple of services tendered by Archpriest Farrugia during the centenary year of St. George (2003), which services were designed to take place outside the basilica perimeters.  After the Chorus Urbanus  services were usurped by the other basilica choir, it was certainly not a move that could help to heal the divisions brought about by the founder of the Laudate Pueri choir, once assuming the pastoral care of the parish.

At least now, contrary to what has regularly happened in the past, the Archpriest has pronounced himself publicly that he is ready to grant permission for Chorus Urbanus to sing at St. George’s church whenever it is asked to do so by private parties during weddings and funerals. We appreciate his latest move and the statement as reported in web-site article in question.  We welcome the pronouncement that he is happy to accede to our wishes when Chorus Urbanus wishes to hold any activities, sacred or cultural in the Basilica precincts.  

The Committee 

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