Abstract
The cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, or the Twin Cities as they are often referred to, are hubs of diverse cultures and ethnicities. Likewise, the Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis is made up of many churches that cater to specific cultural traditions. Even though these churches fulfill the needs of different communities, they have unconsciously created a sort of segregation within the archdiocese since each community’s style of worship is independent and often detached from others. Kékéli, a forthcoming multicultural music ministry, seeks to break the cultural barriers that were inadvertently generated by these distinct parishes. One of the principal ways by which Kékéli intends to achieve this massive task is by introducing the cultures of these various parish communities to the broader churches of the archdiocese using one song at a time. This will be done through initial contact with specific parishes followed by more in-depth interactions and by learning at least one song that is representative of their cultural and worship tradition. The songs will then be performed at various churches and archdiocesan events with the intention of introducing other faithful to these beautiful traditions, hoping that in due course, all will embrace the diverse musical heritage of their Christian brothers and sisters around the Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. The purpose of this paper was to gather evidential information regarding the historical role of music and its usage in diverse societal contexts while suggesting an integrated multicultural outlet for music in this archdiocese.