by David Karas, Correspondent | Catholic Star Herald

Composer, author and award-winning performer M. Roger Holland II has a background in classical music, with his primary instrument being the piano. In his studies of music, he spent time focusing on Gospel and liturgical music, rubbing shoulders with renowned liturgists and composers – and eventually writing his own Mass setting.

“As I got older, I realized there wasn’t much music available for the liturgy that reflected the culture and aesthetics of the Black community,” Holland said. “I therefore found it important to compose some myself, so that Black Catholics could worship and ‘sing the Mass’ in a manner that was authentic to us.”