Con todo el corazón (With all our heart)

Enter the Basilica of the Sacred Heart during the 3:30 Sunday Mass, and you’ll hear a choir singing the tunes of the same church songs you remember—except the lyrics are in Spanish. Or you may hear some different melodies that bring new meaning to the word catholic, or universal.

Coro Primavera, Notre Dame’s Spanish choir, sings every Sunday at La Misa en Español in the Basilica. The choir treats each Mass as a celebration that not only uplifts the spirit, but also fosters a profound sense of belonging and pride, where the richness of Latino heritage shines through. That’s the goal for Jaimie Lopez-Alvarez, a senior and Coro’s co-president.

“Coro, for me, is really a space to de-stress and step aside from the busyness of campus, and it also helps me feel closer to home because I’m also part of a choir back home, so I feel really connected to my culture,” she said. “Being so far from home, it reminds me of my family, but it also helps me grow my faith in a different way, incorporating my love for music and song.”

Coro’s motto is worshiping “con todo el corazón,” meaning with all our heart. Lopez said Coro strives to build community and promote Latino culture through song, faith, and artistic performances at religious and cultural events on campus, such as Feed Your Faith and Art Attack. Coro recently sang at a Mass for Somos ND, a year-long University effort to honor the history and legacy of Latino and Hispanic contributions to Notre Dame. In early October, Coro hosted a Somos ND celebration to welcome new members.

“Not only do we sing at the Spanish Mass, but we also participate in other cultural events, like Day of the Dead celebrations,” Lopez said. “We also sing at the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and then we have our big Easter celebration as well.”

From the people who join Coro to its initiatives and its leaders, Coro strives to create an accessible environment for all its members. Lopez said the group and its director, Benito Salazar, welcome all students of all backgrounds.

“I came in as a director for liturgical music for the Masses when we were doing them in Dillon Hall, and then after COVID, we ended up transitioning over into the Basilica,” said Salazar, who has been Coro’s director since 2017. “So my main role is just guiding the students into learning all the liturgical music and planning and preparing the Masses.”

Coro Primavera open to all

Coro began as a small club in 1991, Salazar said, and the choir would sing “here and there.” Now, besides the 3:30 Sunday Mass in Spanish, there are more “pop-up events,” where members sing at dinners and for alumni at tailgates. Salazar said what makes Coro unique is the fact that it is a no-cut club.

“Coro is very open to any students on all three campuses—Holy Cross, Saint Mary’s, and Notre Dame,” Salazar said. “They do not hold an audition process, compared to all the other choirs on campus. It’s welcoming to anybody at whatever level.

“If you’re a first-time singer or a musician, I help train you just so you can be a part of it. So it’s already a family group just within Coro.”

Coro is not limited to Latino students or Spanish speakers; many of its members speak only English. By joining Coro, they are able to practice their Spanish-speaking skills through singing.

Coro also holds events to build connections for members within the club and within the South Bend community, such as prayer events for St. Adalbert’s Church, a predominantly Latino local parish. Once or twice per year, the choir holds retreats where members can bond. Salazar said Coro has positively impacted the lives of the students.

“They have grown more friendships and more community, especially having that joy of singing and no one is judging,” Salazar said. “We always have little groups that end up becoming family within themselves, and you see that it’s community.”

Both Lopez and Salazar have aspirations for Coro. The club has helped draw visitors to the Basilica who are looking to attend a Mass in Spanish—but the leaders hope to expand in other areas.

“I would love to see Coro grow in size and be able to participate in other events on campus,” Lopez said, “maybe adding new instruments and seeing how Coro can really stand out, as well.”

Salazar said that even though their choir is small, the main thing he wants people to know is that they are a very welcoming group that is looking to grow.

“We’re not at the level that most choirs are, but we’ve seen growth just throughout the few years I’ve been here,” Salazar said. “We just want people to know that we are always accepting.”