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From a small gathering of Bicolanos united by their love of music and devotion to “Ina Peñafrancia,” the Our Lady of Peñafrancia Choir has grown into a vibrant musical ministry serving the Filipino Catholic community in Vienna. As the choir celebrates its 10th Anniversary, Choir Director and Conductor Ophelia Magistrado-Cortez looks back on a decade marked by faith, service, unity and devotion.
From a Simple Idea to a Cherished Choir
Ten years ago, the journey began very simply.
A small group of Bicolanos in Vienna came together, sharing two things close to their hearts: a love for music and a deep devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia, affectionately known as “Ina.” What started as a modest gathering eventually became a choir committed to serving through music within the Filipino Catholic Chaplaincy in Vienna.
An important part of that beginning was the spirit of collaboration within the Bicolano community.
During her term as President of the Bikol Society in Austria, Marizel Rojas began with a simple idea: to collaborate with the devotees of Ina, led by Ophelia Magistrado-Cortez. From those humble beginnings, the Our Lady of Peñafrancia Choir has grown into a cherished choir within the Filipino Catholic community in Vienna.
That initial collaboration helped bring together people who shared not only a love of music, but also a deep devotion to Ina Peñafrancia. What began as a simple initiative eventually developed into a lasting musical ministry.
For this meaningful collaboration and for helping plant the seeds from which the choir grew, the community extends its heartfelt thanks to Marizel Rojas.
For Magistrado-Cortez, the inspiration was deeply rooted in their identity as Bicolanos.
“What inspired us was our devotion to Ina as Bicolanos.”
From the beginning, the choir understood that singing was more than simply providing music for Mass. It was a form of service—a way of offering their talents to God and to the community. Their voices became part of the worship and spiritual life of Filipino Catholics living in Vienna.
A Bridge Through Music
Over the years, the Our Lady of Peñafrancia Choir has discovered an important role within the Filipino Catholic community: to be a bridge.
“When we sing Ama Namin or Magnificat in our own style, we remind everyone that faith has no distance,” Magistrado-Cortez explains.
Thousands of kilometres may separate Filipino migrants from their homeland, families and familiar traditions. Yet music can make those distances feel smaller. Through familiar prayers, Filipino expressions of faith and heartfelt songs, the choir helps bring a sense of home into the celebration of the Eucharist.
And when the voices of choir members come together, something even more powerful happens.
“But when we sing together, we are one community.”
It is a simple but profound description of the choir’s mission. Their music becomes a shared language of faith—one that transcends geography, generations and individual differences.
The Heart of the Choir: Ina Peñafrancia
At the centre of the choir’s identity is the Feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, a celebration that holds a particularly special place in the hearts of Bicolano devotees.
“The Feast of OLP is the heart of our choir. It is not just a celebration. It is our identity as devotees to Ina.”
For the choir, the feast is therefore much more than an annual event. It is an expression of their heritage, spirituality and devotion. Through music and service, the members are able to keep alive a cherished Bicolano tradition even while living in Austria.
The feast also brings the wider Filipino community together, creating an atmosphere of prayer, fellowship and cultural belonging.
Memories Written in Music
A decade of service naturally brings countless memories, but for Magistrado-Cortez, some moments stand out above the rest.
Among the most unforgettable experiences are singing during the fluvial procession and serving during Sunday Mass.
These moments capture the essence of what the choir has sought to do throughout its ten-year journey: not simply perform, but serve.
Whether singing inside the church or participating in a procession that carries the devotion to Ina into the wider community, the choir’s members offer their voices as an act of faith.
Looking to the Next Generation
As the Our Lady of Peñafrancia Choir marks its 10th Anniversary, Magistrado-Cortez is already looking toward the future.
Her greatest hope is simple: that the choir will continue to serve and that the next generation will eventually take over.
For her, the future of the choir is not measured only by musical excellence.
“I hope that the choir not only sings well but serves well—humble, united and faithful.”
Those words perhaps best capture the spirit of the past ten years. The choir’s legacy is not simply the songs it has sung, but the people it has served, the faith it has strengthened and the community it has helped unite.
From its humble beginnings as a small group of Bicolanos in Vienna—and through the early collaboration between Marizel Rojas, the Bikol Society in Austria, and the devotees of Ina led by Ophelia Magistrado-Cortez—the Our Lady of Peñafrancia Choir has spent a decade turning devotion into music and music into service.
As the voices of its members continue to rise in prayer and song, one thing remains at the heart of their journey: a deep love for music, a steadfast devotion to Ina Peñafrancia, and a commitment to serve God and community with humility, unity and faith.
Happy 10th Anniversary to the Our Lady of Peñafrancia Choir—and may the music of faith continue to bring Filipinos together in Vienna for many years to come.
- Hector Pascua/pictures: Opheliamagi Magistrado | Facebook
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