Wrapped in Mercy, Hope Renewed
GIA was proud to exhibit and sponsor a variety of artists at this year's Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, celebrating the theme "Wrapped in Mercy, Hope Renewed".
Celebrating the Theme
Reflecting on this year’s theme, Sr. Rosalia Meza, Director of the Office of Religious Education writes:
“Wrapped in Mercy, Hope Renewed”—the theme of the 2026 Religious Education Congress and our 70th Anniversary—is an invitation to encounter God’s merciful love and to rekindle the hope our world so deeply longs for. As we gather to celebrate 70 years of RECongress, we give thanks to God for the journey that has brought us here—a journey sustained by God’s unwavering presence. Through seasons of joy and struggle, the mercy of God has gently wrapped us, reminding us that we are never alone, and is especially present in the richness of our diverse communities.
We were especially proud to partner in the celebrating of this theme by sponsoring the Congress theme song. Wrapped in Mercy, Hope Renewed was composed by GIA composer Damaris Thillet.
The full song can be streamed on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.
Introducing Tu Pueblo Canta
One of the major highlights for GIA this year was the debut of our forthcoming Spanish hymnal Tu Pueblo Canta. In the forward of the hymnal, editor Pete Kolar writes:
Tu Pueblo Canta is more than a book; it is a treasure that enshrines the journey of the Hispanic/Latin-American people, radiates their love of tradition, and gleams well into the future for those who will behold, learn from, and improve upon its musical riches.
Hymnal committee members Julio De León, Peter Kolar, Santiago Fernandez, Kate Williams, Lesly Palacios Castillo and Damaris Thillet presented the resource to a packed and enthusiastic audience. Follow Tu Pueblo Canta on Facebook and Instagram for more related content, updates, and information.
The Music & Liturgy Track
For the second year, RECongress hosted a Music & Liturgy track designed to offer practical skills, fresh perspectives, and inspiration to elevate parish celebrations.
In her session, To Sing Is to Pray Twice! Kate Williams shared story and song as we journeyed through this powerful form of worship as a way to deepen our community’s connection with the divine. A variety of new releases from GIA’s sacred music catalog were shared.
GIA composer Tony Alonso, offered an inspiring address titled I Will Lift My Eyes: Renewing Hope in Challenging Times. What does it mean to be wrapped in mercy and renewed in hope in uncertain times? Drawing on song and rich theological reflection, this session offered insight on discerning the shape of a hope that will not disappoint.
In The Cost of Hospitality, M. Roger Holland II argued that the act of hospitality has greater application when we consider Catholic social teaching which emphasizes the imago Dei inherent in all people. His session explored a Catholic understanding of welcome and how we can be radical in our expression of hospitality that is sacrificial and sacramental.
Along with Michael Ruzicki from Liturgical Training Publications, Kate Williams presented You Are God’s Work of Art: Music and Liturgy from the Rituals of the OCIA. This workshop surveyed the rites, explored hymns and acclamations, and offered practical methods for enriching a community’s liturgical celebrations. This session featured recent collections of music for the OCIA: Blessed Be God by Tony Alonso, You Are God’s Work of Art by Donna Kasbohm, and We Believe in You, O Christ by Chaz Bowers.
GIA Music at Liturgies
GIA artists M. Roger Holland II, Santiago Fernandez, and Meredith Augustin were among those selected to lead music for Masses at Congress.
Additionally, Marty Haugen, along with Bob Hurd, led a contemplative prayer service on Saturday evening featuring his new collection Open Our Hearts. To read more about this collection, check out our previous post here.
We were proud to have two Mass settings, The Sound of My People by M. Roger Holland II, and Song of the Spirit Mass by Tony Alonso featured in Eucharistic liturgies at the Congress.
Many more songs and resources than we were able to cover here were featured at RECongress 2026. We are thankful to everyone who came to our sessions and stopped by the booth. We can’t wait for next year!