Posted on 08/12/2006 2:13:24 PM PDT by Carolina
Building bridges, creating unity, and recognizing that all are one in the body of the Lord --- regardless of cultural, ideological, musical and liturgical differences --- were themes stressed by speakers at the National Pastoral Musicians' Western Regional Convention in Sacramento Aug. 1-4.
"We need to resist going down the black hole of anger regarding how we translate our texts, what we will sing, or which musical styles are most appropriate for our Masses," said liturgical composer David Haas in his convention-opening keynote Aug. 1. "Because we still have something wonderful to sing about: God is still here, calling all of us to receive what we have been given from God as gift and give it back lavishly in service to the Lord and one another."
The convention at the Sacramento Radisson Hotel was attended by 600 people --- mostly church musicians but also liturgists and clergy --- from 33 states (principally California), the District of Columbia and from Canada, Australia, Ireland and Korea. They participated in 44 workshops, several prayer services and a Eucharistic liturgy at the recently renovated Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in downtown Sacramento, with host Bishop William Weigand presiding.
The Sacramento convention was one of three regional events held this year by NPM, the country's largest religious-affiliated music association with 9,000 members. The attendees were welcomed by Sacramento Auxiliary Bishop Richard Garcia who referred to the convention theme --- "What You Receive, Give As Gift " --- in his welcoming remarks.
"God has given us the gift of temperatures that are not 115 degrees," he smiled, referring to the lengthy heat wave that blanketed the state for much of July. "You breathe in life-giving air and transform it into song. God blesses this whole community through the work you do, sharing your God given gifts in the service of his people."
Minnesota-based Haas --- one of the country's most noted liturgical composers of the last 25 years ("Blest Are They," "You Are Mine") --- observed that many liturgists and musicians strive, and rightly so, to encourage assemblies to sing better or to provide quality music for their Sunday celebrations. Yet, he pointed out, the often-neglected role of the pastoral musician in fostering "true full, active and conscious participation" --- the oft-cited phrase from Vatican II's Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy --- involves something much deeper.
"The primary focus of all liturgical and catechetical mission-based service is Jesus Christ, who never wrote a document himself but who did call us to love one another," said Haas. "That is the common ground we should look for. Everything we do as musicians must point to Christ, must deepen our relationship with him. But do our efforts, our deeds and behaviors, actually do that? Are we in this ministry together as one in Christ, or are we trying to pull down and sabotage one another?"
Haas lamented the tendency in some parishes to develop "red state/blue state" mentalities where, he noted, the attitude is often, "You not only cannot disagree with me, but there is something wrong with you and I have to stop you."
"We have to stop fighting, put down our swords, truly love one another --- intentionally and unconditionally --- and listen to one another in love," he said. "Because these debates are tearing us apart."
Haas urged music leaders to reject "musical snobbery of any kind"; to expand their parishes' musical repertoire beyond "what you like"; and to learn from their assemblies and "listen to their voices," for the liturgical celebration is not about how well one sings or plays music. "As pastoral musicians, we must decrease and our assemblies must increase," he said.
A principal difficulty in building bridges and unifying parish communities can be language and culture, a challenge addressed in a workshop led by composers Pedro Rubalcava and Peter Kolar. They invited their audience to reflect on terminologies used in planning celebrations --- multicultural, mulilingual, cross-cultural, intercultural --- and to reflect on how the composition of the parish community compares with that of the parish leadership.
The music and liturgical leaders present at the workshop noted that their challenges ranged from choir members who absolutely refused to sing in language that wasn't English, to saying "no" to liturgical requests by members of another culture, even for good, sound liturgical reasons.
True intercultural liturgical celebrations, the presenters said, cannot happen by simply using a song or reading from another language, but rather must begin by connecting with parishioners outside of liturgy and genuinely learning to know and appreciate the ethnic communities apart from their own.
"Seek first to understand, then to be understood," added Msgr. Ray East of Washington D.C., who gave the conference's closing keynote talk Aug. 4. In his Aug. 3 workshop, Msgr. East stressed the "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" (the book by Stephen R. Covey) as a starting point for building a stronger community and tearing down "walls of style, culture, our own comfort zones" that often divide.
The effort, he said, includes both enabling and allowing all --- especially those who have not traditionally held influence --- to have a voice. "Ask yourself, who in your parish community is not being heard? Who is being misunderstood?" And he urged music ministers to reject the "my way/your way, win/lose" methodology of decision-making. "Synergize," he suggested. "It isn't about my way or your way, it's about our way. It's about solving problems, celebrating the other, honoring the other."
Auxiliary Bishop Jaime Soto of Orange, in a workshop following his keynote talk Aug. 2, noted that different ethnic cultures --- especially those newer to a particular parish where another culture has been dominant --- often develop their own structures for becoming involved in parish ministry, and over time may become more intertwined in the life of the parish. But he pointed out that in any parish, those interested in promoting genuine unity and participation by all should not underestimate the importance of hospitality.
"If you want good musicians and talented people of any kind to emerge, you have to create that space where they feel welcome and invited to step forward to share their gifts," he said.
Bishop Soto added that, in dealing with issues and challenges rooted in a parish's cultural diversity, pastors must be both interested and active as part of the unity-building process. At the same time, because pastors' assignments "are not forever," it is imperative that parishes have structures and processes in place --- like parish councils --- that can address such issues long-term.
"Pastors, and bishops for that matter, need to invest in lay leadership," Bishop Soto said. "The pastor can be a bridge, but after a while it is unfair to expect him to always be the moderator."
The music minister's spirituality was addressed by Sister of Mercy Suzanne Toolan in her Aug. 3 keynote talk. The composer of one of the church's most popular post-Vatican II hymns ("I Am the Bread of Life"), Sister Toolan --- now ministering at Mercy Center in Burlingame, Calif. --- urged music ministers to "stay in touch" with their spiritual selves in order to best perform their ministry.
"To be a Christian minister of any kind means, first of all, to be a believing person," said Sister Toolan. "That means to be continually developing a deeper relationship with God, and doing so in the community, in the world and for the world, at liturgy and in personal prayer."
Being a music minister, Sister Toolan continued, means wanting to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ, and "to use our skills and gifts, our insights and imaginations, to touch people's hearts.
And to do that, she said, music ministers must connect themselves to the Word of God so that it may be proclaimed and communicated through music in a way that simply speaking the word cannot.
"As music ministers, we are servants of prayer," she said. "We are people of the Word, guided by the Gospel of Jesus. We need to let the energy of the Word be integrated into every part of our lives. We need to be people of prayer."
Finally, Sister Toolan urged her audience to continually remind themselves of why they became music ministers. "Give attention to why, as well as how, we do our ministry," she said. "Jesus has risen, and we are here to proclaim that Good News. We have many challenges, but if we can be a truly Christian community we can be the hope for the world Jesus asks us to be."
Anthems: O Taste and See (Vaughn Williams) and the Ubi Caritas (first the chant, then the beautiful Durufle setting).
Barn-burner of a homily from our parochial vicar.
Ubi Caritas is sublime and Durufle's setting is one that I sing in times of distress. This setting, Howells' Mag and Nunc, and David Hurd's "Love Bade Me Welcome" were the signature pieces of my former Episcopal choir. I had to pop in a couple of our CDs just to cleanse my mind of "Oh, taste and seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, taste and seeeeeeeeeeeeee, the gooooooooooooooooooodness aaaaaaaaaahv the Loooooooooooooooord, oh, taste and seeeeeeeeeeee....ad nauseum"
We sing a combination of both the old and the new. Our music liturgy tries to align itself with whatever the scripture readings are for that day. As my choir director was telling me last night, it can be difficult to find old music that aligns itself with the scriptures for the day. Maybe the move is more toward an emphasis on the scriptures rather than the mass parts? Or am I wrong to assume that the old music did not do this? I don't profess to be an expert in that area. I am trying to think how "Panis Angelicus" fits into scripture (I'm sure it must) but I think you can definitely see scripture in the newer music, it's almost word for word. I have sung my whole life. I have a great love for the great old hymns, the great latin pieces. I love that they magnify God. I would be fine with just singing that. However, I am not sure that everyone would feel that way. You aren't going to please everyone all of the time. I will say though, that when I see things like "Paroties of the new hymns". I do not find it funny. I find it very unchristian and judgmental. (And forgive me Lord, because that statement is probably just as judgemental). I think there is a better way to make a point. When people start lowering themselves to that kind of mockery it makes me want to shut my ears. If there is a want, a need, to go back to the original music of the church. Let's find a mature path there. When we make fun and change lyrics in that music, it is no different than mocking scripture itself. And my body would tremble in fear of God doing that.
I'm sure I'll get ripped a new seam for stating these things. And I am not trying to cause problems. I'm just not sure that it is the message that you want to convey. If I were a non-christian and I saw that kind of thing in the church, I would run. As Christians, our actions speak very loudly.
I too, am a big believe that choirs are not performers. I cringe every time someone claps at the end of mass! The glory and praise go to God alone. But if the music can bring people closer to God, if the music causes someone to study more, to go home and pray more.. then I see that only as a good thing in God's eyes.
Okay, so that's the other side of the story. Please don't think that I don't understand the push for a return to the old music. I'm just not sure the way to do it is through bashing the new.
This message is a general one and not targeted to any one person! I'm not trying to offend anybody!!! :)
Hurd is one of the composers I was scratching my head trying to remember! We sang a TON of his stuff at our old Episcopal parish . . . I ordered a bunch of samples from sheetmusic.com to share with our music director!
I think the arm-waving thing is a signal to the pew sitters that we're supposed to start singing at that point. I don't know if it it in the GRIM or not; if it is, it should be struck out. Distracting when some yutz is up in front waving their arms like a game show contestant.
Unfortunately, the worst of the contemporary words are themselves a mockery. "Gather Us In" is a good example -- it never mentions God by name! An anonymous "you" is mentioned 2-3 times in 4 verses -- 95% of the hymn is sung in praise of "us" - "we are" this, "we take" that -- "called to be light to the whole human race" -- high opinion of ourselves there . . . it's all about us, and that's just wrong. In fact, it's a travesty and borderline blasphemous. "I'll praise my Maker while I've breath" -- but I'll also make fun of "hymns" that praise the creation rather than the Creator.
I still would be interested to know exactly what you are singing in the way of modern music. Composers, titles, you know . . . details. As I said, I've nothing against music just because it's new, as long as it is appropriate from a liturgical standpoint and has merit from a musical and poetic point of view.
But this arm waving stuff is ridiculous . . .
I guess I see "Gather Us In" as a calling for us to come together as the body of Christ. The Catholic Church teaches that we are a communion of people, called together to give worship and praise to God. We use this only as an entrance hymn. The song calls all the broken people (lost and forsaken, rich, proud, haughty, blind, lame)-is that giving us praise or admitting we are sinners? The song asks for teaching in how to make our hearts meek and humble, to bring our fears to God. Only he has the peace that we need (I'm thinking of Phil. 4)
What do we sing? Well, here is a sample schedule from May.
Gath: Jesus is Risen
Gifts: Come Taste and See
Comm: (1) Ubi Caritas (2) Christians Let us Love
Sending: Allelua! Alleluia! Let the Holy Anthem Rise
Gather: The Strife is O'er.
Gifts: We have been Told
Comm: (1) Taste and See (2) Jese, Joy of Our Desiring
Sending: Rain Down (I have to say, I can't stand this one!) :)
Acension
Gather: Crown him with Many Crowns
Gifts: Now is the Time
Comm: (1) All that is Hidden (2) We Remember
Sending: Alleluia! Alleluia! (hymn to Joy)
For Pentecost our gathering was the chant "Veni Sancte Spiritus"
That's what I mean by a mix...
I guess my point is that both types of music have a time and place. I do agree that there is too much emphasis on 'me, me, me' in our society today, and it seems to have infiltrated our churches. Too many 'feel good' churches out there, I think it is used as a ploy to get people in the building.
If that's the Durufle "Ubi Caritas", it's got my vote! Which "Taste and See"? I know of at least five settings (we used to sing a really wild Gerald Near setting in our old ECUSA church - modern but beautiful, and very difficult to sing!)
And PLEASE tell me that they didn't change the words to "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring". Like the congregation is too stupid to tell the difference between mankind and a male person . . . shoot, just sing it in German ("Jesu bleibet meine Freude") and avoid the whole problem! But you can never, never go wrong with Bach, even an old warhorse like that!
The other anthems are completely unfamiliar to me. Who are the composers?
Do you not sing another anthem during the collection, before the Offertory hymn?
Let's see, yes on the Didemata, Palestrina and Beethoven's 9th with the religious words. Ubi Caritas is Rosania. Taste and See is Hurd (1950)
And it is the word change for "Jesu, Joy of OUR desiring" We do seem to use the 'alternate' text for those pieces that have it (like in the Prayer of St. Francis) The rest are pieces from Haugen, Haas, Farrell...
again, it's a mix, at least in our church. Of course, that is just for our choir. We are the traditional 4-part choir. There is also a gospel choir, a more contemporary choir, and a Life teen mass with it's own music. Just depends on what time you go!
Our choir also does some gospel too, some of my favorite music is from that genre (Deep River, Don't Be Worried).
...and *gasp* I personally have used the tamborine! Sending song "Soon and Very Soon"....
I guess I just love music and as I have said in other threads... the Lord knows what is in your heart. If you sing the music, whatever the music is, with your eyes set on God, He will know.
Also I have never seen anyone waving their hands around frantically when they were cantoring. Just a gentle hand raise.
You know, the Episcopalians may be heretics (I can say that - I used to be one) but they DO have good music. The trick is to steal it quickly and quietly without anybody noticing that it came out of the 1982 Hymnal. < g >
I agree that the Lord knows what is in our hearts, but we also have an obligation to offer Him the very best we have. And of course we have an obligation to follow the norms set out by the Church.
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