http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/newsworks-tonight/82055-making-the-transition-from-lutheran-minister-to-catholic-priest-with-a-wife

I've read about this couple before. The priest even learned the Extraordinary Form! Yet, their remarks about the quality of sacred music sting. We neglect our own tradition and our own liturgy by failing to sing the chant, by failing to sing the texts, by failing to sing polyphony and play the organ. And we fail as much or greater if we do it poorly. At the same time, even parish churches of the Anglican and Lutheran communities value sacred music (of course, this isn't as hard and fast today...). They shape their liturgies to look more like the Ordinary Form. OK, so women's ordination and sexual morality questions really prohibit full communion. But we put out anything from mediocre to awful and expect people to believe that the church is the immaculate bride of Christ instituted for the salvation of souls.

I also found this article from First Things. http://www.firstthings.com/article/1999/01/002-becoming-catholic-making-it-hard

Ex ore infantium. The child recognized Bach, found it beautiful, and wanted more of it.

The mother's answer to the priest was tremendous. Shouldn't that be what we all desire and actually find in the liturgy and in our parishes? And I am glad she knew that by the grace of faith the church was the road to salvation instituted by Christ, which meant she could assent to the teaching of Lumen Gentium. Sometimes, even cradle Catholics who more likely than not wouldn't leave the church wonder what we actually believe if we worship in such a deprived way.

I am definitely preaching to the choir here, I understand. But it is worth it. It isn't always so obviously a part of the healing of the church and the salvation of souls, especially when situations in parishes turn for the worst, or when being actively involved in sacred music gets sluggish or empty for whatever reason.

So, even though the first article was negative, let's keep our chins up by his grace. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut era in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.