Non Catholics in Catholic Music positions
  • ghmus7
    Posts: 1,472
    Hello, I do not wish to be divisive...however have recently learned that a very large Catholic parish in a very large city in a very large state hired a music director that has had not a day of Catholic parish experience. It is a very well paying position and many qualified Catholics were passed up.
    Comments?
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,159
    It happens, not infrequently.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,694
    yup. (keeping my mouth closed and smiling through my teeth)
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,369
    That 'many qualified Catholics were passed up' is a calumny. It often happens that there just aren't 'qualified Catholics', but when there are they should, all things being equal, be preferred. This is disturbing. Perhaps this is one of those parishes that doesn't want to be 'too Catholic'. Perhaps it is more important for this parish to be seen to be 'inclusiive' or 'not insular', than to have a strong Catholic staff of very 'qualified' persons.
    It makes one wretch.

    If he or she 'has had not a day of Catholic parish experience' he or she is hardly 'qualified'. I shudder to think what this pastor considers 'qualified'.
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,943
    Sad to say, it happens. I don't have an answer. Some pastors do as they please and no one at the diocesan level intervenes.
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,159
    'qualified'
    ... must be from the German "Qual" meaning "torment"? :)
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • David AndrewDavid Andrew
    Posts: 1,204
    .
  • JonLaird
    Posts: 245
    It seems to me that unless one is involved in the selection process, it would be difficult to know exactly who was passed up, by whom, and for what reason.

    Good candidates might have been vetted out without audition by one incompetent staff member.

    Good Catholic candidates could have had poor auditions, or otherwise presented themselves poorly — that happens all the time. Likewise, a non-Catholic but otherwise excellent musician and devoted Christian, might have an excellent musician.

    Given the facts above, if indeed they are facts and not rumors, it is entirely possible that the candidate chosen would have, to most of us here, appeared to be the obvious choice of all who presented themselves.

    If the parish already has awful liturgy, lax devotion, 300 committees, etc, then it is a systemic problem unrelated to the Catholicity of the music director.
    Thanked by 1MarkS
  • dad29
    Posts: 2,218
    What's worse: a good church musician who is NOT Catholic, or a good musician who has no clue about Catholic liturgical norms but was baptized Catholic?
    Thanked by 5MarkS Incardination M. Jackson Osborn Joseph Mendes Gavin
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Dad,

    Would that depend on whether it was crass ignorance or not?
  • SacredMusicLibrary
    Posts: 113
    There are, undoubtedly, more Catholic musicians in Protestant positions, more because we are welcomed for our sensitivity to liturgy - especially in non-liturgical churches - and an understanding of what church and music can be.

    More also because the pay is much higher for what is almost always a much lighter work load. Since they often feel that they are honored to get us, there is rarely an objection to being Catholic.
    Thanked by 4MarkS mattebery CharlesW ghmus7
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,771
    from the German "Qual"
    Indeed one way of looking at it might be that church musicians who are Catholic have already suffered enough and are owed, though I believe that's technically a "Kvetch".
    Thanked by 2CharlesW CHGiffen
  • dad29
    Posts: 2,218
    Invincible ignorance, I fear.
  • ghmus7
    Posts: 1,472
    Again, speaking without rancor, I do know that all the Catholic candidates who applied for this position were excellent musicians, with degrees, and many years experience working at Catholic Cathedrals and Seminaries. The Individual hired is a very accomplished musician, but with no Catholic experience whatsoever.
    Thanked by 1CharlesW
  • bhcordovabhcordova
    Posts: 1,152
    Parish politics. Only possible answer.
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,919
    Tell him that it's long-standing custom for the music director of the parish to wear a green scapular during practices. Wait for results.
    Thanked by 4JL KARU27 Jahaza Jeffrey Quick
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    wear a green scapular

    Under the clothes or over the clothes?
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,919
    Either works, I suppose. "Over" doubles as a pious example to others.
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