This is sad - and unfortunate - that such a person has been appointed musical director in a Catholic church is a pitiless act of tyranny. I'm sure that there will be some good advice forthcoming. One should bear in mind that people who say this and that about what 'the people' can and can't do are expressing their own limitations and projecting them onto others; limitations which, often, are not applicable to 'the people', what they can do, or what they may appreciate. People are often like children in one very important respect, namely, they very often may be found to be open to Latin, good music, and so forth, UNTIL some poisonous self-appointed and ignorant oracle TELLS them by word, gesture, or example NOT to be.
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It may be a Good Thing that you have found yourself in this position, for you may, with your good sense, 'save the day'.

You might -
1. Discuss your concerns with the pastor, emphasising the progress that had been made under the last choirmaster, and stressing that it would be a shame to go 'backwards'. A shame, also, to rob the people of what they have come to cherish and identify with - which is in accord with the Church's express wishes concerning liturgical music.

2. Have a frank discussion with the new man or woman, expressing the musical history of the parish and how it should be respected; stressing the positive aspects of the fine musical tradition in place AND APPRECIATED BY 'THE PEOPLE', who shouldn't be robbed of what has been accomplished and what they have come to respect.

3. Suggest (very diplomatically!) that the new choirmaster might grow by learning to respect the musical regimen that he or she has inherited.

4. Involve your choir in the equation, seeking their help and advice. Ditto members of the congregation who can lend support, vocal and otherwise. If people speak up in defense of their acquired heritage, this, in itself, would be a mighty deterrent.

5. As for the matter of 'the people' 'not understanding' Latin and such, come to their defense by pointing out that these same 'people' have grown (grown!) to like Latin, they appreciate its beauty, and that that, in itself, is a form of understanding, and, certainly, a spiritual grace.

6. Have no doubts that the new person is seeking to impose what he or she knows, and may, lacking wisdom and willingness to grow, seek to uproot what he or she doesn't know or simply doesn't like. This is all very, very, subjective and lacking in any objective rationale.

7. In all your dealings with this new person, stress subtley that you know 'the people', and that 'our' diet of Latin is 'who we are', that 'our' people love it; and (subtley, of course) it is not seemly for him or her to seek to uproot a beloved and flourishing musical culture that is expressive of who these people ('we') are.

8. More later. I'm sure that others here will be most helpful. Godspeed!

Although this might not apply to your choir which is doing more complex pieces, with our childrens choir we sing everything in english and latin, some hymns have both to same melody, and sometimes we use a version of the english text to one melody and the latin text to another.That way no one can say the children don't know what they are singing, as they are familiar with the text in both languages.

For the bulletin:

Music Notes (your name, your job):
At the __:__ AM Mass the choir sings __ (date)
by __ (bdate-ddate)
with text (foreign goes here)
translated (english goes here).

I was privileged to assist at the TLM last week (St. Francis de sales Oratory in st. Louis). Truth be told, I know precious little Latin. They make available the Latin-English books but I set it aside because I felt following along with the words detracted from my participation in the Mass. I know the Mass and it is beyond words--English, Latin or Pidgin. Pity those poor souls who cannot see beyond the words.

They make available the Latin-English books but I set it aside because I felt following along with the words detracted from my participation in the Mass. I know the Mass and it is beyond words--English, Latin or Pidgin. Pity those poor souls who cannot see beyond the words.

Exactly. I think it is an "ecumenical" thing that most new rite parishes in the United States do to throw a bone to the Protestants (I have to specify the USA because I have no experience of what goes on in other countries). Many of the poor souls you mention come from a Protestant tradition, and they are taught that the words are the most important part, Sola Scriptura, everyone should be able to interpret the Bible according to their own light, etc. Therefore, it's not "ecumenical" for a Protestant to show up to Mass and not be able to have access to the words: there's the feeling that they'd be somehow left out. In this regard, we accommodate their inability to see beyond the words instead of showing them that there's more to it than that.

On a side note, at the lunch table a few days ago, we were discussing the inclusion of Catholic identity in our lessons (I teach at a Catholic school). There were six of us there, and I made my usual push for more Gregorian chant because it is something uniquely Catholic. Four of the other teachers balked at the idea of using Gregorian chant in the Mass, claiming "it's too hard," and "people don't like it," and "I didn't think we were allowed to do that anymore." One teacher agreed with me, stating, "I love chant, I love all Church music." It came as no surprise to me when I found out later that those four teachers who dissented are not Catholic, and never were. The one who agreed with me was raised Catholic, and even attended the same school where she now teaches. It might be simple confirmation bias, but I think that particular scenario is a good example of what I've said for a long time: the people who reject or oppose the traditional practices of the Catholic church, such as Gregorian chant and the use of Latin, are often times Protestants or Protestant converts.

Jackson,

Would your strongly worded advice,

'stop projecting your own ignorance and shortcomings onto others.. you don't have any idea what the people or children are capable of'.

be something you might have to send to the Vatican, with attention to His Holiness, Pope Francis?

I think it is an "ecumenical" thing that most new rite parishes in the United States do to throw a bone to the Protestants

Yes, a false notion of ecumenism, to be sure. I was raised Lutheran, thoroughly indoctrinated in "sola scriptura" but somehow always sensed something profound missing in the worship services. Into my adult years, especially spending time in Jerusalem, I began to uncover that missing piece--mystery, that which lies beyond words. Because of this, approaching conversion to the Catholic Church, I first considered Eastern Orthodoxy as, at this time, we were in Alaska with a strong presence of the Russian Orthodox Church. The "new rite" Catholic parishes I had experienced were so like the Protestant church I left. But a good and holy priest led us to the Catholic Church and it was several years later where we were introduced to the TLM--eureka!!

Parishes that put out Latin-English books at a TLM are not doing so for the convenience of Protestants.

At the same time, it is impossible to claim that 'they don't know the meaning of the Latin' for ALL the Ordinary parts. They've been saying the translations for ~50 years.

Some people just don't put 2 and 2 together.

This is the most information accessible Catholic populace ever. The cognitive dissonance of which some are fearful might not materialize; rather cognitive awareness through the synchronicity of the two languages could actually enhance the experience of worshippers, provided they're intentional of mind at the start. Reading at Mass, save for perhaps the hearing-handicapped, presents as a palliative, an unnecessary third party, it numbs the mind.

In saying, "I know the Mass," I wasn't referring the particular Ordinary parts. Rather, I meant I KNOW what is taking place in the Mass, I KNOW Heaven is coming down to earth, I KNOW Jesus is truly present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Eucharist and that I will receive God into my own body at Holy Communion. It is that KNOWING, which is still so shrouded in mystery, that I want to enter into as fully as possible. I found that trying to keep up with words caused me to miss out on the drama unfolding in front. It's like going to an opera and being glued to a printed translation while missing what's happening on the stage. Knowing the story of the opera ahead of time, as knowing the "story" of the Mass, precludes the need, for me at least, to follow a translation.

I also experienced a sense of timelessness at that Mass. Never did I think to look at my watch to check the time (finally when I did check the time after Mass, two hours had elapsed). I did not want it to end. It truly was a taste of Heaven.

The greatest problem in the Church now is absence of the catechesis that leads to the KNOWING of the Mass.

In the interest of full disclosure, this was not my first TLM, nor my first visit to the Oratory. Up until now, I have used the Latin-English missals to learn the TLM better. This past visit was the first time I had the notion to set it aside and just "enter in" to the "eternal moment". The L-E missals provided the catechesis I needed as I am sure they do for others.

...check off the verses to see that they don't shirk any of the stanzas...

I like that part.