Hey, that's great. Thanks. The thing happened so fast, and mainly because of the urging of Fr. Weber. I have some comps to send, I think. It sure took a bite out of my life there for a while, and I'm still catching up. Anyway, I hope it does some good. I've received criticisms already from both ends. One person told me that it is too soft on the bad guys. Another wrote that it is a wonderful book but for the wicked attacks on praise music and the hippy set. So it goes both ways. I have no doubt that every bit of it could have been improved.
I'm so grateful to so many but especially William Mahrt, who cheered this project on. Having him review the manuscript is a bit like serving fast food to a chef at a 5-star restaurant, but he was a great sport about it all. I'm really in awe of his broadness of mind and his tolerance.
In your book, you treat "the dark side" (as I call the NPM crowd) with charity, thus keeping the door open for dialogue. That's exactly the right approach, I think.
I am constantly mindful that most of the "praise band" crowd--and most music directors--simply are not aware of the church's documents, musical heritage, stated preferences, and so on. It isn't their fault. No one has taught them the truth about church music.
Much better to educate and win over these people with love, if they will listen.
How can I judge them when as a teenager I was strumming a guitar at Mass?
I think my favorite quote is on page 34. (re: hymns)
I also like the one where he says that people started showing up with instruments at Mass because they had a captive audience bigger than they were able to get on the street.
My copy of "Sing Like a Catholic" arrived yesterday, and I began devouring it. I am reading it with an eye toward its "share-ability" with musicians in my parish, and have found nothing offensive so far. It is inspiring, thoughtful, and well grounded.
I am a convert to Catholicism (Nov 2008), with a background of searching through many different churches, most recently 10 years in the Russian Orthodox Church, where I sang in the choir. Upon entering the Roman Catholic Church (because of St. Peter), I yearned for beauty in the Mass, first thinking we needed to sing more 4-part "old hymns" (a throw-back to my Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran and Episcopal experiences). I reasoned that only the Eastern Orthodox churches had preserved such a beautiful musical heritage in their liturgy, and if I was now in the West, I must sing like a Westerner. What began as a quest for more reverence and maybe to bring back some lovely old hymns became the glorious discovery that the West indeed has a treasury, too, every bit as beautiful as the East's. Gimme more! I will be attending the Colloquium in June.
I hope there will be at least an informal 'forum-gathering' at the Colloquium. I would so very much like to meet fellow posters in person. Perhaps to share a glass of wine and good cheer.
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