Metaphysically, yes.

ELCA Lutherans were a better gig. More sociable, too.

Maybe it is now as Cardinal Newman said of his plight: spiritually happy and materially poor vs. materially happy and spiritually miserable.

I do not know of any protestant church that would permit a youth minister to book in a group for Cool To Be Catholic and arrange with the pastor to have one of them appear and sing at all Masses on a weekend (except the 10:30 choir mass..wonder why) without consulting the choir director/music director and contemporary music director.

Lyrics written by the group are...well, this is from their site:

ah let me break it down
break it down like this
cause their are people in the world
they think the three they don’t exist
they say, “how can there be three
when there’s only one
and they fail to understand
Father Sprit Son
so I take em’ the truth which is the holy Church
and you can’t deny that if you believe in the Son ya
God from God Baby
Light from Light
a true God from true God
begotten not made

This is a band traveling and performing at Catholic parishes across the US....

I don't think that poor treatment of musicians by clergy, staff or meddling laity is limited to the Roman Catholic Church.

I've worked for a whack-job Methodist pastor who thought it was unreasonable and irrational for me to expect to have the hymns for Sunday any earlier than Thursday or Friday of that week. I was a first-year organ student, not very highly experienced and in need of as much practice time as possible. I guess that since he was happy to wait until the last minute to write his sermons I should be happy to prep the hymns at the last minute too. Unfortunately, just as my hymn playing was a reflection of the short prep time, so was his preaching. (Ha!)

I've worked for Episcopal churches, and let me tell you there's no shortage of gossip, back-biting and water-poisoning with that lot, either. I worked full-time for a high-profile (read "well-moneyed" and full of pretentious snobs) Episcopal church and was run out on a rail within a few months because among other things I dared to tell the adult choir that it wasn't appropriate for them to bring a little something special to put in their coffee during the break. Hand to God, this is no lie. They would rehearse for about an hour, then break for coffee and social time for about a half-hour, at which time they would break out their flasks and spike their coffee.

I've also worked for Catholic churches, and unfortunately the treatment I've received at the hands of clergy and staff in particular has been far worse and far more damaging than my experiences in Protestant church environments.

The only denomination I've worked for where the relationships were for the most part healthy and respectful is the Lutheran church (ELCA).

We could all tell truly grizzly stories of poor treatment, and even come up with a comprehensive list of things that make for a good versus poor work environment. In the long run, people are people and our fallen nature is our fallen nature.

Just to put in my two cents . . .

The Lutheran church treated me vastly better than the RC one. They think i can walk on water just because I use the pedals for something other than a footrest.

The RCs, otoh, think I'm 'difficult' and 'out of touch' because I dare to tell them that chant is what's supposed to be option one, not something you dust off every few years when the bishop comes to town.

"They think i can walk on water just because I use the pedals for something other than a footrest."

HA! I've been there! I always wind up in the same spiral these days: 1) don't have a job, 2) find jobs in AGO newsletter which don't have details, 3) call for details, which are refused, so I apply, 4) sub and find out the position isn't good at all, 5) everyone loves me because I'm actually a competent organist, 6) carry on with interview for some sub money, 7) feel bad when I have to turn down the job because it pays $75/week (well nothing that bad, but I do have a set goal).

Actually, for those who care, I'm applying at what appears to be a good Episcopal church now. It's in a very rich suburb, has a semi-professional choir, concert series, and is in the midst of installing a Skinner organ! Some downsides (a bit of contemporary music), but I'm really crossing my fingers to get it!

David is right that abuse transcends denominational lines (what doesn't?), but Noel's observation remains that we are treated worst by Catholics. At NO other denomination are we required to act AGAINST our job description. The Church says we should play organ and sing propers and chant. And our jobs hang on playing silly songs on the piano. At least a protestant church will SAY to you "we want you to play silly songs on piano, and we expect that." The Catholic church tells you to do chant and then you get fired for doing it. What a disgrace.

I propose that there are numerous factors in Catholic practice, culture, and doctrine which ENCOURAGE mediocrity (if not banality) which are not present in protestant or Orthodox church traditions.

Gavin, this has been sadly true in my experience.
'At NO other denomination are we required to act AGAINST our job description. The Church says we should play organ and sing propers and chant. And our jobs hang on playing silly songs on the piano. At least a protestant church will SAY to you "we want you to play silly songs on piano, and we expect that." The Catholic church tells you to do chant and then you get fired for doing it.'

How much of this is limited to the OF old guard? Now that I'm working for an EF parish, its a bit like a different church in terms of written expectations meeting reality. And I'm so grateful to be able to use my training- imagine that.

Catholic churches have always been known for treating musicians as furniture, right along with the furnace and pews. But, if you get an appreciative pastor...or even a supportive associate, it can be a wonderful place to work.

In Protestant churches, you usually with for the church, not the pastor, he/she is an employee just like you and just as expendable in the mind of the parishioners, so you will see a dynasty of generations with one music person and many pastors. And the opposite.

It is interesting that the major objection to reforming music comes from pastors who say that the people will/are complaining. Yet in the parishes where the reform is in the process it is with the support of the pastor....it all comes back to how committed your pastor is to the Liturgy. And not whether they like music.

One of the best parishes I worked for was an Alte Katholiches parish in Frankfurt, Germany...possibly because at that time I did not yet speak German so I never heard any complaints....unless the Pastor translated them for me. I also served as choir director for Anglican/Episcopal parish that shared the building and they were very appreciative of everything we were able to do. We were able to provide practice facilities for a blind Oberlin student who was studying with Walcha at the time