Priests and Music
  • packardgrrl
    Posts: 16
    We all have hymns (and composers) for which we'd be grateful if they were somehow permanently erased from collective memory.

    But what about priests? Are there parishes where the priest and the liturgist get together and decide what should be sung? Or does the priest leave it up to someone else? After all, we may hear the hymn once a week but they may get stuck with hearing them several times on the same day.

    Just wondering.
  • Nathan_the_Organist
    Posts: 440
    For the most part, my pastor just let's me pick. He may occasionally request a certain song. However, for big feast days he and I will normally sit down and pick together.
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    parishes where the priest and the liturgist get together


    These are one and the same person. A priest who doesn't concern himself with the proper execution of the liturgy is being derelict in his duties. He should hire (see Matthew's post in the "job description" thread) a musician whom he trusts to do the job properly-- and then let him do his job properly. Remember, of course, that both priest and musician are servants of the rites of the Church, and not their masters.
    Thanked by 3MatthewRoth CCooze ServiamScores
  • RevAMG
    Posts: 162
    In my previous parish, we used GIA's Worship III and OCP's Today's Missal and Music Issue. The pastor put together an Index Canticum Prohibitorum (his term) for the common repertoire in Worship III and each issue of Today's Missal and Music Issue. Otherwise, the music director chose the music.
    Thanked by 3chonak Little_Durufle ServiamScores
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,510
    It's up to the pastor. Some delegate completely to the DM, perhaps after an initial more hands-on period, some set parameters, some ask occasionally for a hymn that goes with a homily.

    The worst I've seen was a parochial vicar, kind of a crazy guy, complain about a hymn in the homily.

    At best the pastor works well with the DM and trusts his/ her judgment. But that's his call. The pastor has immediate authority over everything in the parish, beginning with the sacred liturgy.
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,890
    I work hand in hand with my current pastor, although he is particularly interested in liturgy and serves as diocesan mc for special masses at the cathedral. I pick 90% of what we do but we do consult each other on more major things like ordinary settings and feast days.
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