It is going to somewhat depend on individual parish dynamics, and certainly the personalities involved, so it is difficult to give a blanket answer.

In my case, I would be more than happy to have a parishioner who was competent fill in when needed, or even take a mass regularly on a rota. I'd certainly be happy for a competent accompanist when we attempt to do larger works which require more conducting.

I do have a student at the parish who took lessons from me, and I've had him sub for me once or twice and he's played postludes on a number of occasions. He's excited and I'm happy to give him a moment to shine.

That said, all of the above is predicated on the understanding that I'm picking the music, and just because I'm not there doesn't mean that we will suddenly be substituting hymns on a whim, as is happening to a friend of mine. He has an accompanist at the parish who predates him and she was stunned when he said that going forward, he was picking the music for all the masses, and that she would be expected to honor his selections. As I understand it, this was quite an affront to her and she was none too keen. Someone like that is more than welcome to hit the road, as far as I'm concerned.

But if the person is on board with the vision of the program, is competent, and is willing to follow where lead, then by all means, I'd be thrilled to get a mass off every other Sunday! This is also predicated on the understanding that my salary isn't going down because I'm playing less.

In my case, I'm salaried, so it wouldn't make a difference. If someone is a "part time" music director and they are paid per diem, then it is likely they won't want to cede ground if their (presumably paltry) income will further diminish.

It’s a bit of a sticky wicket. I think it’s best when everyone abides by their contract/job agreement.

My parish hired me because they thought I was the best of all the candidates who wanted the job, and they expect me and no one else to be on the bench for 3 Masses, 48 Sundays a year. Your parish did the same thing. So I feel it’s the right and honorable thing (and my legal obligation) to be there 48 or more Sundays a year.

I am at a cathedral with a very ambitious Mass schedule, and so I have several assistant organists who play the Masses without choir. They are amazing guys and excellent players. We help cover for each other as needed, but again, they have an agreement to play their Masses, and they are faithful to their duty, and I sleep easy knowing they’ve got the Masses I can’t play covered.

If it transpired that an organist appeared in the parish who wanted to play, I would try to ascertain their abilities and if they’re up to snuff, I’d add them to the sub list. If money was no object and they were really dang good, maybe I’d look into setting up an artist-in-residence deal and have them periodically play a recital and major preludes and postludes from time to time.

I have put a student on the bench from time to time, once they’re ready to shine and sufficiently prepared to contribute positively and process the experience, but always crediting them in the order of service (Johnny Apple, St. X School ‘25, plays the prelude). For me this is a way to support the next generation of organists and give them developmentally-appropriate experience, not a way to reduce my workload (inevitably. it is more work than playing it myself).

But in no circumstance would I invite someone else to do my work, so that I could do less than what I signed up to do, otherwise I could legally be sacked. OP, if you are not always met with encouragement by the incumbent, I hope this might explain why. I would not walk into your office and ask if I could please use your computer, just because I too can use MS Excel. Just like I’d be up at arms if I got a mid-year pay cut, I’d be equally opposed to any other potential breach of contract. I like having a job, and chose to do this one, and want to keep it.

Finally – weddings, funerals. Stations, Benediction – other “random” services with separate stipends, are often the only thing that lets an organist survive on a bad salary, or keep the house at 68°/19° on a decent salary. Odds are low that anyone would give those up.

Thank you to everyone for your input. Gamba, I'm not sure if you took it this way, but my question wasn't in response to a particular scenario that I'm currently facing. It is more of a hypothetical due to my own curiosity. In a couple years after my fiance finishes school and we get married, we probably will be moving somewhere else. I would love to still be a part of music at our new parish, wherever that may be, and am wondering how many places would handle a musician in my position.

Music scheduling at parishes near me is different than what I hear people talk about here. For example, one of the large parishes in my hometown (fairly traditional when it comes to music) has five weekend masses with all but the early morning on Sunday having music. Of the four that do have music, at least half each Sunday are generally done by parishioners with musical ability and the DoM fills in at the other masses plus leads the choir. I think this is a fairly typical arrangement across my diocese.

Even my role at the Newman Center is fairly small. I'm very part time, normally less than 5 hours per week, and I get paid by the mass that I play. My responsibility is more to involve students who want to do music at mass than it is to provide top quality music at every mass. From what I hear people talk about on the forum, it seems like a lot of you have jobs that fall into the second category of offering professional music for all masses. I'm curious which of the two approaches, the large parish in my hometown or the professional musician, is more common.

I'll just add that, considering that even priests are not supposed to say Mass more than twice per day, excluding particular necessity and dispensation to do so, if you're being asked to play more than 3 masses on a single Sunday (the day itself; I'm not including the anticipated 'vigil' Mass in this) it probably is prudent to have a second musician, if for spiritual reasons than no other.

There is something to be said for Gamba's remark about doing the work we've been contracted to do, but I don't necessarily consider it a shirking of duties to involve a second musician, especially if the Mass schedule is particularly full. If you're only role is "organist" that's one thing; if it is "DoM & organist" there's plenty of other things to fill up your time when you aren't playing for Mass.

Ultimately, Nathan, I'll leave you with the advice my mother always drilled into me as a young man, "it never hurts to ask". Don't presume a right to play, and don't take offense if the incumbent prefers to do the task themselves and merely relegates you to the sub list. Offer your services in simple charity, and go from there. And it's possible that, depending on where you move, you might be able to be on the sub list / rota at multiple parishes, and rotate between them as needed. You don't necessarily have to place all your eggs in one basket, unless you choose to or there is only one church in a small town.