Do you have a diocesan wedding music policy?
  • mjballoumjballou
    Posts: 994
    Does your diocese have a written policy about wedding music?
    If it does, I'd love a copy in connection with an article I'm researching.

    Note that I'm only interested in policies at the diocesan level that are written. Not "understandings," "common knowledge," or "mumbled suggestions."

    You can find my email address in the member information (or by clicking on my name above).

    And no, this isn't a thread for discussing how much good/mediocre/downright awful music happens at weddings. I believe there's another one for that.

    Many thanks in advance for any help anyone can give.
  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    Diocese, no. Parish, yes.
  • marajoymarajoy
    Posts: 783
    here's ours:
    http://www.dioceseoflansing.org/worship/weddingplanningaid.pdf

    One of the more interesting things is that it specifically forbids the Wagner Bridal March as well as the Midsummer Night Dream Wedding March!
  • francis
    Posts: 10,848
    Here is my jumping off point for steering couples into a better way to plan their marriage rite.

    Our Lady of the Mountains/Chapel of the Sacred Heart Guidelines for Liturgical Music
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Congratulations on your upcoming wedding at Our Lady of the Mountains!

    Here are some links that will help steer you in the proper choice of music for your marriage rite and/or marriage liturgy.

    1. This link is a general guide toward selecting music for your wedding. It has links for listening to various pieces appropriate for Processional, Recessional, and more. This site has a lot of good resources for planning. Feel free to take advantage of this site. It is well put together.

    http://www.stclementchurch.org/worship/sacraments/weddings/music.php

    2. This webpage is promoted by The Bishops Conference to aid couples in understanding how best to plan for their liturgy. Please read them carefully. The sections entitled "Music" and "Entrance Procession" are particularly concerned with music.

    http://www.foryourmarriage.org/interior_template.asp?id=20398962

    [this part hopefully steers them away from Wagner's march]

    3. Once you have reviewed the selections, please let me know ASAP which ones you are interested to have for your wedding. If you can make a couple of choices for each slot, that would be helpful. You will find a form attached that help you with your selections.
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    Using google

    site:www.oakdiocese.org wedding

    No.
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    Using google

    site:www.sfarchdiocese.org wedding

    No.
  • AngelaRAngelaR
    Posts: 321
    Mary Jane, what is your deadline for getting the sources? I can see if I can get our music director to share hers (from the cathedral) with me.
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,985
    "Does your diocese have a written policy about wedding music?"

    Hehehe, LOL, ROFL :-)
  • Mary Ann
    Posts: 49
    Just emailed you ours from the Dubuque Archdiocese, written in 2006 (sorely needs updating). Not sure whether priests adhere to the policy, tho, as our parish has been served by three pastors in the last 5 years and each differed re what they'd tolerate/not tolerate.
  • mjballoumjballou
    Posts: 994
    I don't have a deadline on this, so please - continue to let me know anything you find out.
    And CharlesW - stop that cackling right now!
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,985
    Hah! LOL. Too funny!
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    To identify all the USA (arch)diocese names and to reduce duplicated searching efforts ...

    http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Aka8xAr4afVwdGJSSFpTQVVwWWhTZkpiY0tjS2FrY3c

    Locate the (arch)diocese URL and search for the doc.
    Update the spreadsheet with your initials, whether you found the doc.
    In the URL column,
    EITHER give at least the (arch)diocese URL, so people can revisit later and try again.
    OR give the full URL to the online doc.
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    Spreadsheet update includes these hits ...

    http://www.archdioceseofanchorage.org/documents/AoASacramentalCatecheticalGuidelines.pdf

    http://www.archden.org/index.cfm/ID/184/The-Wedding-Ceremony/
    There is also the Denver Catholic Register giving lots of Catholic News Service hits
    http://www.archden.org/dcr

    www.archdioceseofhartford.org/ministries/sacramentalguidelines.pdf
    Some sort of music policy but cannot locate it (yet)
  • mjballoumjballou
    Posts: 994
    I'm back working on an article on wedding music with a target readership of clerics and the Diocese of Lansing just about knocked me out of my chair.

    Read this, save it, print it out, whatever. the Diocese of Lansing's Wedding Liturgy Guidelines

    Specific prohibitions. Concrete listings of instrumental and hymn selections appropriate to different parts of the ceremony. Clarification of "suitability of texts." This goes way beyond the "is it musical/liturgical/pastoral" triangulation that any bride can whimper her way past.

    And because it's diocesan, neither the priest nor the musician has to be the "meanie."
  • francis
    Posts: 10,848
    wow. that is incredible.
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