Response to a diocesan Director of Worship?
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    I have an ex-chorister who moved onto another diocese and was looking for a Schola/traditional choir to join. He dialogued via e-mail with the Director of Worship for the diocese. Here's a bit of their communication:

    Chorister: "Thank you for your reply. I will certainly explore the various parishes. Do you know if any of them have a Latin Schola or a "Traditional" style choir?"

    DoW: "Many sing some Latin, but no separate schola.

    "Traditional" style may mean a number to things.
    a) Roman Missal 1962 use? Blessed Sacrament on Saturday morning.
    b) Vernacular music that is only pre-1962? Not in keeping with Church norms and desires.
    c) No guitar etc.? See b).
    d) Four-part embracing every good style of suitable liturgical music? See my previous e-mail.
    e) The 1940s and 1950s had it right? Consider Blessed Sacrament choir Mass. "

    This seems like an unfortunate response on so many levels. Any advice/document quotes for a reply?
  • RagueneauRagueneau
    Posts: 2,592
    Heath,

    Forgive me, but would this video be appropriate??

    :-)
  • MaryAnn Carr WilsonMaryAnn Carr Wilson
    Posts: 1,738
    Wow. No hostility there, eh?
    What a good reminder that as we train choristers, they will also likely be in the position to be 'liturgical evangelists'.

    I say the video is a very good idea.
  • Erik P
    Posts: 152
    .
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,215
    I don't think there's any point in responding further to the DoW: just take the list of parishes and start visiting. It'll take a few weeks, but so what? Heath's ex-chorister knows what he's looking for better than the DoW would anyway.
  • incantuincantu
    Posts: 989
    "I'm sorry. You are so right -- I was unclear! Please forgive me. I meant a choir that sings the designated parts of the liturgy that have formed the church's living tradition for at least the past one thousand years, whether that be music from the 1400's, 1940's, or 2004. I certainly didn't mean to suggest that what was in vogue for forty years before Vatican II was in any way traditional, any more than what has been in vogue for forty years since is traditional.
    I hadn't really thought about instruments when I asked about a choir, but now that you mention it I suppose if there is to be instrumental accompaniment I would prefer the organ, since it is by all accounts the traditional instrument of the Latin Church. Most importantly, I'd like to belong to a parish where the congregation has been to taught to sing in Latin those parts of the Mass proper to them. This for me would be a good indication that that parish is making an effort to uphold the Church's norms and desires, as you so rightly put it. Thank you for your help."
  • MaryAnn Carr WilsonMaryAnn Carr Wilson
    Posts: 1,738
    incantu- fabulous.

    On one hand, what use is there in responding? On the other, what could you lose? If I had this opportunity, I think I'd take a day or two to pray on it, then move ahead with an upbeat response that might get the 'Director of Worship' to pause a bit.
  • G
    Posts: 1,400
    Okay, my brain isn't working, because I've been doing taxes, but I'm reading these two points:
    b) Vernacular music that is only pre-1962? Not in keeping with Church norms and desires.
    c) No guitar etc.? See b).
    to mean that the DoW thinks NOT having guitars is somehow "not in keeping with Church norms and desires."

    Am I reading that correctly?

    And if so, what are they burning instead of incense in that diocese?

    (Save the Liturgy, Save the World)
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    Chorister: ... Latin Schola or a "Traditional" style choir?

    The Chorister asked about voices (unison or SATB), not instruments;
    were previous exchanges discussing instruments?

    The (a-b-c-e) responses make interesting material for a mind-map;
    everyone should enjoy applying grade school math reflexive/symetric/transitive properties.

    The (d) response probably makes us all curious about the previous email
    and interested in applying those properties again.
  • Chrism
    Posts: 872
    b) Vernacular music that is only pre-1962? Not in keeping with Church norms and desires.
    c) No guitar etc.? See b).

    Ick.
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