Um, a bishop has all the answers he wants. Already. So why would he think to need training?

That's the common situation, to all appearances.

I don't think that's correct, Noel. The STD is an academic degree, and not all bishops have them.

Canon law requires that bishops have an earned doctorate, but in practice, many don't; the D.D. is conferred (by whom? I don't know) on bishops who don't have one.

"Novenas for our bishops would not hurt." Great idea. As a suggestion, we could add (or continue) daily prayers for our bishops, similar to the prayers for the Pope's intentions at the end of the daily rosary.

I've also noticed in recent years my parish prays regularly for vocations to the "priesthood, diaconate, and religious life," and wondered why don't we pray for vocations to the episcopate? Realizing that episcopal vocations happen by a different mechanism than the others, namely papal appointment, it's still something to pray for. We can pray for both our current and future bishops.

If anyone is interested, check out Rosary for the Bishop

It would certainly help to have bishops on board with the implementation of sacred musical programs.

I do believe however, this could be a case of concern that puts the cart before the horse. Bishops are not our immediate employers, our pastors are. Bishops don't even sign our paychecks. Bishops don't hire and fire music directors (though they certainly have the power) so the more pressing concern should be, "how do we get our pastors on board with what the Church is asking of us?"

I believe the first area we all have to sober ourselves up in is that we cannot implement the Benedictine (the current pope)Marshall Plan with a 1 year plan or a two year plan. This is an agenda that is going to have to be on the 4 year plan and the 12 year plan and the 20 year plan. You belong to a Church (at least in America) that has been shaken and stirred and tugged and pulled through all kinds of outliers in an otherwise stable system. I don't believe I need to give examples to prove my point. Therefore, we cannot mimic the tuggers, the stirrers, and the shakers. It is not safe for the faithful and it is not safe for our own necks. The solution is to slowly implement reparative elements to the liturgy that have been destroyed (by those who misinterpreted it, not the Church proper) and to make sure that you catechize the ENTIRE congregation every step of the way. That doesn't mean to simply sing the communio before Mass, that means to really get out into the trenches and teach our traditions and explain their purposes. I guarantee that you will encounter little resistance if you follow this method unless, of course, you have found yourself employed at St. Jerry Garcia Catholic Church in Hippyville, USA (and that's your own fault for responding to their ad for worship minister).

Priority number two is to not be a whiner. Be grateful that you are making progress. Slow and steady pace wins the race and keeps you employed.

Priority number three is to make such small waves that they do not ever make it to the ears of the diocesan offices. That doesn't mean you should hide what you are doing or you shouldn't advertise events or music, etc. It simply means that when you blip on the bishop's radar, he should see a friendly and not a bogey.

Bogeys include:
-Those that cause limitless phone calls of complaints.
-Those that do not understand what it means to be truly pastoral when implementing the Benedictine Marshall Plan.
-Those who fail to be obedient.
-Those who immediately switch elements without explanation or a fair amount of warning/lead time.
-Those who fail to master the virtue of humility.

Friendlys include:
-Those who are patient.
-Those who are upfront and open about the things to come.
-Those who lead their choirs and congregations like the Good Shepherd. You have to feed the flock and guide them beside STILL WATERS.
-Those who are not agenda driven, which can be different than simply being motivated towards a goal.
-Those who can implement a healthy sense of humor into their program. Remember, we aren't engaged in war with the hippies, we just want them to see and sing things the way the Church is asking us to do them.
-Those who don't cause the pastor grief. If you don't know if you are or aren't causing the pastor grief, ask him.
-Those who don't cause the bishop grief.
-Those who don't cause the bishop's mailbox to stay full of complaint letters.
-Someone not afraid to let On Turkey's Wings be sung from time to time(in other words, be someone who is flexible, you don't have to sing the blasted song, just beat the 4 pattern). Let's face it, a significant number of people like the new stuff. For instance, many of the newer songs are Eucharistic. If you have been enslaved at your parish to Bustin' Bread from the OCP, there aren't that many Eucharist oriented songs from the old days because the old days had sung Communios. These days there are more hymns in that department. It is your responsibility to make sure the choir isn't singing the heretical ones like "Look Beyond the Bread You Eat." Again, be FLEXIBLE.
-Those who are faithful to Holy Mother Church and all of her teachings.


These are just some of the things I've learned in my years doing what I do. By the way, I have never received a single complaint about the elements I have re-introduced to the Mass and the bishops that have presided from time to time have never spoken a word to me about them. Kudos to the good priest who taught me how to do things this way and Deo Gratias that I was provided with such a good mentor.

Pax Christi

I never knew that I could impart a Chinese curse with my rhetoric. Awesome!

Thanks for the welcome!

I just figured I would put in my two bits from my part of the world.

Amen. To which I would add: Be relatively detached from a specific incarnation of your goal, because your imagination is not necessarily that which the Holy Spirit intends. Be ready to let go. Your purpose may simply to have your work be wiped away. Follow the Little Way. When you get grandiose urges, have a spiritual director who is detached from any musical agenda to help you see where that grandiosity might be coming from.

Having a spiritual director is something I overlooked. That's because I think that every Catholic should have a spiritual director whether in a choir or not. It will save your soul. I was a mess until I started going to spiritual direction. I don't think that director has to be detached from the movement though, as both of my SDs have been very involved in the Marshall Plan.

Liam, you are right on when it comes to being detached from a specific incarnation of your goal because of the Holy Spirit's true intentions. Take the work of St. Ignatius of Loyola. His intention was to help souls and be a spiritual master, which is what he did. However, his order's charism happily fell (perhaps by accident/providence) into education, which is not exactly what we could attribute to Ignatius's intentions for his order.

Frogman, objectively speaking, your point is taken well. Nevertheless, the circumstances we work under (like how the Church has been tugged and shaken) compell me to the belief that the Little Way as Liam mentions is the best way for all involved. It is certainly a path that is welcome in Mother Church. What's the old saying that they claim is taught in seminary?..."don't change anything your first 1,2,3? years." Many people can really get upset with a priest if he comes into a parish and changes everything before they even get to know him, so what makes us think we can act differently?

I recall all too well when a musician did that in our parish, arrived one day and announced all new Mass assignments, music, rules, rehearsal times. The effects were amazing. She might as well have abolished the entire program. The parish was split in 6 different directions. The place fell apart. Within one year, she was cantoring all Masses by herself. She eventually left without announcement. The effects of this are still with us, 10 years later.

Jeffrey,

That is very true. Being in an area where people were instructed improperly, I know there is truth to your story of the choir person's impact on the parish. We are having to root out 30 and 40 year old weeds and replanting the new ones that they have created. A hellbent leader can make waves that last for what seems an eternity.