Many weekends I do three Masses spread out over the weekend and I also play for two school masses each week. Then there are the other extras such as substituting, weddings, funerals, quinceneras, etc. and I have thought about attending Mass somewhere else just for the sheer experience of being there to worship and be a part of the communion of saints. This becomes more acute when the requests and demands have been for more of the "y'all come and sing and worship" venue.

I agree that being the music director can impinge on one's spiritual life. There is an old joke that says if you want to keep a man from praying make him an usher. I think that the same could be said here as well.

Early monks in scriptorium were formed by the copy work they were doing, and although it is hard to 'attend' Mass, especially after the third or fourth one, I have an intuition that the Holy Spirit takes this "interior suffering/desire" and uses for our benefit and forms us in a different way. We musicians, are more like Mary, in that the real work that we do for the Liturgy is hidden.

My schedule is so strung out over the course of the weekend, it would be difficult to get to another Mass and not fall asleep. The other aspect to this is for those of us who play for Saturday evening vigil Masses is the aspect of timely reception of Reconciliation.

I don't know the answer, but I sure understand the dilemma.

One thing I dislike about the job of being an organist is that sometimes it doesn't feel as one is actually attending a Mass and that I'm there just doing my job. While everyone else is praying, I'm searching for the next page of music, making sure the choir is ready, and so on. I don't go to Mass elsewhere, however, as the only Mass I'd go to if it were not at my job would be the Traditional Latin Mass and I can't make that after getting off work.

I really enjoy my vacations twice a year when I can attend Mass elsewhere. However, as of late, I've been the guest organist where I vacation, so so much for that!

I am clearly not worshipping when I am playing the organ and/or directing the choir from the instrument at four masses each Sunday. Paying any attention to what is going on, is only for the purpose of getting ready for the next action I need to perform. However, as a Byzantine Catholic, I attend Divine Liturgy or Vespers whenever I can. That's when I worship.

For one year I was at a church which I hated, but it would have been difficult to get to another church, between the Saturday vigil and 2 Sunday morning services so I didn't go anywhere else. Since then, I've been at 2 other churches, both which have been spiritually uplifting so I have not felt the need or desire to go elsewhere. But I do try to go at least once during the week.

This discussion makes me realize that I was quite lucky to direct a choir 100% a capella. Not a lot of preparation for the singing, as I'd picked the key in advance and no jumping around in books (everything photocopied). So my engagement with Mass was pretty reasonable.

I feel exactly the same way! I also long for solemnity and beauty! And SILENCE!

I wish I could sit with my family at Mass too. On vacation I often seek out the EF wherever we are, or at least a parish with a very good reputation for the OF. In my position, I have time allocated for vacation and for continuing ed, but no retreat. Really could use it!

CharlesW- I think he was trying to be funny.

I was half-joking. I know most people couldn't do it...

However I do find that when I am able to memorize everything and play Mass without a book in front of me (I do this at about 10% of Masses now, about 90% of Masses a year ago), I am able to "attend" that Mass much more effectively. Though I still have my "young" mind and I'm sure it will be gone/reduced someday.