The Decision to Return to Chant....
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    In Middlefield, Ohio there is a large Amish community.

    Their singing is in unison of very slow melodies in German. No instruments. [gosh, does this sound familiar?]

    Each Amish church community is led and ruled the Bishop, who reads the rules after Sunday Service. Whenever he feels there is a need to read them or make a change. There is no listing or mention of rules that are changed, and no discussion of the rules. Rules are rules.

    They are often allowed to use gasoline engines. It is the reliance on the power grid that rules out electricity. It is common to see a gasoline engine-driven hay baler making hay while being pulled by a team of horses. In Middlefield it became popular for Amish to mow their yards with gas lawn mowers.

    One Sunday the Bishop read the rules which included, "No gasoline engine lawnmowers."

    On Monday morning Amish lawns sprouted gasoline engine lawnmowers with FOR SALE signs on them.

    It is time for this in the Catholic Church?

    noel at sjnmusic.com
  • Michael O'Connor
    Posts: 1,637
    We used to rent a house from an Amish family in PA. Wonderful people. You are right about the locality of rules on technology. I feel for that community in Ohio, though. Our friends would not have liked giving up the weed eaters and gas engines on the horse-drawn wagons. To your question, I am not at all for local bishops making rules on Church music. I'm happy to let the Church Universal make the rules and for the bishops to obey them.
  • Jevoro
    Posts: 108
    ...or not to obey.
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