"Reform of the Reform" at a poor, inner-city parish?
  • marajoymarajoy
    Posts: 783
    Has anyone done this?

    I can see three scenarios-

    Either the parish is already a draw to suburbanites who can't stand any of the music or liturgies (or buildings....) at any of the closer parishes, so it's already full of people who appreciate chant and traditional liturgies and hymnody and the beautiful old building.

    Or, it still is a neighborhood parish, but most of the parishioners are poor, relatively uneducated, a some combination of hispanic/black/ethnic-white.

    Or a mixture of the above scenarios.

    So what do you do? (Especially in the last two scenarios.) I strongly believe that any "changes" should be VERY gradual, but what kind of music do you introduce, especially music the people at the parish can really appreciate, and won't leave them running for the doors feeling like you're trying to stuff some "stuffy old white people music" down their throats?

    Is it wise to keep doing some ethnic/folk-type music if it's not too goofy and has legitimate lyrics? How long would it take for people to start accepting things like polyphony and chant?

    I know some people are going to say that you should definitely incorporate more "true sacred" music pretty early on, but I would love to hear if anyone on this forum has **actually done this successfully** and not been sent packing or lost half the (already small) parish?

    Tell me your suggestions please! :-)
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,115
    Ask first (open, genuinely curious, questions that don't presuppose a preferred answer, not binary answer questions) and listen to the answers (what is said and what is not said). Poor people get tired of being condescended to without consultation.
  • JacobFlahertyJacobFlaherty
    Posts: 337
    I hate to say it, but back in the Twin Cities, we lost our neighboring parish when the Archdiocese decided to have them join us. A very small group of people from that parish actually came over and joined us. Half of that group decided that they wanted to force us to do their same old tired, folksy Gather type of music that they had done. As the organist at the time, I wasn't the boss, but I did go on record saying, "Do you think the kind of music (and hence the way they worshipped) had anything to do with the sad state of their affairs?" Very seldomly have I found that a congregation who was doing what they ought suffer from the effects described here. Faithfulness will beget more faithfulness and a desire - think of St. John Vianney and Ars. And so while I understand the wisdom of "meeting people where they're at" and "going very slowly, remember that souls are on the line. We have one lifetime in which to proclaim (AND RECEIVE!) the Gospel, and fear of rejection or of not being liked (neither of which I'm accusing you of, since I most defintely do not know you) is not a fear that should keep us from our mission of saving souls! I remember the words of Pope St. Pius X in his Motu Proprio: And it is vain to hope that the blessing of heaven will descend abundantly upon us, when our homage to the Most High, instead of ascending in the odor of sweetness, puts into the hand of the Lord the scourges wherewith of old the Divine Redeemer drove the unworthy profaners from the Temple.
  • Andrew Motyka
    Posts: 946
    I strongly suggest you check out this place. They're doing it right.
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    I don't know the exact situation. Explore the parish political structures, inquire as to the recent (10-20 years) history of the parish leadership, who was successful and why, who failed and why. What do people (I don't mean the priest) like about the present music ministry? What do they (ditto) want in the future? THEN you ask yourself how you best do this job.

    One thing that seems nearly universal in all parish situations is the American cult of the virtuoso. I've NEVER gotten a complaint about something that people viewed as a performance - even when it's not. Get 3 talented friends together, and sing a motet at Communion. Do some of your solo chanting as a prelude to the Mass. Write your own setting of something for the liturgy, and mention it to people when you do it at Mass. I've found that 100% of the time, people's reaction to something like that runs along the lines of "I'd like to hear that again!" And then you give them what they want!
    Thanked by 2marajoy CHGiffen
  • Adam Schwend
    Posts: 203
    There's lots of good ideas and advice here....but one reality can't be ignored...every parish is simply different. I've been able to do a lot of things in my parish for a lot of reasons. 1. My pastor is supportive of it. 2. The parish is a in a big Naval community that is very accustomed to constant change. 3. There is another parish close that sings standard OCP fare. 4. The parish has historically been "traditional" and has a long line of pastors that have been supportive of tradition. If any of these things were different, my situation would be different. Every parish has a different situation. The socio-economic situation of the parish is sometimes an issue, but the pastor, the mood of the people, their acceptance of change, and the history of the parish often play far more of a role. Every parish is different, every parish is going to have its own challenges and its own perks. Try to identify those and exploit the perks to their fullest extent while trying to overcome the challenges by facing them head on.
    Thanked by 2ryand marajoy
  • benedictgal
    Posts: 798
    My father's parish is at the southern end of our downtown historical district. It is an inner-city parish. As many of you know, I've been singing at the parish for about a year now. In June, the pastor underwent surgery and asked if I could sing an entrance hymn that would be brief, since he just needed to get from the sacrity to the chair. I decided that this would be an opportune time to introduce the Simple English Propers. These have been positively received by the faithful and they are now used to it.

    What I do is chant the Introit and the first verse (additional verses are chanted if incense is used). I do sing an offertory hymn, a communion hymn (which is sung after I've chanted the SEP communion antiphon) and a recessional hymn. I also use the ICEL chants for the Mass parts. If incense is used, I will chant something brief. These past two Sundays, I have chanted the Regina Caeli. These have also been well-received.

    It has not been easy, as some of you will recall my venting in the "Sad Holy Thursday Experience" thread, but, there are those in the parish who seem to appreciate the efforts. The priest who is helping us out is pleased with the chants.
    Thanked by 3Gavin CHGiffen Jenny
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