We are not out to Bash the Big 3. They are smart, savvy marketing and publishing entities that have honed an incredible way to put music in the hands of Catholic Churches. Today, 350 Gather III hardbound hymnals showed up in my church. We shelled out 7k or so to do this... AND we are STILL in line to purchase missallettes into the indefinite future! Let's put AUTHENTIC SACRED MUSIC into the hands of Catholic parishes and take some of this spoil and feel good about it because we want what the Church desires. ad majorem Dei gloriam
Here is what a general idea of success looks like to me: End of Year 1 - raised awareness from what it is today End of Year 2 - addional churches singing sacred music End of Year 5 - most churches in US singing at least one piece of sacred music Big 3 taking a more active role in prmoting sacred music End of Year 10 -most churches in US singing mostly sacred music Most music being composed and sold by Big 4 is sacred music
This is success to me. Obviously there are many steps that need to be worked out to make this happen but it is a good start.
I will be putting together a spread sheet of all the Catholic Church in AZ it will include the music prefernces of all diocese (diocesi ?), Cathedral, Church, mission, monistary, seminary, convent, college, high school and grade school. It will also include the names, addresses, e-mail addresses and phone numbers of Pastors, DMs, MDs, CDs, Organists, Music Leaders, or ?
I will then move on to other states in my area, then the US and elsewhere.
If someone knows of such a list that exists already please let me know so that I don't waste time.
If anyone would like a copy of the spreadsheet so they can do the same in their area that would be a huge help.
This will allow us to start a massive campaign at some point.
Here is a beginnings of a list. If anyone would like to help out please do so but let me know you are working on it so we do not duplicate efforts. When you have your diocese/state filled out, please send to me so I can keep track of the complete list. If someone from CMAA would like to control the master list I will gladly turn it over. The idea is for all of us to utilize it as a way of evangelizing Sacred Music.
Regarding the pronunciations of "diocese" and "dioceses," I've seen battles on many fora, but I stick to my favored ones: "diocese" is DYE-oh-seez, and "dioceses" is DYE-oh-seez-ezz. I think other pronunciations come from people not wanting the two syllables ending in -z and feeling like they're stuttering; or people thinking there's a special plural from the Greek even though they're English words just derived from Greek ones; and they might be the same people who say "process" (sing.) and "process-eez" (pl.) for the same reason, because process-ezz feels like stuttering.
Next topic: short-lived with a long or short "i." It's long because it's about a short life, not a short live. These are the right answers. You're welcome.
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