A Great Amen
  • Steve QSteve Q
    Posts: 121
    Here's a story that might give you all a chuckle.

    The other day I sang with the choir of a colleague of mine for a Confirmation at her parish. The Monsignor who celebrated the mass had instructed her not to have the choir sing the "Great Amen", rather he would intone it himself. Little did anyone know that when the time came, he would give us this:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdtl4SwNEW0

    I mean, he repeated it over and over - complete with prompts to sing it softer, then sing it louder, etc. We probably repeated it about 20 times. It was ridiculous.

    My colleague, who was at the organ, was so taken aback by what had just happened that she was "inspired" to play a rather sarcastic rendition of "Kumbaya" a few minutes later during the Sign of Peace. We were in stitches...

    Maybe the good Monsignor was trying to show the kids how hip he was - too bad most of the kids told us later that they had never heard the tune before. As the "church lady" might say,
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmwqnqL3Hbg
    Thanked by 1canadash
  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,501
    And "Lilies of the Field" is a great movie! That is hilarious... now that it is over. Thanks for sharing and helping me realize that I'm blessed with my pastor! Whew!
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,979
    I have had to point out to visiting priests that I work for the pastor, not for them. Consequently, get with the program, and get your a*s on the altar and do your job, so I can do mine.
  • Scott_WScott_W
    Posts: 468
    My condolences. Where can one flee to escape the bathos?
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,979
    Well, Scott, if I ever quit working for the Latins, I will retreat to my eastern Catholic church. Not that we don't have some crazies, too, but the structure tends to restrain them.
  • Scott_WScott_W
    Posts: 468
    Well, Scott, if I ever quit working for the Latins, I will retreat to my eastern Catholic church. Not that we don't have some crazies, too, but the structure tends to restrain them.


    I think I've told this story here before, but I tried my local Maronite rite. Sublime chanting in Syriac/Aramaic but with the four-hymn sandwich of Haugen/Haas/Schutte ditties. If you think those are disjointed in the Latin rite, you haven't heard nuttin' yet. :)
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • PaixGioiaAmorPaixGioiaAmor
    Posts: 1,473
    CharlesW, I knew a kid who was eastern and volunteered heavily in his church, did a lot with his diocese etc. and knew a lot of priests and their bishop. YES, there are crazies ... they just can't manifest it in the Liturgy - their craziness manifested itself in things such as the bishop telling his driver to just park in the fire lane because the bishop is more important than the normal people and using the royal "we" when referring to himself ... yeah, I couldn't make this stuff up.
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    Scott, shouldn't that be "you AIN'T heard nuttin' yet" ?
    Thanked by 1CharlesW
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,979
    Scott-W, the Maronites are the most Latinized of the eastern rites. That doesn't surprise me. Unlike the other eastern Catholic churches, the Maronites were never out of union with Rome. I think that in trying to prove they were genuine Catholics, they imitated a bit too much from the west.
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,979
    PGA, I think bishops can be full of themselves in every church. My church has had some great ones, and as we say in the south, some "not worth killing." ;-)
  • Scott_WScott_W
    Posts: 468
    Scott, shouldn't that be "you AIN'T heard nuttin' yet" ?


    Quite right y'all.
  • AP23AP23
    Posts: 119
    It is probably against guidelines to do that for an Amen. We might as well do Mass of New Beginnings for the Gloria:

    http://www.wlp.jspaluch.com/download/018132-02-Glory_to_God.mp3
  • Earl_GreyEarl_Grey
    Posts: 904
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_RSGCgsLmE

    Singing pop songs from a bygone decade fills the pews every time.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,482
    "We gotta get some butts in the seats."
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