Yeah, I'm skeptical too. It sounds to me like a rationale that all music must defer to the the community's will. The priorities seem a bit mixed up. It overlooks, for example, that musicians are technicians who are working to fulfill the goals of the faith, so their technique is rather important priority. Let's say that the parish hired someone to re-pave the parking lots. You wouldn't say to the pavers "you must first be a community of faith and only then pavers." You wouldn't say that to gardeners or to those who wove the altar cloth or those who built the building or to anyone else who does things for the parish. The community of faith is the result of doing things well in accordance with the letter and spirit of the needs of the faith.

I'm concerned for the souls of those in the choir, but they're called to do good music well. When I hear how the choir is a "community of faith first" (and why use that terminology? Are we talking about Muslim choirs?), I hear an excuse for lost focus.

I liken it to how the church has often been watered down to be a community that replicates what other communities do plenty well but "forgets" to worship God, which is the one thing that other communities don't do. Churches start to preach the Gospel of Recycling or whatever the Cause Du Jour is, but what if you're really looking for the Savior? There should be somewhere you can find Him! In the same way, choirs can develop all sorts of aspects as a community, but if their focus is not on meeting the challenge of singing well, they lose their distinctive meaning.

May I say that I consider all the other aspects of choir -- friendship and fellowship, the personal sharing of lives and hopes and projects as the seasons of the church year come and go, and simply as the years come and go -- as wonderful and precious. I don't want them dismissed at all. I just don't think some people realize how these things are rooted in a shared purpose a belonging to an as-good-as-possible choir.

"Community" in this case may be like happiness, which should be a by-product but not the goal, of life. If either becomes the goal, it becomes elusive and vague. A "community of faith" is a vague thing. Now choirs? They're looking for the downbeat. (On second thought, they're looking for the arsis and thesis!)

Thanks for the comments which are helping to "clarify thinking," as Peter Maurin liked to say. I've been around choirs that focused on music and had a number of non-Catholic members - some of whom did eventually begin to think about more than Renaissance music and enter the Church. I've also been around lots of hand-holding and pious talk with poor singing - and directors who felt that the former excused the latter. I also sang with a choir that combined both - work at singing, parties that lapsed into slightly tipsy folk songs, and abiding friendships.

And speaking of community, I thank God (and my lucky stars) for all the good folks who participate in this forum - a communtiy of faith, interest and love.

Some months ago, David Haas delivered himself of the opinion in "Ministry and Liturgy" Magazine (April 2008) the following wisdom: "All God's critters got a place in the choir."

The punch-line of his wisdom was the following:

The parish choir is not the local choral society. The parish choir helps empower the assembly. The choir is also a witness, a small Christian community called to live faithfully, to serve passionately to the poor and outcast, to celebrate and honor the family of God. . . Their passion, faith and commitment is far more important than how perfected their choral sound may be.

(My emphasis added.)

So, there you have it. Note the words: empower, witness; the catchphrases: serve the poor and outcast. A choir, in Haas' world, celebrates and honors the family of God, not God Himself. It's not about being properly disposed, trained or equipped to serve as lay liturgical ministers within the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, it's about feeling like you belong to something.

Things that make you go, "Hmm." And remember, dozens of young people (and adults) attend his "Music Ministry Alive!" camps every summer, and NPM members are exposed to his ideology regularly, in almost every major publication in general circulation to both the laity and clergy.

"The parish choir is not the local choral society. The parish choir helps empower the assembly. The choir is also a witness, a small Christian community called to live faithfully, to serve passionately to the poor and outcast, to celebrate and honor the family of God. . . Their passion, faith and commitment is far more important than how perfected their choral sound may be."

Yes, you can be mediocre or even worse in the singing at Mass, but as long as you are passionate about your faith commitment that's all that matters. And now we're are back in the 1960's, starting all over again. Composers don't sit and wonder if their music will sell....if there is any doubt of its merit, they burn it and start over again. These guys seem to have kept everything from the fire.

And my choirs already have the poor and the outcasts in them...they are not the elite he seems to want in his choirs.

Kevin,

You're confusing Haas' denominational identity with that of Marty Haugen's. I believe Haas has always been a Newchurch Catholic. Haugen (whose music is, all things being equal, a cut above Haas', which isn't saying much) was Lutheran, then Congregationalist, and is apparently back to being Lutheran.

But the Catholic publishers will always gladly feather his nest.

Michael, I think that's a matter between Haas and his confessor. ;^)

Ok, maybe I'll change mine to Vigilate2

Yes, thank you for the clarification regarding Haas. I stand by my anti-intellectualism and a-historical critique.