Prayers please, new pastor this evening
  • Casavant Organist
    Posts: 800
    Our new pastor is arriving for his first weekend Masses this evening and I've never met him. I've heard good, solid things about him but still I'd ask for prayers for the grace to deal with whatever comes my way, good or bad.
  • teachermom24
    Posts: 327
    How did it go? This is the season of change.

    We, too, welcomed a new pastor this weekend. After six years suffering with discouragement of the sacred in music and liturgy, we were delighted to find our new priest greatly appreciated hearing the Propers sung this morning. This priest requested our parish pray a Rosary novena for him beginning June 22, culminating last night with a solemn Benediction. I can sense life returning to our parish.
    Thanked by 2Casavant Organist irishtenor
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,368
    What a callous and uncivilised shame it is that new pastors can just walk in and uproot a parish's tradition without the slightest qualms and oblivious to the feelings of 'his' people. It is widespread practice in the Episcopal church for a new priest to respect the traditions of a parish, which are often sacrosanct and not changed willy-nilly at the whim of a new rector. Obviously, 'pastoral concerns' are a thing that exist only in the mind of a given priest and what he wishes to do.
    Thanked by 5Carol CHGiffen Casavant Organist teachermom24 toddevoss
  • Casavant Organist
    Posts: 800
    The new pastor is very nice. He is Polish and would appear to have an appreciation for good music (I don't do propers, unfortunately, but good traditional hymnody and organ). He is a musician himself, albeit not a sacred musician but an accordion player. Coming from a Polish background, however, I'd expect that he'd be exposed to high amounts of sacred music and good liturgy. Let us unceasingly pray for all our priests!
    Thanked by 4Carol CHGiffen M. Jackson Osborn teachermom24
  • MichaelDickson
    Posts: 419
    Could be promising. Now introduce him and the parish to the propers! It's an opportunity.
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • Casavant Organist
    Posts: 800
    Except for the fact that the Diocese has effectively banned propers... I'll sneak them in somehow. Probably can only do Offertory and Communion.
  • MichaelDickson
    Posts: 419
    Well that's a start. Serious question: Can a diocese really, licitly, 'ban' propers?
  • Casavant Organist
    Posts: 800
    Banned as in no practical way to get them done. I can try to sneak them in in other ways, like a communion responsory... which I already do. I'll start using SEP for that. We're allowed "choir only/musician only" music at Offertory so maybe full Gregorian there. But no full Introit, unfortunately.
  • MichaelDickson
    Posts: 419
    Keep at it. I will pray for your success.
    Thanked by 1Casavant Organist
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,368
    Need one note that the GIRM, not to mention the recent Council, approved, commended, and commanded the music of the Graduale Romanum (which is the propers) and that, therefore, authority to forbid them is non-existent? If your 'diocese' or a certain 'someone' in it has presumed to ban them he has done so ilicitly and without authority.
    Thanked by 2ebullock Paul F. Ford
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Need one note that the GIRM, not to mention the recent Council, approved, commended, and commanded the music of the Graduale Romanum (which is the propers) and that, therefore, authority to forbid them is non-existent?


    One could do such a thing, Jackson, but the "other side" understands only one thing: power. They're (usually) not interested in the truth or anything else so banal. They find a superdogma (as I think it's called) and over-rule anything else that gets in the way for what they wish to accomplish. Appealing to the current court in Rome seems like an exercise in futility, since Jesuits in general and this Jesuit in particular are utterly unconcerned with what the "law" might say, except when it's useful to brand someone as rigid for caring what the law says.
    Thanked by 2teachermom24 toddevoss
  • Casavant Organist
    Posts: 800
    I must stress, once again, that the Diocese has not explicitly banned propers, just made it difficult to implement by demanding that basically everything have a congregational element.
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,368
    .
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Invite the congregation to sing!
    Thanked by 1toddevoss
  • Casavant Organist
    Posts: 800
    Just for everyone's information, let me point you to this previous discussion for context of my comments.
    https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/15905/hamilton-diocese-liturgical-instruction-gathered-into-one#Item_69
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    I must stress, once again, that the Diocese has not explicitly banned propers, just made it difficult to implement by demanding that basically everything have a congregational element.


    And driving more Catholics away who are tired of doing more...and getting less out of it.
    Thanked by 2Casavant Organist CHGiffen
  • Casavant Organist
    Posts: 800
    The congregation which I provide music for (one of them) is a great singing congregation. In fact, once, I had bad hiccups while singing the Gloria, so I just turned off the mic and played and they were strong as any small parish choir I've ever heard.

    Though, they do compliment me when I do solo work. I think there's a place for meditative, non-participatory music, especially at a time like Communion where meditation is supposed to be a large element. I can attest to the difficulty of trying to pray, while also being asked to sing an antiphon or a hymn at the same time. I think I saw once a parish bulletin which instructed its congregation to refrain from privately praying and even kneeling and that Communion was the time to sing only.
  • teachermom24
    Posts: 327
    What a callous and uncivilised shame it is that new pastors can just walk in and uproot a parish's tradition without the slightest qualms and oblivious to the feelings of 'his' people.


    It is a shame. Isn't this what happened in the Church at large following Vatican II, trouncing the traditions of Catholic practice and liturgy? I do see what our parish went through over these past six years akin to the destruction of the post-Vat II Church. Destruction of tradition was swift, profound and widespread; re-building will take a very long time. We have just made a beginning with our new pastor appreciating the Propers, but it is just a small beginning when one considers the destruction of our parish on so many levels. The rebuilding will take a very long time but, Deo gratias, we have a good beginning.
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,934
    And driving more Catholics away who are tired of doing more...and getting less out of it.


    There was an old commercial some years ago that said something similar to, are you doing it more but enjoying it less? Reminds me of a middle school student of mine who said he never enjoyed vacations because his busy parents kept him so over-scheduled with activities he had no time for himself. Sadly, I think musicians, pastors, and the horrible "L" word (liturgists) have done the same and exhausted everyone. You almost have to stay home to find time to think and pray. It isn't supposed to be that way.
    Thanked by 1Carol
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