I personally think teaching music in the grade school, playing for four masses with three different groups of musicians and designing worship aids is too much for one person within the confines of a normal work week. Especially if the common “other duties as assigned” clause is thrown in.

Also, if you interview, you’ll want to make sure that practice time for yourself at the organ is included in your work time/duties. Postludes don’t learn themselves. For years I did normal work during the day and then practiced at night or on Saturday mornings at home. This is something that I am now avoiding as much as I can.

Also, lots of pastors want the music program to “grow”. This is great in principle, but if you interview, you need to sus out whether or not they understand that some of the conditions are beyond your control, and that you won’t be considered a “failure” if the program doesn’t. For instance, at my current job, more than half of the parish is Hispanic and I minister on the Anglo side. The Anglo side is dying (average age has got to be mid 60’s), and after four years, I haven’t managed to attract many to join the choir, although we receive complements regularly from parishioners and visitors alike. We’ve even become a “destination parish” for a few people (because of the music). So I know we are on the right track and the good music we are doing I s appreciated, but no matter how many people I personally invite, and no matter how many clarion calls I’ve made either before mass or in the bulletin, I just can’t get people to join. There’s a broader cultural trend that is stronger than me. I’m keeping at it, but at this point it is up to God to send me souls.

I feel like the term "Faith Community" in general is watered down nonsense. Adding "Welcoming" to the beginning only makes it more so.

Does "knowledge of the Liturgy documents of Vatican II" say "Green Light" or "Red Light" to folks?

Does "knowledge of the Liturgy documents of Vatican II" say "Green Light" or "Red Light" to folks?

For me that’s a Signal Ahead sign; red if subsequent mention of Gather, green if mention of Mundelein Psalter.

For me, the kiss of death is a church that proudly notes that they have a Steirnway grand piano. (In addition to some of the above comments).

"Vibrant parish" means that either it isn't or that it was made "vibrant" by merging two or three non-vibrant parishes together. Avoid.

It occurred to me that the absence of a salary range (often replaced by "commensurate with qualifications") is a warning sign, unless the matter is an up-front part of the first phone conversation.

Perusing a few job postings on another page:

Red flags:
* Music directorship combined with that of a communications director (or any other non-liturgical job)
* "Founded in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council" - I think we all know what that means, but then they leave little doubt: "welcoming, inclusive parish"
* "Current hymnal is Gather 3rd edition...and much of the parish repertoire highlights the themes of Eucharist, unity, justice, and creation."
* "An appropriate balance of traditional and contemporary music styles..."
* "...ensure that all liturgies are well-planned and vibrant"
* "Oversee livestreaming/video of our Masses and special liturgical events..." (from a post not advertised as a communications director)
* "...provide liturgical experiences that are welcoming and inclusive"
* "... a person of faith who embraces stewardship as a way of life" - translation: you ain't gettin' paid what you're worth here

Another huge red flag: no weekends off all year. (I am only permitted to miss one Sunday a year, and this is a point of contention with my current employer.)

You know, speaking of posts on the forum, it'd be interesting if the ads had to have certain things, like the salary band, benefits, weekends off, etc. There are a lot of duties, some of which don't belong to the music director or which are obvious ("expand/maintain and organize the music library" — maybe the clergy have volunteers or part-time musicians who don't do this, but this is par for the course for full-time work…)

True, CGZ, but that's where a little message back to the poster saying,

"please include the following in your job post per our forum guidelines: "

could solve that problem.

Matthew,

Sorry? To whom is your comment addressed, and to what particular point?

What to think of a job opening for a DM (posted today) saying 3x "starting September 2021" ...

or not enough remuneration to support a family

This is usually the issue.

I actually had an 'amusing' situation crop up a few weeks ago when I was speaking with the parish secretary. Without thinking she was recounting how much she LOVED staying home with her kids when they were little. And then she looked at me, blushed, and apologized profusely, knowing full well that I couldn't afford for my wife and children to stay home. (I suppose it would technically be possible... anything is possible... but we would only live on rice and beans.)

I note that a recent job posting here is short, sweet, and to the point. Good, and thank you, Fr. Pastor for that.

CGZ, I agree on the whole, although I think this particular point has to be nuanced a bit. Relatively few (even among the highly musically trained) have had the opportunity to study liturgy in any formal sense. My pastor, who is MC for our diocese, brought me on and has tucked me under his wing, and taught me a TON. Granted, I was eager to learn, and we had an understanding, but still, I think the more appropriate thing to screen for is the right disposition and desire to learn about the liturgy and then implement what you're learning. I have an MM in organ performance and yet have never once been afforded the opportunity to formally study roman liturgy.

I guess I'm confused at why you seem to be disagreeing with me; as I said, I don't think it necessarily fair to require someone to have extensive knowledge of the liturgy. It is great if you can find someone with the requisite knowledge, but formal liturgical study isn't all that common anymore. I attended a university with one of the larger organ studios around, with every level from undergraduate to DMA candidates, and we didn't have a formal liturgy course, and even if we did, it wouldn't have been offered with a catholic lens since it was a large state school. There are only a handful of places [that aren't seminaries] that offer this type of study, and it seems odd to try and pigeonhole everyone through those few schools to be eligible for employment.

This is why I said I think it more proper to seek candidates who are willing and eager to learn on the job and implement what they learn.

Absolutely.

I can only guess that our Lord would prefer an imperfect liturgy with holy souls striving to constantly do better, than a technically perfect liturgy with souls he finds unrepentant and loathsome. I know of one town where the two Catholic organists (both men) are in an illicit relationship together and no one has any idea save a few of their closest friends. One of the two, in particular, fosters truly excellent liturgies. And yet he is actively engaging in activity that cries out to heaven for vengeance. I cannot imagine this is pleasing to our Lord. Contrast that to a run of the mill country parish where the people are simple and humble, and have the simplest of liturgies because they have neither the training nor finances to achieve high liturgies. It would seem to me that this is preferable in the spiritual, if not material, sense.

Again, people who are willing to do the right thing that just need to be shown seem preferable to those who might know what to do but live a live in overt contradiction to the gospel.

Also, is it any wonder that we are suffering from a mass identity crisis when we outsource the responsibility to those who do not believe what we believe?

I'm not disagreeing, @ServiamScores -- Just legitimately wondering, "to whom shall we go?" in terms of studying the liturgy in a faithful way. I'm not convinced that any of the programs which offer formal study in Catholic liturgy can be trusted not to be absolutely riddled with modernism. If there is a decent program out there, I'd be glad to learn of it.

Here's another red flag to me: if the position is advertised as directly accountable to someone other than the pastor/rector/parish priest. If I were to have to report to some "Director of Parish Life" or a parish/business manager, it tells me that the priest in charge sees the position as superfluous and that when a conflict arises that needs pastoral intervention I would be the one hung out to dry.