Merry Christmas!

Here is our program for Lessons and Carols and Midnight Mass.

http://holycross-batavia.org/music/holycross2008christmas.pdf

Have a blessed Christmas!
Jon

Praise and Worship

I'm sure many of you (all 6-12 daily visitors) that read this blog with any regularity also frequent the "New Liturgical Movement" website. If not, you should check out this post, an open letter to Praise and Worship musicians. I'm contemplating sending this to a few people I know...or at least asking someone else send it to them. Maybe you should do the same.

The Beauty of Silence

One of the greatest gifts during the Advent Season is the increased silence during the Mass. It has become the norm in the country to fill every moment of the Mass with sound. I have two theories about this: first it might be done for a false sense of participation (since the priest is doing something we can participate at this moment by singing) or it is because of a fear of silence. As the old saying goes: silence is golden.

Our current world is so full of constant noise that it can be difficult to be silent. This is why it is most appropriate to have silence during the Mass - because we have it no where else. The Sacred Liturgy must be a moment separate from our daily routines and rigmaroles. Being in the presence of Jesus is our time to quite our hearts and souls and listen to Christ. This encounter is not possible without silence. Hence a plea to music directors: consider cutting back your music not just during the Advent Season but throughout the whole Church year. While music is very important we do not need to over sing during the Mass. Do not fill every second with song - it is simply not what is needed.

Here are some pointers for good musical practice in the Liturgy: the offertory song does not have to last the entire offertory time - leave some time for silence. Thinking of a second communion hymn, how about something instrumental or some silence. As the faithful are returning from receiving communion they should have an opportunity to offer a prayer of thanksgiving. Try Mass parts that are simpler and do not overshadow what has just happened at the consecration. The Anamnesis and Amen should not be huge pieces forced onto a quite Eucharistic Prayer. (Remember that these are only supposed to be sung if the whole Eucharistic Prayer is sung).

Let us be silent, watch, and pray.

Atmosphere of Holiness

Last Monday I was in at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis for the investiture of 28 new monsignors. Congratulations to Rev. Msgr. C. Eugene Morris, STL, and Rev. Msgr. Mark Ullrich, both friends of this blog. Besides the fact that it is always an extreme joy to visit this grandeous Church, that night there was an extraordinary feeling of "Church." The combination of the bueatiful church, the organ, the schola, and the capacity crowd made me think that at that moment we were "giving our best to God."

As I reflect on this experience it sadly reminds me of the minimalist and errouneous actions of so many since the Second Vatican Council. Instead of continuing the tradition of giving our best for God: building CHurches that required the sacrifice of everyone involved, praising God through this sacrifice, and remembering those who have gone before us by preserving and continuing these sacrifices, we have ripped out their memory and destroyed their sacrifice by destroying our Churches. Think of the blood, sweat, and tears that went into building goreous houses of worship only to be destroyed in minutes when their Altars, statues, and artwork were ripped out. These were dispicable actions and they remains to this next generation of Catholics unthinkable. It is hard to fathom how anyone would, in the name of the Church, destroy a Church.

Besides destroying our churches we are now building churches that are both protestant and minimalist. Where is the sacrifice for something bueatiful. Instead we sacrifice for something that looks like a Wal-Mart or a space ship. We certainly have much work to do. Maria Mater Ecclesiae, ora pro nobis.

Extraordinary Items on the Altar

When I proceeded into the sanctuary for All Souls Day Mass I noticed a small basket on the Altar. Naturally I was intrigued by its contents and so I asked the head sacristan after Mass who informed me that the basket contained the names of those who died in the last year (from the parish). While this is a nice sentiment, and we certainly want to remember those who have died in our daily prayers and at Mass, should we really be doing so by placing this Wal-Mart basket full of names on the Altar of the Lord?

This perhaps brings up an even larger point - what belongs on the Altar of Sacrifice. My answer would be only the things that are used for the Mass: Candles, Roman Missal and Stand, Chalice, Ciborium, Altar linens. Baskets, flowers, and Sr. Trixy's special decorations DO NOT BELONG! This is the Altar of Sacrifice which re-presents the Cross on which our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died! Nothing other than the appropriate items for Mass belong on the Altar. Let us work to repsect the Altar of God.

From the Layman...

H/T Orthometer

All Souls' Day Schola Program

Here is our program for All Souls' Day.
Our Schola is fortunate and grateful to have the opportunity to take our "show on the road" and sing at another parish in our diocese. Let's hope it is a wonderful and prayerful experience for all!

You are moving what?

First my apologies for not posting in a long time! Father is learning to be father and that takes most of his time! Now on to the post - last weekend I walked into the Church as the choir was moving my chair so that the piano could be where I normally sit. Now, let me first state that the choir (according to the most trustworthy pastor as I have only been assigned here for four months) usually sings from the loft. This year they have decided to sing from the front of Church and they thought, in order for them to be able to stand by the piano, that it was OK to move the priests chair. So if I had let this happen I would be sitting behind the piano - WHAT??!!! I was amazed at the music directors response when I questioned him, "Certainly we can find a compromise." Certainly we can find a compromise - you go back to the loft where you belong. If you insist on singing from the front then you will sing in the space provided - our chairs are not to be moved. It is that simple. The nerve of these musicians is really something else. Perhaps I forgot that music has become more essential than the priest at Mass. My mistake.

Non-Negotiable

From Fr. Erik Richtsteig...nice. :-)

OCP...come on now, really???

So I had to buy our "Contemporary Ensemble" some more Spirit and Song books to use. Here was what I was greeted with when I went to the OCP site this evening.


Are they for real?

Who are they trying to fool?

Where are the guitar amps and drums?

Assumption 2008

Here is our Schola's program for the Vigil Mass for the Assumption:

http://www.holycross-batavia.org/music/schola_help_files/08assump.pdf

Why baseball caps have bills...

The bill of a baseball cap is the measuring tape for how close you get to an umpire while arguing. Lou Pinella demonstrates this concept.

By the way...
He did go around. Awful umping during the entire game on both sides...many botched calls...inconsistent strike zone.

Spiritual Father's Day

As we approach the secular holiday, which is a nice time to honor our fathers, we can also remember the important role of the Priest as Spiritual Father.

The parish priest must be an example of charity and the administrator of truth to his flock. This means that he must lead by example - he must teach others the love of Christ by example. The priest must also teach the truth, as a physical father teaches important lessons to his children so the spiritual father must teach the faith to his spiritual children. Sometimes the truth is difficult but charity demands that it be taught. The priest must guard his children from the evils of the world and protect them from harm. The priest must be forgiving which means that he must hear confessions. The spiritual father must nourish his children with the Eucharist. He must always think of his people first and they must take priority over his priorities (even when he has a tee time). Is this easy? No! Is this appealing? Not always! Is this what it takes to be a priest of Jesus Christ? Absolutely!

God Bless our Spiritual Fathers: Pope Benedict, our Bishops, and Priests!

Chant Intensive - Day II

What I learned today (just a quick, short list):
- I have been directing our Schola to sing salicuses (salici?) incorrectly
- I'm getting a better grasp on the 8 modes
- I'm realizing how much I could and should do with our Schola, especially when it comes to the rhythm and everyone counting, feeling, and singing the twos and threes
- I'm getting pretty good at finding the ictuses (icti?)

There's more, but that's good for now.

Chant Intensive - Day I

Report on the CMAA Chant Intensive Workshop, Loyola University, Chicago, IL

Today was great! After a quick lunch at Subway, Bill (co-founder of our Parish Schola) and I went over for the first session. We were transferred from a less-than-inspiring classroom to the acoustically-live Madonna Chapel. Can you say upgrade?

We were greeted by Jeffrey Tucker and later Susan Tracey both of which remembered us from 3 years ago in Washington DC at the CMAA Colloquium! Amazing!

We started off by singing Kyrie XI via rote and then working through all the notation symbols. We then moved over to the slightly more involved Kyrie IV (I think it was IV).

Though we already do a lot of what we'll be learning this week, I will get a lot out of being on "the other side of the stick." I've already flashed back to my college days and my time in the choir. Scott Turkington is a truly gifted musician and teacher and I hope to soak up as much as possible in these 5 short days.

Stay tuned!