Church choirs exist to lead and sustain everyone's singing - not to do it all themselves

A quote from the General Instruction to the Roman Missal (GIRM):

Among the faithful, the schola cantorum or choir exercises its own liturgical function, ensuring that the parts proper to it, in keeping with the different types of chants, are properly carried out and fostering the active participation of the faithful through the singing. It is fitting that there be a cantor or a choir director to lead and sustain the people's singing.

When in doubt, give people the benefit of the doubt

A good phrase to remember from the Catechism of the Catholic Church - which maybe some people have difficulty remembering:

2478 To avoid rash judgment, everyone should be careful to interpret insofar as possible his neighbor’s thoughts, words, and deeds in a favourable way:
Every good Christian ought to be more ready to give a favorable interpretation to another’s statement than to condemn it.

The same locus of faith

It's not often I find gems worth keeping on the Chant Café.

But there's one today here:

On the other hand, when those who take the responsibilities of liturgical office arrive at some belief that the vagaries of propriety and canon mitigates and dismisses all other concerns that are part and parcel of ritual and worship by HUMAN BEINGS, then they risk not recognizing Christ at their own doors. They put on blinders to the reality that those whom they serve are not likely all at the same locus of faith.

Just to repeat the key phrase:

"those whom they serve are not likely all at the same locus of faith"

A mature adult faith may well be nurtured by does of dignified, beautiful Latin hymns delivered in a measured pace with decorum.

But to the average child or teenager (not the musical prodigy, just the average one) such treasures will be the aural equivalent of eating sawdust.

Keep the polished gems for sure. But be aware that they weren't the church's music in Jesus time, and they're not necessarily Jesus voice for the youth (and indeed many adults) of today, either.

Why parish musicians do what they do

"Our parish musicians ... are not here to put on a show or delight us with their musical talents. They put their talents at the service of those of us in the pews. And the greatest way we can respond ... is by raising our voices in song with those around us."

From http://gottasinggottapray.blogspot.com/2015/12/sparking-musical-fire.html

Bad Catholic Music is not a thing

Some conservative Catholics have an amazing inability to comprehend just how wide their church is, and that their sensibilities are not the same as everyone else's.

This guy has a rant about what he calls "Bad Catholic Music" (BCM allegedly).

He has not problem with saying that he stopping going to Mass for a while because he didn't like the music.

"I don’t recommend it – but it worked, because the only place you encounter those smug, gloopy songs is a modern Catholic church"

I think this gives a pretty good insight into the role that Eucharist played in his spiritual life at the time: he could have easily enough found a music-less Mass, or even just offered-up his sufferings for the greater good: Instead, he stopped going and blamed it on other people's music choices, rather than take responsibility for his own spiritual state. Now he's found places that play the chunes he likes, he's back again - arguably to worship Hayden, Byrd, and whoever else.

Good for him.   I hope God can work effectively in his life, using the means that God has for communicating with him.

But I cannot agree that his "high art" musical tastes represent everyone else's pathway to God too. God is just too big to be limited to one genre, one motif, one groove.

And do not even start me on how a song can "be" Catholic.    

Merton on Gregorian Chant

The Chant Café has some interesting comments from Thomas Merton about Latin and (Gregorian) chants.

He says "they offer us an irreplaceable monastic and Christian experience." Which is great, because it sets his comments strictly in the context of monastic experience, ie people who have devoted their lives to full-time prayer and detachment from the world. Which is not the case for most Christians.

He also notes that

"it is not at all impossible to make such things [meaning Latin and chant] understood and appreciated. Generally I succeed quite well in this, in the novitiate, with some exceptions, naturally, who did not understand well."

So some his novices - highly motivated, aspiring professional-prayers in full time formation with an experienced guide - couldn't manage to understand Latin and chant.

If some of them couldn't manage it, then what hope for the average Christian whose capacity for such formation is intrinsically less, simply because they have to devote the majority of their time to the affairs of the world.

My conclusion:   Chant is great for people who have the gift of praying with chant.   But that isn't all - or even most - of us.

Retreat Venues in Ireland

I can't find a good list anywhere else, so am making my own.   In no particular order:

Lay Retreat Association of St Ignatius


Donegal

• Lough Derg (There are also places called Lough Derg in Clare and Galway, but they're not the retreat centre)

Galway

• Esker
• Jesuit
• Croi Nua

Kilkenny

• Integritas Centre

Mayo

• Ballintubber?