Workshop at St Boniface

Between Linda Schafer and Fr Weber, I'm not sure to whom I am more grateful.
Excellent attendance, enough larger than expected that they had to relocate to a different building.
At first I was impressed that so many people had come from all over to attend... WRONG!
The reality was in its way more remarkable: the locals, members of their parish, choir, schola, presbyterate, etc. who were interested were that numerous.
Some of what Fr Weber had to say I had heard before, but took better notes this time -- several descriptions he has of "process", the one of deepening intimacy between two lovers, i.e. Christ and the Church, or the Creator and the and each of us as His creature; and the other of the movement from Chaos to Order; are truly breathtaking.
And his insights on the spirituality of music, (which encompasses both sound and silence,) I believe bore immediate fruit --- I think I "prayed better" and then as a result led my choir better the next morning.
(Despite the fact that I, to my shame, simply and inexplicably changed key in the middle of Oremus pro Pontifice; despite my thinking I had barely enough voice to be heard, they all came right along with me -- so they ARE paying attention! but the psalm, one of my few triumphs at the parish, was wonderfully right, and prayerful, and beautiful.)
And as always, chanting the Divine Office with a group, (in English, some parts recto tono, always a good, valid solution to real or perceived difficulties,) is a highlight of my prayer life.
It's great, a real relief any time I get to sing nowadays without doing the heavy lifting. (I'm still draggin' my choir along, albeit not reluctantly on their part, on the sung angelus...)

Anyway, the day was rewarding, worth all the money I paid out to subs to go. (The perils of working full time as a part time worker...)
I was interested to stay to Mass, because it's always (as Mary Jane notes in a post below,) a good idea for the musician to be a PIP from time to time.
Although had I not, and had I relaized a little earlier that there was a time difference, I could have scampered home in time to play the anticipated Mass. I spent some time in the loft, and some in the pew.
I was pleased to hear that their congregational participation is pretty good, about the same as ours (I was told that Mass is their worst for EffCap.)
I was intrigued that participation is much better for the Latin Sanctus and Agnus Dei than for the Mysterium Fidei, (for obvious reasons, but I like to see that my intuition is right.) This, amongst people who are not possible old enough to have sung the former two and not the latter on a regular basis.
I was very interested in something I have never seen before -- the Communion "procession" was, for once, a genuine procession, crucifer and all, from the BACK (which makes great sense on several counts, but I am not in a position to suggest such a change at our parish.)
Anyway, if any of my 2.36 readers, (or is that a generous estimate?) has the chance to hear this wonderful priest, or attend anything organized by this parish, I cannot recommend it highly enough.