I know I'm always scrambling to find this (what can I say? my office and my computer are as big a mess and as disorganized as everything else in my life...)
The straight dope, as it were - (the document itself is in the first comment)
Paschale Solemnitatis
Circular Letter Concerning the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments...
Universalis, your very own breviary in pixels...
Wednesday, 12 March 2008
Difficult rehearsals, difficult singers...
http://musicasacra.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=367&page=1
A new thread, today of all days, on the CMAA forum.
Last night's rehearsal really took it out of me.
Some are feeling deprived because we are not expending sufficient energies on the "Easter Screamers. Well, doing more than two in a morning - one as a festive and unwontedly loud prelude and one as postlude, when only the festive and loud can be heard over the din of St J's Bowling Ally and Boutique - is silly, and I know my voice can't stand up to my predecessor's programming of 3 or 4 before, one (at communion!!??$?%!) during, and one after, especially after the Vigil on the night before.
Since I, for all intents and purposes, am the only "big gun," I think it my prerogative to say, nope, no anthem where the entire last page sits above the staff for the sopranos and then hangs on a B flat or a C for four measures after I have spent the rest of the anthem putting out fires in the alto or even bass line.
And a half dozen such pieces?
Not just no, but Helvetica, no! And when I offer, rather than the truthful, your voices aren't up to it, an explanation about limited time and energy, we can only sing what we get to in the rehearsals, I am assured, "oh, we've been singing this-that-or-t'other for years, we all know it!"
Well, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, may I enter into evidence the Mozart Ave Verum.
It was a most discouraging rehearsal...
But what it all boils down to finally, however, is that we are a liturgical choir, and choral showpieces are not our primary mission. And that's a hard sell, because just as they are constantly reminded (not by me....,) that "it's not a show," so are they constantly presented with, (by some of the same people,) a variety of.... well, shows.
And they are taught, from childhood, that on special occasions, special people get to stand up in front of everyone and do special things at church.
And an amazing number of those special things are extra-liturgical, to put it mildly.
So why wouldn't they expect their opportunity to wail on some favorite old chestnuts?
A new thread, today of all days, on the CMAA forum.
Last night's rehearsal really took it out of me.
Some are feeling deprived because we are not expending sufficient energies on the "Easter Screamers. Well, doing more than two in a morning - one as a festive and unwontedly loud prelude and one as postlude, when only the festive and loud can be heard over the din of St J's Bowling Ally and Boutique - is silly, and I know my voice can't stand up to my predecessor's programming of 3 or 4 before, one (at communion!!??$?%!) during, and one after, especially after the Vigil on the night before.
Since I, for all intents and purposes, am the only "big gun," I think it my prerogative to say, nope, no anthem where the entire last page sits above the staff for the sopranos and then hangs on a B flat or a C for four measures after I have spent the rest of the anthem putting out fires in the alto or even bass line.
And a half dozen such pieces?
Not just no, but Helvetica, no! And when I offer, rather than the truthful, your voices aren't up to it, an explanation about limited time and energy, we can only sing what we get to in the rehearsals, I am assured, "oh, we've been singing this-that-or-t'other for years, we all know it!"
Well, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, may I enter into evidence the Mozart Ave Verum.
It was a most discouraging rehearsal...
But what it all boils down to finally, however, is that we are a liturgical choir, and choral showpieces are not our primary mission. And that's a hard sell, because just as they are constantly reminded (not by me....,) that "it's not a show," so are they constantly presented with, (by some of the same people,) a variety of.... well, shows.
And they are taught, from childhood, that on special occasions, special people get to stand up in front of everyone and do special things at church.
And an amazing number of those special things are extra-liturgical, to put it mildly.
So why wouldn't they expect their opportunity to wail on some favorite old chestnuts?
Tuesday, 11 March 2008
Sober Inebriation
A blog, new to me, dense and rich as a good fruitcake.
(About which confection I will brook no petty insults or cruel japery, the subject seems risible to the foolish only because a good fruitcake is as rare as truffles -- but it is worth its weight in beluga, it is one of the pinnacles of the culinary arts, and since, as artists and their admirers know, it is in the great acts of creativity that we approach most closely the Divine, I would say that my Mother, the baker of a very fine fruitcake indeed, is that much nearer to...but I digress.)
Good thoughts and good culling of others thoughts...give it a read.
http://soberinebriation.blogspot.com/
(Given its title, it amuses me that what brought me to it was Belloc's poem in praise of wine-- well, after all, the good Lord did not provide milk for the wedding guests,did He? nor make running water the matter for the Blessed Sacrament? He chose wine as the accident of His most Precious Blood, thereby ennobling all wine, no?)
(About which confection I will brook no petty insults or cruel japery, the subject seems risible to the foolish only because a good fruitcake is as rare as truffles -- but it is worth its weight in beluga, it is one of the pinnacles of the culinary arts, and since, as artists and their admirers know, it is in the great acts of creativity that we approach most closely the Divine, I would say that my Mother, the baker of a very fine fruitcake indeed, is that much nearer to...but I digress.)
Good thoughts and good culling of others thoughts...give it a read.
http://soberinebriation.blogspot.com/
(Given its title, it amuses me that what brought me to it was Belloc's poem in praise of wine-- well, after all, the good Lord did not provide milk for the wedding guests,did He? nor make running water the matter for the Blessed Sacrament? He chose wine as the accident of His most Precious Blood, thereby ennobling all wine, no?)
A creature gone bad...
A creature gone bad.
What a humiliating description... is the devil squirming with embarrassment and shame? probably not.
Fr "SingtheMass" correctly deems it a tragedy for people to believe in the devil but not in the Lord, but I believe the sad fact is that surveys show that it is not all that uncommon, in this time and in this society.
Now I admit I have my doubts that some of the sad young people who declare themselves "devil worshippers" are any such thing, but are like the foolish little people who drift into gang membership -- desperate to belong somewhere, anywhere, they are merely grasping at straws, even an ugly, corrosive, poisonous straw.
Nevertheless, there are those who believe in the existence of demons but not in Our Lord God.
And thank you, Father, who identifying the originator of the Kaiser Sozay maxim -- Baudelaire, eh?
But I am drifting from my main point, which is that the devil is both lazy and smart, and often has recourse to something more effective, (and easier on him,) than a frontal assault on Truth Beauty and Goodness.
One of the "windows" that can be climbed in after being pushed out the door is the building up of the inferior, or even worse, of the opposite.
Instead of working so hard to destroy the Truth, the devil puts his energies into a glam make-over of Falsehood.
Instead of trying to tear down Beauty the huckster of the world puts lipstick on pigs and tempts suckers to idolize ugliness.
He makes the bad seem not-so-bad, kinda fun, maybe even "good enough" -- and voila! his patsies no longer seek the Good.
Because we're not as smart as he is, but we're probably, most of us, his equal in laziness (or am I projecting because I'm so dang slothful?)
So we're delighted to have our failure to strive affirmed, we're very happy to have that for which we settle endorsed.
Once a lie seems to work, once ugliness is comfortable, once we get by with something evil -- well, why not?
There were no consequences...
It was (and this, finally was my point,) No Big Deal.
And strangely, by devaluing them, we devalue their opposites.
Yes, it is wrong to give the devil too much credit... but for some of us, it has been more dangerous to give him none at all.
For if we de-fang the devil, what need to avoid him, chained like a dog to a tree? Indeed, what need for the chain?
See? he's harmless.
And if the Evil and Ugliness and Falsehood that are his stock in trade are inconsequential, unimportant , if choosing them was No Big Deal -- well, Goodness and Beauty and Truth must not matter all that much either.
............................
Satan Exists and Christ Defeated Him (via Zenit http://www.zenit.org/english)
By Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap, the Pontifical Household preacher
2/9/2008
Demons, Satanism and other related phenomena are quite topical today, and they disturb a great part of our society. Our technological and industrialized world is filled with magicians, wizards, occultism, spiritualism, fortune tellers, spell trafficking, amulets, as well as very real Satanic sects.
Chased away from the door, the devil has come in through the window. Chased away by the faith, he has returned by way of superstition. The episode of Jesus' temptations in the desert that is read on the First Sunday of Lent helps us to have some clarity on this subject.
First of all, do demons exist? ....it must be noted that many great writers, such as Goethe and Dostoyevsky, took Satan's existence very seriously. Baudelaire, who was certainly no angel, said that "the demon's greatest trick is to make people believe that he does not exist."
The principal proof of the existence of demons in the Gospels is not the numerous healings of possessed people, since ancient beliefs about the origins of certain maladies may have had some influence on the interpretation of these happenings.
The proof is Jesus' temptation by the demon in the desert. ...
How could a person know anything about Satan if he has never encountered the reality of Satan, but only the idea of Satan in cultural, religious and ethnological traditions? They treat this question with great certainty and a feeling of superiority, doing away with it all as so much "medieval obscurantism." But it is a false certainty. It is like someone who brags about not being afraid of lions and proves this by pointing out that he has seen many paintings and pictures of lions and was never frightened by them.
On the other hand, it is entirely normal and consistent for those who do not believe in God to not believe in the devil. It would be quite tragic for someone who did not believe in God to believe in the devil!
Yet the most important thing that the Christian faith has to tell us is not that demons exist, but that Christ has defeated them. For Christians, Christ and demons are not two equal, but rather contrary principles, as certain dualistic religions believe to be the case with good and evil.
Jesus is the only Lord; Satan is only a creature "gone bad."....
Nothing and no one can do us ill, unless we ourselves allow it. Satan, said an ancient Father of the Church, after Christ's coming, is like a dog chained up in the barnyard: He can bark and lunge as much as he wants, but if we don't go near him, he cannot harm us.
In the desert Jesus freed himself from Satan to free us! This is the joyous news with which we begin our Lenten journey toward Easter.
What a humiliating description... is the devil squirming with embarrassment and shame? probably not.
Fr "SingtheMass" correctly deems it a tragedy for people to believe in the devil but not in the Lord, but I believe the sad fact is that surveys show that it is not all that uncommon, in this time and in this society.
Now I admit I have my doubts that some of the sad young people who declare themselves "devil worshippers" are any such thing, but are like the foolish little people who drift into gang membership -- desperate to belong somewhere, anywhere, they are merely grasping at straws, even an ugly, corrosive, poisonous straw.
Nevertheless, there are those who believe in the existence of demons but not in Our Lord God.
And thank you, Father, who identifying the originator of the Kaiser Sozay maxim -- Baudelaire, eh?
But I am drifting from my main point, which is that the devil is both lazy and smart, and often has recourse to something more effective, (and easier on him,) than a frontal assault on Truth Beauty and Goodness.
One of the "windows" that can be climbed in after being pushed out the door is the building up of the inferior, or even worse, of the opposite.
Instead of working so hard to destroy the Truth, the devil puts his energies into a glam make-over of Falsehood.
Instead of trying to tear down Beauty the huckster of the world puts lipstick on pigs and tempts suckers to idolize ugliness.
He makes the bad seem not-so-bad, kinda fun, maybe even "good enough" -- and voila! his patsies no longer seek the Good.
Because we're not as smart as he is, but we're probably, most of us, his equal in laziness (or am I projecting because I'm so dang slothful?)
So we're delighted to have our failure to strive affirmed, we're very happy to have that for which we settle endorsed.
Once a lie seems to work, once ugliness is comfortable, once we get by with something evil -- well, why not?
There were no consequences...
It was (and this, finally was my point,) No Big Deal.
And strangely, by devaluing them, we devalue their opposites.
Yes, it is wrong to give the devil too much credit... but for some of us, it has been more dangerous to give him none at all.
For if we de-fang the devil, what need to avoid him, chained like a dog to a tree? Indeed, what need for the chain?
See? he's harmless.
And if the Evil and Ugliness and Falsehood that are his stock in trade are inconsequential, unimportant , if choosing them was No Big Deal -- well, Goodness and Beauty and Truth must not matter all that much either.
............................
Satan Exists and Christ Defeated Him (via Zenit http://www.zenit.org/english)
By Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap, the Pontifical Household preacher
2/9/2008
Demons, Satanism and other related phenomena are quite topical today, and they disturb a great part of our society. Our technological and industrialized world is filled with magicians, wizards, occultism, spiritualism, fortune tellers, spell trafficking, amulets, as well as very real Satanic sects.
Chased away from the door, the devil has come in through the window. Chased away by the faith, he has returned by way of superstition. The episode of Jesus' temptations in the desert that is read on the First Sunday of Lent helps us to have some clarity on this subject.
First of all, do demons exist? ....it must be noted that many great writers, such as Goethe and Dostoyevsky, took Satan's existence very seriously. Baudelaire, who was certainly no angel, said that "the demon's greatest trick is to make people believe that he does not exist."
The principal proof of the existence of demons in the Gospels is not the numerous healings of possessed people, since ancient beliefs about the origins of certain maladies may have had some influence on the interpretation of these happenings.
The proof is Jesus' temptation by the demon in the desert. ...
How could a person know anything about Satan if he has never encountered the reality of Satan, but only the idea of Satan in cultural, religious and ethnological traditions? They treat this question with great certainty and a feeling of superiority, doing away with it all as so much "medieval obscurantism." But it is a false certainty. It is like someone who brags about not being afraid of lions and proves this by pointing out that he has seen many paintings and pictures of lions and was never frightened by them.
On the other hand, it is entirely normal and consistent for those who do not believe in God to not believe in the devil. It would be quite tragic for someone who did not believe in God to believe in the devil!
Yet the most important thing that the Christian faith has to tell us is not that demons exist, but that Christ has defeated them. For Christians, Christ and demons are not two equal, but rather contrary principles, as certain dualistic religions believe to be the case with good and evil.
Jesus is the only Lord; Satan is only a creature "gone bad."....
Nothing and no one can do us ill, unless we ourselves allow it. Satan, said an ancient Father of the Church, after Christ's coming, is like a dog chained up in the barnyard: He can bark and lunge as much as he wants, but if we don't go near him, he cannot harm us.
In the desert Jesus freed himself from Satan to free us! This is the joyous news with which we begin our Lenten journey toward Easter.
Monday, 10 March 2008
Turba
http://hymnographyunbound.blogspot.com/2008/03/crowd.html
Ephrem, over at Hymnography Unbound, has a very good post on why we should not all find ourselves mumbling "hail, King of the Jews" or "you are not one of His disciples" next week.
I rebelled against it when I was a kid, but I don't remember waht my reasons were. I just wouldn't read the "crowd's" part (it is called "Chorus" in one missal I saw, as if it were a Greek tragedy...) I suppose it was more on aesthetic than theological or liturgical grounds. I have come to believe, (even though I now read the part which we are asked to read,) I was right for the wrong reasons.
it is far too literal and turns the reading of the Passion--a liturgical act--into a dramatic act. Outside of the liturgy, dramatic stagings of important events of the life of the Lord are very helpful. But are they right for the liturgy?
In the Good Friday liturgy, the ministers prostrate themselves. We kiss the feet of the Lord. We take Communion. We worship the Cross. These are the heightened, symbolic, liturgical ways for Christians to acknowledge their joy in the salvation won for them by His blood. There is a deeper drama.
Ephrem, over at Hymnography Unbound, has a very good post on why we should not all find ourselves mumbling "hail, King of the Jews" or "you are not one of His disciples" next week.
I rebelled against it when I was a kid, but I don't remember waht my reasons were. I just wouldn't read the "crowd's" part (it is called "Chorus" in one missal I saw, as if it were a Greek tragedy...) I suppose it was more on aesthetic than theological or liturgical grounds. I have come to believe, (even though I now read the part which we are asked to read,) I was right for the wrong reasons.
it is far too literal and turns the reading of the Passion--a liturgical act--into a dramatic act. Outside of the liturgy, dramatic stagings of important events of the life of the Lord are very helpful. But are they right for the liturgy?
In the Good Friday liturgy, the ministers prostrate themselves. We kiss the feet of the Lord. We take Communion. We worship the Cross. These are the heightened, symbolic, liturgical ways for Christians to acknowledge their joy in the salvation won for them by His blood. There is a deeper drama.
Why don't we sing...?
I will never amount to much, for the same reason that in school my research papers never amounted to much.
I am too easily distracted, and too willing to wander off on tangents. Where I was once the thrall of the siren Card Catalogue, now my seducer is the Internet, or the Dubyadubyadubyas, (as someone I know calls it,) insinuating, whispering, Com'on out an' play...
So, in trying to understand preveniant grace (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prevenient_Grace) I come across the name of a hymn text of which I have never heard.
Hmmm, Come, Sinners, to the Gospel Feast.... so, look it up on Cyberhymnal http://www.cyberhymnal.org/
Why, what do they mean, HURSLEY, it sounds almost precisely like GROSSER GOTT!
So, I wonder if the tune is like SICILIAN MARINERS, do Protestants call it by one name so as to lessen the Papist taint?
And I wonder if HURSLEY can be found in any Catholic hymnal and in following that string through the labyrinth, I end up reading this:
"I am not worried about the continuing presence of hymnody at Catholic masses. I suggested that we should be more aware of the historic traditions of Protestant hymnody - I mean, why have I sung [a piece of trite tripe by a much excoriated songsmith on whom I do not wish to pile on at this time, although I'm more than interested in the normal course of things...] numerous times in Catholic churches, but never Charles Wesley’s excellent 'Come, Sinners, to the Gospel Feast'?"
It is from a site to which I do not care to link, the sanctimony of the main blogger gives me heartburn -- too bad, because I love the blogger whom I have quoted here, as well as some of the regular commentators.
But this is an interesting question.
Judging from a very (so far) perfunctory search, one answer is obvious - the major publishers did not see fit to include it in any Catholic hymnals.
Look, I do not really think that the Oregonian and Illinwiffic branches of the liturgical-industrial complex are Gog and Magog, or the living embodiment of all that is evil and unholy in the universe, or the universe of publishing... (okay, I may have said a few things that indicated I thought that.)
But who else would be to blame for this? OK, them and our conference of bishops.
What are the chances of the average parish musician looking beyond, being capable of looking beyond, knowing he is ABLE to look beyond, being allowed by his boss or bossette to look beyond, the fare provided by the hymnal or missallette in his parishes pew and loft?
And someone made the choices of what to print in said resources.
Well, we haven't come within spitting distance of a national hymnal, which the bishops could have, perhaps should have done.
And the publishers, (and their flunky .... sorry, that is a more pejorative word than I wish to use, but I can't think of another... musicians' association,) have more interest in promoting music on which they can own the copyrights than in letting musicians who have been thrown in to the deep end know that there is centuries of glorious music out there.
............................
Come, sinners, to the Gospel feast;Let every soul be Jesus’ guest.
Ye need not one be left behind,For God hath bid all humankind.
Sent by my Lord, on you I call;The invitation is to all.
Come, all the world! Come, sinner, thou!All things in Christ are ready now.
Come, all ye souls by sin oppressed,Ye restless wanderers after rest;
Ye poor, and maimed, and sick, and blind,In Christ a hearty welcome find.
Come, and partake the Gospel feast;Be saved from sin; in Jesus rest;
O taste the goodness of your God,And eat His flesh, and drink His blood!
You vagrant souls, on you I call;(O that my voice could reach you all!)
You all may now be justified,You all may live, for Christ hath died.
My message as from God receive;Ye all may come to Christ and live.
O let His love your hearts constrain,Nor permit Him to die in vain.
His love is mighty to compel;His conquering love consent to feel,
Yield to His love’s resistless power,And fight against your God no more.
See Him set forth before your eyes,That precious, bleeding Sacrifice!
His offered benefits embrace,And freely now be saved by grace.
This is the time, no more delay!This is the Lord’s accepted day.
Come thou, this moment, at His call,And live for Him Who died for all.
The following stanzas are commonly omitted:
Jesus to you His fullness brings,A feast of marrow and fat things.
Do not begin to make excuse,Ah! do not you His grace refuse.
Your grounds forsake, your oxen quit,Your every earthly thought forget,
Seek not the comforts of this life,Nor sell your Savior for a wife.
“Have me excused,” why will ye say?Why will ye for damnation pray?
Have you excused—from joy and peace!Have you excused—from happiness:
Excused from coming to a feast!Excused from being Jesus’ guest!
From knowing now your sins forgiven,From tasting here the joys of Heaven.
Excused, alas! why should you beFrom health, and life, and liberty,
From entering into glorious rest,From leaning on your Savior’s breast?
Sinners my gracious Lord receives,Harlots, and publicans, and thieves;
Drunkards, and all ye hellish crew,I have a message now to you.
The worst unto My supper press,Monsters of daring wickedness,
Tell them My grace for all is free.They cannot be too bad for Me.
I am too easily distracted, and too willing to wander off on tangents. Where I was once the thrall of the siren Card Catalogue, now my seducer is the Internet, or the Dubyadubyadubyas, (as someone I know calls it,) insinuating, whispering, Com'on out an' play...
So, in trying to understand preveniant grace (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prevenient_Grace) I come across the name of a hymn text of which I have never heard.
Hmmm, Come, Sinners, to the Gospel Feast.... so, look it up on Cyberhymnal http://www.cyberhymnal.org/
Why, what do they mean, HURSLEY, it sounds almost precisely like GROSSER GOTT!
So, I wonder if the tune is like SICILIAN MARINERS, do Protestants call it by one name so as to lessen the Papist taint?
And I wonder if HURSLEY can be found in any Catholic hymnal and in following that string through the labyrinth, I end up reading this:
"I am not worried about the continuing presence of hymnody at Catholic masses. I suggested that we should be more aware of the historic traditions of Protestant hymnody - I mean, why have I sung [a piece of trite tripe by a much excoriated songsmith on whom I do not wish to pile on at this time, although I'm more than interested in the normal course of things...] numerous times in Catholic churches, but never Charles Wesley’s excellent 'Come, Sinners, to the Gospel Feast'?"
It is from a site to which I do not care to link, the sanctimony of the main blogger gives me heartburn -- too bad, because I love the blogger whom I have quoted here, as well as some of the regular commentators.
But this is an interesting question.
Judging from a very (so far) perfunctory search, one answer is obvious - the major publishers did not see fit to include it in any Catholic hymnals.
Look, I do not really think that the Oregonian and Illinwiffic branches of the liturgical-industrial complex are Gog and Magog, or the living embodiment of all that is evil and unholy in the universe, or the universe of publishing... (okay, I may have said a few things that indicated I thought that.)
But who else would be to blame for this? OK, them and our conference of bishops.
What are the chances of the average parish musician looking beyond, being capable of looking beyond, knowing he is ABLE to look beyond, being allowed by his boss or bossette to look beyond, the fare provided by the hymnal or missallette in his parishes pew and loft?
And someone made the choices of what to print in said resources.
Well, we haven't come within spitting distance of a national hymnal, which the bishops could have, perhaps should have done.
And the publishers, (and their flunky .... sorry, that is a more pejorative word than I wish to use, but I can't think of another... musicians' association,) have more interest in promoting music on which they can own the copyrights than in letting musicians who have been thrown in to the deep end know that there is centuries of glorious music out there.
............................
Come, sinners, to the Gospel feast;Let every soul be Jesus’ guest.
Ye need not one be left behind,For God hath bid all humankind.
Sent by my Lord, on you I call;The invitation is to all.
Come, all the world! Come, sinner, thou!All things in Christ are ready now.
Come, all ye souls by sin oppressed,Ye restless wanderers after rest;
Ye poor, and maimed, and sick, and blind,In Christ a hearty welcome find.
Come, and partake the Gospel feast;Be saved from sin; in Jesus rest;
O taste the goodness of your God,And eat His flesh, and drink His blood!
You vagrant souls, on you I call;(O that my voice could reach you all!)
You all may now be justified,You all may live, for Christ hath died.
My message as from God receive;Ye all may come to Christ and live.
O let His love your hearts constrain,Nor permit Him to die in vain.
His love is mighty to compel;His conquering love consent to feel,
Yield to His love’s resistless power,And fight against your God no more.
See Him set forth before your eyes,That precious, bleeding Sacrifice!
His offered benefits embrace,And freely now be saved by grace.
This is the time, no more delay!This is the Lord’s accepted day.
Come thou, this moment, at His call,And live for Him Who died for all.
The following stanzas are commonly omitted:
Jesus to you His fullness brings,A feast of marrow and fat things.
Do not begin to make excuse,Ah! do not you His grace refuse.
Your grounds forsake, your oxen quit,Your every earthly thought forget,
Seek not the comforts of this life,Nor sell your Savior for a wife.
“Have me excused,” why will ye say?Why will ye for damnation pray?
Have you excused—from joy and peace!Have you excused—from happiness:
Excused from coming to a feast!Excused from being Jesus’ guest!
From knowing now your sins forgiven,From tasting here the joys of Heaven.
Excused, alas! why should you beFrom health, and life, and liberty,
From entering into glorious rest,From leaning on your Savior’s breast?
Sinners my gracious Lord receives,Harlots, and publicans, and thieves;
Drunkards, and all ye hellish crew,I have a message now to you.
The worst unto My supper press,Monsters of daring wickedness,
Tell them My grace for all is free.They cannot be too bad for Me.
Sunday, 9 March 2008
Misadventures in Thrift Shopping
I love junk store and thrift shop shopping.
Even if I were financially comfortable (and I don't see that ever happening,) I would continue to shop the thrift stores.
I like the unexpectedness of the finds and the randomness of the juxtapositions... oooh, look at this new Ralph Lauren flutter-sleeved black spandex top with this '70s metallic-embroidered velvet skirt.
And since I'm costuming the kids' show in primary-colored boho/hippie/vagabond, I have an actual need to drop in at the nearby ones.
I had never encountered this before, so I never thought about it... but I could not bear to see crucifixes, dumped in a bin with stained Rubbermaid containers and throw-away florists' bud vases.
I couldn't stand to see them there, and taking them out of the bin and placing them carefully on a shelf would have done no good.
So I had to buy them.
Does that make any sense?
Anyone else thrift shop?
What do you do when you encounter sacred objects all but desecrated?
You have to buy them, right?
Since every room in the house already has at least one, I don't know what do do with these... one of them is quite beautiful.
Even if I were financially comfortable (and I don't see that ever happening,) I would continue to shop the thrift stores.
I like the unexpectedness of the finds and the randomness of the juxtapositions... oooh, look at this new Ralph Lauren flutter-sleeved black spandex top with this '70s metallic-embroidered velvet skirt.
And since I'm costuming the kids' show in primary-colored boho/hippie/vagabond, I have an actual need to drop in at the nearby ones.
I had never encountered this before, so I never thought about it... but I could not bear to see crucifixes, dumped in a bin with stained Rubbermaid containers and throw-away florists' bud vases.
I couldn't stand to see them there, and taking them out of the bin and placing them carefully on a shelf would have done no good.
So I had to buy them.
Does that make any sense?
Anyone else thrift shop?
What do you do when you encounter sacred objects all but desecrated?
You have to buy them, right?
Since every room in the house already has at least one, I don't know what do do with these... one of them is quite beautiful.
A Design to Set Thoughts Aloft
An interesting article about a planned chapel at a Franciscan school on Long Island.I like, among other things, that this fellow does not blame "VaticanTwo" for the sheer unsightliness of so many of the newer Catholic churches in this country. The Cult of the Ugly and the Mediocre was already well established before the Council...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/realestate/09lizo.html?_r=1&ref=realestate&oref=slogin
BROTHER GARY CREGAN, a Franciscan friar and the principal of St. Anthony’s High School here, speaks plainly when discussing the modernist architecture of many area parochial schools and churches built in the mid-20th century.
“I have a general disgust for Catholic architecture since the 1950s,” he said recently. ...he becomes animated — even enthusiastic — as he discusses the high school’s plan to build a new, more traditional chapel.
The $3 million structure, designed by Baldassano Architecture, is inspired by a 12th-century Romanesque apse that is part of the Cloisters collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Upper Manhattan, according to Alex Badalamenti, one of the architects who worked on the school’s design.
Many modernist churches, he added, are laid out horizontally. The school chapel that is being replaced, for example, is integrated into a side wing of the building with a classroom-style entry door, across the hall from a science lab. Its ceilings are eight feet high, and behind the pews there is a small niche with an electronic keyboard.
By contrast, the new building and its tower are rising from behind a glass corridor that connects the two wings of the school — classrooms on one side and the gym and auditorium on the other.Brother Cregan and other Franciscans who “want to stress verticality,” he said, believe that the new chapel, with its soaring 30-foot ceilings, will teach teenagers that they are “worshiping God, not each other.”
In church architecture, the return to traditionalism is a trend across the country, according to Duncan Stroik, a specialist in the design of Catholic churches.Mr. Stroik is also a professor at the University of Notre Dame. in the school’s classical architecture and traditional cities program, one of the few of its kind.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/realestate/09lizo.html?_r=1&ref=realestate&oref=slogin
BROTHER GARY CREGAN, a Franciscan friar and the principal of St. Anthony’s High School here, speaks plainly when discussing the modernist architecture of many area parochial schools and churches built in the mid-20th century.
“I have a general disgust for Catholic architecture since the 1950s,” he said recently. ...he becomes animated — even enthusiastic — as he discusses the high school’s plan to build a new, more traditional chapel.
The $3 million structure, designed by Baldassano Architecture, is inspired by a 12th-century Romanesque apse that is part of the Cloisters collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Upper Manhattan, according to Alex Badalamenti, one of the architects who worked on the school’s design.
Many modernist churches, he added, are laid out horizontally. The school chapel that is being replaced, for example, is integrated into a side wing of the building with a classroom-style entry door, across the hall from a science lab. Its ceilings are eight feet high, and behind the pews there is a small niche with an electronic keyboard.
By contrast, the new building and its tower are rising from behind a glass corridor that connects the two wings of the school — classrooms on one side and the gym and auditorium on the other.Brother Cregan and other Franciscans who “want to stress verticality,” he said, believe that the new chapel, with its soaring 30-foot ceilings, will teach teenagers that they are “worshiping God, not each other.”
In church architecture, the return to traditionalism is a trend across the country, according to Duncan Stroik, a specialist in the design of Catholic churches.Mr. Stroik is also a professor at the University of Notre Dame. in the school’s classical architecture and traditional cities program, one of the few of its kind.
Friday, 7 March 2008
The arrogance of thinking we can see the truth with our "I"
Is this man a brilliant teacher, or what?
Just last night at choir I was recommending to a woman who admired the prayers we used for Stations, (and who admitted she could never slog though anything writen by JPII,) that she read anything she could get her hands on from PapaRatz, that even a caveman could understand it, that he would have made as great a kindergarten teacher as he did a university professor.
The play on words is quite something.
(via the Vatican News Service...)
http://212.77.1.245/news_services/press/vis/dinamiche/d1_en.htm
the Pope received participants in a course on the "internal forum" organised by the Apostolic Penitentiary.
In his remarks, the Holy Father reflected on the administration of the Sacrament of Penance in our own day "which unfortunately", he said, "is losing the notion of sin. What is needed today is to ensure that people who confess experience that divine tenderness for penitent sinners which so many Gospel episodes express with intense emotion".
Referring to the episode of the sinful woman in the Gospel of Luke, the Pope highlighted "the eloquent message that emerges from this Gospel passage: to those who love much God forgives everything. Those who trust in themselves and in their own merits are, as it were, blinded by their own 'I' and their hearts harden in sin. On the other hand, those who recognise themselves as weak and sinful entrust themselves to God and from Him obtain grace and forgiveness. ... What is most important is to make it clear that in the Sacrament of Penance - whatever the sin committed - if sinners recognise it humbly and entrust themselves to the priest confessor, they will always experience the soothing joy of God's forgiveness".
Noting how there currently exists "a certain disaffection" with the Sacrament of Penance, the Pope indicated that "when we insist only on the accusation of sin (although this must exist, and it is necessary to help the faithful understand its importance), we run the risk of relegating to second place what is, in fact, essential, in other words the personal meeting with God, Father of goodness and mercy".
Pastors, and especially confessors, must, said the Holy Father, "emphasise the close link between the Sacrament of Penance and an existence decisively oriented to conversion", so that "the grace of the Sacrament may support and nourish the commitment to be faithful disciples of the Lord".
"If this incessant longing is lost", he concluded, "the celebration of this Sacrament unfortunately risks becoming a formality which does not penetrate the fabric of everyday life. On the other hand, if people (though animated by a desire to follow Jesus) do not confess regularly, little by little they risk slowing spiritual rhythm until it weakens and perhaps even stops".
Just last night at choir I was recommending to a woman who admired the prayers we used for Stations, (and who admitted she could never slog though anything writen by JPII,) that she read anything she could get her hands on from PapaRatz, that even a caveman could understand it, that he would have made as great a kindergarten teacher as he did a university professor.
The play on words is quite something.
(via the Vatican News Service...)
http://212.77.1.245/news_services/press/vis/dinamiche/d1_en.htm
the Pope received participants in a course on the "internal forum" organised by the Apostolic Penitentiary.
In his remarks, the Holy Father reflected on the administration of the Sacrament of Penance in our own day "which unfortunately", he said, "is losing the notion of sin. What is needed today is to ensure that people who confess experience that divine tenderness for penitent sinners which so many Gospel episodes express with intense emotion".
Referring to the episode of the sinful woman in the Gospel of Luke, the Pope highlighted "the eloquent message that emerges from this Gospel passage: to those who love much God forgives everything. Those who trust in themselves and in their own merits are, as it were, blinded by their own 'I' and their hearts harden in sin. On the other hand, those who recognise themselves as weak and sinful entrust themselves to God and from Him obtain grace and forgiveness. ... What is most important is to make it clear that in the Sacrament of Penance - whatever the sin committed - if sinners recognise it humbly and entrust themselves to the priest confessor, they will always experience the soothing joy of God's forgiveness".
Noting how there currently exists "a certain disaffection" with the Sacrament of Penance, the Pope indicated that "when we insist only on the accusation of sin (although this must exist, and it is necessary to help the faithful understand its importance), we run the risk of relegating to second place what is, in fact, essential, in other words the personal meeting with God, Father of goodness and mercy".
Pastors, and especially confessors, must, said the Holy Father, "emphasise the close link between the Sacrament of Penance and an existence decisively oriented to conversion", so that "the grace of the Sacrament may support and nourish the commitment to be faithful disciples of the Lord".
"If this incessant longing is lost", he concluded, "the celebration of this Sacrament unfortunately risks becoming a formality which does not penetrate the fabric of everyday life. On the other hand, if people (though animated by a desire to follow Jesus) do not confess regularly, little by little they risk slowing spiritual rhythm until it weakens and perhaps even stops".
Way of the Cross, Pergolesi and St John Cantius
The piece of music that excited the most interest at our musical Stations last week was the duet from the Pergolesi Stabat Mater. It is an exquisite and moving work.
This week at St John Cantius in Chicago, the entire work will accompany the Way of the Cross, I believe, (though I can't recall where on the St JC website I saw this precise information.)
825 N. Carpenter St. Chicago, IL 60622, 312-243-7373
FROM THE SOUTH:
Exit I-94 at Augusta Boulevard (200 N). Turn left at the stoplight onto Milwaukee Ave. (south). Take Milwaukee Ave. to the intersection of Chicago Ave. and Ogden Ave. Turn left onto Chicago Ave. (800 N) (east).
Then turn left onto Ogden Ave. The church will be on your right.
http://www.cantius.org/go/events/detail/630_mass_and_devotions_for_first_friday/
first Fridays, which is based on the promise made to Blessed Margaret Mary by the Sacred Heart assuring the grace of final perseverance and the reception of the Sacraments before death to all who should receive Holy Communion on the first Friday of every month for nine consecutive months; it is customary to offer this novena in reparation for the sins of all mankind. The Service begins with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Extraordinary Form (Tridentine), followed by the Stations of the Cross.
I am unable to attend, but I heartily recommend it to everyone in the area. If you can reach this church, I strongly urge you, for the health of your prayer life to avail yourself of a liturgy or devotion there, ANY Mass or singing of the LotH, any musical offering or novena or procession.
More information on the singers from Daniel Mitsui:
First Friday Low Mass at 6:30 pm, followed by Stations of the Cross, featuring the Stabat Mater of Pergolesi, sung by Michelle Vezzoli (my betrothed) and Stephanie Sheffield.
http://www.danielmitsui.com/hieronymus/index.blog/1794195/this-friday-at-st-john-cantius-church-in-chicago/
In fact, while I am at it, I heartily recommend to everyone in the area or not (Huzzah! for the Internet...) Mr Mitsui's blog, gorgeous, thoughtful and inspiring....exploring it will also contribute to the health of your prayer life.
http://www.danielmitsui.com/hieronymus/
As to getting what Himself refers to as my liturgical fix, I have Adoration, a rehearsal and Staions on the agenda, and Himself will have the car, so not tonight, but perhaps next week in Jerusalem...
This week at St John Cantius in Chicago, the entire work will accompany the Way of the Cross, I believe, (though I can't recall where on the St JC website I saw this precise information.)
825 N. Carpenter St. Chicago, IL 60622, 312-243-7373
FROM THE SOUTH:
Exit I-94 at Augusta Boulevard (200 N). Turn left at the stoplight onto Milwaukee Ave. (south). Take Milwaukee Ave. to the intersection of Chicago Ave. and Ogden Ave. Turn left onto Chicago Ave. (800 N) (east).
Then turn left onto Ogden Ave. The church will be on your right.
http://www.cantius.org/go/events/detail/630_mass_and_devotions_for_first_friday/
first Fridays, which is based on the promise made to Blessed Margaret Mary by the Sacred Heart assuring the grace of final perseverance and the reception of the Sacraments before death to all who should receive Holy Communion on the first Friday of every month for nine consecutive months; it is customary to offer this novena in reparation for the sins of all mankind. The Service begins with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Extraordinary Form (Tridentine), followed by the Stations of the Cross.
I am unable to attend, but I heartily recommend it to everyone in the area. If you can reach this church, I strongly urge you, for the health of your prayer life to avail yourself of a liturgy or devotion there, ANY Mass or singing of the LotH, any musical offering or novena or procession.
More information on the singers from Daniel Mitsui:
First Friday Low Mass at 6:30 pm, followed by Stations of the Cross, featuring the Stabat Mater of Pergolesi, sung by Michelle Vezzoli (my betrothed) and Stephanie Sheffield.
http://www.danielmitsui.com/hieronymus/index.blog/1794195/this-friday-at-st-john-cantius-church-in-chicago/
In fact, while I am at it, I heartily recommend to everyone in the area or not (Huzzah! for the Internet...) Mr Mitsui's blog, gorgeous, thoughtful and inspiring....exploring it will also contribute to the health of your prayer life.
http://www.danielmitsui.com/hieronymus/
As to getting what Himself refers to as my liturgical fix, I have Adoration, a rehearsal and Staions on the agenda, and Himself will have the car, so not tonight, but perhaps next week in Jerusalem...
Wednesday, 5 March 2008
Hamburger Helper for Liturgical Musicians?
In a thread http://musicasacra.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=344&page=1#Item_1 on the CMAA discussion boards, http://www.musicasacra.com/forum/
a generous church musician offers a free download of his own variations for organ,* of a tune nearly totally devoid of musical content, (IMO,) because he suspects many will be stuck playing it as one of the major players in the Liturgical-Industrial complex has packaged it in one of their Confirmation Packets.
So it seems the practice of "bundling" is not just a problem in the world of personal computers.
Big businesses (big, in the case of liturgical music, within its own small pond,) make it too easy for the average barely literate liturgist, DRE, p/t church musician, to just relievedly say, Oh, thank God, GIA/OCP, whoever, has done the work for me, look, here's the music you're supposed to use for this rite...
Oh, and here's a CD to buy of the publishers' "artists" performing it, that's how it's supposed to sound.
And thus is Velveeta perpetrated and perpetuated.
Part of this is the fault of the conference of bishop, who should have provided "official" music for all the rites, music that was aesthetically, liturgically and pastorally suitable, at least as a starting point, and free to the Church.
Such music, (ideally: beautiful, reverent and relatively devoid of affect,) would be so much a better point of departure, a better seed to have planted in the minds of those who don't have the time, energy or information to do much more than take the sappy, overly emotive power ballad wannabes the Liturgical-Industrial complex offers, and be grateful for it.
I'm finding the same kind of dynamic in saecular performance merchandising just now, the packages you can buy for children's theater, for choral concerts...it's really disheartening.
It is leading to (attempts, at least, at) homogeneity and squashing creativity.
In my loud-mouthed opinion, you understand....
*In effect, this gentleman is offering y'all some home cooking! Or at very least, a good recipe to make palatable the Hamburger Helper that is foisted upon you... Thank him!!!!!!!!
a generous church musician offers a free download of his own variations for organ,* of a tune nearly totally devoid of musical content, (IMO,) because he suspects many will be stuck playing it as one of the major players in the Liturgical-Industrial complex has packaged it in one of their Confirmation Packets.
So it seems the practice of "bundling" is not just a problem in the world of personal computers.
Big businesses (big, in the case of liturgical music, within its own small pond,) make it too easy for the average barely literate liturgist, DRE, p/t church musician, to just relievedly say, Oh, thank God, GIA/OCP, whoever, has done the work for me, look, here's the music you're supposed to use for this rite...
Oh, and here's a CD to buy of the publishers' "artists" performing it, that's how it's supposed to sound.
And thus is Velveeta perpetrated and perpetuated.
Part of this is the fault of the conference of bishop, who should have provided "official" music for all the rites, music that was aesthetically, liturgically and pastorally suitable, at least as a starting point, and free to the Church.
Such music, (ideally: beautiful, reverent and relatively devoid of affect,) would be so much a better point of departure, a better seed to have planted in the minds of those who don't have the time, energy or information to do much more than take the sappy, overly emotive power ballad wannabes the Liturgical-Industrial complex offers, and be grateful for it.
I'm finding the same kind of dynamic in saecular performance merchandising just now, the packages you can buy for children's theater, for choral concerts...it's really disheartening.
It is leading to (attempts, at least, at) homogeneity and squashing creativity.
In my loud-mouthed opinion, you understand....
*In effect, this gentleman is offering y'all some home cooking! Or at very least, a good recipe to make palatable the Hamburger Helper that is foisted upon you... Thank him!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, 4 March 2008
Nope, I'm just a good test taker...
You paid attention during 100% of high school!
85-100% You must be an autodidact, because American high schools don't get scores that high! Good show, old chap!
Do you deserve your high school diploma?
Create a Quiz
Saint GK suggests I have a nice glass of Shiraz
From Chesterton's Heretics, courtesy of Father Boyle, a "South Ashford Priest" http://south-ashford-priest.blogspot.com/ we receive this bit of sage advice , (the "Apostle of Common Sense" indeed!)
Drink because you are happy, but never because you are miserable.
Never drink when you are wretched without it, or you will be like the grey-faced gin-drinker in the slum; but drink when you would be happy without it, and you will be like the laughing peasant of Italy.
Never drink because you need it, for this is rational drinking, and the way to death and hell.
But drink because you do not need it, for this is irrational drinking, and the ancient health of the world....
Jesus Christ made wine, not a medicine, but a sacrament. But Omar [Khayam?] makes it, not a sacrament, but a medicine.
He feasts because life is not joyful; he revels because he is not glad.
"Drink," he says, "for you know not whence you come nor why.
Drink, for you know not when you go nor where.
Drink, because the stars are cruel and the world as idle as a humming-top.
Drink, because there is nothingworth trusting, nothing worth fighting for.
Drink, because all things are lapsed in a base equality and an evil peace."
So he stands offering his cup in his hand.
And at the high altar of Christianity stands another figure, in whose hand also is the cup of the vine.
"Drink" he says "for the whole world is as red as this wine, with the crimson of the love and wrath of God.
Drink, for the trumpets are blowing for battle and this is the stirrup-cup.
Drink, for this my blood of the new testament that is shed for you.
Drink, for I know of whence you come and why.
Drink, for I know of when you go and where."
So first --- simple advice, almost a bit of self-help.
And then teased out from that, so naturally and obviously that it seems as if anyone should have figured it out, as if a dolt could have said it, rather than the genuius that Chesterton is, sublime and poetic theology.
Magnificent.
Drink because you are happy, but never because you are miserable.
Never drink when you are wretched without it, or you will be like the grey-faced gin-drinker in the slum; but drink when you would be happy without it, and you will be like the laughing peasant of Italy.
Never drink because you need it, for this is rational drinking, and the way to death and hell.
But drink because you do not need it, for this is irrational drinking, and the ancient health of the world....
Jesus Christ made wine, not a medicine, but a sacrament. But Omar [Khayam?] makes it, not a sacrament, but a medicine.
He feasts because life is not joyful; he revels because he is not glad.
"Drink," he says, "for you know not whence you come nor why.
Drink, for you know not when you go nor where.
Drink, because the stars are cruel and the world as idle as a humming-top.
Drink, because there is nothingworth trusting, nothing worth fighting for.
Drink, because all things are lapsed in a base equality and an evil peace."
So he stands offering his cup in his hand.
And at the high altar of Christianity stands another figure, in whose hand also is the cup of the vine.
"Drink" he says "for the whole world is as red as this wine, with the crimson of the love and wrath of God.
Drink, for the trumpets are blowing for battle and this is the stirrup-cup.
Drink, for this my blood of the new testament that is shed for you.
Drink, for I know of whence you come and why.
Drink, for I know of when you go and where."
So first --- simple advice, almost a bit of self-help.
And then teased out from that, so naturally and obviously that it seems as if anyone should have figured it out, as if a dolt could have said it, rather than the genuius that Chesterton is, sublime and poetic theology.
Magnificent.
Monday, 3 March 2008
The oddest thing...
An odd thing has happened.
I wrote something moderately clever, well clever for me, in a combox. (I had written it before, elsewhere.)
The blog owner noted it, and giving me credit, later used my witticism as the jumping off point for a marvelous blog entry, which has since become quite well known.
But now in his archives, he has removed the reference to me.
Isn't that wierd?
Did he think I was going to ask for royalties, or something?
I wrote something moderately clever, well clever for me, in a combox. (I had written it before, elsewhere.)
The blog owner noted it, and giving me credit, later used my witticism as the jumping off point for a marvelous blog entry, which has since become quite well known.
But now in his archives, he has removed the reference to me.
Isn't that wierd?
Did he think I was going to ask for royalties, or something?
Saints Among Us
I have just come from the funeral of most likely a saint, and most certainly the spouse of a saint.
Yes, I truly believe that. (St. Chester)
Since I came to this parish I have been aware of this lovely couple.
When I became the MD I realized they were daily Mass goers, and I began to get the merest inkling of the extent of the care he gave her.
She wore the only glasses I have ever seen IRL that merit the joke description "coke bottles." She was clearly legally blind, and severely crippled by age, her gait was literally a shuffle, in which her feet never left the ground and moved forward an excruciating two or three inches at most at a time.
He led her everywhere with a devotion and tenderness that was very, very moving to behold.When the renovation was going on at the church and Mass was in the school building, he had negotiate steps, and awkward doors, and odd parking while guiding and assisting her with extraordinary delicacy and gentleness.
Eighth-grade girls, even heathers whose lack of empathy approaches the socio-pathic, would gaze at the two of them in wonder, with tears in their eyes, and pronounce the sight the "cutest" thing that they had ever seen, (higher approbation than it sounds to an adult…,) and wish aloud that someday someone would love them that way.
(Yes, even at the height of the delusional attitudes toward love and the cynicism about adults that most adolescents are prey to, these girls could not fail to recognize true romance when confronted with it.)
Eventually the wife was confined to a wheel chair, and tiny and frail himself, this man laboriously, faithfully brought her to Mass.
He is not Catholic, I just learned.
What a witness. Forty five years of love and devotion -- who wouldn't be proud to have inspired that?
Yes, I truly believe that. (St. Chester)
Since I came to this parish I have been aware of this lovely couple.
When I became the MD I realized they were daily Mass goers, and I began to get the merest inkling of the extent of the care he gave her.
She wore the only glasses I have ever seen IRL that merit the joke description "coke bottles." She was clearly legally blind, and severely crippled by age, her gait was literally a shuffle, in which her feet never left the ground and moved forward an excruciating two or three inches at most at a time.
He led her everywhere with a devotion and tenderness that was very, very moving to behold.When the renovation was going on at the church and Mass was in the school building, he had negotiate steps, and awkward doors, and odd parking while guiding and assisting her with extraordinary delicacy and gentleness.
Eighth-grade girls, even heathers whose lack of empathy approaches the socio-pathic, would gaze at the two of them in wonder, with tears in their eyes, and pronounce the sight the "cutest" thing that they had ever seen, (higher approbation than it sounds to an adult…,) and wish aloud that someday someone would love them that way.
(Yes, even at the height of the delusional attitudes toward love and the cynicism about adults that most adolescents are prey to, these girls could not fail to recognize true romance when confronted with it.)
Eventually the wife was confined to a wheel chair, and tiny and frail himself, this man laboriously, faithfully brought her to Mass.
He is not Catholic, I just learned.
What a witness. Forty five years of love and devotion -- who wouldn't be proud to have inspired that?
Sunday, 2 March 2008
As much as it pains me to say it, sometimes I'm just wrong
I read something like this:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/06/arts/06arts-ALCOHOLANDDR_BRF.html?scp=10&sq=sex+abuse&st=nyt
"according to a study" by "a team led by Dr. Brian Primack of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine"..."Lyrics about drugs, alcohol and tobacco pervade popular music."
and I think, aha! so there really IS an Institute for the Study of the Painfully Obvious;
but then I learn what I think is painfully obvious is obscure to, say, Dutch civic leaders. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/world/europe/24amsterdam.html?_r=1&scp=5&sq=sex+abuse&st=nyt&oref=slogin
See, I would have snarkly asked, (in a tone that begged the answer, "even a mentally handicapped chimpanzee who was blind in one eye and raised in a convent," ) "The sex trade leads to sex trafficking? who'd a thunk?"
But nay, it seems that it did NOT occur to TDutchPTB that sleaze might beget sleaze, or that de-criminalizing gateway loathsome behaviors might lead to an escalation in similar but even more extreme (and more loathsome) behaviors.
"according to a study" by "a team led by Dr. Brian Primack of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine"..."Lyrics about drugs, alcohol and tobacco pervade popular music."
and I think, aha! so there really IS an Institute for the Study of the Painfully Obvious;
but then I learn what I think is painfully obvious is obscure to, say, Dutch civic leaders. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/world/europe/24amsterdam.html?_r=1&scp=5&sq=sex+abuse&st=nyt&oref=slogin
See, I would have snarkly asked, (in a tone that begged the answer, "even a mentally handicapped chimpanzee who was blind in one eye and raised in a convent," ) "The sex trade leads to sex trafficking? who'd a thunk?"
But nay, it seems that it did NOT occur to TDutchPTB that sleaze might beget sleaze, or that de-criminalizing gateway loathsome behaviors might lead to an escalation in similar but even more extreme (and more loathsome) behaviors.
My nose isn't THAT big....
Quaffing a cup of self-pity.
Christian is getting all the credit for Cyrano's wordplay....
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/features/f0000225.html
I am kidding, of course, ... I like seeing my mantra spread about, although it does bother me that some people think "Save the Liturgy, Save the World" is a trad slogan, about the EF; which, (while it admittedly encompasses the EF,) it is not.
29 February 2008
Why everyone logs on to ‘Father Z’
He was once a long-haired Lutheran. But now, says Anna Arco, [the man who coined the slogan "Save the Liturgy, Save the World"] is a legend in the conservative Catholic blogosphere...
For those unfamiliar with the internet, the name Fr Z (the "Z" is pronounced "zee") may mean little, but to thousands of wired-up Catholics across the globe, Fr John Zuhlsdorf's well-informed opinions, translations and analyses of matters liturgical are a daily reading requirement. Rumoured to have direct sources in very high places, he is read by members of the Roman Curia, bishops, priests, seminarians and lay people around the world. His articles have made their way into Curial meetings and he says that several bishops have consulted him on documents relating to Summorum Pontificum, the Apostolic Letter with which the Pope Benedict XVI liberated the traditional Mass. Fr Z is a true phenomenon of the information age: a power blogger and a priest.
Christian is getting all the credit for Cyrano's wordplay....
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/features/f0000225.html
I am kidding, of course, ... I like seeing my mantra spread about, although it does bother me that some people think "Save the Liturgy, Save the World" is a trad slogan, about the EF; which, (while it admittedly encompasses the EF,) it is not.
29 February 2008
Why everyone logs on to ‘Father Z’
He was once a long-haired Lutheran. But now, says Anna Arco, [the man who coined the slogan "Save the Liturgy, Save the World"] is a legend in the conservative Catholic blogosphere...
For those unfamiliar with the internet, the name Fr Z (the "Z" is pronounced "zee") may mean little, but to thousands of wired-up Catholics across the globe, Fr John Zuhlsdorf's well-informed opinions, translations and analyses of matters liturgical are a daily reading requirement. Rumoured to have direct sources in very high places, he is read by members of the Roman Curia, bishops, priests, seminarians and lay people around the world. His articles have made their way into Curial meetings and he says that several bishops have consulted him on documents relating to Summorum Pontificum, the Apostolic Letter with which the Pope Benedict XVI liberated the traditional Mass. Fr Z is a true phenomenon of the information age: a power blogger and a priest.
But God doesn't care how we worship Him!
Or how we dress when we go to church...
Anyway, worship is more authentic if I make the rituals up myself, isn't it?
In today's Office of Readings, we have this from Leviticus:
The Lord spoke to Moses; he said:
‘Take Aaron, his sons with him, and the vestments, and the chrism, the bull for the sacrifice for sin, the two rams and the basket of unleavened bread. Then call the whole community together at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.’
Moses followed the orders of the Lord; the community gathered at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and Moses said to them, ‘This is what the Lord has ordered to be done’.
He made Aaron and his sons come forward, and washed them with water.
He put the tunic on him, passed the girdle round his waist, dressed him in the robe and put the ephod on him. Then he put round his waist the woven band of the ephod with which he clothed him.
He put the pectoral on him, and placed the Urim and Thummim in it.
He put the turban on his head, with the golden plate on the front; this is the sacred diadem as the Lord prescribed it to Moses.
Then Moses took the chrism and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, to consecrate them. He sprinkled the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and its furnishing, the basin and its stand, to consecrate them. Then he poured the chrism on Aaron’s head, consecrating him by unction.
Then Moses made Aaron’s sons come forward; he put the tunics on them, passed the girdles round their waists and put on their head-dress, as the Lord had ordered Moses.
Then he had the bull for the sacrifice for sin brought forward. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the victim’s head and Moses immolated it. Then he took the blood and with his finger put some of it on the horns round the altar, to take away its sin. Then he poured out the rest of the blood at the foot of the altar, which he consecrated by performing the rite of atonement over it. Then he took all the fat that covers the entrails, the fatty mass which is over the liver, the two kidneys and their fat; and he burnt them all on the altar. The bull’s skin, its flesh and its dung he burnt outside the camp, as the Lord had ordered Moses.
Then Aaron raised his hands towards the people and blessed them. Having thus performed the sacrifice for sin, the holocaust and the communion sacrifice, he came down and entered the Tent of Meeting with Moses.
Then they came out together to bless the people and the glory of the Lord appeared to the whole people – a flame leaped forth from before the Lord and consumed the holocaust and the fat that was on the altar.
At this sight the people shouted for joy and fell on their faces.
But then a liturgist spoke thusly:
how can we make this more meaningful for us?
That color ephod doesn't do anything for me, let's use a different one, blue maybe.
Blood? What kind of example does that set?
Yes, I know what Moses said, but who put him in charge?
Aaron's daughters' self-esteem will suffer if we go through with this this way.
Well, all right, you can preside, but I'll stand over here and perform this ceremony I have written myself. What, seven is some kind of magic number? Once is plenty. Shouldn't there be some kind of rite of enrollment for Aaron's sons? Dung? that's disgusting! It's not as if God will mind if I substitute some braziers of incense, and let's add a procession in which we can kinda "dance" them in. Right, God told you to make that diadem... oh. Well, even if He did, wouldn't this hat I've designed be better? The Tent of Meeting? What are you, a rubricist? EVERY place is a holy place. And if only He'd thought of it, I'm sure He would have realized how much more effective it would be to spread all this Rite-y goodness out, over a few days, first we'll have what we'll call the Rite of Oil, and then a few days later the Rite of Blood, and then the Rite of Burning.... oh wait the holocaust might become odiferous, you're right. We'd better form a commission to look into appointing a committee to select a panel to vote for a focus group to study the implementation of a program to plan a series of listening sessions, where we can break into small discussion groups and share what God's instructions to Moses mean to us. Now, who will be the facilitator?
(And the IIPs* muttered, Oh, great..... ANOTHER forty years in the desert!)
(IsraelitesInthePews)
Anyway, worship is more authentic if I make the rituals up myself, isn't it?
In today's Office of Readings, we have this from Leviticus:
The Lord spoke to Moses; he said:
‘Take Aaron, his sons with him, and the vestments, and the chrism, the bull for the sacrifice for sin, the two rams and the basket of unleavened bread. Then call the whole community together at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.’
Moses followed the orders of the Lord; the community gathered at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and Moses said to them, ‘This is what the Lord has ordered to be done’.
He made Aaron and his sons come forward, and washed them with water.
He put the tunic on him, passed the girdle round his waist, dressed him in the robe and put the ephod on him. Then he put round his waist the woven band of the ephod with which he clothed him.
He put the pectoral on him, and placed the Urim and Thummim in it.
He put the turban on his head, with the golden plate on the front; this is the sacred diadem as the Lord prescribed it to Moses.
Then Moses took the chrism and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, to consecrate them. He sprinkled the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and its furnishing, the basin and its stand, to consecrate them. Then he poured the chrism on Aaron’s head, consecrating him by unction.
Then Moses made Aaron’s sons come forward; he put the tunics on them, passed the girdles round their waists and put on their head-dress, as the Lord had ordered Moses.
Then he had the bull for the sacrifice for sin brought forward. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the victim’s head and Moses immolated it. Then he took the blood and with his finger put some of it on the horns round the altar, to take away its sin. Then he poured out the rest of the blood at the foot of the altar, which he consecrated by performing the rite of atonement over it. Then he took all the fat that covers the entrails, the fatty mass which is over the liver, the two kidneys and their fat; and he burnt them all on the altar. The bull’s skin, its flesh and its dung he burnt outside the camp, as the Lord had ordered Moses.
Then Aaron raised his hands towards the people and blessed them. Having thus performed the sacrifice for sin, the holocaust and the communion sacrifice, he came down and entered the Tent of Meeting with Moses.
Then they came out together to bless the people and the glory of the Lord appeared to the whole people – a flame leaped forth from before the Lord and consumed the holocaust and the fat that was on the altar.
At this sight the people shouted for joy and fell on their faces.
But then a liturgist spoke thusly:
how can we make this more meaningful for us?
That color ephod doesn't do anything for me, let's use a different one, blue maybe.
Blood? What kind of example does that set?
Yes, I know what Moses said, but who put him in charge?
Aaron's daughters' self-esteem will suffer if we go through with this this way.
Well, all right, you can preside, but I'll stand over here and perform this ceremony I have written myself. What, seven is some kind of magic number? Once is plenty. Shouldn't there be some kind of rite of enrollment for Aaron's sons? Dung? that's disgusting! It's not as if God will mind if I substitute some braziers of incense, and let's add a procession in which we can kinda "dance" them in. Right, God told you to make that diadem... oh. Well, even if He did, wouldn't this hat I've designed be better? The Tent of Meeting? What are you, a rubricist? EVERY place is a holy place. And if only He'd thought of it, I'm sure He would have realized how much more effective it would be to spread all this Rite-y goodness out, over a few days, first we'll have what we'll call the Rite of Oil, and then a few days later the Rite of Blood, and then the Rite of Burning.... oh wait the holocaust might become odiferous, you're right. We'd better form a commission to look into appointing a committee to select a panel to vote for a focus group to study the implementation of a program to plan a series of listening sessions, where we can break into small discussion groups and share what God's instructions to Moses mean to us. Now, who will be the facilitator?
(And the IIPs* muttered, Oh, great..... ANOTHER forty years in the desert!)
(IsraelitesInthePews)
Saturday, 1 March 2008
Looking for a job?
Not sure where this one is, but do let them know of your interest.
Lyn of Organ-ic Chemist tells us of a want ad on the Anglican-Music listserv.
1. Responsible for coordinating performance music during weekly Sunday worship. Fifty-two (52) weeks. (Including choir, small groups from choir, guest musicians, etc.).
2. Lead the choir during church service. Forty (40) performances in a 12 month time period. Schedule determined by liturgical calendar and in consultation with pastor, choir and Worship Committee.
3. Selects music in consultation with the pastor, choir and Worship Committee.
4. Weekly rehearsal (40) with choir, arranging time and accompanist if necessary.
5. Coordinate the schedule of regular Sunday musicians (organists, pianists).
6. Responsible for maintenance of music files.
7. Responsible for music budget.
8. Compensation is $5,700 for 12 months.
Qualifications:
1. Musical education
2. Experience conducting
Desirable:
1. Plays a musical instrument
2. Experience with Bell Choir
References:
1. From two sources directly connected to the candidate's musical experience.
Selection:
1. Interview
2. Audition with the choir to demonstrate conducting style.
3. Audition singing voice.
Lyn of Organ-ic Chemist tells us of a want ad on the Anglican-Music listserv.
1. Responsible for coordinating performance music during weekly Sunday worship. Fifty-two (52) weeks. (Including choir, small groups from choir, guest musicians, etc.).
2. Lead the choir during church service. Forty (40) performances in a 12 month time period. Schedule determined by liturgical calendar and in consultation with pastor, choir and Worship Committee.
3. Selects music in consultation with the pastor, choir and Worship Committee.
4. Weekly rehearsal (40) with choir, arranging time and accompanist if necessary.
5. Coordinate the schedule of regular Sunday musicians (organists, pianists).
6. Responsible for maintenance of music files.
7. Responsible for music budget.
8. Compensation is $5,700 for 12 months.
Qualifications:
1. Musical education
2. Experience conducting
Desirable:
1. Plays a musical instrument
2. Experience with Bell Choir
References:
1. From two sources directly connected to the candidate's musical experience.
Selection:
1. Interview
2. Audition with the choir to demonstrate conducting style.
3. Audition singing voice.
Stations
An interesting piece by Peter Steinfels about a set of sculptural Stations with Christ's POV.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/01/us/01beliefs.html?sq=roman%20catholic&st=nyt&scp=1&pagewanted=all
He talks about the change over the past century in the artistic POV that is brought to bear on the creation of the 14 devotional paintings/plaques/statues.
And of course he sets in opposition the old fashioned "crowded with Roman soldiers and jeering or appalled onlookers, perhaps set against someone’s impression of first-century Jerusalem" and the modern, (in this quote, modern as in dating from 1918,) where the " figures were few and without background; the compositions were simple and formal, not theatrical. Rather than dictating an emotional response [leaving] space for the devotee’s own thoughts."
There is a touch of condescension, I think, toward more realistic, more detailed depictions, inherent in the praise for abstraction's requiring the devotee's participation, no?
Only the kitschiest, most simplistic "realistic" art dictates a specific emotional response.
There are many more traditional renderings that leave ample room to reflect on different aspects of this devotion, that in fact invite a multiplicity of reactions precisely because of their immense detail... Oh, look that figure half turned away, would that be me? would I have tried to let myself off the hook because, after all, I didn't stand there jeering?
That must be Mary, but she seems almost calm and resigned, wouldn't I have been hysterical? or is that what absolute grief feels like? is that what holy grief feels like, looking unflinchingly at her suffering Son, rather than turning inward and focusing on her own vicarious suffering? could I ever do that?
And I have seen presentation of the Stations, sometimes very beautiful, that are so abstract that they invite no emotional response whatever, or at least none that relate in any way to the passion and death of the Savior of the World, (which may be the point, and it does their creators no credit if it is.)
And presenting the evolution of art, whether religious or not, whether plastic or not, there is seldom any acknowledgement of the fact that realistic detail (or attempts at realistic detail, as Steinfels put it, some artists would naturally be able to present on the most uninformed and fanciful "impression of first-century Jerusalem,") were a great deal more necessary before the ubiquity of images that is modern life.
A movie maker does not need the same kind of establishing shots for many, many milieus that, say, the creators of Nanook of the North did. Or rather, his audience does not need them.
Modern readers are often impatient with a Dickens or a Fielding describing something that they have seen a thousand times.
Some good background..." on the history of the stations in art and ritual.Although medieval pilgrims to Jerusalem had traced what they considered Jesus’ final steps, they had done so without public ceremony, in order not to strain the tolerance of the city’s Muslim rulers and population. The practice of marking the stations with images and prayer really began in Europe and developed its modern form between the mid-15th and mid-18th centuries.
Over those three centuries, versions of the stations featured anywhere from 11 to 36 incidents in Jesus’ Passion. Of the 14 that ultimately constituted the standardized version, 6 have no basis in Scripture... but grew from popular lore, while other familiar episodes in the Gospels, like the scourging and mocking of Jesus, did not make the final cut.
The stations... are like much Christian art (and like much other religious art, one could add): no matter how brief and straightforward the original source, the believer, the preacher, the artist inevitably flesh it out, adding detail and new perspectives to help each devotee enter personally into the story and identify with the holy. "
And then finally, the admission as Steinfels paraphrases someone else, that, well, no, it is possible that those "centuries of stations [even if] crowded with Roman soldiers and jeering or appalled onlookers, perhaps set against someone’s impression of first-century Jerusalem" and that "the artist inevitably fleshes it out, adding detail and new perspectives to help each devotee enter personally into the story and identify with the holy" and maybe not ALL those resulting from the moldy old ways are "obvious and quickly depleted" they might be "profound and lasting."
Because they have, ummm.. lasted.
(Oh, and by the way, thanks for asking, they went well.)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/01/us/01beliefs.html?sq=roman%20catholic&st=nyt&scp=1&pagewanted=all
He talks about the change over the past century in the artistic POV that is brought to bear on the creation of the 14 devotional paintings/plaques/statues.
And of course he sets in opposition the old fashioned "crowded with Roman soldiers and jeering or appalled onlookers, perhaps set against someone’s impression of first-century Jerusalem" and the modern, (in this quote, modern as in dating from 1918,) where the " figures were few and without background; the compositions were simple and formal, not theatrical. Rather than dictating an emotional response [leaving] space for the devotee’s own thoughts."
There is a touch of condescension, I think, toward more realistic, more detailed depictions, inherent in the praise for abstraction's requiring the devotee's participation, no?
Only the kitschiest, most simplistic "realistic" art dictates a specific emotional response.
There are many more traditional renderings that leave ample room to reflect on different aspects of this devotion, that in fact invite a multiplicity of reactions precisely because of their immense detail... Oh, look that figure half turned away, would that be me? would I have tried to let myself off the hook because, after all, I didn't stand there jeering?
That must be Mary, but she seems almost calm and resigned, wouldn't I have been hysterical? or is that what absolute grief feels like? is that what holy grief feels like, looking unflinchingly at her suffering Son, rather than turning inward and focusing on her own vicarious suffering? could I ever do that?
And I have seen presentation of the Stations, sometimes very beautiful, that are so abstract that they invite no emotional response whatever, or at least none that relate in any way to the passion and death of the Savior of the World, (which may be the point, and it does their creators no credit if it is.)
And presenting the evolution of art, whether religious or not, whether plastic or not, there is seldom any acknowledgement of the fact that realistic detail (or attempts at realistic detail, as Steinfels put it, some artists would naturally be able to present on the most uninformed and fanciful "impression of first-century Jerusalem,") were a great deal more necessary before the ubiquity of images that is modern life.
A movie maker does not need the same kind of establishing shots for many, many milieus that, say, the creators of Nanook of the North did. Or rather, his audience does not need them.
Modern readers are often impatient with a Dickens or a Fielding describing something that they have seen a thousand times.
Some good background..." on the history of the stations in art and ritual.Although medieval pilgrims to Jerusalem had traced what they considered Jesus’ final steps, they had done so without public ceremony, in order not to strain the tolerance of the city’s Muslim rulers and population. The practice of marking the stations with images and prayer really began in Europe and developed its modern form between the mid-15th and mid-18th centuries.
Over those three centuries, versions of the stations featured anywhere from 11 to 36 incidents in Jesus’ Passion. Of the 14 that ultimately constituted the standardized version, 6 have no basis in Scripture... but grew from popular lore, while other familiar episodes in the Gospels, like the scourging and mocking of Jesus, did not make the final cut.
The stations... are like much Christian art (and like much other religious art, one could add): no matter how brief and straightforward the original source, the believer, the preacher, the artist inevitably flesh it out, adding detail and new perspectives to help each devotee enter personally into the story and identify with the holy. "
And then finally, the admission as Steinfels paraphrases someone else, that, well, no, it is possible that those "centuries of stations [even if] crowded with Roman soldiers and jeering or appalled onlookers, perhaps set against someone’s impression of first-century Jerusalem" and that "the artist inevitably fleshes it out, adding detail and new perspectives to help each devotee enter personally into the story and identify with the holy" and maybe not ALL those resulting from the moldy old ways are "obvious and quickly depleted" they might be "profound and lasting."
Because they have, ummm.. lasted.
(Oh, and by the way, thanks for asking, they went well.)
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