Why Bother?

[Mancunian]

This is the last time I shall post in this forum.

I turned up to take Choir Practice tonight, when a parish retreat last week (sprung on us at short notice and with music required for various extra services) meant that we had been short of rehearsal time for the music for Good Friday and Easter Sunday (our contemporary music group in which I also sing and play is doing the Holy Thursday service and the Vigil) and we had a lot of music to practice.

I got into church to find that the Parish Secretary had organised a youth drama rehearsal in the church, and she asked if we could please sing quietly and try to finish early! This is despite the fact that the Choir has the church building booked for Choir Practice every Tuesday evening.

We started the rehearsal, only to have members of the drama group come up into the choir loft to remove various props that they had decided to store there, making it impossible to continue the rehearsal (it's difficult to sing in tune when large baulks of timber are being swung around close to your head.)

We'd just started again, half an hour into the rehearsal and having sung two verses of one hymn, when various members of the cast started shouting at each other through microphones connected to the PA system. I couldn't even hear the Choir properly.

I've told the Parish Secretary and the Parish Priest that as it was impossible to rehearse the Choir will not be singing for Good Friday or Easter Sunday services, and that I will in future be worshippig elsewhere and will not in any circumstances conduct, sing, cantor, play, arrange music or do anything else for them in the future.

As a volunteer I've spent countless hours preparing music for rehearsals and services. If this is the church's attitude to anyone who takes the trouble to be involved in church music (and it wasn't just my time that was completely wasted tonight but that of the whole Choir) why bother?

I pray that those other parishes have better fortune.

Mancunian.

[gwyn]

That's soul-destroying. I feel for you Mancunian. Is this a continuation of an established appauling situation or have things changed recently?

Dunnow about you, but I find that Holy Week/Triduum can place great stresses on music leaders, it's my annual "time to call it a day" period. Usually the joy of the Trid sorts my head out though.

I hope your situation can be resolved in some way Mancunian. If the parish values you then they'll sort it. If they don't, then shake the dust of your feet and find another organ loft.

[docmattc]

Mancunian you have my sympathy, and I think you're entirely right to go elsewhere. Sadly it typifies the general attitude of the Church in this country to the role of music in liturgy.

However, don't let this be the last time you post here. SSG is for all who have an interest in liturgy and music (and you clearly have a passion for them), not just for those 'in active service'. I'm currently a person in the pews, and I still post!

[contrabordun]

What doc and Gwyn said - very, very sorry to hear that.

[johnquinn39]

http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/p/pete ... ve_up.html

Hope this is of some help.

John

[johnquinn39]

I was in a similar situation some years ago (although, to be honest, it was partly my fault - I had been on a liturgy course, read the documents and tried to 'impose' my ideas). In the parish I was in, a rival choir was set up, making great virtue of not singing the psalm and acclamations, and singing Marian and Benediction hymns at communion. Poor 1970's music was re-introduced, and poor quality local music used. The choir I was leading all joined this - so I suppose the writing was on the wall.

Yes - Shake the dust of your feet. (I literally packed a suitcase with my organ music and hymn books and left).

However - do not give up. You will be welcome elsewhere.

[presbyter]

I got into church to find that the Parish Secretary had organised a youth drama rehearsal in the church

Oh dear - this is all very sad.

Mancunian - just a little tip from St John Bosco - "Do nothing in anger". Your parish will probably value you more than you know. Don't take any major decisions while you are upset.

[JW]

Mancunian,

Some good advice there from Presbyter. For some reason some youth leaders seem to think the youth has priority over everything else in the Catholic Church, and they do not realise there are other groups using the church and that there are diaries to be consulted. I hope you can resolve this with your PP.

[SOP]

Sorry to hear that Mancunian but happy to see some good advice being given on this thread.

I am beginning to feel sorry for the youth who are currently going to church as so very much is being laid on their shoulders. They are the future but it seems some people want no-one else to be the present.

[Mithras]

I get this feeling every three months - the clergy in my parish are good chaps but not liturgically sensitive. Last Sunday (Easter) we had a double baptism and the photographer wandered around the sanctuary clicking and flashing away (you get my meaning I hope) like a papparazi and then - you won't believe this - went to the tabernacle and gave out Communion. Two terse Anglo-Saxon monosyllabics, in the spirit of God's instruction to populate the world came to mind.

Having played at the Vigil I know that my obligation had been met but had I not I would not have felt that I had attended Mass.

M