Comments on a Commentary about Pastoral Music

On November 16, 2012, National Catholic News published an article entitled “Organists plentiful but not many parishes ‘blessed’ with budget for one” by Beth Griffin.  http://catholicphilly.com/2012/11/us-world-news/national-catholic-news/organists-plentiful-but-not-many-parishes-blessed-with-budget-for-one/  Read the article before you proceed.

COMMENTS ON A COMMENTARY ABOUT PASTORAL MUSIC 

A WIDE CHURCH

Beth Griffin’s article mentioned a comment by a pastor who referenced the ‘bluegrass’ music of the ‘60’s and ‘70’s. My music ministry began in 1964; I can recall no bluegrass music. I do recall learning the music of Ray Repp, the St. Louis Jesuits, Sebastian Temple, The Damiens, Lucien Deiss, Alexander Peloquin, Joseph Gelineau, Richard Proulx and so many gifted composers who wrote for pennies and gave us wealth beyond gold – sung prayer that disposed open hearts to welcome the Word of God through the language of music. And okay, maybe somewhere in a little mountain church, someone played bluegrass hymns on a banjo. Perhaps someone plays congas or uses guitar, piano, mandolin. We are a wide church. Here’s what Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship tells us about music in worship and cultural diversity:

“The cultural context refers to the setting in which the ritual and spiritual dimensions come into play. Factors such as the age, spiritual heritage, and cultural and ethnic background of a given liturgical assembly must be considered. The choice of individual compositions for congregational participation will often depend on those ways in which a particular group finds it best to join their hearts and minds to the liturgical action.” (STL, 70)

I encourage you to read Ricky Manalo’s excellent survey piece Sing to the Lord: Cultural, Multicultural, and Intercultural Perspectives. http://www.pastoralliturgy.org/resources/1007STL-CulturalPerspectives.php

REALITIES

A local pastor called our home this week and asked if my husband and I could substitute as the pastoral musicians in the absence of the parish’s part-time pastoral musician who works as a full-time nurse on rotating shifts. We know that substitute pastoral musicians can be a bit difficult to find in a pinch and so we try to accommodate the needs of parishes that find themselves in similar situations whenever we can.

“If you don’t come, I’ll have to lead song by myself and people may never come back,” the pastor chuckled. His mirth belied the weight of his message. Presbyteral leadership means everything. This pastor understands very well that the combination of sacred music and words forms a necessary and integral part of a liturgical celebration, an insight gleaned from the Second Vatican Council (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 112). The pastor understands fully that the sung liturgy is the norm and prepared to act on that principle in the event that he could not find substitute pastoral musicians. He believes in the church as the people of God (Lumen Gentium 9), an outcome and touchstone of the Second Vatican Council. 50 years after Vatican II, that benchmark may be something that we may very often take for granted.

This particular church space holds approximately 850 people and just about filled to capacity last night. My heart warmed when I heard the assembly’s robust participation in word and song and reminded me of my own vocational call to the ministry of sacred music. Our sung worship prompted my gratitude for the love, labor and sacrifice of a committed liturgical movement over five decades, a sharecropping community of pilgrims that trail blazed on behalf of the ‘full, conscious and active participation’ (SC 14) of the people of God in liturgical worship.

As the proclamation of the Gospel ended and the assembly prepared to listen to the homily, I saw a gentleman approach my husband who was seated near me in the choir section near the organ. He talked directly to my husband for about a minute and then returned to his seat in the assembly on the other side of the church to sit near his wife. When I looked at my husband with a furrowed brow and a quizzical expression, he chuckled and whispered in my ear, “He wanted to tell me how wonderful the music was tonight and thanked us for helping them to pray well.”

Psalmody. Traditional and contemporary songs and hymns. Acclamations and antiphons. Unaccompanied chant. Silence. Organ and piano accompaniment underscoring the assembly’s sung prayer and supported with excellent sung leadership. We used all of these resources to provide what we hoped would produce full, conscious and active participation of the assembly. “I prayed so well tonight,” one woman commented as she left. My equation for healthy sung worship: Passion + Practice + Prayer + People Skills = Pastoral Music.  

JUST WAGES

This mid-sized parish operates on a minimally sufficient budget for its needs. The parish supports a parochial school and maintains a hefty complex of buildings. Yet, even before we left our home that day to minister music for Mass, a generous check arrived in the mail ahead of time to compensate us for services rendered. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

My grandmother served her church as a choir director and singer for years prior to the Second Vatican Council. I can assure you that despite her extensive training as a professional musician, she received no compensation for her musical leadership except at Christmas, when she would accept a box of chocolates as a ‘gift’ from the pastor. 50 years after Vatican II, take a look at what Gaudium et Spes states in the section on economic justice:

"Remuneration for work should guarantee to individuals the capacity to provide a dignified livelihood for themselves and their family on the material, social, cultural and spiritual level corresponding to their roles and productivity, having regard to the relevant economic factors in their employment, and the common good.” (GS 67)

Five decades after the Second Vatican Council, pastoral musicians can now depend on standards and guidelines for salaries and benefits produced by the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM) and the American Guild of Organists and based on professional qualifications and experience. I believe that we call that progress.  Do parish finance councils ever consider the need for just wages for the whole parish staff? And are parishioners educated in these just wage needs so they can provide reasonable and sufficient support based on full knowledge of needs for the parish?

A WAKE UP UNIVERSAL CALL TO HOLINESS FOR PASTORAL MUSICIANS

Who can say where the Spirit of God finds a home in someone’s heart through sung prayer? The Three Judgments from Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship assists pastoral musicians to gauge the liturgical, musical and pastoral components of a piece of sacred music for worship. But at the end of the day, knowing the people we serve may act as the best measure of how pastoral musicians meet the musical needs of their communities. Who will talk to them about pastoral music if pastoral musicians are mute? Fr. Ron Raab, C.S.C. offered these words to pastoral musicians in his 2012 NPM Convention keynote address, The Universal Call to Holiness:

“I encourage you to speak about your faith and collaborate on educational opportunities for your community. Speak not only with musicians but also with groups serving people surviving poverty in your parishes. Take time even at the Eucharist to speak about what music ministry is, how it is a source of conversion for you, and what the role of music is in the life of your parish. Educate people, rouse their faith, and open their hearts. Our congregations need to hear more from you about the sacred and holy ministry of music. Above all, please do not give up connecting liturgy to justice.” (Pastoral Music, November 2012, Volume 37:1)

That presumes several things from pastoral musicians. Do you speak with your people before you decide what they will sing as sung prayer? Is pastoral music a source of conversion for you? Will your own passion for your music ministry rouse hearts on fire for God? How connected are you to justice issues beyond wage increases?

A POST MODERN CLASSIC

I end with this story from pastoral musician Linda Dell'Uomo Reid, Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Thomas Church in Providence, with her permission. Linda and her husband recently enjoyed a trip to Europe. Through Facebook, Linda kept her friends posted on places they visited.

On Thursday, November 15, 2012, Linda sent the following message to liturgical composer Dan Schutte.

“Hi Dan! I am in Rome with my husband and we were touring in Florence. We were in the Duomo and Mass was beginning in a side chapel. All of a sudden, we heard a very shaky male voice with a very strong Italian accent singing "You Are Near", in English, unaccompanied, and the congregation joined right in!! I was amazed and very happy to hear it and I thought you would like to know! :-) Tanti auguri! (Best wishes!)

Dan Schutte replied. “Wow, of all places! It does my heart good to know one of my little songs found its way to one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I hope you're enjoying your trip - so much to take in. God bless!”

May I suggest that You Are Near, written in 1971, is no ‘little song’ but a powerful hymn based on Psalm 139 that continues to serve as a conduit of prayer for thousands of people worldwide for forty one years, right out of the aforesaid ‘bluegrass’ music era. Who can say when this post-modern classic or any piece of well executed sacred music in any style moves from notes on a page to sung prayer and into service for the life of the world?

God only knows.