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May 31, 2005

Choir Formation

The Anonymous Troll has been heard from again, posting in the last comment on another post, here. My hunch now is that could be David.

Compare what he says here:

"I realize that things always change and I, too, should understand and recognize the diversity in Liturgy, including your view."

Compare that with this remark from the first chapter of Crouan's book:

"whereas the Church demands adherence to the official liturgical books that were published following the Council, which logically should lead to unity in the manner of celebrating the Eucharist, one discovers that there are as many ways of carrying out the liturgical rites as there are churches or celebrants."

It only goes to show that the product of the poor leadership which the choir has been subject to the last 11 years has produced very poor liturgical formation. Certain cultural diversity is always to be understood, but the liturgy is the liturgy, and I do not get to make it up as I go along. We are supposed to be changed by our immersion in the liturgy, we are not supposed to change the liturgy according to our own likes and dislikes. I do not believe in a liturgy that get to be revised according to the tastes and expectations of a local community. The Liturgy has an unchanging character which is the mark of its authenticity and sacredness. (see Crouan)

The choir has been its own self-contained small community for such a long time. It will be a while before we can form them into a parish choir. It will take patience and openness. Simply departing because things do not go as wanted or expected is not adult behavior, nor does it speak to faithfulness or dedication to community. We simply cannot be Catholic on our own terms.

This will not be my liturgy, or my version of it. It is my hope that it will be faithful to what the church has asked. It will be, first of all, the Lord's Liturgy, the Roman Liturgy, the Church's Liturgy, and the local Bishop will be the one who will determine if this is so, not the opinions of the choir.

One of the local Dominican sisters, one who works at another parish north of here, reports that the Bishop is commenting to others that we are the first parish in the Diocese to fully impement the GIRM. He remarked to me after the recent Confirmation that he likes to come here because we "do things right."

In many ways I have to pay some tribute to those who came before me as I have had to change very little in order to comply.

I will purchase a copy of Crouan's book for any choir member who wishes to engage in a conversation about how we might do what the Church asks. For those who simply depart, we must wonder if they were ever part of this as a ministry.

Posted by Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, C.PP.S. at May 31, 2005 4:38 PM

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