There has been a great deal of talk lately of the dismal state of music in the average parish, not just in the UK and the USA
When I make suggestions to clergy and parish musicians as to how they might go about improving music, such as using simple chants from the CMAA’s fantastic Parish Book of Chant, introducing a Gregorian Ordinary etc, even if it is De Angelis, the general response is “Oh that’s all gone now”, “That’s old hat now”, That’s too difficult for the people”, “The children won’t like it”, “We can’t worship in a language people don’t understand”, “We can’t do all that – we’re just an ordinary parish”.
Apparently, ordinary people are too stupid to learn a chant ordinary – they need a Gloria with a refrain, maybe the odd burst of clapping to keep the children amused, something tuneful that they can enjoy when they go to Mass, something they can hum. Am I alone in thinking that this is patronising to the People of God, that this is an insult to the intelligence of children, and indeed their parents? Am I also alone in thinking that the music we use in the Liturgy should be an offering to God, not chosen to suit the tastes of the people? Do children really enjoy clapping at Mass? Is that really to be regarded as the only way to keep them happy during the liturgy and enjoying Mass more? This is an insult to our youth – give them more credit! And as for understanding the texts we sing, does anybody actually know what Kum bay ya actually means?! Whenever I have seen and heard this musical, poetic and theological travesty of a hymn in use in a parish, I’ve never seen a parallel translation of the text!
I’d like to tell you about an ordinary parish in an ordinary town with an ordinary priest and an ordinary congregation. The Church in question is Our Layde and St Michael, Abergavenny. Abergavenny is a small market town in rural Wales , near the border with England
However, this ordinary priest is actually a visionary man. Wherever Dom Thomas has served as a priest, he has left behind a legacy; of increased Mass attendance, of brand new churches built, of new church centres and halls funded and constructed, of schemes for local youth and for the elderly, of a deeper understanding of the faith, of excellent catechesis, of happier faithful and of excellent liturgy.
A typical Mass at Abergavenny involves a small-scale choral liturgy (the choir will sing a motet or a simple SATB Kyrie), Gregorian Chant, good, stable, quality hymnody in English, Latin (and Welsh!), fine vestments, a beautifully looked-after church, attention to every possible detail. Dom Thomas celebrates a Low Mass in the Usus Antiquior every Friday evening, and a regular Missa Cantata or even a Solemn High Mass on a frequent basis. Every so often the main Sunday Mass (Novus Ordo English/Latin) is replaced by a Solemn High Mass in the Usus Antiquior, with all propers provided by the amateur choir and all parts of the Ordinary sung by the faithful with a gusto that only the Welsh can deliver! The people don’t just accept this, they adore it! The Church is full, the faithful are happy and supportive, safe in the knowledge that they have a priest and musicians who serve them in the best possible way. The Sacred Liturgy is performed and prayed in the most solemn, dignified and prayerful way, and the choir is the envy of every ordinary parish in the UK, thanks to Dom Thomas, his faithful, dedicated and enthusiastic organist, Gwyn, and the loyal members of the Choir.
When I visit this beautiful town to see Thomas (who received me into the Church at Belmont Abbey when I was 18), I am always struck by how good everything is. I am also slightly saddened, and ask the question “If they can achieve all this here, then why not everywhere?” This is indeed an ordinary parish in an ordinary town, but what has been achieved is (sadly in many ways) extraordinary. I hope and pray that what happens in Abergavenny will become the norm in every ordinary parish the whole world over.
Nick Gale, June 2010
http://www.olsm.org.uk
Your "general responses" seem tinged with regret, with a hint of nostalgia, even. In my experience the "general response" is just viscerally antagonistic. "NO-ONE wants that music but you", "It's boring and depressing; what we sing is uplifting and toe-tapping", "Latin chant prevents the people from participating in the liturgy", "NO WAY, we're not monks!" (The last one was our parish priest when I thought out loud that we might sing the introits – in English – instead of having enforced silence at the beginning of Masses in Lent.)
I also wish it was the norm; but I'll die before it happens.
AM
Depressing though it is, the Council Fathers tell us what to sing, and we're reminded what to sing by every subsequent document from Rome and by the Holy Father. It's worth pointing this out to your PP (though I suspect you already have!) I agree with your comments and I've heard paraphrases of your quotations here too. I always remind people that we belong to a Church which stipulates how we should live, what we should believe – and what we should sing! However, it is up to us if we wish to belong to that Church. If we DO belong to the Church, then we cannot pick and choose, it's either all or nothing. If we pick and choose, we become protestants. Priests and musicians need to start doing what the Church tells them, and has been telling them for decades!
Actually I do know what kumbaya means. I would rather sing Salve sancta Parens though though I know what that means as well. Chanting a Mass for the Blessed Virgin Mary in Latin is generally more Catholic than singing Protestant songs in Gullah. But my "conservative" parish prefers a limited number of mainly Victorian era Protestant hymns so the struggle continues.
Spot on Nick. I'm new to actually singing the chant for real (having graduated from just booming it out in the shower) – so I've been to a workshop or two to learn the ropes. In the last workshop (in Middlesbrough), I was struck that it really is (largely) quite straightforward. If you have a couple of confident singers in a choir, there's not the slightest excuse for not singing the chant.
Good to see the new blog!
You may also like to add the National Shrine of Wales, Our Lady of the Taper Church in Cardigan and Our Lady Queen of Peace, Newcastle Emlyn where, under the excellent guidance of Fr Jason Jones, the EF Mass flourishes and what was a "green" choir in 2007 has grown into an increasingly accomplished choir.
http://www.ourladyofthetaper.org.uk
I know Fr Jason Jones very well – a superb chap! I've never visited the Shrine bt intend to in the future! NG
I'd like to say that I have a very ordinary anglo-catholic parish in leeds, urban, "working class" and we have a small schola who are learning the chant – and they love it. Most of them do not have any musical education – but they love it.
I've heard Fr Thomas called many things in my time but this is the first time I've heard him called "ordinary" ! Good luck with this blog !
Indeed! How are you Steven?!
Jeffrey, you're absolutely right about children. They love to do what grown-ups do and hate being talked down to. We have children and teens singing chant and polyphony in our choir and they have no problem – in fact, they love it. Having seen a few "Youth Masses",
they shudder at the memory!
You know, one of the pioneers of the liturgical movement, Monsignor Martin Hellriegel did much the same in his parish in St. Louis in the 1940s. First, he trained the children in his parish school to sing the chant. When the parents heard their children singing the Gregorian Chant, they were utterly amazed and wanted to learn to. Within a few years, the entire parish managed to learn a number of Gregorian chant Mass settings. We need more priests like Dom Thomas and Monsignor Hellriegel.