The Recovering Choir Director

This is the text of a proposal to move to unique music styles at our Masses that I presented to the campus ministry staff back in the early part of the spring semester. (Names have been edited out for privacy.) What will happen to it depends in part on my successor.

A Proposal to Move to Different Music Styles at Each Sunday Mass

1. Over the last few years, great strides have been made in increasing sung assembly participation at our campus ministry’s Masses. The following factors have been recognized as essential to this increase:
   1. Committed volunteer cantors, singers and support from the staff.
   2. A commitment, from the top down, to sing all music in its entirety.
   3. A varied, yet easily learned repertoire.
   4. Music that invites people to sing.
2. At the same time, it is recognized among our student body and staff that certain styles of music are favored by some, while other styles are favored by others. Granted, the majority of our worshippers seem to have no strong opinion of music at Mass. However, there are a few musically sensitive students, staff members and even those outside our community who feel quite strongly about the music, sometimes to the point of distraction. For these few, a music which may serve for some as an aid to a closer experience with God may serve as a hindrance or stumbling block to others. If we remove that musical stumbling block from their path, our students can focus less on the music per se and more on the music as a servant of the liturgy and of God. Moreover, they may even be compelled to offer their talent to the building of the music ministry.
3. Under our current music implementation, one set of music is selected for all the Sunday liturgies. The selection, among other things, attempts to integrate varied styles into the liturgy. While this is certainly a valid implementation of music at Mass, there are also certain limitations to it.
   1. It does not expose our worshipping community to a consistent style at any Mass – there is no aesthetic focus.
   2. For those musicians in our community (to whom music clearly matters quite a bit), the current implementation may discourage people from volunteering their talents in the music ministry – a ministry which sorely needs them.
   3. As we are part of a university community, we challenge our students to look at things from different angles. Why not expose them to worship from different musical angles as well? Let each genre shine and serve the liturgy in its own unique way. Currently, the styles seem to compete.
4. Proposed: on those Sundays where there are three Masses, we designate the following styles as particular to each:
   1. 10 AM – Classical hymnody
      1. Entrance, Preparation and Communion songs from the JourneySongs (JS) hymnal.
      2. Responsorial Psalms and Gospel Acclamations from Respond and Acclaim (R&A) or Gelineau/Grail (G/G)
      3. Mass Ordinary is either shared by all three Masses or is specific to this one.
      4. Closing hymn from JS.
      5. Minimum requirements: keyboard player, cantor.
      6. Choir Mass led by the Dir. Of Music and/or a qualified student volunteer.
      7. Rehearsals take place on Monday evenings at 7:15 PM.
   2. 12:15 PM – Chant
      1. Entrance, Preparation and Communion songs from By Flowing Waters (BFW), an English-language adaptation of the Graduale Simplex.
      2. Responsorial Psalms and Gospel Acclamations taken from BFW, R&A or G/G.
      3. Mass Ordinary is either shared by all three Masses or is specific to this one.
      4. Closing hymn from JS.
      5. Minimum requirements: strong, engaging cantor.
      6. Cantor or schola Mass led by the Dir. Of Music and/or a qualified student volunteer.
      7. Rehearsals take place on Sunday mornings at 11:30 AM
   3. 5:15 PM – Contemporary Worship
      1. Entrance, Preparation and Communion songs from JS or Gather I (G).
      2. Responsorial Psalms and Gospel Acclamations from Celebration Series.
      3. Mass Ordinary is either shared by all three Masses or is specific to this one.
      4. Closing hymn from JS or G.
      5. Minimum requirements: accompanist (keyboard or guitar), cantor.
      6. Cantor or choir Mass led by the Dir. of Music, a student intern and/or a qualified student volunteer.
5. Proposed: on those weekends where there are more than three Masses, one of the styles may be used at the 5:15 PM Saturday Mass.
6. Proposed: on those weekends where there is only one Mass, styles may be rotated every three weeks, or alternatively, styles may be blended as is current practice.
7. Our Parish Council believes that such a proposal would have a neutral effect on increasing attendance at Sunday Mass. Another way of looking at it can be, “It wouldn’t hurt, and who knows? It might increase attendance.” Furthermore, student experience at other universities (albeit Catholic) has shown that a specific musical style for each Mass actually does bring out the enthusiasts and proponents for each style. Thus, quality of musical worship (and participation) rises across the board, regardless of style.

Given the fact that we have people in our community who are enthusiastic about each of the aforementioned styles, and who possess the talent necessary to implement these styles successfully, the proposal merits consideration.