The Recovering Choir Director

Here are alternate lyrics to “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” from the musical Les Miserables, annotated for your edification and, er, enjoyment.

Admittedly, these lyrics aren’t as upbeat as those of Miss Meredith, but then again, the original lyrics weren’t, either. (Call me a prophet of doom and gloom “in the spirit of the Catholic Howl“.)

Veni, Sancte Spiritus.

MARIUS [1]

There’s a grief that must be spoken,
Holy Faith is now despised.
Empty pews in empty churches,
All my friends apostasized [2].

They denied us bread of wisdom;
Foolish stones our teachers gave [3].
Now my peers can hardly care for
Our Redeemer who shall save.

At a council in the sixties [4]
Bishops saw a church reborn
And they rose with voices ringing
I can hear them now!
“Aggiornamiento!” they had sung,
Allowed abuse to prosper [5]
In this wintry [6] diocese at dawn.

Oh my Lord, my God forgive me,

(The souls of the fallen-away appear)

And with me do still abide.
There’s a grief that must be spoken,
That our leaders have denied.

Oh, the greatest gift of Heaven [7] -
Trampled on instead of prized!
Empty pews in empty churches
All my friends apostasized.

(The souls fade away)

Oh, and yet, my Lord, they ask me
What your sacrifice was for. [8]
Empty pews in empty churches
Will my friends return once more?

[1] Marius is a member of “Generation X”.
[2] i.o.w. fell away from belief in/practice of the Faith.
[3] See these posts by Dale Price and also Luke 11:11.
[4] The Second Vatican Council, 1962-1965.
[5] a.k.a. “renewal”, “updating”, “the Spirit of Vatican II”, a motto used to not only justify questionable if not outright scandalous practices and beliefs, but also to suppress/hinder genuine renewal according to the spirit and letter of the Council.
[6] Anticipates the “new springtime of the Faith” spoken of by John Paul II.
[7] The Blessed Sacrament, a.k.a., the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ himself.
[8] Refers to this generation as a “seeking” one.