Comments on: Common Sense by Thomas Day http://www.cantemusdomino.net/2009/08/13/common-sense-by-thomas-day/ “...combines a wide range of information with a certain charming, existential angst.” — Dr. Peter Jeffery, Princeton University Sat, 27 Feb 2010 21:22:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Mike Meyers http://www.cantemusdomino.net/2009/08/13/common-sense-by-thomas-day/comment-page-1/#comment-4028 Mike Meyers Fri, 09 Oct 2009 04:31:06 +0000 http://www.cantemusdomino.net/?p=1788#comment-4028 A small parish in Nova Scotia was lightening its load of books last month with free books for the taking. We were visiting from 5000 km away and I took the opportunity to pick up Thomas Day's book. As an amateur guitarist playing in a "Youth Mass" with compositions from "Spirit and Song" (OCP Publications) I thought that this book would surely provide the key to participation and memorable masses. It was an interesting and enjoyable read that also distressed me hugely. I thought what we were doing was correct. His chapter, Ego Renewal, was upsetting to me because he was so right. A lot of his observations make tremendous sense. I read with great haste to get to his solution to the problems that he had revealed to me. But alas, I agree with you Michael, no program to get back on track. Oh well, I am going to pass this book on to our pianist/organist (at least 15 years of formal training) and our pastor. (In Canada, most of the Catholic churches rely on volunteers). I will let them worry about it. After all, I am only an amateur. A small parish in Nova Scotia was lightening its load of books last month with free books for the taking. We were visiting from 5000 km away and I took the opportunity to pick up Thomas Day’s book. As an amateur guitarist playing in a “Youth Mass” with compositions from “Spirit and Song” (OCP Publications) I thought that this book would surely provide the key to participation and memorable masses. It was an interesting and enjoyable read that also distressed me hugely. I thought what we were doing was correct. His chapter, Ego Renewal, was upsetting to me because he was so right. A lot of his observations make tremendous sense. I read with great haste to get to his solution to the problems that he had revealed to me. But alas, I agree with you Michael, no program to get back on track. Oh well, I am going to pass this book on to our pianist/organist (at least 15 years of formal training) and our pastor. (In Canada, most of the Catholic churches rely on volunteers). I will let them worry about it. After all, I am only an amateur.

]]> By: MaraJoy http://www.cantemusdomino.net/2009/08/13/common-sense-by-thomas-day/comment-page-1/#comment-3988 MaraJoy Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:19:59 +0000 http://www.cantemusdomino.net/?p=1788#comment-3988 Great article! It was about 10 years ago that I, too, first encountered this book as I was just starting to think about some of these issues, (and you could say that it's been downhill from there...) Maybe I should re-read it again... Great article! It was about 10 years ago that I, too, first encountered this book as I was just starting to think about some of these issues, (and you could say that it’s been downhill from there…) Maybe I should re-read it again…

]]> By: The young fogey http://www.cantemusdomino.net/2009/08/13/common-sense-by-thomas-day/comment-page-1/#comment-3937 The young fogey Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:16:03 +0000 http://www.cantemusdomino.net/?p=1788#comment-3937 <i>The worst thing about Vatican II was that it occurred in the 1960s. If it had happened at any other time, we might have been spared much.</i> As I've been saying it was the wrong thing at the wrong time. If it happened in 1900 you might have had something more like Anglo-Catholic practice, the Tridentine Mass in English with classic hymns for Low Masses. The worst thing about Vatican II was that it occurred in the 1960s. If it had happened at any other time, we might have been spared much.

As I’ve been saying it was the wrong thing at the wrong time.

If it happened in 1900 you might have had something more like Anglo-Catholic practice, the Tridentine Mass in English with classic hymns for Low Masses.

]]> By: Michael O'Connor http://www.cantemusdomino.net/2009/08/13/common-sense-by-thomas-day/comment-page-1/#comment-3936 Michael O'Connor Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:17:42 +0000 http://www.cantemusdomino.net/?p=1788#comment-3936 Day's book was the first light of hope I encountered after that day in church when I had my epiphany that the music I was playing was not appropriate for what was actually happening on the altar. I thought I was the only one, but his book helped me make sense of what I was feeling. Interestingly, this website was the second thing I found! My only complaint with Day is the use of the term "mediocrity." He surely knew the baggage that this term brings with it in American culture. I think that "elegant simplicity" might have sufficed. He is still right. Our congregations have been asked to sing after about 1000 years and we gave them little of value to sing and no real training in our Catholic schools. The worst thing about Vatican II was that it occurred in the 1960s. If it had happened at any other time, we might have been spared much. Day’s book was the first light of hope I encountered after that day in church when I had my epiphany that the music I was playing was not appropriate for what was actually happening on the altar. I thought I was the only one, but his book helped me make sense of what I was feeling. Interestingly, this website was the second thing I found! My only complaint with Day is the use of the term “mediocrity.” He surely knew the baggage that this term brings with it in American culture. I think that “elegant simplicity” might have sufficed. He is still right. Our congregations have been asked to sing after about 1000 years and we gave them little of value to sing and no real training in our Catholic schools. The worst thing about Vatican II was that it occurred in the 1960s. If it had happened at any other time, we might have been spared much.

]]> By: Jeffrey Herbert http://www.cantemusdomino.net/2009/08/13/common-sense-by-thomas-day/comment-page-1/#comment-3935 Jeffrey Herbert Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:22:16 +0000 http://www.cantemusdomino.net/?p=1788#comment-3935 Yes... the book sits on my living room shelf next to the Confessions of St. Augustine and Glenn Beck's "An Inconvenient Book"... strange company though that may be! It does take some courage to read and absorb what TD has to say... not what we always want to hear. He is willing to criticize and point out what won't work... whether that would be an Irish influenced pop-ballad or a Gregorian proper! I'm reminded of the drill sergeant in Full Metal Jacket ... "I don't discriminate... you are all equally worthless in my eyes!". But then he goes on to suggest, through his considerable experience in the trenches, what actually WILL work. Advice we could all do well to heed, if only from time to time. Yes… the book sits on my living room shelf next to the Confessions of St. Augustine and Glenn Beck’s “An Inconvenient Book”… strange company though that may be! It does take some courage to read and absorb what TD has to say… not what we always want to hear. He is willing to criticize and point out what won’t work… whether that would be an Irish influenced pop-ballad or a Gregorian proper! I’m reminded of the drill sergeant in Full Metal Jacket … “I don’t discriminate… you are all equally worthless in my eyes!”. But then he goes on to suggest, through his considerable experience in the trenches, what actually WILL work. Advice we could all do well to heed, if only from time to time.

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