Somewhere out there in Lake Geneva area, (WI), there's a liturgeist. We got a report from the scene of the waste-dump:
(XX) walking down the main aisle of the church, playing the refrain of the Canticle of the Turning.....on a recorder. My. He can walk and play simultaneously.
...was that a little hop I noticed in his step? I think so. He was going for a medieval kind of feel.
Think (XX) at the Renaissance Fair. A tanz procession?
The second verse was not accompanied by (XX) on the recorder, adding a grace note here and a turn there...but by (XX) on the keyboard, set to sound something between a harpsichord and a harp. The marvels of modern electronics, eh?
I almost called you during the Psalm, but I was too busy following his instruction to sing quietly under the cantor while she sang the verses. Then we all sang the refrain, then again we were asked to sing quietly under the cantor while she sang the verse. Keep 'em busy so they can't think...
...and just when was I supposed to listen to what the Psalm was actually saying?
This is a FAR cry from the beautiful text and melody I practiced with Bob...
Of course that's not all. I just had some things to do so I had to stop.
Every piece (XX) played was accompanied by the keyboard using a different voice on each verse. Somewhere the Liturgeist heard that 'Variety is the Spice of Life.' Of course, dancing processionals could also be spicy, I suppose.
The Holy, Holy did not have the words, Holy, Holy in it. It was more of a Hosanna song...but none of the words I identify with the Holy Holy. No God of Power and Might. No, Heaven and Earth are filled with your Glory. No Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
None of that at all. So as to reaffirm il-liceity, it was loud, too!
He did play the organ once. The recessional hymn was one I've never heard in church: Battle Hymn of the Republic, played on the organ, with a tuba and trombone playing along. That was a first for me....and not actually bad sounding, just quite different. Had there been a string bass player, they could have danced down to New Orleans by the time of Mardi Gras.
Then there was the homily. I memorized it:
Today is an express mass...the last one of the summer. The next one will be on Memorial Day weekend. I know you will show your gratitude in the collection....and that will determine if we do have an express mass on Memorial Day weekend. The ball is in your court.
Let us stand to pray...
The Liturgeist has a Leader. I understand cash-flow, but this is a little much--threatening all those summer-guest types with the actual possibility of a SERMON if they don't lay out some green. Of course, they're from Chicago, so what the hey!
Seems like Abp. Dolan's work will never be done. Wonder if that "express homilist" will offer a Joannine Use Mass?
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2 comments:
Aw, c'mon. You're making this up, right? Playing the recorder and dancing down the aisle during the entrance procession? I mean, really. If this is true, the parishioners should go medieval right along with him--by showing up with halberds and maces. A bubbling cauldron of hot pitch (is there an "immersion font" in this "worship space"?), while not exactly subtle, might contribute to the message the prarishioners would want to convey to this iconoclast. I mean, it's all about the symbols, right? The 70s ended a long time ago. But, then again, maybe this guy wants to go back even further than the 70s. To, like, the 1570s!!! In which case there must be great hope and rejoicing because it means this parish will be getting the Extraordinary Form real soon!!!
"Express Mass"? That's really sad, that Jesus has such friends that would pay to get out of His Presence as fast as possible. Does anyone love Him as we ought?
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