Greetings and blessings!
I know that it has been a long time since my last blog post, but as I’m sure you know, life gets busy! In this blog post, I would like to layout something that’s been on my heart lately. As many of you know, I am a follower of the Chant Cafe blog run by Mr. Jeffrey Tucker. If you are not familiar with the Chant Cafe, please visit this excellent blog here.
Recently,the Chant Cafe has posted a few articles dealing with “Praise & Worship” or “Life Teen” music in the liturgy (you can view them here) and typically I love reading their perspective on non-chant music in the liturgy. The authors and contributors of this blog, and many others like it, are humble, professional, wonderful individuals who’s greatest desire is to serve the Lord and encourage others to do the same. However, for whatever reason, this last article responding to Father Robert Schreiner of Life Teen, struck a particularly dissonant chord with me.
I pray that those reading this post, especially those who consider themselves pro-chant and anti-praise and worship will take the following as an invitation and not a dismissal of their views. For too long has the Church suffered from what I consider a false dichotomy in the field of sacred music between classical and contemporary styles of worship, and I do not wish to add to this situation. Rather, I hope this might be an opportunity for all music ministers to see the beauty of both worlds and learn from one another.
To be blunt, I found this article, and others like it that have to do with a critique of praise & worship music to be less than helpful, and in some cases dismissive, elitist, and rude. Now, I must give fair context that while reading this post I was highly stressed at home and probably not in a “good spot” to receive the type of criticism that Mr. Tucker puts forth, however, upon further reflection I could not help but realize that 90% of the time I walk away from conversing with individuals of a chant-only mentality, I tend to feel “looked down upon.” In no way do I blame this on any individual’s intentional attitude or disposition, I am only bringing up the point so as to help further positive discussion between musicians. I believe there is much I can learn from the Sacred Music Tradition of the Church, and this is why I love sites like the Chant Cafe Blog, Music Sacra.com and others! However, my contention is that there is something that authors, contributors, and readers of these sites can learn from the praise & worship genre as well (when executed properly – this of course is another topic).
And so, here I am – challenging & inviting those who are the guardians of the sacred musical tradition of the Church, those whose understanding of the liturgy calls each music minister to look at his or her self in total humility and put his or her self at the total service of the Church, you men and women who have been such an incredible blessing to our Church today, I invite you to:
Help those of us who may not understand (or even like) the treasure you hold appreciate and grow to love the treasure you’ve found.We don’t have time to research all the websites, or take a 2 year graduate program in Sacred Music, but little by little we can learn and we want to learn!We don’t want to know why what we’re doing is “wrong” and “banal” and “trite” – but we do want to improve our worship, so show us something more beautiful and how we can bring that to the Church.Show us the heart of a teacher, not a Pharisee, who only points out how bad we are and how great you are.Don’t simply dismiss us or our opinions because we use guitars, pianos, and/or drums to offer praise to our God whom we love with our whole lives just as you do.Listen to us, when we respond. And when we intelligently use the documents of the Church to defend our legitimate role in the worship of the Church, please acknowledge our role and help us execute that role more fittingly in the context of the liturgy.Again, brother & sister musicians, my goal is not to increase the rift between music ministers in the Catholic Church. I intend only to build bridges. Any “names”, “titles”, or “tough words” are only for dramatic purposes. I wish for those in the Chant Community (of which I like to consider myself a part of), to understand how their actions, thoughts, and especially their words can be perceived by Non-chant groupies (sorry if that’s a rude term, but you get the point). Please don’t dismiss this post as just another one of those “hippie, charismatic, folk, guitar playing rock star” advocates ramblings. My heart rests in the Church, and I believe there is huge potential for the “Reform of the Reform” that includes both Traditional Sacred music as well as Contemporary Christian Worship Music.
As I prepared to write this post, I put on my facebook “Why can’t we all get along? Chant-ers and Praise & Worship music-ers?” To which a highly esteemed professor of mine commented: “You mean Benedict-ers and Oprah-ers?” His point was received in that over time it seems that the dichotomy rests between those who advocate the beauty of Sacred Music vs. those who advocate the banjo or kazoo, but there is another option! And the reason there’s another option is because contemporary praise & worship music is growing and maturing! But in this process we still need help, and this is why I reach out to my chant brothers & sisters. The bottom line, that I want everyone to hear, from a music minister of the Church:
I am Catholic. I love the Church, & I love her treasure chest of music – both classical and contemporary. And just because I love BOTH, and not just chant/organ, and just because I am willing to play guitar or piano or even use drums in the Sacred Liturgy, does not make me less of a Catholic or a bad music minister. Brothers and Sisters, the time is now to start conversing, and helping one another out. I know that P&W music has grown a lot over the past few decades, and I am SO pumped to see the growth of contemporary chant especially the Simple Propers Project (which I can’t wait to buy!), but I believe that TOGETHER our growth can be expedited and increasingly blest. St. Gregory the Great, St. Cecelia, Blessed John Paul II, ora pro nobis.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and God bless.
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