Author: John Schultz

Thinking

Every now and then I wonder if the whole discussion around musical styles is worth the effort and heartburn associated with it. Many kind-hearted people of traditional tastes in music have noted that the US Bishops have not exercised much guidance and authority around music in catholic worship. In fact, documents like Music in Catholic Worship don’t address the issue of what sounds sacred, what’s preferred, holy or best in terms of style. Consequently, local pastors often bear the brunt of issues around a music program related to budget, who hired/or serves as volunteers and what instruments are used or purchased. And we know that local pastors have many, many things that are higher on the food chain: the sacraments, the care for the sick and the poor, education, building expansion, etc.
I don’t have an answer – I’m just throwing it out there for discussion and as a question worth pondering: what is truly worth living for – are we truly serving the Kingdom of God, or our we caught up in melting down gold for the calf?
Side note: I was listening to all sorts of great music on the way to work: Hallelujah Chorus, the Rutter “God be in my head”, the Stanford “Justorum Animae” and I thought, how wonderful and beautiful are those things. And how much greater will the heavenly music be.

Elderly Yodeler Causes Police Alert

BERLIN (Reuters) – German police investigating reports of screams coming from an apartment said Wednesday they had found a 76-year-old woman practicing for a yodeling diploma.
Neighbors called police after hearing noises coming from the flat in the western town of Offenbach near Frankfurt.
“The officers weren’t able to judge whether the neighbors were unfamiliar with Bavarian folk music or whether the lady still requires a lot of practice,” police said in a statement.