Author: John Schultz

…about storms and tsunamis along the US coasts this year. Thanks, Pat Robertson!

What’s the easiest way to get no one to sing?
Play a hymn too slowly.
Our organist for the wedding told me it’s a widespread problem here in RI.
Aside from taking away the charm and life from some great hymn tunes, it forces the congregation to do something they aren’t used to: hold their breath for a long time while they sing. The slower the tempo, the longer the phrases. Even folks with no vocal training know that they have to hold their breath with singing and only get to breathe between phrases. You can cheat if you breath half-way through a phrase, but then you just feel like you can’t sing. If you go ahead and sing the long phrase, you might feel some discomfort in your torso. That’s your abdominal muscles working to hold your breath. And that just gets more and more uncomfortable for people who aren’t used to long phrases.
So – push your tempos! You’ll know when you’re playing something too fast, it won’t feel right. Faster, without comprimising the musicality of the hymn tune makes everyone feel better about singing.

If I’m traveling, I should do what RC does and get the 411 on local parishes. Holy Ghost on Federal Hill in RI was beautiful inside, but it turned out they were having first communions. No problem with that by itself, except like I mentioned before even my parish has trouble with first communinions. Apparently, DRE’s everywhere think first communion Sundays are times to:
1. Have the first communicants do the readings and general intercessions.
2. Have them sing special songs.
3. Have them bring flowers to their families during offertory.
4. Do some wacky procession or dressing of the altar.
5. Emphasize first communion being a friendly meal.
6. If in May, bring flowers to the Virgin Mary, then sing a Hymn to the Virgin Mary.
The other challenge of first communion Sundays are the families. I saw people come in to church with Dunkin Donuts coffee cups. Flash photography, video cameras, and cell phones were everywhere. A fella behind took a phone call 3 minutes before Mass. I finally couldn’t take it anymore when we stood for the Eucharist Prayer and he sang the first few words of the National Anthem. I turned around and asked him to show some respect.
So what are the practical things we can do?
First communicants need to be focused on receiving Christ in the Eucharist. Everything else is just cuteness, or devotions that don’t necessarily support the sacrament. One of the things on the list above may be appropriate, but to turn the Sunday liturgy on its head because of first communions strikes me as a misguided effort at participation that detracts from the real reason the kids are there: to receive Jesus in the Eucharist for the very first time.
What to do about parents and families? Do they need lecturing at their own kids first communion classes? Do they need a list of norms and guidelines? Should we, like some parishes I know, refuse the sacraments to people who don’t attend Mass weekly for a good reason?
The parents seem like a harder nut to crack. The folks who don’t attend Mass on Sunday are the ones who want the Church to be there for Christmas, Easter, funerals, weddings, and first communions. How do you make their own kids first communion a moment for them to reflect on how little they may value and understand the Eucharist?

I’m up near RC’s neck of the woods for the weekend. My cousin is getting married and Teresa and I will be singing at the wedding.
We ate lunch up at Federal Hill across the street from a big brick Catholic parish. The name is chiseled on marble over the entrance:

HOLY GHOST CHVRCH
That’s right: a V instead of a U.
There’s no school like old school. I’ll let you know what the morning Mass is like.

Sami the cat. Used to be my brother’s, but he gave her to us when he entered the seminary. He took this photo a while back at a family gathering.