Tonight is the second meeting of the group that I have come to call my "Chant Project". It's really fascinating how this group has come to be, and even more interesting will be to see how it plays out. There is a lot of interest, and a lot of enthusiasm. If that is built upon, and given the opportunity to develop into a working schola, the results could be truly miraculous. What is really amazing is how everything came together.... I would like to hear from others who have started up schola groups or offered workshops in Chant and hear about how the process unfolded for them. I have to almost believe that the Holy Spirit is at work, given the obstacles that exist and which should stop any effort before it even gets started.
I am optimistic, both about my project and about Reform (with a big "R")! I have to wonder, what would happen if the reform agenda were supported by Bishops and Priests? There will, in the not-too-distant future, be more Bishops and Priests who are supportive. As momentum builds, what will happen then? If we consider that we are maybe 2 1/2 years into the "Reform", what might it look like 5 years from now? How about 10 years? When more than half of the Priests have been ordained in the "Post-Summorum" Catholic Church? There is great reason for hope and optimism as long as one realizes that there will not be sweeping change NOW, but gradual change over many years.
Our part is to be agents of change at the local level.
-Start a schola
-Organize a Chant workshop for TLM attendees
-Write grateful thank-you letters to Bishops who are supportive of Tradition
-Write polite letters to less-supportive Bishops offering your time to assist with any effort to offer the TLM in your Diocese.
-Seek out Catholics in your area who share your views on traditional liturgy and music and start talking. Even if only to share ideas, groups like this can take on a life of their own.
If anybody has other ideas for how to make things happen at the local level, feel free to post them in the comments.
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3 comments:
That's Exciting! My Chant Group in Fort Worth TX had it's first meeting tonight too!
Where do you sing chant?
Sincerely,
Richard
Richard;
Thank you for visiting! Some of the people in the group will begin singing for the TLM at Resurrection Catholic Church in Ft. Myers Florida in October. However, the point of this project is to appeal to a wide variety of people interested, so it is not in that sense a performing group, but is more of a workshop. So far it is going well and people are very enthusiastic. Things went well last night too!
Sounds like you're off to a good start - and you have a plan. My women's group started because a sympathetic priest wanted some music for an early morning OF Mass on All Souls Day, slipping it in on the sly, so to speak. Since there is no EF Mass around us, we've focused on Vespers. And we keep improving, which can be tricky when you have singers at several levels in a small group. Rehearsals have to be kept to a reasonable length because it's evening and less-experienced singers burn out faster.
I'll be interested in seeing how you pull things together, so keep us "blogged."
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