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Category Archives: USCCB documents
Music In The Rite of Marriage: SttL 219-224
Nine numbered sections in Sing To The Lord detail the thoughts and directives of the US bishops on liturgical music for weddings. Let’s look at the last six of these and the advice given by the US bishops. Paragraph 219 advises dioceses … Continue reading
Posted in Liturgical Music, Rite of Marriage, Sing to the Lord
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Music In The Rite of Marriage: SttL 216-218
Nine numbered sections in Sing To The Lord detail the thoughts and directives of the US bishops on liturgical music for weddings. As a pastoral musician I can tell you planning with engaged couples is a significant component of our service to the … Continue reading
Ministers of Liturgical Music, Directors: SttL 45-47
The last of the music ministries discussed in the US Bishops’ 2007 document Sing to the Lord: the director. This person is defined first as a collaborator: A professional director of music ministries, or music director … (works) with the bishop or … Continue reading
Posted in Liturgical Music, Sing to the Lord
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Ministers of Liturgical Music, Instrumentalists: SttL 41-44
Early in their document, Sing to the Lord, the US bishops review the various ministerial roles within liturgical music. Writing of any instrumentalists, the bishops remind us of their purpose with regard to the song of the assembly: “lead and sustain … Continue reading
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Ministers of Liturgical Music, The Cantor: SttL 37-40
The third music ministry examined by the US Bishops’ document Sing to the Lord is the cantor. Thanks to my consistent experiences in getting small choirs recruited to serve at multiple Masses, I’ve only occasionally worked with cantors. Official church … Continue reading
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Ministers of Liturgical Music, The Psalmist: SttL 34-36
Paragraphs 28 through 47 of the US Bishops’ document Sing to the Lord reviews the various ministries within liturgical music. A few days ago, we looked at the role of the choir (SttL 28-33). Today, we consider the psalmist (34-36) as a … Continue reading
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Ministers of Liturgical Music, The Choir: SttL 28-33
Paragraphs 28 through 47 of the document Sing to the Lord reviews the various ministerial roles within liturgical music. First up is the Choir. The US bishops start off with an echo the importance given in SC 114 to the balance between … Continue reading
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The Gathered Liturgical Assembly: SttL 24-27
Section II (The Church at Prayer) treats the various components of God’s people and their liturgical and music ministers. Numbered sections 24-27 address “the Gathered Liturgical Assembly.” Commentators have noted that in the Vatican II Constitution on the Church, the council … Continue reading
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Who Prepares Music For Worship? SttL 119-121
Ten years ago, the US Bishops released a much-anticipated document on church music, Sing to the Lord (SttL). One of the topics they addressed was the preparation of music for liturgy. Who does this? It’s a question addressed in numbered sections 119 … Continue reading
Posted in Liturgy, Sing to the Lord
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Care in the Choice of Music: SttL 122-125
Paragraphs 122 through 125 of the US Bishops’ document Sing to the Lord offers some good advice for those preparing the music at liturgy. It should go without saying that choosing music is a serious matter and it likely doesn’t … Continue reading
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Preparing Music for Liturgy: SttL Outline
Section IV of the US Bishops’ document Sing to the Lord treats the matter of “Preparing Music For Catholic Worship.” This is a vitally important topic, and our shepherds devote nearly 3,000 words to it–a bit more than one-tenth of … Continue reading
Posted in Liturgical Music, Sing to the Lord
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GMD 137-141: Concluding Prayer
The bishops conclude Go and Make Disciples with a prayer. We need this prayer. I would certainly agree that Catholics in the United States need renewal. With the bishops, I believe there is indeed a “hunger of our nation for … Continue reading
Posted in evangelization, Go and Make Disciples
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GMD 136: Every Catholic an Evangelizer
Structures don’t work unless people make them work. The bishops offer five ways in which believers can affirm the mission of Jesus Christ, even if their parish, diocese, and national conference offers them little or nothing: 1. Each individual Catholic … Continue reading
Posted in evangelization, Go and Make Disciples
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GMD 133-135: National and Diocesan Structures
A brief chapter (GMD 133-136) discusses the bishops’ commitment to devoting personnel and personal effort to the cause. The bishops begin with themselves. Because this plan must involve every one of us, we bishops first of all pledge to implement it … Continue reading
Posted in evangelization, Go and Make Disciples
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GMD 128-132: An Invitation
One of the shortest chapters (GMD 128-132) offers believers an invitation. Let’s examine it briefly. Click on the link if you’d like more detail. But it has a nice argument to it. GMD 128 recounts Jesus calling the fishermen (Mark … Continue reading
Posted in evangelization, Go and Make Disciples
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