The Shrine of St. Cecilia*: reflections on the Pope's visit and the World Meeting of Families

I've been trying to think of something profound to say about the events of the last week.  I'll probably get to it some day but right now I'm still processing everything.  I think the best I can do is start by categorizing everything.

Logistics: People, 'fess up. You didn't leave your house soon enough to get in to see the Pope. Stop blaming the infrastructure. You had weeks and even months to prepare. Be assertive and plan ahead next time.

Restaurant owners and Mayor Nutter: Stop blaming the media.  The fact that you put out the information doesn't excuse you from the consequences of the quality of that information. Why else would most media outlets be reporting the same thing?

Being a musician in the Archdiocese: I can think of few places I would rather have been than in the musical portion of the proceedings. Singing to God accompanied by the Philadelphia Orchestra was truly a small preview of heaven. I do have things to say about the particulars of the three Masses we sang, which I'll do in another post.

World Meeting of Families: It looked like an impressive lineup of speakers. I wish I'd had the resources for our family to participate. What I did hear moved me.

People watching: Possibly one of the best parts of the week. I met people from dozens of countries, including Portugal, Argentina, Australia, Nigeria, and saw people in dazzling native dress from every continent.

No matter where you go: I grew up in Holland, Michigan, a small city on the shores of Lake Michigan. Imagine my surprise when I was boarding the train and discovered that I was riding with people from the nearby cities of Grand Rapids and Muskegon!  Reminds me of my honeymoon--Nancy and I were in Nova Scotia when I spotted a Vandenberg Buick sticker on a car. I asked the driver if they were from Holland. When they said yes, I responded that I'd grown up there. They seemed a little miffed. Oh well. Shout out to Petoskey, MI too.

No good deed goes unpunished: Word was that we were to get lunch.  The CEO of Wawa Inc., a devout Catholic and member of the local delegation that petitioned the Pope to come to the WMoF, donated 500 small box lunches to the musicians. Good thing I packed my lunch; by the time we got back from warmup, they were gone. Because I didn't see the alleged eager eaters do this, I won't say who was rumored to have made off with them.

The Dunham bus fiasco: I don't necessarily blame the bus company for the overly long waits to get to and from our destinations. People were getting pushy and ugly, and the longer the wait, the more agitated we got. After a group of people who hadn't waited on line forced their way onto a bus, I remarked to a nearby priest, "Does this mean we can be Philadelphians again?".

So I didn't see Fr. Groeschel...but I did see Anderson Cooper and Bill Hemmer (Fox News), both of whom acknowledged the choir when we waved and cheered like mad.

Lots of nuns whose habits I didn't recognize...I started making a point of asking what order they were, and among them were an order from New York called the Sisters of Life, founded in 1990.

Librarian opportunities? I wonder if they ever considered setting up tents as reading rooms, or setting up a reading room at the convention center. Maybe they did, I don't know.

This is going to be more than one post...
To be continued.
Onward.
*--Carroll Loveday, c. 1951.

A Day in the Life #3: World Meeting of Families, Philadelphia

So we're singing at the convention center this afternoon. I walked in to last night's rehearsal and was struck by just how immense the space is.  Perhaps it was the sea of 20,000 chairs that were set up in anticipation of today's festivities.

I was struck by the focused, beautiful sound of the children's choir singing, yes, TRADITIONAL HYMNS. Mike Maresca, are you listening? If children are encouraged by exposing them to the best that church music has to offer, we don't have to do music that the "A Mighty Wind" gaggle likes to do on GEETARS and the future of hymnody will be more secure than it is now. I envied them their opportunity to sing "Rejoice, the Lord is King". What I wouldn't give to sing that or "Italian Hymn" or"St. Anne" or "Nun Danket Alle Gott" in my home parish more than almost never.

Well, off to shower, dress, pack, and head downtown.  Cheers!

Onward.

A Day in the Life #2: World Meeting of Families, Philadelphia

Today's rehearsal will cover the music we're singing/chanting at tomorrow's opening Mass at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Center City.  I'm assuming the Archbishop will preside with numerous co-presiders.

The Music, you ask?

Parry: I was Glad (Prelude)
Gouin: Sound the Bell of Holy Freedom (commissioned for the 2015 WMOF)
     (This one reminds me of Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken by Haydn)
Gouin: Kyrie and Gloria from Mass of SS Peter and Paul
Alstott: Responsorial--Psalm 122
Chepponis: Good News Acclamation
Latona: Look up and Count the Stars on High (commissioned for the 2015 WMOF)
     (This one reminds me of Gordon Jacob's setting of the 23rd Psalm, commonly known as "Brother James' Air")
Proulx: Sanctus from A Community Mass
Kolar: Cordero de Dios from Misa Luna
St. Meinrad Archabbey: Communion Antiphon--Ps. 33
Janco: Draw Near!
Cruger/arr. Rutter: Now Thank We All Our God
Karg-Elert/arr. McChesney: Nun danket alle Gott (Postlude)

It's been quite a challenge preparing all the little bits here and there. Some bits are far more substantial (Parry) than others (Janco, Cruger/Rutter) but it's all good.  As I've been singing, I don't think that there's been a weak piece in the bunch, or one where I grit my teeth and smile till it's over. When it's over I'll let you know how it went.  Singing in the Convention Center will not be a challenge, but listening and hearing my fellow singers will be. Focus, Focus, Focus!!!

Saints Cecilia and Gregory, pray for us!

Onward.

Sound the Bell of Holy Freedom*--Philadelphia and the 2015 World Meeting of Families

I'm a member of the Philadelphia Archdiocesan Choir--a second tenor, to be precise.  Our numbers have swelled considerably since the powers that be announced auditions for singers to participate in the Papal Masses taking place later this week. We've been rehearsing weekly since the beginning of July, and this week we have a rehearsal or a service every day.

Today was rehearsal for the full 500-voice choir. This consisted of 100 members of the AD Choir, the Cathedral Basilica Choir and Schola, the AD Children's choir, and representative choirs from the Catholic high schools, and the Vietnamese, Spanish-speaking, and African American communities. Add to this another 125 singers auditioned from the parishes of our diocese and others surrounding, and you get the picture.

Our leader is a fine young choral conductor. How he's managed to do his job so well without totally losing his mind is beyond me. He's the choir director at St. Andrew parish in Newtown, Bucks County. They're lucky to have him, but I'm guessing that if he pulls off this week, it won't be long before he leaves for greener pastures.

Here's the schedule for the week:
Sunday--rehearsal for the Mass on the Ben Franklin Parkway
Monday--dress rehearsal for the WMOF opening Mass on:
Tuesday--Opening Mass for the WMOF, Pennsylvania Convention Center
Wednesday--Rehearsal for Saturday's Cathedral Mass
Thursday and Friday--rehearsals at Verizon hall for Mass on the Parkway
Saturday--Papal Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul (for clergy, religious, and "invited guests")
Sunday--Papal Mass on the Ben Franklin Parkway
Monday--consume mass quantities and sleep.

Onward!