If We Could . . .

. . . So can you!
My reflection this time is inspired by the funeral in which I took part just hours ago. It was the funeral of a priest, one whom I have known somewhat in passing over the years and in more recent years have known rather closely.
Rick Bass - excuse me! Msgr. Richardo Bass was laid to rest today.
Over the years our lives paths periodically crossed. I knew who he was, I knew of him, he was a passing acquaintance and I am sure he would have used the same descriptive in speaking of me.
And then, in one brief moment of life's relentless journey, our lives connected.
When I first retired, I had a condo out on the east side of the metropolitan Detroit area in Harrison Township. It was a great place, seconds away from things like the freeways and Krogers, important stuff, you know. I was providing needed assistance in a number of places as needed and requested.
Then in 2011 Msgr. Richardo Bass was named pastor of St. Hubert Parish, Harrison Township, right down the road from where I was living.
I wrote him a letter congratulating him on his appointment and offering whatever assistance he might see need for from me.
Next thing I knew I was at St. Hubert weekends, like every weekend and often enough during the week as well and likewise filling in while the Msgr. went on vacation or a workshop or seminar or whatever.
He declared that I had now become an associate - his associate and the parish associate.
And with all the pastoring experience I had under my belt and with my official status as Senior Clergy, I did not mind one bit that title "Associate."
And as we entered into that working relationship, I can remember asking him a question.
I suppose to the average church-goer it would not sound like much of a question.
But believe me. To those who know, this was THE question.
I asked, "Do you think it is possible for a Canon Lawyer and a Liturgical Theologian to actually coexist? Work together?"
You see, The Msgr. was a Canon Lawyer, and not just a Canon Lawyer, but a well known, well respected Canon Lawyer. Why he even served as President of the National Canon Law Society! And that is nothing to snicker at!
And me? Well, back in 1973 I managed to earn a Masters Degree in Liturgical Theology from the University of Notre Dame and from that point on, liturgy and liturgical theology became my personal unique trademark.
And if you could catch a glimpse into the inner workings of our theological life as Church, Canon Law and Liturgical Theology are often on opposite sides of the universe.
Stereotyping - Canon Lawyers are the Pharisees of today, wrapped around what the law does and does not allow.
Liturgists are the party on down, celebrate, let's throw caution to the wind and have a good time folk.
And remember here - these are only the stereotypes. But they are there and they do try and capture, at least somewhat, a certain dynamic reality.
And so I asked, "Can we coexist? Can we work together?"
And we both laughed at the question!
And so it began.
Back in 2011 a Canon Lawyer and a Liturgical Theologian began working together, ministering together and seeking to serve the faithful people of St. Hubert Parish.
And we respected each other and,  I would hope, always sought to put the people first.
And I do believe that the People of God were served.
In fact, from all of the words and hugs and tears today at the funeral, from all the familiar faces present to me, I truly felt like I was back again, among Family!
We worked together.
And we did it!
And we could do it!
Until he retired in 2017, we truly worked together.
Our differences did not get in the way of our concern for a greater good.
In fact, our differences strengthened our ability to work for that greater good.
We did it!
And if we could do it, I believe that is a lesson, a critical lesson for so many in so many various situations in our very real world today.
If Ricardo and Ronald(o), polar opposites, could work together, so can you!
Believe it!
Don't let differences divide!
Oh, and as an epilogue to this whole thing, as the brilliant homilist at today's Mass mentioned, the funeral for Msgr. Bass was taking place in the very place where he was ordained. From this place he was sent, his journey began. Now in this same place his mission, his journey here is completed.
Cleverly crafted - the choosing of that place!
Rick - that's stuff truly worthy of a Liturgist!

An Inconvenient Truth

I will warn you ahead of time - there are some of you who may really not like what I have to say in this blog. However, I do wish that you will bear with me, keep an open mind and allow yourself to receive a possible message of value and importance.
And the reason that this may be greeted with a degree of dislike (perhaps, to say the least!) is that this is a current very hot button issue. However, much as I would like to avoid it, I do also believe that I have a responsibility to speak.
The issue - and here it comes - is Racism!
We don't like the sound of that.
We don't want to deal with that.
We just want to shove it under some carpet and pretend -and I do mean PRETEND - it just does not exist. At least not for "Me."
And yet, how many times have we heard someone insist, "I am not racist!"
And how many times may we, ourselves, have made that declaration.
But do we even really know what racism is? What it looks like? What it sounds like? How it manifests itself?
We could be so very much better if only we could just dig down deep and discover and admit, it is there. It is real. And it is likely a part of every "me."
If we can face it as a reality, we can better deal with it.
I hear that word and remember the time, so many years ago now, when I actually met and shook hands with what had to be the very first Black person I had ever met. You know what I felt I had to do as quickly as possible after that handshake?
Wash my hands!
It is true and I confess it and I am still ashamed!
Nothing was said negatively. There were no negative signals outwardly exhibited. Nevertheless, there was something deep down inside, something that made me feel unclean. That is a manifestation of racism.
The thought of that experience still reminds me that, in spite of all my fine "liberal" talks and Christian upbringing, I was racist. But facing that gave me the power to deal with it.
Racism is an ugly, subtle and very hidden force that seeks to drive us. It is there and it is real and we can only begin to overcome it by actually admitting its existence.
And admitting its existence and its hold on us, we can move to conquering its force by learning what we can about its power, its history and its effects.
Knowledge is power.
Ignorance is the doorway to defeat.
What I am getting at here is that we need do way better in educating ourselves. We need to know and own our history. We need to know the tensions that may exist and the reasons why they may exist.
We do no favors either to ourselves or to our very diverse neighbors by avoiding the issue and we make no progress at all by denying the issue.
I have shared with you just one small, seemingly innocent, action and reaction I had, one that woke me to something dark within me, something I had to come to grips with and deal with.
What about you?
Can you look back at your days and years and find just one example that you might call out as being an indication that that darkness is present within you?
Do you dare?


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Sing a New Song . . .

Or maybe not!
And as I jump into this writing and reflection and as you read it, you just may find yourself tempted to print a copy, and then, annonymously (of course) leave that copy for your parish music minister to find. If so tempted, go right ahead! I dare you.
Anyhow, getting caught up on some reading, I find myself in the last issue of America Magazine. You know - that's the one with the Jesuit slant on the world. Good stuff nonetheless!
And a couple of items early on in my reading caught my attention, both dealing with our music and singing (or lack thereof) in our churches.
And I suspect these items caught my attention for a couple of reasons - one, because at my stage of life, I have found myself on the road and experiencing worship in various settings. I am getting a picture of what is and is not happening out there.
And secondly, as a liturgist I do have a strong interest in the quality of what is going on out there. I long to see the best for the People of God.
And with all that in mind, needless to say, our music and our singing is something that grabs my attention and stirs my concern.
So, while reading this particular America magazine, the first thing that caught my attention was a brief item about what may be our favorite songs and our least favorite songs.
And I got a surprise or two.
Now before I go on and share with you the article's findings - quick - what is your favorite Sunday morning, go to church hymn? and your least?
Now, how do yours compare with this?
Favorites - old, sung a whole lot.
On Eagle's Wings, You Are Mine, Lord, When You Came to the Seashore.
And a surprise - How Can I Keep from Singing!
And the reason given for that one is that it somehow captures the sentiment that, whatever is going on,  I just don't know why but I do know that You, God, are here!
And least favorites?
Well, Where Charity and Love Prevail, Amazing Grace and America, the Beautiful. Another unfavorite is Battle Hymn of the Republic!
Now, having that information, you can duke it out with what may agree and/or disagree with your choices. That's what survey said!
But then came a second item in the same magazine.
This one was by an 82 year old (my senior!) Jesuit and it has to do with how to get more people to sing at Mass.
And his basic premise is - stop adding new hymns!
Stick with the old tried and true.
Like when was the last time you sang "Holy God, We Praise Thy Name"?
In this article something very significant is stated. Namely, our concern should always be not that we add more hymns to our repertoire but rather that we put more people in our pews!
And he observes wisely, the vigor of our participation in our worship invites and encourages others to take notice. If we look and sound like we mean what we are saying and doing, that catches attention. And weak singing obviously discourages.
And what may cause weak singing?
Too much variety. Too much switching. Too much concern for music relevant to the day but irrelevant and unfamiliar to the Assembly.
My Jesuit friend tells of his days in parish work. He would limit the music selections to a total of 74 for the entire year. The music minister had to select 74 hymns, and that included the great seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter. 74 and only 74 hymns would be used in the course of the year. And then, of these hymns, the same choices had to be used for at least six week straight!
After six weeks one hymn could be replaced.
The people came to know the hymns and know them well.
They could sing and sing with gusto!
And that is what mattered.
St. Augustine is said to have observed that when we sing, we pray twice.
So, we need to do what it takes to sing and to do so with force and vigor and faith.
What matters should be not that we have learned a new song but rather that we have truly prayed.
So, the old tried and true stuff just may be the better stuff.
We know it! We like it! We sing it!
And with that in mind, try asking your parish music minister, "How come we don't sing 'Holy God, We Praise Thy Name" anymore?
Stir up some trouble!