It's the middle of the year!

It's the middle of year 2006. I can't believe it. How time flies! We haven't analyzed ourselves about what has been happening within the ministry. As for me, I mostly have done what I planned to do. First is to create this blog, then help others to develop within the ministry, make efforts to reconcile with others within the ministry and lastly support and promote the ministry by participating in most of its activities.

This blog will soon show parts of my lessons learned in the course of my service as a member and from some seminars I attended about the Music Ministry and from some books I have read about the ministry which you might have read too.

I hope you can learn from them too. Here's some of it. Enjoy.

Liturgical Guidelines for Church Choirs.

*Vatican Council II says: Sacred Music whether vocal or instrumental is of inestimable value and importance. Music is sacred in so far as it is composed for the celebration of Divine Worship and possesses integrity in form.

The Church considers it a treasure of inestimable value greater even than any other form of art, recognizing that it has a ministerial function in the service of the LORD.

Music therefore must have a ministering function to the Spirit or the Heart.

In conclusion, the choir's job is not to entertain, or serve as entertainers, or to play everyone's favorite songs. Nor is it there to "impose our favorite songs and/or musical styles (whether operatic, pop, showtune or contemporary), on the parishioner.

Our attitude in preparing to lead in worship should be to please God and to serve as a guide to the people attending.

Therefore, the purpose of a choir and music in the mass is:

1. To glorify God and
2. To sanctify (make holy) the people.

It does not matter how we sound or how wonderfully we carry the tune, what is important is are we fulfilling our purpose? Are we really glorifying God or ourselves. Are we helping the people participate or are we distracting them from the focus or purpose of worship within the mass? Do we want them to listen to Him who should be listened to or Do we want them to hear our noise?

*For comments and suggestions, feel free to air your side of the story. You'd be more than welcome.;)