Re: Concert in the church building
Thanks for your input... it's good to know I'm not insane when everyone else thinks I am. ;)
I asked the head of the music ministry about this... why it's in the church building and not the auditorium, about removing the Blessed Sacrament, etc. His justification is that we'll be singing sacred music, and so nothing we'll be singing is inappropriate. He said the only time they remove the Blessed Sacrament is when the performance has some sort of a secular nature to it. Refreshments during intermission will be in the vestibule, so that I'm happy about.
Now I suppose I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. Yes it's sacred music... yes the audience will probably be singing with us... but I'm still not comfortable singing from the altar steps, in the Sanctuary, with the Tabernacle off to the side. But yet I'm one of two altos, and we've been working on this for months.
Do you know of any documents that might be quoted about the holiness of the Sanctuary, and correct uses for church buildings? A complaint coming from a 19 year old who simply "isn't comfortable" isn't going to hold much weight.
QUESTION from Rosa on May 28, 2004
ANSWER by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM on June 3, 2004
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Dear Rosa: I cannot think of any documents that would be useful to you, however, locating such documents is not likely to change what is happening in your parish. This is about proper reverence to Holy Ground and to the Holy Eucharist and not about the law. The decision you have to make is a personal one according to your conscience. You need to follow your conscience. If your conscience is telling you that this concert is improper in the Church, or improper with the choir standing in the sanctuary area, then follow that conscience even if it means that you must sit out the concert. This will take the courage of your convictions to do this, but if your conscience is telling you to not participate you must follow that conscience. If your conscience doesn't think there is anything improper with all this, then participate in the concert. In other words, as our Blessed Mother said to the men at Cana, "Go ask Him (Jesus) and do as He says". We will be in prayer for you as you make this decision.
God Bless, |