A perfect post.

The good Father says in not so many words how I'm feeling:

The problem with putting a choir in front of everyone’s eyes (let’s not even contemplate putting them in the sanctuary where the clerical choir belongs) is that it gives the impression that the choir is performing. It gives also the wrong sense to the musicians (if they can be so called) as well.

It seems to me that making the choir too easily visible in the church places to much emphasis on their physical presence and appearance rather than on the prayer they contribute in the form of sacred music. Having the choir up front is just another distraction. Even for the members of the choir it is a distraction. [This is true. It's going to be a lot less pressure and a lot easier to do the mechanics of our work in the liturgy from the loft.

Moreover, in most older churches, the building’s acoustics will favor the positioning of the organ and choir in the choir loft. [This is certainly the case in our church.] A choir can usually sing without amplification when they are in a choir loft, thus avoiding yet another layer of artificiality in the sacred action.

Again I say: Thank you Father Z!

Related posts:

1. The Schitzophrenic Choir Director

Here's the scoop from the St. Louis Cinemas' website:

Fill out an application at ANY of our theatres (Chase Park Plaza, Galleria Six, Moolah) and be sure to let the staff know that you are interested in employment at the Granite City Cinema!

Or, feel free to call 618-512-9001 after 12:00pm to inquire with a member of the Granite City Cinema management team!

It looks like starting this weekend, we won't have to leave Granite City to see these movies: Piranha 3D, Nanny McPhee Returns, & The Other Guys

Related posts:

1. Update: Granite City Cinema, 1/25/10 Progress
2. Granite City Development Updates
3. The Complex, Granite City

On the way, I was listening to Joy FM (yeah, I really miss Classic 99 here in St. Louis, but I'm also really liking Joy FM) and the song "Lead Me" by Sanctus Real came on.

I hadn't heard the song yet, but it was perfect for me right now in my life, with my vocation as a husband and my mission as a dad.

It's my new personal theme song.

Here's a clip about the genesis of "Lead Me":

The Story Behind "Lead Me" - Sanctus Real from BrightBulb Entertainment on Vimeo.

If you head to the Sanctus Real website right now, you can hear the song. There's also a link to buy it on iTunes.

Here are the lyrics...

Sanctus Real - “Lead Me”

I look around and see my wonderful life
Almost perfect from the outside
In picture frames I see my beautiful wife
Always smiling
But on the inside, I can hear her saying...

“Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone”

I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes
They're just children from the outside
I'm working hard, I tell myself they'll be fine
They're in independent
But on the inside, I can hear them saying...

“Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, but what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone”

So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I'm called to be
Oh, Father, show me the way
To lead them
Won't You lead me?

To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can't
Don't want to leave them hungry for love,
Chasing things that I could give up

I'll show them I'm willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this our home
Lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone

Father, lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone

Reminds me of some clips from Humanae Vitae...

God's Loving Design

8. Married love particularly reveals its true nature and nobility when we realize that it takes its origin from God, who "is love," (6) the Father "from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named." (7)

Marriage, then, is far from being the effect of chance or the result of the blind evolution of natural forces. It is in reality the wise and provident institution of God the Creator, whose purpose was to effect in man His loving design. As a consequence, husband and wife, through that mutual gift of themselves, which is specific and exclusive to them alone, develop that union of two persons in which they perfect one another, cooperating with God in the generation and rearing of new lives.

The marriage of those who have been baptized is, in addition, invested with the dignity of a sacramental sign of grace, for it represents the union of Christ and His Church.

...and...

Married Love

9. In the light of these facts the characteristic features and exigencies of married love are clearly indicated, and it is of the highest importance to evaluate them exactly.

This love is above all fully human, a compound of sense and spirit. It is not, then, merely a question of natural instinct or emotional drive. It is also, and above all, an act of the free will, whose trust is such that it is meant not only to survive the joys and sorrows of daily life, but also to grow, so that husband and wife become in a way one heart and one soul, and together attain their human fulfillment.

It is a love which is total—that very special form of personal friendship in which husband and wife generously share everything, allowing no unreasonable exceptions and not thinking solely of their own convenience. Whoever really loves his partner loves not only for what he receives, but loves that partner for the partner's own sake, content to be able to enrich the other with the gift of himself.

Married love is also faithful and exclusive of all other, and this until death. This is how husband and wife understood it on the day on which, fully aware of what they were doing, they freely vowed themselves to one another in marriage. Though this fidelity of husband and wife sometimes presents difficulties, no one has the right to assert that it is impossible; it is, on the contrary, always honorable and meritorious. The example of countless married couples proves not only that fidelity is in accord with the nature of marriage, but also that it is the source of profound and enduring happiness.

Finally, this love is fecund. It is not confined wholly to the loving interchange of husband and wife; it also contrives to go beyond this to bring new life into being. "Marriage and conjugal love are by their nature ordained toward the procreation and education of children. Children are really the supreme gift of marriage and contribute in the highest degree to their parents' welfare." (8)

This marriage thing isn't easy. It's the combination of two distinct, individuals with their own unique dreams, ambitions, passions, and dignity. Those have to constantly be discussed and fused together into one mission for life and eternity. That's why it's at least somewhat easier when we keep the mutual goal of eternal life at the center of our marriages. It becomes a common, shared goal that trumps all.

Still, from day to day, there are individual ideas, dreams, goals that pop up. They have to be discussed and considered rationally in the light of the partnership of marriage... are they possible? Can they be attained together? Do they contribute to the betterment of the whole? Can both share in the goal together? Can both share the glory in its fulfillment? The answer should be "yes"!

This does mean self-denial. It also means openness to discussion and honest critique, and to setting aside some personal ideas and objectives for now - or forever.

Sometimes it really does take the heartfelt prayer, "Father, lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone..."

Related posts:

1. Marriage & Manhood: A Man Shall Cling
2. Longest marriage ends; husband dies at 101
3. Happy National Vocation Awareness Week

That's me: The Schitzophrenic Choir Director.

For the last 8 years, I've been a music director here at my home parish. For nearly all of that 8 years (save the last 2+ months), it was under our former pastor.

I have been happy to assimilate what I have known and experienced in liturgical music: contemporary influences from the 9 PM SLU Mass Choir and the Folk Choir at Notre Dame; our own parish's guitar Mass heritage; my own keyboard playing; a background in commercial music radio and programming; influences from both contemporary Catholic music publishers and traditional Catholic music organizations.

For 8 years, we've worked hard and built a fantastic (yes, I'm partial) ensemble and overall music ministry. Within those 8 years, we also built a splendid, new, large choir area in the front of our sanctuary.

But I've always been torn in two directions.

I've enjoyed what we've done and built. And I've seen its positive impact on our parish worship and parish life.

I'm also very traditional in my own personal liturgical preferences. As I've read about work on the "reform of the reform" elsewhere, there were many times I longed to integrate more traditional music and liturgical influence into my work in the parish. But I always stay allegiant and obedient  to my pastor, and I was blessed  that my past pastor was also a friend. And so I remained true to his direction in liturgical planning and work.

Our new pastor, however, is much more traditional in nature and preference. I like him a lot so far... he has a fantastic, fun personality and a great sense of humor. And he approaches liturgy with an unmatched dignity and reverence, and it shows.

Among the changes we're working toward is a move of our music ministry back up to the choir loft. Now I'll admit, I haven't sung in the choir loft at our church since I was in grade school, so I've been studying it much more in depth as we plan and prepare for the move.

On Tuesday night, I walked through it with the members of our ensemble. They're taking this all quite well.

We have our work cut out for us, but I'm really looking forward to this very positive first move for us into the choir loft.

I'm excited.

And maybe I'll be able to be less "schitzphrenic" over time.

As I reflect on that, move in that direction, and have things come up in that regard, I'll blog about them here.

Related posts:

1. Thank You, Father Z
2. Update on a Parting
3. Father’s Day… & Father’s Rug is Missing

I've always preferred NOACs. But I love Jamborees for a different reason. Walking into the Jambo to visit today, I remembered why: the sheer scale. 50,000 scouts & scouters showing up, setting up camp, becoming one of the largest cities (yep, with its own zip code) in Virginia for 2 weeks, then disappearing for four years.

Of course, on the big Arena Show day (today), add another 50,000 or so visitors to that number. That's a sight to see in the roughly 3,000 acres of Fort A.P. Hill that are used by the Jamboree.

Thanks to AT&T's support and sponsorship of the communication infrastructure at the Jamboree this year, the wireless coverage onsite was great. It empowered ad hoc communication allowing me to meet up with and hang out with a few dozen old scouting friends who were all also there today.

Last night I wrote about what Scouting meant for me. Today it meant even more again.

Here are some pictures from my visit today.

Here's to 100 years, Scouting. And here's to 100 more, in which my boys get to play a part with me.

Related posts:

1. What Scouting Means to Me + Why I’m Visiting Jambo

Part of me thinks I'm crazy for leaving home for a few days - thanks to my beautiful, wonderful wife agreeing to keep track of our 3 young boys and let me take a pilgrimage to northern Virginia to visit the National Scout Jamboree.

You might think I'm crazy too.

But most of me knows exactly why I'm doing this.

This isn't a little deal to me - this is a big deal. This is the National Scout Jamboree. And it's not any National Scout Jamboree - this year is the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America.

WHAT THE BOY SCOUTS MEANS TO ME

Scouting has played a huge part in my life - disproportional, really, if you think about it. I joined scouting back in 1986, started camping in 1988, and worked on our council's summer camp staff for 10 summers starting in 1991 - in all spending over a year of my life working at our council's camps.

I was one of the first two Eagle scouts in my troop (Mark Hewlett and I both had our boards of review the same night) back in November of 1991.

I was honored to be elected to my peers to Scouting's National Honor Society, the Order of the Arrow. I attended the National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC) in 1990, then worked on staff in '92, '94, '96, '98, '00, '02, '04, and '06. I was honored again to be able to write the theme show (the featured theatrical production that reinforces the conference theme the last night of the conference) in 2002. It was the culmination of many years of involvement with the NOAC Theme Show for me - I was in the cast in '94 and co-directed it in '96 before moving to other roles within OA Shows, like Technical Director and Support Director. But seeing a theatrical production that I wrote performed for over 7,000 of your brother scouts, and to know the impact the message, delivered by your brothers in OA Shows, would have on their lives, was a highlight of my scouting journey.

Scouting had the biggest impact on my life, my knowledge, and my skills aside from my own parents. I have countless friends that are part of my scouting "network." And I do all that I can with the time, talent, and treasure I now have available to me in order to help scouting.

MY EXPERIENCE

I remember back in second grade, when all of the boys in our class were invited to - and most showed up at - this thing called "School Night for Scouting." A few of the dads talked about scouting and signed us up for this thing called cub scouts. We got a handbook with things to learn, and we formed a "den" of guys in our class. We did the activities and learned the prescribed things together.

As we went through the ranks - through the cub scout years of Bobcat and Wolf and Bear and Webelos - we learned together and forged friendships and reliance on one another. We developed strong relationships with our dads, as they led us into the outdoors to explore and learn.

When we crossed over into boy scouting in 5th grade, we entered a whole new world of outdoor activities and working toward ranks.

And we learned the bedrock of Scouting - its Oath and Law:

Scout Oath (or Promise):
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.

Scout Law:
A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly,
courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty,
brave, clean, and reverent.

I still remind myself of these commitments daily.

TMI (Too Much Information) Alert:
When I put on deodorant in the morning, I still apply 12 swipes: reciting the 12 points of the Scout Law as I do so.

Me & Dad at Camp Sunnen in '88

We started camping together more. We learned to work as a team. We learned to lead our peers and to accept responsibility for our actions. We learned to organize and prepare.

In those years, my dad was always there as a volunteer leader - as committee chairman of our cub scout pack and ultimately as Scoutmaster of our troop for most of my years in the troop. Scouting gave us some of the best memories and father-son time I could have hoped or prayed for. And I was happy to - and proud to - share my dad with my friends and peers in scouting.

I often say that much of what has made me successful in my career was learned, practiced, and perfected in various leadership roles in Scouting:
- project scoping
- project management
- communication
- working as a team
- leading the team when appropriate
- taking responsibility for my own work and role
- navigating the world (physically and politically)
- self-reliance
- a spirit of servant leadership
- living & working in a community
- organizing the effort to accomplish a goal

Seriously, if nothing else, 10 years on camp staff will ingrain all of the above. Living & working with 30-40 other guys for the entire summer, going to do your laundry in the wash house to discover someone else has left their clothes in the machines, teaching groups from 4 people to 40 people, keeping spirits high and making sure your "customers" have fun while getting the most out of their experience. Yep, that'll sharpen the above skills.

GIVING BACK - AND GETTING IN RETURN

So it should come as no surprise that with everything scouting gave me - in the way of knowledge, relationships, life skills, and experiences - that I was more than happy to give back, with my work on NOAC staffs and on Jamboree staffs in '97, '01, and '05, and whenever I could with my local council or my home troop & pack.

But the great thing is: in giving back, I also kept receiving. The time spent working with other scouters led to and forged friendships and partnerships that last to this very day.

LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS

As a direct result of scouting, I'm blessed with a wonderful network of friends across America. In almost any city I would travel to, there's a like-minded friend who shares the scouting experience and values, who I've had the opportunity to work with in scouting. These are friends that I actively collaboarate with on ideas and projects, hang out with when I travel, talk to when I need some support.

A lot of young men develop and enter into this kind of "network" in college, when they join a fraternity. For some of us, this network has deeper roots, because it's the result of a lifetime of involvement in Scouting. It shares similar attributes: a common code of ethics and honor, shared rituals and experiences. But I think it differs in longevity, in history, and how it crosses and transcends generations, social classes, and geography. It's truly a rich blessing in my life, one that I treasure and nurture, and one that has given me strong support when I needed it.

SCOUTING IS 100!

This year, Scouting in America celebrates 100 years since its incorporation in 1910.

At tomorrow's "BIG" Jamboree day (because tomorrow night is the big Arena Show), it's expected that Fort A.P. Hill will reach its capacity of 100,000 people - 50,000 Jamboree participants and staff plus 50,000 visitors. And in cities a cross America, scouts will gather to be part of the candlelight "A Shining Light Across America" celebration of 100 years.

Being there at Fort A.P. Hill in person means a lot to me - in a sense, it's my way to pay tribute to the scouting program and the impact that it's had on my life - for roughly 2/3 of my own life, that's intertwined with roughly 1/5 of the Boy Scouts of America's life.

So that explains it, I guess. I'm thankful beyond belief for Suzanne and the boys letting me make this pilgrimage. I'm thankful for the impact Scouting has had on my life and on my country's life (summed up beautifully by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates the other day). And I'm looking forward to the next 100 years of Scouting in America, a chapter that I look forward to helping write with my own sons.

Related posts:

1. Had a great visit to the BSA Jamboree today
2. It’s Time for Another Ordination!
3. A Transplant Story

b. The family, economic life and work

248. The relationship existing between the family and economic life is particularly significant. On one hand, in fact, the economy (“oiko-nomia”, household management) was born from domestic work. The home has been for a long time — and in many regions still is — a place of production and the centre of life. The dynamism of economic life, on the other hand, develops with the initiative of people and is carried out in the manner of concentric circles, in ever broader networks of production and exchange of goods and services that involves families in continuously increasing measure. The family, therefore, must rightfully be seen as an essential agent of economic life, guided not by the market mentality but by the logic of sharing and solidarity among generations.

249. Family and work are united by a very special relationship. “The family constitutes one of the most important terms of reference for shaping the social and ethical order of human work”.[561] This relationship has its roots in the relation existing between the person and his right to possess the fruit of his labour and concerns not only the individual as a singular person but also as a member of a family, understood as a “domestic society”[562].

Work is essential insofar as it represents the condition that makes it possible to establish a family, for the means by which the family is maintained are obtained through work. Work also conditions the process of personal development, since a family afflicted by unemployment runs the risk of not fully achieving its end[563].

The contribution that the family can make to the reality of work is valuable and, in many instances, irreplaceable. It is a contribution that can be expressed both in economic terms and through the great resources of solidarity that the family possesses and that are often an important support for those within the family who are without work or who are seeking employment. Above all and more fundamentally, it is a contribution that is made by educating to the meaning of work and by offering direction and support for the professional choices made.

250. In order to protect this relationship between family and work, an element that must be appreciated and safeguarded is that of a family wage, a wage sufficient to maintain a family and allow it to live decently[564]. Such a wage must also allow for savings that will permit the acquisition of property as a guarantee of freedom. The right to property is closely connected with the existence of families, which protect themselves from need thanks also to savings and to the building up of family property[565]. There can be several different ways to make a family wage a concrete reality. Various forms of important social provisions help to bring it about, for example, family subsidies and other contributions for dependent family members, and also remuneration for the domestic work done in the home by one of the parents[566].

251. In the relationship between the family and work, particular attention must be given to the issue of the work of women in the family, more generally to the recognition of the so-called work of “housekeeping”, which also involves the responsibility of men as husbands and fathers. The work of housekeeping, starting with that of the mother, precisely because it is a service directed and devoted to the quality of life, constitutes a type of activity that is eminently personal and personalizing, and that must be socially recognized and valued[567], also by means of economic compensation in keeping with that of other types of work[568]. At the same time, care must be taken to eliminate all the obstacles that prevent a husband and wife from making free decisions concerning their procreative responsibilities and, in particular, those that do not allow women to carry out their maternal role fully[569].

Related posts:

1. Closed Sundays
2. Day of Prayer and Penance for Life
3. Marriage Matters

Prelude: Set Your Hearts on the Higher Gifts [Univ. of Notre Dame Folk Choir]
Entrance:  I Sing the Mighty Power of God [ELLACOMBE]
Presentation: Where There Is Love [Haas]
Communion Procession: Christians, Let Us Love One Another [PICARDY]
Communion Reflection: Love One Another [Manalo]
Recessional: Take the Word of God With You [Walker, Harrison]

Related posts:

1. Thank You, Father Z
2. Gaudete! She said “yes!”

Related posts:

1. Fr. Robert Barron on Avatar
2. Pope Invites Christians To Join “New, Intense Evangelization”

We'll be guiding some 30-40 of our public school youth (7th & 8th grade) through the upcoming school year with a focus on preparing them for receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation next spring.

Please keep us in your prayers as we start to prepare and embark on this journey together. We're excited and looking forward to it, but are anxious about the amount of work and preparation we'll be investing to do this well for our youth.

Related posts:

1. My Favorite Time of the Year
2. Catholic Schools Week 2010