Christus Vincit - the BLOG!

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the final)

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:11:26 PST

The last 40-or-so hymns will be covered in this installment. The final sections: Penance/Reconciliation, Pastoral Care of the Sick, Marriage, Funeral, Nation, New Year

* = new to the Worship series

*957 Grant to Us, O Lord (Deiss) - I like a good number of the Deiss pieces from the 1960's/1970's. This is one of them.

*958 A Woman Knelt Where Jesus Sat to Eat ("Sursum Corda") - Ah, I remember that story well. She poured perfume on Jesus and the people around him were PO'd because the perfume could have been "sold, and the money given to the poor".

*959 If I Have Been the Source of Pain (Sosa) - Hearing this piece might be a source of pain.

*960 Sovereign Maker of All Things ("Aberystwyth") - "Quakes with fear before your face...". OK!!!! Tune, however, is beloved.

*961 The Scheming Elders Challenged Christ ("Llangloffan") - They should use "Llangfyllin" every now and then as a major-key counterpart (see #570 in Hymnal 1940, first tune).

*964 Yes, I Shall Arise (Deiss) - another one I still like

*965 Healer of Our Every Ill (Haugen) - nope

966 Have Mercy, Lord, on Us ("Southwell") - added two verses that were missing in III.

*969 Help Us Forgive, Forgiving Lord ("Detroit") - #967 is "Forgive Our Sins as We Forgive", set to the same tune. Both hymns are saying the same thing, pretty much. Why don't we stick with "Forgive Our Sins", the original?

*970 Out of the Depths (Batastini) - "Here in this community...", here we go again!

*971 In All Our Grief ("Fredericktown") - nice tune; text good also.

972 Your Hand, O Lord, in Days of Old ("Mozart") - such a good hymn that we used it as our offertory last Sunday. Also found as "THINE ARM, O Lord, in Days of Old". You might want to note that. :)

*973 When Memory Fades ("Finlandia") - not crazy over the text, but I'll let you be the judge. The tune is downright gorgeous. However, where is the most familiar of hymns normally associated with that tune, "Be Still, My Soul"? It used to be in Worship II, and we haven't seen hide or hair of it since!

*974 Here, Master, in This Quiet Place ("Land of Rest") - title of text and title of tune go together well here. Text is by Fred Pratt Green, so you know it can be trusted.

*975 Banned and Banished by Their Neighbors ("Kas Dziedaja") - I might have asked this once before, but whatever happened to "By the Babylonian Rivers" (which uses the same tune)? I'll let you judge the text.

976 He Healed the Darkness of My Mind ("O Waly Waly") - Nothing against "O Waly Waly", but there are several hymns already using this tune. Worship III used "Dunedin". They should have stuck with it.

*977 When We Must Bear Persistent Pain ("Prospect") - not so hot!

*979 A Blind Man Sat beside the Road ("St. Anne") - Nice tune, but the title is a bit awkward.

*980 Precious Lord, Take My Hand (Allen/Dorsey) - blech!
*981 We Come to You for Healing, Lord ("Martyrdom") - text not bad; tune good.

*983 God of Love, Embrace Your People ("Hymn to Joy") - Not a bad text, better than most of the work of Fr. Chepponis. Reminds me of some of the old "Our Parish Prays and Sings" hymns in that marriage section. Nothing against "Hymn to Joy", it's a fine tune, but I'm thinking "Abbot's Leigh" might work better here.

*984 God in the Planning ("Slane") - same idea as #983, though I think #983 is a better text. Can't knock the tune, however!

*985 Love Has Brought Us Here Together ("Hyfrydol") - quite good

*986 Let's Praise the Creator ("Kremser") - text seems ok. Anyone? Tune always good.

*987 This Is a Miracle-Moment ("Lobe den Herren") - a "miracle moment"? WTF? Awful text. Too bad the tune is excellent.

*988 Dwellers in the Holy City ("Lauda Anima") - text is weak

*989 Rest in Peace, Earth's Journey Ended ("Moehr") - Text isn't bad. I've used it before in my days at Precious Blood.

*990 Saints of God (Janco) - again, not into echoing the cantor. Remember that goofy thing that got passed for a Sanctus back in the heydays of folk Masses, where the people repeated everything the guitarist/cantor sang? Arrrrrrrrgh! I'll stick to the Proulx version. It's #182.

*991 May the Angels Lead You into Paradise (Hughes) - good.

*992 There Is a Place (Bell) - rather goofy, if you ask me. "There is a place where we toss hunks of garbage".

994 I Know that My Redeemer Lives (Hughes) - good. Was in the Order of Mass section of funerals in Worship III, the section that the Proulx "Saints of God" still sits.

995 God of Our Fathers ("National Hymn") - excellent hymn, but bastardized to bits! Last verse should end "Fill all our lives with LOVE AND GRACE DIVINE; ALL GLORY, LAUD, AND PRAISE BE EVER THINE!"

*997 This Is My Song ("Finlandia") - fine

998 My Country, 'Tis of Thee ("America", or "God Save the Queen" if you're in the UK) - my only complaint is that it might be a bit high. I would consider dropping it to F.

*999 Greet Now the Swiftly Changing Year ("Sixth Night") - One of Gather Comprehensive's better additions that made its way to Worship IV.

Here endeth the lesson on Worship IV. (or "Verbum Snarkii")

Peace,

BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the twenty-first)

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 19:53:10 PST

Sections covered: Christian Initiation/Baptism, Eucharist (beware of what gets passed as Communion music these days!)

* = new to the Worship series

*911 Jesus, at the Jordan Baptized ("Fortunatus New") - text seems ok; tune is good

*912 Leaving Her Water Jar Behind ("St. Catherine") - interesting lyric; nice tune, but I miss the real "Faith of Our Fathers" that is SUPPOSED TO go with it!

*913 God, Who at the font Once Named Us ("Regent Square") - text ok; tune good

*916 This Is Our Faith (C. Gardner) - not into echoing the cantor.

*917 Blessed Be God, Who Chose You in Christ (Chepponis) - garbage

*918 We Praise You, Lord, for Jesus Christ ("New Britain") - Do we really need another text sung to the tune of "Amazing Grace"? Even "McKee" would have been a better tune.

919 Baptized in Water ("Bunessan") - Not the hottest text.

*920 Christ Be in Your Senses ("Appalachian Fall") - not bad

921 There Is One Lord (Taize) - now with added Spanish for bi-lingual boredom.

*922 Crashing Waters at Creation ("Restoration") - ok

923 I Receive the Living God ("Living God") - with bastardized text and added verses, formerly known as "I RECEIVED the Living God".

*924 Bread of Life, Cup of Blessing (Guimont) - text and music sounds like a typical OCP/GIA modern day "Communion song". Blech!

*925 Pan de Vida (Bob Hurd) - garbage/basura

926 I Come with Joy to Meet My Lord ("Dove of Peace") - not a bad text; like the tune. Appeared in Worship III with the tune "Land of Rest".

*927 Amen to the Body of Christ (Guimont) - trash

*928 Come to the Banquet (Chepponis) - rubbish

929 Ave Verum (Mode I) - the first GOOD hymn in the Eucharist section.

*930 In Memory of You (Peloquin) - The verses, which are shown only in choir and accompaniment editions (as well as octavos), incorporate the aforementioned Mode I "Ave Verum", in ways that only Alexander Peloquin could create. Peloquin was very underrated by mainstream music ministries. Not all his music is useful at Mass, but a good chunk of it is, including this one.

*931 One Bread, One Body (Foley) - Instant Sominex! I told Bari Columbari at OCP the same thing in a written review of their music issue about six years ago.

*932 As the Bread of Life Is Broken ("Thaxted", bastardized) - Yes, I do mean "bastardized", as in "bastardized" into a responsory (the first pair of lines is a refrain), with your dreaded typical "we are one" fare.

*933 Jesus, Ever-Flowing Fountain (Guimont) - this one's not so hot either.

*934 Amen, El Cuerpo de Cristo (Schiavone) - Amen, musica basura!

*935 Draw Near (Janco) - nah!

*936 Where Two are Three are Gathered (Lawton) - usual crap motif for the refrain, and the verse is written with just TWO NOTES - yes, TWO NOTES: 23 C's (octave above middle C) and two G's (a fourth below the C). These are the composers that the mainstream Catholic publishers push, my little snark-o-maniacs!

937 Draw Us in the Spirit's Tether ("Union Seminary") - always liked the hymn, but prefer the original text from Worship II, you know, the one with "thee", "thou", and "thy".

*938 We Remember (Haugen) - You can tell even a Worship hymnal's gone bad when they add this ditty to the mix. BTW, anyone still hear the refrain of this dreck used as a memorial acclamation? I sure hope not!

*940 Take and Eat (Joncas) - nope

941 Shepherd of Souls ("St. Agnes") - Where are all the "thees" and "thous"?

*942 Many and Great are Bearers of the Word (Manalo) - the usual dreck.

943 Eat this Bread (Taize) - now with added Spanish

*944 In the Breaking of the Bread (Guimont) - more of the same (as you can tell, the Dufner/Guimont combination is not working too well).

*945 Taste and See (James Moore) - Verses are bastardized to death, not to mention often misperformed. Seriously, on more than one occasion at my local Cathedral have I heard a guy ad lib the daylights out of the verses like he was some kind of rock start. Pitiful!

*946 Come Join the Feasting (Krisman) - garbage/basura

947 Draw Near and Take the Body of the Lord ("Coena Domini") - should be "Draw NIGH and take the Body of the Lord". Nice tune, as is the tune "Anima Christi" which usually appears in OCP books. (See? OCP has a good share of good music too. You have to sift through a lot of garbage to find it, however, just like GIA's hymnals as of late!)

*948 Bread of Life from Heaven (Argentine, with verses by Haugen) - garbage/basura

*949 This Is the Body of Christ (Bell) - This isn't an attempt at a Taize tune, is it?

*950 I Am the Bread of Life (Toolan) - No you're not. Jesus is!

*951 All Who Hunger Gather Gladly (Bob Moore) - Same text appears with the tune "Holy Manna" at #844, 107 titles previous. When I reviewed #844, I said "nope". Same with this one. But worse: WHY couldn't they keep the two ditties together with the different tunes? Any hymnal publisher in their right mind would do that: either print the Moore toon (misspelling intentional) out and footnote: "Alternate tune: HOLY MANNA", or just do a "First tune"/"Second tune" on facing pages. Putting this text once in "Gathering" and the same text again in "Communion" only doubles the damage (or creates "multi-purpose crap").

*952 Taste and See (Luckner) - refrain isn't so hot; verses are not under music here, so it's hard to judge.

953 Alleluia! Sing to Jesus ("Hyfrydol") - hopefully the accompaniment book reverts to the accompaniment used in Worship II. In fact, let's revert the text to that found in Worship II.

954 Lord, Who at Your First Eucharist Did Pray ("Unde et Memores") - formerly known as "At That First Eucharist before You Died", with the added fourth verse. Only complaint: need to make it "Lord, Who at THY First Eucharist DIDST Pray".

*955 To the Wedding Feast (Morris) - same old basic crap

*956 Life-Giving Bread, Saving Cup (Chepponis) - garbage

Next installment: Penance/Reconciliation

Peace,

BMP

SUNDAY VI AT HEARTS

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:56:37 PST

II-12-12; Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, Rhode Island

ALLEIN GOTT IN DER HOH: All glory be to God on high (W-527)
- (except for the 7:30 Mass, I might just modulate for the last verse, F to G)
BMP: I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble... (Psalm 32)
Marier: Alleluia (D tonic; verse of the day: Psalm tone 5)
ST. AGNES: Shepherd of souls, refresh and bless (W-728)
Vermulst: Sanctus and Agnus Dei (from Mass for Christian Unity)
BMP: We proclaim your death, O Lord (from Holy Angels Mass)
Dresden Amen
D'indy: Cantate Domino Canticum Novum
ST. PETER: How good the name of Jesus sounds (W-610)
NUN DANKET: Now thank we all our God (W-560)

Peace,
BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the twentieth)

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:43:27 PST

Just a little over 100 hymns to go.

Sections covered this installment: All Saints, Immaculate Conception, Dedication of a Church, Blessed Virgin Mary, Apostles, Martyrs, Holy Women, Holy Men

* = new to the Worship series

886 Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones ("Lasst Uns Erfreuen") - Love the hymn, but it seems to go lower and lower in each edition (E-flat in II, D in III, now C in IV).

*887 As Stars Adorn the Night-Veiled Sky ("Jesu, Dulcis Memoria") - not a bad new text!

*888 Who Are These Like Stars Appearing ("All Saints") - a very welcome addition!

*889 Sing Praise to God for Friends ("Azmon") - nice tune, weak text

890 By All Your Saints Still Striving ("St. Theodulph") - retained from Worship III with same tune, but with some added verses for added saints. Originally appeared as "From All Thy Saints in Warfare" with the tune "King's Lynn" in Worship II.

891 For All the Saints ("Sine Nomine") - The text is bastardized yet again: Verse 1 went from "Who thee by faith before the world confessed" to "All who by faith before the world confessed" to "Who to the world their faith in you confessed". The publisher really killed a great hymn.

*892 From All the Saints Who've Shown Your Love ("O Waly Waly") - not bad for a John Bell text, I guess.

893 Immaculate Mary ("Lourdes Hymn") - I particularly like this Brian Foley text. Two of the verses from Worship II were dropped from Worship III and IV, however. As much as I like the original devotional text, I like this scriptural text equally. Also, the best of the harmonies that appeared with this is the one in Worship II.

894 How Blessed Is this Place, O Lord ("Rockingham") - First appeared in Worship III with the tune "O Waly Waly". I would have rather used a more triumphant tune (don't get me wrong, I like "Rockingham", but for more meditative texts). The very first "We Celebrate" edition (1976) has a really good tune for it (the name eludes me at the moment). Another good tune from that same "We Celebrate" would be "Church Triumphant".

*895 For Builders Bold ("Forest Green") - text good, tune nice.

896 Sing We of the Blessed Mother ("Omni Die Dic Mariae" in Latin, "Alle Tage Sing und Sage" in German) - love the tune. Text is nice as well, but would absolutely love to see "Daily, Daily, Sing to Mary" as well.

*897 Mary, First among Believers ("Pleading Savior") - text not bad at all; tune is very good, but should be in F.

*898 When, to Mary, the Word ("Middlebury") - see part 16, #796.

*899 Come As We Journey along Our Way / Santa Maria del Camino (Espinosa) - syncopated garbage / basura sincopado

*900 Stainless the Maiden / Serdeczna Matko (Polish) - always loved the hymn, best hymn text Willard Jabusch ever wrote. Only complaint, the fourth verse ("Sons, come, and daughters...") is missing. Also, this is the first hymnal where the last two lines are repeated, just like in the Polish hymnal my maternal grandmother once had. A very welcome addition.

*901 As a Star on Cloudless Evenings ("Raquel") - nice tune. Tune is quite good too.

903 O Sanctissima / O Most Holy One ("Sicilian Mariners", or "O Du Fröliche") - now with four Latin verses and four English verses (Worship III only had the first two Latin verses). I for one would stick with the Latin, but it's nice to see twice as many verses.

*904 All Who Put their Faith in Jesus ("Julion") - Nice tune by David Hurd. My favorite tune for this text, however, "Den des Vaters Sinn Geboren". Also, better title is "YE Who CLAIM THE Faith OF Jesus".

905 Let All on Earth Their Voices Raise ("Truro") - First appeared in Worship III with the tune "Tallis' Canon". Hey, we're missing a very important hymn that's also set to "Truro": "Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates". What's up with that?

*908 For All the Faithful Women (Hopson) - nice tune (though similar to "Fulda Melody", which often goes with "O Jesus, We Adore Thee"). Text isn't bad either.

Another hymn I am EXTREMELY disappointed to see disappear in this volume: "Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All" (tune: "Sweet Sacrament"). That's two Fr. Fred Faber classics (the other being "Faith of Our Fathers" that are either missing or mutilated! :(

On our next installment, we will start covering Sacraments/Rites, starting with Christian Initiation/Baptism.

Peace,

BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the nineteenth)

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:52:21 PST

I know some songs that get on everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves....

Oh, welcome to part XIX in our series on Worship - Fourth Edition. In this volume of Worship, we've encountered a good number of songs that have gotten on everybody's nerves, but we've also encountered a good number of songs that, if they haven't gotten on everybody's nerves yet, they will soon! Just look at the second hymn on this list, for example.

Sections covered: Second Coming, Eternal Life/Heaven, Presentation of the Lord, Joseph Husband of Mary, Annunciation, Nativity of John the Baptist, Peter and Paul, Transfiguration, Assumption, Exaltation of the Holy Cross

* = new to the Worship series.

*860 Christ Is Surely Coming ("King's Weston") - fine

*861 Soon and Very Soon (Crouch) - Lately it seems that the mainstream Catholic parish can't go one Advent without having to play this crap at least once.

*863 When the Lord in Glory Comes (Bob Moore) - not this, not that, not this, not that, not these, not those, etc. WTF?

*865 From the Father's Throne on High ("Heinlein") - fine

*866 Shall We Gather at the River (Lowry) - overplayed/overrated

*868 Martha, Mary, Waiting, Weeping ("Beach Spring") - seems ok

869 Jesus, Remember Me (Taize) - also overrated and WAY overplayed. Now with added Spanish and Polish.

*870 Long-Awaited Holy One ("Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland") - text seems ok. Tune fine.

*871 O Light of Gentile Nations ("Llangloffan") - in the low key of F minor here. Text is a Catherine Winkworth translation. The credit to her translation says "alt." (altered), so I'm guessing it's mainly "thees" and "thys" watered down to "yous" and "yours". I don't have a link handy to the original. Sorry.

*872 Now Let Your Servant Go in Peace ("Conditor Alme Siderum") - a modern translation (and then some) of the Nunc Dimittis. Nice tune, though I'd rather use a tune like "Te Lucis Ante Terminum" and save the "Conditor" for Advent. Still a nice addition.

*873 St. Joseph, Mary's Faithful Spouse ("Tallis' Ordinal") - Good piece. However, I miss "St. Joseph, God Has Chosen You" (tune: "London New"), which hasn't been seen since Worship II. Another good St. Joseph hymn that is MIA in this volume, "Joseph, Be Our Guide and Pattern" (tune: "Oriel"), which was in Worship III.

876 Praise We the Lord this Day ("Swabia") - always a great hymn, but too low. Should be in the key of D.

*877 The Moon with Borrowed Light ("Terra Beata") - nice.

878 The Great Forerunner of the Morn ("Winchester New") - lowered key to A, which is ok at our 7:30 AM Mass, but would much rather use B-flat at our later Masses.

*880 Transform Us ("Picardy") - The tune is always beautiful. However, the text, like "Gather This Din", has no mention of God or Christ in it. It's just giving orders, which COULD be directed to God, but COULD also be directed to one of your relatives, neighbors, or the pastor, or even the warden of your local prison.

881 How Good, Lord, to Be Here ("Swabia") - should be "'TIS Good, Lord, to Be Here". Better still, see Worship II for the correct text.

883 Hail, Holy Queen Enthroned Above ("Salve Regina Caelitum") - Middle verse should read "The cause of joy to MEN below". Otherwise, great!

*884 We Glory in the Cross (Krisman) - a tune called "Morgansgate", and probably the best tune of Ronald Krisman that exists in this hymnal.

885 Lift High the Cross ("Crucifer") - Should be lowered to D, otherwise a great hymn. Now with added Spanish.

Next installment: All Saints

Peace,

BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the eighteenth)

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:13:01 PST

Sections covered this installment: The dreaded "Gathering", Morning, Evening

* = new to the Worship series

*828 Uyai Mose / Come All You People (Gondo) - bongo music! ARGGGGGGGGH!

*829 Who Is This Who Breaches Borders ("Mon Dieu, Prete-Moi L'Oreille") - This tune, like any tune by Louis Bourgeois tune, is a high-quality tune. Tune better than most from the pen of Adam Tice.

*830 Lord Christ, the People Flocked to You ("Resignation") - Not bad. Probably not great, but not bad.

*831 As We Gather At Your Table ("Holy Manna") - text is the usual "gathering as one" dreck.

*832 We Come with Joy in Jesus Christ ("Ellacombe") - text not too bad. Tune always fine.

*833 All Are Welcome (Haugen) - Verse 3: "A banquet hall on holy ground". Definitely one of the worst pieces to enter into a Catholic hymnal.

*834 O Christ, within These Walls (Sensmeier) - Now that we encounter a good singable tune by Randall Sensmeier, it gets wed to a text that sings the basics of what we do at Mass. Blech!
836 Gather Us In (Haugen) - One of the few mistakes inserted into Worship III, obviously, with the crap that we've encountered so far, was kept for Worship IV. There is not one mention or invoking of God or Jesus in this ditty whatsoever. Second half of the verse sounds like an excerpt of "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald".

837 All People that on Earth Do Dwell ("Old Hundredth") - This hymn is always a class act. However, the text has been bastardized (looks like the same watering down that appeared in Worship III), which makes it hard for a real organist to program the Vaughan Williams "Old Hundredth Psalm Tune" to embellish it.

*838 They Came, a Milling Crowd ("St. Thomas"/Williams) - tune: fine, text: eh?

*840 Risen Lord, We Gather 'Round You (Bob Moore) - music too Haugen-ish.

*841 I Rejoiced When I Heard Them Say ("Mayedidut") - not so hot.

*842 Diverse in Culture, Nation, Race ("Tallis' Canon") - too much "about us".

*843 Jesus Christ, Yesterday, Today, and Forever / Jesuchristo Ayer (Toolan) - nope

*844 All Who Hunger, Gather Gladly ("Holy Manna") - also nope.

*845 How Shocking Were the People ("Llangloffan") - tune: nice, text: help me!

*846 To You, O God, We Sing / Cantemos al Señor (Rosas) - garbage/basura

*847 Morning Has Broken ("Bunessan") - when done correctly, the hymn is actually fine. I can understand it was kind of "folk-a-sized" when Cat Stevens (now Yusuf Islam) made a big hit out of it. If you use the David Evans accompaniment that appears in Worship II and "Pilgrim Hymnal" and not the Marty Haugen accompaniment that's in this volume, you'll be good to go. Trust me.

*848 The Earth Is Turning toward the Sun ("Martyrdom") - Tune is a welcome addition. Text is not bad either.

849 When Morning Gilds the Sky ("Laudes Domini") - appeared first in Worship III as "When Morning Gilds the SKIES", which we'll be singing in a couple of weeks (yes, I have the hymns for the rest of February, and I'll post them as they occur). First verse bastardized big time. Should end thus: "Alike at work and prayer, to Jesus I repair: May Jesus Christ be praised!". Fourth verse also bastardized big time.

850 This Day God Gives Me ("Raabe") - Tune is rythmically tricky. Better off with "Bunessan" (again, use the Evans accompaniment for best results), the tune used in Worship III.

*851 Through Silver Veils of Morning Mist (Morris) - text is strange, and the tune sounds like a theme in a Dr. Seuss cartoon. Enough said.

*854 God of Day and God of Darkness ("Beach Spring") - not too bad.

856 Praise and Thanksgiving, Father We Offer ("Bunessan") - fine (with the Evans accompaniment - just a reminder). Spanish added in this volume.

858 Come, You Thankful People, Come ("St. George's Windsor") - you mean "Come, YE Thankful People, Come", don't you?

859 God, Whose Farm Is All Creation ("Stuttgart") - Hymn itself is ok, though the title is a bit strange. I think of banjos and fiddles and a square dance caller with this title (don't get me wrong, I LOVE the tune "Stuttgart", it's the title that's got me thinking comical thoughts). Ever see Bugs Bunny call a square dance? Hi-freakin-larious! BTW, hymn debuted in Worship III - copyright holder of the text changed from "The Old Sun" to "Oxford University Press".

Next installment: Second Coming

Peace,

BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the seventeenth)

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:32:46 PST

Sections covered today: Stewardship, Peace, Unity, Sunday

* = new to the Worship series

*807 Lord, Whose Then Shall They Be ("Southwell") - tune good. text ????

*808 Touch the Earth Lightly ("Tenderness") - Eco-friendly garbage, text and tune. Did the author and composer use green pens to write this dreck?

*809 The Temple Rang with Golden Coins (Sensmeier) - see my last post about #795.

*810 With Gifts that Differ by Your Grace ("Mozart") - Now THIS is better. Fine tune, and the text here at least has us "using our talents" as opposed to "being green".

812 O God of Every Nation ("Passion Chorale") - The two previous edition of this hymnal used the Calvin Hampton tune "Pike". Worship IV uses "Passion Chorale".

813 O God of Love, O King of Peace ("Tallis' Canon") - Text: bastardized once again. Third line of first verse should read "The wrath of sinful man restrain". Tune retained from Worship III. Worship II used "Wilderness". Favorite tune for this comes from "We Celebrate", and that is "Quebec" (listed in the "Pilgrim Hymnal" as "Hesperus").

*814 Peace I Leave You (Taize) - Weird melody, but it's Taize. Take it or leave it, I guess. In English, German, Polish, and Spanish.

*815 Everything That Has Voice (Haugen) - garbage!

*816 O Look and Wonder (Sosa) - "It is like precious oil when running fresh on Aaron's beard" - actual lyric. WTF?

*817 Jesus Promises Communion ("Nettleton") - Such a great tune and people seem to enjoy putting weird texts to it. Another goofy "we are one" text. By the way, Jesus didn't always promise communion. Remember that Gospel passage, "I come not to bring peace, but discord"?

*819 How Good and Pleasant, Lord, It Is ("Dove of Peace") - the first tune I learned with "I Come with Joy to Meet My Lord".

820 Peace with the Father ("Coena Domini") - Worship III used the Orlando Gibbons tune "Song 46". Both that and the tune in Worship IV are well-written tunes.

*821 Creator of the Intertwined ("Kingsfold") - Intertwined? Like in tangled-up in mangled-up knots? (You're a twisted one, Mr. Snark!)

*822 We Are Many Parts / Muchos Miembros Hay (Haugen) - garbage/basura

*823 I Am the Vine (Bell) - Tune is one of the better ones written or used by John Bell (in this case, written). Text, however, not so hot (we sing Jesus' voice in the first person here with no quotation marks).

824 In Christ There Is No East or West ("McKee") - Like "O God, Our Help in Ages Past", the key switches back and forth (C in Worship II, B-flat in III, back to C in IV). Make up your dang minds, will you?

825 On This Day, the First of Days ("Gott Sei Dank") - Always liked this hymn. However, some bastardizations in the text. Go back to Worship II for the REAL text.

*826 Making Their Way ("Komt Nu Met Zang") - Another "gathered as one" motif, a la a good chunk of stuff from OCP composers. Still, somewhat better than the text Worship III used with this same tune ("What Is this Place").

*827 Prepare a Room for Me ("Optatus Votis Omnium") - the tune most often used with "The Coming of Our God" (speaking of which, where is "The Coming of Our God"?). Good tune. Text: well, you know, all those "gathering as one" basics that we just need to brag about, right?

And those last two made the "Sunday" section. Go figure. Next installment starts with "Gathering". Oh how I shudder when I see or hear that word as of late!
Peace,

BMP

SUNDAY V AT HEARTS

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:09:03 PST

II-5-12; 5 PM (Sat.); 7:30, 9, and 11:15 AM (Sun.)
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, Rhode Island

All numbers: Worship III

LAUDA ANIMA: Praise, my soul, the King of heaven (W-530)
Alstott: Praise the Lord who heals the broken-hearted (from Respond and Acclaim)
Marier: Alleluia (D tonic); verse: tone 5
MOZART: Your hands, O Lord, in days of old (W-750)
Vermulst: Sanctus and Agnus Dei (from Mass for Christian Unity)
BMP: We proclaim your death, O Lord (from Holy Angels Mass)
Dresden Amen
Louvain: Adoro Te, O Panis Caelice
ST. PETER: How good the name of Jesus sounds (W-610)
ELLACOMBE: Go, make of all disciples (W-628)

Peace,
BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the sixteenth)

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:37:50 PST

Sections covered in this one: Mission/Ministry, Social Concern
* = new to the Worship series

*781 God Has Chosen Me (B. Farrell) - just an awful piece of music, text and tune!
*782 God the Spirit, Guide, and Guardian (Morris) - nice text, but certainly not the most easily-singable tune.
*783 Here I Am, Lord (Schutte) - Too late, they've already gone, and so should this piece.
*784 You Are Called to Tell the Story ("Cwm Rhondda") - gorgeous tune, garbage text. How about those two classics that the St. Michael Hymnal uses (with that same tune)? "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer" and "God of Grace and God of Glory"?
*786 God Sends Us Forth (Alonso) - garbage
*787 The Spirit Sends Us Forth to Serve ("Azmon") - one of the better OCP staples, though seems a bit "us-centered". Tune is in a better key than in OCP (OCP's key is F, is in G here in Worship IV).
*788 Come and See the Many Wonders ("Abbot's Leigh") - nice text by Harry Hagen, OSB, one of the consistantly good Benedictine hymn writers.
*789 O God, Whose Healing Power (Sensmeier) - tune has a weird ending. "Llangloffan" would be a nice alternative tune.
790 Lord, You Give the Great Commission ("Abbot's Leigh") - I was wondering where this one went. In Worship III it was in the Ascension section. That said, this and #788 should have been put together, with one of them printed as text only in the pew book.
*791 God, Bless Your Church with Strength ("Diademata") - Wow! I never thought any hymn was set to that tune other than "Crown Him with Many Crowns", with the exception of "Soldiers of Christ, Arise" (found in the Pilgrim Hymnal, which may still appear in some UCC pews), and my own paraphrase of the St. Francis Peace Prayer (which got lost in a nasty fire on XI-14-03).
792 Go, Make of All Disciples ("Ellacombe") - Worship II used a different tune (title eludes me at the moment), but at least used thees and thous. Worship III and IV both use "Ellacombe", a fine tune by all means, but the text was, of course, bastardized.
*793 See My Hands and Feet ("Geneva") - I've always liked the half minor/half major motif in the tune. Anyone on the text?
*794 To Be Your Presence ("Engelberg") - text questionable. Tune excellent.
*795 The Thirsty Cry for Water, Lord (Sensmeier) - another weird tune by Randall Sensmeier, this time not so much strange rythymic ending, but strange melodic intervals (experimenting with G harmonic minor).
*796 As Birds of the Air ("Middlebury") - tune most commonly used with "Come Away to the Skies". A mirror-image of another Early American tune, "Jacob's Ladder", oft-used with "As Jacob with Travel Was Weary One Day", though the latter tune is far better. The former sounds more like one of those pseudo-folk songs of the 1970's that we often had to put up with.
797 God, Whose Purpose Is to Kindle ("Ebenezer") - better tune than what was in Worship III.
*799 We Are Called (Haas) - Dennis DeYoung of the 70's/80's pop-rock band Styx should have gotten some kind of writer's royalty for having the first line of "Come Sail Away" ripped off. The tune is just awful.
*800 Jesus, Our Divine Companion ("Pleading Savior") - I've been waiting a long time for a hymnal other than "We Celebrate" and "Hymnal 1940" to carry this hymn. Two strikes: should be "Jesus, THOU Divine Companion" (see Hymnals 1940 AND 1982), and the key (E-flat) is too low.
801 Lift Every Voice and Sing ("Anthem") - often known as the national anthem of African Americans (which I say in a very positive sort of way). Tune is nice. Text is your run-of-the-mill social justice dreck. Key was dropped in this edition: was in A-flat in Worship III, leading to a few high F's in the melody, while in G in Worship IV (still high E's, but the low is now a B below middle C).
*802 We Cannot Own the Sunlit Sky (Lowry) - see my remark about #684 in a previous post.
*803 If You Believe and I Believe (Zimbabwean; adapt. from English - go figure) - The tune itself is reminiscent of a Dutch tune used for the Advent hymn "Prepare the Royal Highway", and could work well as a decent tune for 76 76 D hymns with the right accompaniment.
*804 We Sing Your Praise, O Christ ("Southwell") - nice tune; questionable text.

Hey, we finally got into the 800's. Next installment: Stewardship
Peace,
BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the fifteenth)

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:25:30 PST

Sections covered this installment: Christian Life, Humility, Discipleship
* = new to the Worship series

*747 God, Your Knowing Eye Can See (Angel) - tune written by Chris Angel, not to be confused with Criss Angel ("Mindfreak" - a show my daughter Brittany likes), nor to be confused with "Ballykissangel", a Irish-set TV drama. That said, the text reeks of social justice and the tune sounds like something Tim Manion would write.

*749 God Made from One Blood ("Foundation") - Text is a bit strange. Might need your help!

*750 Lord, Grant Us Grace to Know the Time ("St. Anne") - this one is in B-flat. I mentioned that the hymn "St. Anne" is most commonly associated with, "O God, Our Help in Ages Past", appears in C in this hymnal. Suggestion there: a footnote: This tune in a higher key, #689. Hymn title here: strange. Middle verses don't seem too bad here, but that title makes me think of a Chicago favorite of mine, "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is". (Does anybody really care about time?)

*751 Deliver Us, O Lord of Truth ("Detroit") - Text seems ok. Tune rather good.

*752 The Word of God Rings Harsh and Clear ("Ellacombe") - A song about the people who "fixed their scales for cheating" and other such dirty deeds. Tune is excellent.

*753 Too Often, God, Your Name Is Used (Morris) - Basic four verses is fine. Lose the alternate last verse. If this is a Catholic hymnal, why are we catering to "interfaith services". Musically, I'd much rather use the alternate tune offered in the footnote ("Kingsfold"), however, there are already seven hymns set to this fine tune. I do believe a good minor-key tune would be nice (Sally Ann Morris' tune here is in F-minor, but is too sing-songy). I will once again nominate "Halifax" (melody from Handel) as an ideal tune.

*754 When We Are Living / Pues Si Vivimos (Mexican) - garbage/basura

*755 Lord, Make us Servants of Your Peace ("O Waly Waly") - good translation of the Peace Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi from the pen of Fr. James Quinn, SJ (who died in 2010, little did I know). A viable alternative to Sebastian Temple's "Make Me a Channel of Your Peace". "O Waly Waly" is a fine tune when rendered properly. For those who may still find it questionable, I recommend "Erhalt Uns Herr".

*756 The Virtue of Humility ("Puer Nobis"/Praetorius) - tune fine, but too low (should be in D, not C). Text is rather goofy (Sr. Delores wrote it, that should tell you something): The virtue of humility revokes the law of gravity, Makes low be high and high be low, turns upside down the world we know." This ranks with Sister's own "Sing a New Church", if you know what I mean.

*757 Two People Came to Church to Pray ("Forest Green") - Only two? I read a little further into it to discover it was the one that prayed pompously ("Thank you, Lord, for making me not like the sinful ones") and the one that prayed humbly ("Lord Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner"). Always a good story, but probably could have been put to better poetry, or even better, use an already-established hymn that's related (albeit not as direct).

*758 From Shallow Waters Call Us, Lord ("Kingsfold") - text seems ok. Anyone?

*759 Unless a Grain of Wheat (B. Farrell) - blech! Too bad Alexander Peloquin's "A Great Harvest" is out of print (also by GIA). Definitely a viable alternative (definitely a choral piece, not a congregational piece). However, if you already have a copy, you can make enough copies for your choir legally for a small fee. Give GIA a call.

*760 Lord, When You Came / Pescador de Hombres (Gabarain) - ok at best.

761 Take Up Your Cross ("Erhalt Uns Herr") - always a good tune, but I'm still partial to "Breslau" (found in most WLP hymnals). Debuted in Worship III with the tune "O Jesu, Mi Dulcissime", which was also fine.

*762 Christ, the Way We're Called to Follow ("Regent Square") - The first verse ends "Be our Way, our Life, our Truth!" He already IS!

*763 We Have Been Told (Haas) - garbage

*764 No We Remain (Haas) - see #763

*765 The Baptist Bore Witness ("Foundation") - one of Sr. Delores' far better texts here! Let's give an alternate key option, however. Raise this one to G (still singable), and offer the lower key in a footnote.

*766 You Walk along Our Shoreline ("Aurelia") - text not bad at all. Tune always good, but since the hymn most highly associated with "Aurelia" is in E-flat and this hymn is in D, there should be an alternate key footnote.

*767 Take, O Take Me As I Am (Bell) - nah!

*768 O Christ, Who Called the Twelve ("Terra Beata") - text isn't bad. Tune is nice. I still remember it with "This Is My Father's World", which I like. BTW, where did that hymn go?

*769 Not Alone, but Two by Two ("Aberystwyth") - another weird title set to such a beautiful tune. "Two by two" is how we were taught to walk in line in grade school! I don't think all the disciples worked in pairs. Stephen, I'm almost positive, worked alone (was stoned alone, too).

*770 Fishermen Are Sailing Homeward ("Hymn to Joy") - nice text here, based on a Gospel passage. Third verse, however, reminds me of an even better hymn, "Christian, Do You Hear the Lord", which was in Worship III, but dropped here. Said dropped hymn is titled "Hark, My Soul! It Is the Lord" in Hymnal 1940.

*771 Who Follows Jesus? ("Mighty Savior") - text seems ok. Anyone? Tune is good.

*772 Called to Labor in God's Vineyard ("In Babilone") - Good viable alternative to Dan Schutte's "Come with Me into the Fields". Text by Jim Chepponis. He writes good texts - far better than his own tunes. Thankfully, this one is set to "In Babilone" ("There's a Wideness in God's Mercy").

*773 The Summons (Bell) - questionable

774 Two Fishermen (Toolan) - originally conceived as "How Brightly Deep, How Glory Sprung" in Worship II, using the exact same chorus as this one. Changed to "Two Fishermen" in Worship III.

*775 You Call to Us, Lord Jesus ("Ellacombe") - fine

*776 The Love of the Lord (Joncas) - blech!

777 I Danced in the Morning ("Lord of the Dance") - This mistake has been around since Worship II. Get rid of it already!!!

*778 For God Risk Everything ("Terra Beata") - text is strange. Help?

*779 Lord, Help Us Walk Your Servant Way ("St. Anne") - so-called "social justice"?

Next installment: Mission/Ministry

Peace,

BMP

FIRST FRIDAY AT HEARTS!

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:36:14 PST

Also the Feast of St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr - II-3-12, 6 PM
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

O Sacred Heart, O Love Divine
Psalm 117: Go out to all the world - Peloquin/Gelineau
Alleluia: Marier
Cor Jesu, Cor Amabile
Sanctus and Agnus Dei: Mass for Christian Unity
Memorial: We proclaim your death / BMP, Holy Angels Mass
Amen: Dresden
Adoro Te Devote / Mode V
To Jesus' Heart, All-Burning

Peace,
BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the fourteenth)

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 20:25:06 PST

Sections covered: Church, Parables/Teachings of Jesus

Reminder: * = new to the Worship series

*726 The Church of Christ Cannot Be Bound ("McKee") - I'll let you readers judge this one!

*727 Sing a New Church ("Nettleton") - Excellent tune. Text is a complete abomination! I'll say it again, quoting a former pastor of mine: Why don't we sing of the ONE TRUE CHURCH?

*728 Where Christ Is, His Church Is There ("Salzburg") - text seems ok. Tune excellent!

*729 You Strode within the Temple, Lord ("Kingsfold") - again text seems ok. Tune excellent, but too many of the same tune can make a hymnal very boring. "Halifax" ("Great Shepherd of a Loyal Flock", "'Mid Canyons Deep of Brick and Stone") would be a nice alternative.

*730 Christ, You Formed the Church, Your Body ("Fortunatus New") - the tune Worship II used (and Worship IV revived) for "Sing, My Tongue, the Glorious Battle".

*731 One Is the Body (Bell) - garbage

732 Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation ("Westminster Abbey") - always an excellent hymn, but there is text altered for the umpteenth time.

*733 Church of God, Elect and Glorious ("Abbot's Leigh") - good. I used to use it at my former parish. The Music Issue (OCP) uses "Hyfrydol".

*734 As a Fire Is Meant for Burning ("Beach Spring") - text: garbage (that dang "Gathered as One" motif again!)

*735 Living Stones ("Nettleton") - same critique as #734

736 The Church's One Foundation ("Aurelia") - Was in Worship II, changed in Worship III to "O Christ the Great Foundation", restored in Worship IV as "The Church's One Foundation", but someone killed the last verse. It should end "O happy ones and holy, Lord give us grace that we, like them, the meek and lowly, on high may dwell with Thee."

*737 If Like Is Like a Wedding Feast ("Resignation") - Was the author of this "hymn" inspired by Forrest Gump or something? After all, life is like a box of chocolates. You never know whatcher gonna git!

738 O Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit ("Kontakion"/Russian Chant) - Now that we have this, we no longer need "Blest Are They".

*739 My Elder Son, Go Work Today (Krisman) - Text sounds like a dialogue (but then, so did the much more dignified "Watchman, Tell Us of the Night", between "Watchman" and "Traveler"). Tune isn't too bad. I liken it to something like the "Sussex Carol".

*740 Baited, the Question Rose ("St. Bride") - The passage about the "coin used for the tax".

*741 Build Your City on the Hill ("Puer Nobis Nascitur"/G. Shaw) - This is more of a Christmas tune, as I hear "Unto Us a Boy Is Born" with it. Low key for this one - C. "Unto Us" is in D.

*742 O Blest Are You ("St. Columba") - another Beatitudes translation.

*743 To Love Just Those Who Love You ("Aurelia") - Text is ok if you like a Romper Room intelligence, thus killing a nice tune.

*744 What Is the World Like (Morris) - garbage

*745 The Keeper of a Vineyard Dreamed ("Kingsfold") - I'll leave the judging of this text to you, our readers!

*746 If Christ Is Charged with Madness ("King's Lynn") - cool, two Vaughan Williams-harmonized tunes side by side. But "Madness"? Christ really didn't go "mad", did he?

Next installment: Christian Life

Peace,

BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the thirteenth)

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:43:49 PST

Sections covered in this installment: Love, Comfort, Kingdom/Reign of God
* = new to the Worship series

*693 Love One Another (Chepponis) - refrain melody doesn't seem bad. I don't have the accompaniment, so I can't completely judge the music.

*695 Your Ways Are Not Our Own ("Southwell") - not bad at all

696 Love Is His Word (Krisman) - tune not so hot (Worship III tune, a different one, wasn't either). Best tune for this hymn is one by Calvin Hampton found in WLP's "We Celebrate".

*698 No Greater Love (Joncas) - blech!

*699 Love Is the Law that Jesus Taught ("Beatus Vir") - nice tune, but #697 ("Lord of All Nations, Grant Me Grace", just two hymns before) already uses that tune. A wise move would have been to put the two hymns together, going text-only on the second (except in the accompaniment book).

*700 Where Charity and Love Prevail ("Christian Love") - Though I'm partial to the Mode VI "Ubi Caritas" (#694), there is definitely nothing wrong with this WLP staple either (translation: Omer Westendorf, tune: Dom Paul Benoit, who also wrote a good number of really cool organ works).

701 Not for Tongues of Heaven's Angels (Joncas) - the Peter Cutts tune in Worship III ("Bridegroom") is far better.

702 Ubi Caritas (Taize) - now in Latin, English, Spanish, Korean (with hieroglyphics), and Tagalog. I'm still waiting for a translation into German, Polish, Swahili, some species of Eskimo, and Narragansett Indian. :)

*703 Your Hand, Though Hidden, Guides Us ("King's Lynn") - not a bad text; love the tune!

*704 You Are Mine (Haas) - like "Beagle's Things" and "Be Very Afraid", another tune the English-speaking (and now Spanish-speaking) Church can do without! (Yes, there is a Spanish text added.)

705 O Jesus, Joy of Loving Hearts ("Wareham") - Was "JESUS, THOU JOY" in Worship II and using the tune "Song 5" by Orlando Gibbons, changed to "O JESUS, JOY" in Worship III and sung to the Mode I tune "Jesu, Dulcis Memoria". Now using "Wareham". All three tunes excellent. Would still prefer "JESUS, THOU JOY", however.

*706 O Christ, Who Shared Our Mortal Life ("Kingsfold") - one of seven hymns set to this tune - a great tune, but seven hymns in one hymnal to the same tune??? Not a bad text either.

707 I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say ("Kingsfold") - The hymn most widely used with "Kingsfold". The two numbers should have been flip-flopped, and the second being text-only (except in the accompaniment, of course).

708 My Shepherd Will Supply My Need ("Resignation") - key raised to C (was B-flat in Worship II and III).

*710 With a Shepherd's Care (Chepponis) - garbage

*711 O God, You Are My God Alone ("Resignation") - this time in B-flat. Again, this should have been put together (with "My Shepherd Will Supply My Need", three hymns before), with either the second to text-only, or high-key/low-key on facing pages.

712 The King of Love My Shepherd Is ("St. Columba") - key lowered from E-flat (Worship II and Worship III) to D.

*713 Eye Has Not Seen (Haugen) - garbage

714 How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds ("St. Peter") - glad to see the title switched back. Was "How SWEET" in Worship II, switched to "How GOOD" in Worship III.

*716 Come to Me (Bell) - blech!

*717 Come to Me, O Weary Traveler (Bob Moore) - probably his best tune!

*718 Nade Te Turbe (Taize) - garbage in all three languages (English, Spanish, and Korean)

*719 If You Have Faith (Krisman) - garbage/basura

*721 Blest Are They (Haas) - They should have kept the Russian chant setting from Worship III if they wanted a good Beatitudes setting.

*722 The Reign of God ("McKee") - the many parables of Christ about the Kingdom of God set to the Spiritual often used for "In Christ There Is No East or West". One of the better Spirituals, IMO.

*724 Let Us Come Now to the Kingdom ("Holy Manna") - Nice tune, but the text is definitely misplaced. It's more like one of those foolish "gathering" songs.

*725 We Will Walk With God (Swaziland traditional) - garbage

Next installment: Church (which unfortunately includes that "new Church" thingie)

Peace,
BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the twelfth)

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:35:34 PST

Managed to get iSNARK! 186 up and running (the review of the Adoremus Hymnal, Second Edition) in the middle of my continuing series on the title-by-title follow-up of our review of the hymnal Worship, Fourth Edition.

The sections covered in this installment: Lament (I lament when I see a good number of these songs be passed for hymns, believe me, or as the elderly of French-Canadian origin say, "believe you me"!), Blessing, Faith, Trust

* = new to the Worship series.

*668 God Weeps with Us Who Weep and Mourn (Morris) - Note how many times the name "God" is used in just the opening lines alone, just for the sake of refraining from giving God HIS FATHERhood. Ridiculous.

*669 When Streets Resound with Cries of Grief (Morris) - Way too many jumpy arpeggio jumps in this tune. I think of Randall DeBruyn's In Perfect Charity which does the same thing.

*670 When Painful Memories Haunt Each Day (Morris) - ok, not only do we have three Sally Ann Morris tunes in a row, two out of three (668 and 670) are the exact same tune! How about another CMD (Common Metre Double) tune? (Not Kingsfold, however. I like Kingsfold, but not to seven hymns in one hymnal.)

*671 May the Lord, Mighty God (Chinese) - no thank you.

672 May the Grace of Christ Our Savior ("Stuttgart") - missing that third verse from Carroll Thomas Andrews that was in Worship II and III.

*673 Faith Begins by Letting Go ("Dix") - Let me put it this way: Faith begins by letting go / of such songs like this, you know... ("Letting Go", pretty much the emotional opposite of one that's in Gather Comprehensive II, called "A Touching Place")

674 We Walk by Faith (Haugen) - Again, pretty much the only Haugen tune I don't mind, although I used to use "St. Anne" at my former parish (we had the Muzak Issue, which also uses the Haugen tune). Worship III used "Dunlap's Creek". Another nice tune that would work well for this hymn is "St. Botolph".

*676 A Living Faith ("St. Catherine") - Ah yes, the dreaded "A Living Faith" sadly made its way into the Worship series after infesting "RitualSong", "Catholic Community Hymnal", and "Gather Comprehensive II". This is the bastardized, watered-down, politically correct, puke-inducing version of "Faith of Our Fathers", where only the first verse is the revered hymn, while the next three verses involve all the other relatives. Blech!

*677 O God, Who Gives Us Life and Breath (Morris) - another Morris tune that sounds more like a Haugen tune.

*678 Center of My Life (Inwood) - blech!

*679 Show Me Your Hands, Your Feet, Your Side ("Land of Rest") - fine hymn

*680 Be Not Afraid (Dufford) - You should be! One would find this quite appalling to find this overplayed (especially at funerals) piece of dreck in a Worship hymnal.

*681 Good Shepherd, You Know Us ("St. Denio") - fine hymn

682 You Are the Way (Haugen) - the same tune as "We Walk by Faith". Appeared in Worship II as "THOU ART the Way" with the tune "Dundee", which is far better, but dropped in Worship III.

*683 To Whom, Lord, Shall We Go ("Festal Song") - Actually a fitting tune for this hymn.

*684 How Can I Keep from Singing (Lowry) - ah yes, the Quaker hymn, as one local friend of mine once called it, "How Can I Keep from Sinking". Not a fan!

*685 Nothing Is Impossible with God (Chepponis) - sounds like just about any old piano/guitar-driven ilk that one can find in a music issue.

688 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God ("Ein' Feste Burg") - same translation used in Worship II. Was bastardized to "God Is Our Fortress and Our Rock" in Worship III. The really cool original rythymic version that appeared as a second tune in II and III is dropped in IV.

689 O God, Our Help in Ages Past ("St Anne") - Key switched back and forth in the melody editions: C in Worship II, B-flat in Worship III, back to C in Worship IV. We need to bring back the "thees" and "thous", however.

*690 On Eagle's Wings (Joncas) - another one over-requested at funerals. AKA "Eagle's Claws", and "Beagle's Things". Like "Be Very Afraid", it's not a hymn, just a love ballad. I could play this on my radio all day long. Not at Holy Mass.

*691 The Lord Is My Savior ("Paderborn") - not bad at all; surprisingly the author is not afraid to use the masculine pronouns to refer to the Lord. Surprisingly even more that GIA allowed it to be included in one of their hymnals. Tune is nice too, some nice Marian texts have been set to it.

*692 The Storm Is Strong ("Erhalt Uns Herr") - tune good; help me on the text, someone!

Next installment: Love

Peace,

BMP

SUNDAY IV: ORDERED TIME (die Musik)

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:33:08 PST

I-29-12; Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, Rhode Island

All numbers: Hymnal 1940

H-326: To the name of our salvation / "Oriel"
Psalm 95: If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts / Alstott; "Respond and Acclaim"
Alleluia: Marier (verse of the day: tone 5)
H-355.1: All hail the pow'r of Jesus' name / "Coronation"
Sanctus and Agnus Dei: Christian Unity / Vermulst
We proclaim your death, O Lord / BMP
Dresden Amen
Cantate Domino Canticum Novum / d'Indy
H-356.1: At the name of Jesus / "King's Weston"
H-600: Ye holy angels bright / "Darwall's 148th"

Peace,
BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the eleventh)

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:13:51 PST

Before I go on, a couple of links I would like to share with our readers:
First, another excellent article on the language of hymnody by Professor Anthony Esolen, this one particularly on "Man" - What Is Man?
Also, a nice promo by Daniel Lord on Jeff Ostrowski's great little project, the Vatican II Hymnal. - Some New Church Music That Isn't Sickening

Continuing on one of GIA's four newest hymnals, Worship - Fourth Edition. Reminder that this is the follow-up I promised on iSNARK! podcast episode #185. We're almost halfway through this. In the middle of it all, I will be commencing work later today on iSNARK! #186, reviewing another hymnal (this one has a cover that is fire engine red, the same shade of red as my dad's old 1970 Chevy Townsman station wagon).

Sections covered in this installment: Petition/Prayer
* = new to the Worship series

*654 When My Soul Is Sore and Troubled (Krisman) - garbage
*655 Eternal Spirit of the Living Christ ("Sursum Corda") - tune nice, dang good text, too!
656 Jesus, Come! for We Invite You (Krisman) - probably one of Ronald Krisman's better tunes. Something about the text, however. "Jesus, come! for we invite you, guest and master, friend, and Lord". Anyone?
*657 Lead Me, Guide Me (Akers) - perfect for the hymnal that bears the same name, but definitely not for the Worship series.
*658 Lord, Teach Us How to Pray ("St. Thomas"/Williams) - nice tune, dumbed down text.
*659 Jesus, Show Us How to Pray ("The Call"/Vaughan Williams) - another nice tune, but would Ralph (or "Raph", depending on who refers to the great RVW) really want a hymn other than "Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life" set to this tune? Especially a text this awkward? Verse 2: "When we ask our angry 'Why'", Verse 3: "Filled with fear and nagging doubt".
*660 As a Chalice Cast of Gold ("Dix") - another nice tune, another awkward text.
*661 Be Still, My Soul, before the Lord (Haugen) - I never thought that the tune Haugen used for "We Walk by Faith" (to conclude his "Massive Cremation") would dare be used for another text. This is probably the ONLY hymn tune by Haugen that's even close to being useful as a hymn tune, btw. I have to give credit where it's due, the tune isn't bad at all. Anyone wanna review the text?
662 Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life ("The Call"/Vaughan Williams) - now THAT's more like it!
663 Seek Ye First (Lafferty) - now with a couple of added verses. This hymn can be done perfectly over Pachelbel's Canon in D, which, to me, is musical Sominex.
*664 We Cannot Measure How You Heal ("Radiant City") - not a bad new tune at all. Reminiscent of another tune I really like called "Charterhouse". Text is pretty good too!
*665 Have Mercy, Lord (Morris) - Too much social justice jargon wrapped in a rather poor attempt at a Taize-style song.
666 Silence, Frenzied, Unclean Spirit ("Ebenezer") - Something about the title and the number it is assigned (666) that might go hand in hand. The tune "Ebenezer" is much more singable than the Carol Doran tune used with this same hymn in Worship III. Works nicely with the Gospel about the unclean spirit (duh?).
*667 O Lord, Hear My Prayer (Taize) - eh

Next installment: Lament (speaking of which, how many more titles shall we lament?)
Peace,
BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the tenth)

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:16:23 PST

Sections covered: Thanksgiving, Grace/Mercy

* = new to the Worship series

631 Father, We Thank You Who Hast Planted ("Rendez a Dieu") - should be "Father, We Thank THEE Who Hast Planted".

632 For the Beauty of the Earth ("Dix") - Reverted to "Dix", which was also the tune in Worship II. However the text is bastardized in Worship IV. The tune in Worship III is "Lucerna Laudoniae", which is a nice little David Evans tune. However, "Dix" is definitely more highly associated with the hymn.

*633 God, Our Father, You Have Granted ("Regent Square") - pretty good text.

634 We Praise You, O God ("Kremser") - Worship II had "We Praise THEE, O God", the proper title. Hymn was missing in Worship III, returned in bastardized form in Worship IV, but now "We Gather Together" is missing, which was in both II and III.

635 Confitemini Domino (Taize) - originally in Latin only, now with added English, Spanish, and Lithuanian. Music is maybe third rate at best.

636 Let All Things Now Living ("The Ash Grove") - love the hymn, but loathe the altered text (which neuters the Lord by once again removing any pronouns reflecting God's fatherhood).

*638 Sing a Happy Alleluia (Morris) - Please tell me GIA isn't serious. They can't be if they're including titles like that! I started laughing when I saw the title, and I'm thinking (my wife hates the following song, but sorry honey, I have to) "Happy happy joy joy!" And just when I thought texts by Haugen and Haas were goofy!

*639 In the Lord I'll Be Ever Thankful (Taize) - not so hot!

*640 Shepherd, Do You Tramp the Hills ("Aberystwyth") - Two good hymns I often associate with the lovely tune "Aberystwyth" are missing ("Jesus, Lover of My Soul" and "Watchman, Tell Us of the Night"), and instead we get this title and "Wild and Lone the Prophet's Voice", which I reviewed here. Sheesh!

642 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling ("Hyfrydol") - need to revert to Worship II text!

*644 The One Who Longs to Make Us Whole ("The Flight of the Earls") - not bad

645 There's a Wideness in God's Mercy ("In Babilone") - love the hymn, but a couple of reversions we need to see: Verse 2: "Than the measures of MAN'S mind", and verse 3 "SOULS OF MEN, why will you scatter..."

*647 When Jesus Passed through Jericho ("Forest Green") - ok text, love the tune

*648 What Love and Deep Devotion (Krisman) - boot it!

*649 God the Sculptor of the Mountains ("Julion") - lovely David Hurd tune, but not-so-lovely text. "We are formless, shape us now!"

*651 Keep in Mind (Deiss) - A good chunk of the Deiss repertoire is quite good, including this.

*652 Shall Tribulation or Distress (Morris) - nice text, awful tune.

*653 God Is Forgiveness (Taize) - in English, Polish, and Spanish. ok at best

Next installment: Prayer/Petition

Peace,

BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the ninth)

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:58:18 PST

Sections: Light, Word, Praise

* = New to the Worship series

*583 Arise, Your Light Has Come ("Festal Song") - good

*584 Christ, Be Our Light (B. Farrell) - I've grown sick of this one quite quickly

585 I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light ("Houston") - mezza mezza

*586 We Are Marching (South African) - no thank you.

*587 Lord, Jesus Christ/Jesus le Christ (Taize) - nah!

*588 Light Shone in Darkness ("Mighty Savior") - tune nice, text was good till I got to verse 3 "Christ's body, groaning..."

*589 O Radiant Christ, Incarnate Word ("Wareham") - I love the tune. Text is good also.

*591 Praise to You, O Christ, Our Savior (B. Farrell) - sounds like something from the folk group I grew up with in the early to mid 1970's. Not the kind of reminder I care to have.

*593 There Is a Story Full of Love ("Land of Rest") - nice tune; however, the text is the first from the pen of Brian Wren that is a miss.

*594 A Year of God's Favor ("St. Denio") - text ok, tune excellent.

*595 In this Place Your Word Is Planted ("Stuttgart") - anyone?

*596 Sing Praise to the Lord / Cantad al Señor (Brazilian) - garbage/basura

*597 Glory and Praise to Our God (Schutte) - see #596

*598 Laudate, Laudate Dominum (Walker) - one of his better musical settings. Refrain text in Latin and English. Verses in English and Spanish. Mix and match, I guess.

*600 Sing a New Song (Schutte) - Well, they dropped the "Yahweh" in verse 1 - a good thing, pursuant to recent Church directives. The bad thing: the goofy melody is still around.

*603 Bless the Lord, My Soul (Taize) - in English, Spanish, and in Portuguese.

604 Praise the Lord, You Heav'ns, Adore Him ("Hyfrydol") - Worship II: "Praise the Lord, YE Heav'ns, Adore Him", tune "Austria" (which I miss). Worship III: "Praise the Lord, O Heav'ns, Adore Him", tune "Heavenly Hosts" (an English copyright administered in the USA by GIA). Now Worship IV: "Praise the Lord, YOU Heav'ns, Adore Him", tune "Hyfrydol" (the first tune I saw this text with - in the 1979 "We Celebrate").

607 All Creatures of Our God and King ("Lasst Uns Erfreuen") - Please revert to the Worship II version of the text.

609 Adoramus Te, Domine (Taize) - still in Latin (good), but now with added English, and Korean hieroglyphics. WTF???

610 Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven ("Lauda Anima") - we need thees and thous.

611 Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You ("Hymn to Joy") - should be "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore THEE!" What the hell are they thinking???

612 Sing Praise to the Lord ("Laudate Dominum") - lovely Parry tune. However, should be "O PRAISE YE the Lord".

*613 Magnificat (Taize) - I got this one to work at my former parish by adding verses of the Magnificat itself in Latin to Tone 6F in between refrains. A lot better than singing it as a round.

614 Holy God, We Praise Thy Name ("Grosser Gott") - one song they don't DARE to alter, thank God. Even better, they added the missing verse "Lo, the apostolic train..."

615 God, Whose Song Became Creation (Hopson) - Melody is totally unsingable. Text isn't so hot either.

616 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty ("Lobe den Herren") - text changes again (bad), and a lower key - key of F (good).

*618 Alabare (M.J. Alonso/J. Pagan) - garbage

*619 Jubilate, Servite (Taize) - music not so hot. (text in Latin, English, Spanish)

620 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence ("Picardy") - missing thees and thous.

*621 Soli Deo Gloria (Haugen) - Only the refrain is in Latin. The music is typical Haugen fare. Blech!
*622 Praise Our God and Savior (Taize) - mezza...

*623 Heaven Is Singing for Joy (Sosa) - bilingual English/Spanish, music is garbage

*624 Canticle of the Turning ("Star of County Down") - The tune is an Irish tune that seems to mirror "Kingsfold". However, the title makes no sense, nor does the primary lyric "The world is about to turn." The world is already turning.

*626 You, Lord, Are Both Lamb and Shepherd ("Picardy") - Originally known as "Christus Paradox" in the RitualSong hymnal (was set to "Westminster Abbey"). Text is a little strange ("You, the everlasting instant" begins the closing lines of each verse).

627 O God, beyond All Praising ("Thaxted") - nice new middle verse, and I like the "Christ, the man from heaven" cliche. A million points for that!

*628 Come, Christians, Join to Sing ("Madrid") - nice addition, and in A-flat.

Next installment: Thanksgiving.

Peace,
BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the eighth)

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:57:05 PST

Sections: Christ the King, Creation, Providence

Reminder: *=new to the Worship series

*561 At the Name of Jesus (Clemens) - a round that reminds me of an old J.S. Paluch standby, "Shalom, My Friends".

*562 Let Kings and Prophets Yield Their Name (Krisman) - I'll let you judge.

563 At the Name of Jesus ("King's Weston") - the REAL "At the Name of Jesus"! However, in another attempt by a major publisher to neuter God the Father, "'Tis the Father's pleasure we should call him Lord" became "It is God's good pleasure we should call him Lord." Possible candidate for WTF Award number four??? A new verse 2 added, a couple of verses removed.

565 The King of Glory (Israeli/Jabusch) - Take it away, please. Liturgical dance is not allowed! Repeat, liturgical dance is not allowed!

566 All Hail the Pow'r of Jesus' Name ("Coronation") - missing two verses

*567 O Christ, What Can It Mean for Us (Morris) - "A different kind of king?" (Mind you, the same nun that wrote "Sing a New Church" wrote this text). The tune isn't so hot either. And another thing: is it me, or does Sally Ann Morris have this knack for topping hymns off to a high E-flat? Every one I've seen of hers tops off at E-flat.

569 Jesus Shall Reign ("Duke Street") - Lowered key to C. We're using this hymn this Sunday - in the normal key, D.

571 Crown Him with Many Crowns ("Diademata") - Must restore verse 5 to "Crown Him the Lord of years, THE POTENTATE OF TIME, Creator of the rolling spheres INEFFABLY SUBLIME". Even Shamus O'Reilly knows what that means!

*573 Let All Creation Bless the Lord ("Lobt Gott den Herren") - Nice Vulpius tune. Words are a bit strange, however.

574 All Things Bright and Beautiful ("Royal Oak") - lovely hymn, but again, God the Father has been neutered. How many times can you repeat the name "God" in one verse without it sounding like a first grade reading book? "God (formerly "HE") made their glowing colors, God (again, formerly "HE") made their tiny wings." "See God. See God make birds. See God make wings for the birds..."

*576 Canticle of the Sun (Haugen) - take it away!!! Far, far away!!!

*577 God of the Sparrow ("Roeder") - Utter garbage, especially the text.

*578 How Great Thou Art ("O Store Gud") - I never thought for a million eons that this depressing, very often misplayed (and overplayed) song would make it in a Worship volume.

*580 O God, You Search Me (B. Farrell) - Not bad, probably the best work of Bernadette Farrell. Doesn't say much for the rest of her dreck, trust me. All one has to do is look at "God Has Chosen Me" in almost any Muzak Issue over the past 20-some years.

*581 We Are Known and Not Unnumbered ("Lauda Anima") - Love the tune. Can't say the same for the text.

*582 When You, Lord, Walked ("Morning Song") - seems ok. Anyone?

Next installment: Light

Peace,

BMP

DOESN'T IT SEEM FUNNY...

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:12:47 PST

...that most of the people who express a disagreement to a blog post leave no profile, only a nickname? Reminds me of the time I blogged about Barack Sadaam Hussein Obama bin Laden.
Peace,

BMP

SUNDAY THE THIRD OF ORDERED TIME (and a funeral)

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:45:08 PST

I-21-12; Church of the Sacred Heart
West Warwick, Rhode Island

(H-780) Christ is made the sure foundation / "Westminster Abbey"
Gloria (if sung): Gloria Simplex / Proulx
Psalm 25: Teach me your ways, O Lord / Alstott; "Respond and Acclaim"
Alleluia: Marier (If you have a St. Michael Hymnal, it's #223)
(H-570.2) O Jesus, I have promised / "Day of Rest"
Sanctus and Agnus Dei from "Mass for Christian Unity" / Vermulst
We proclaim your death, O Lord from "Holy Angels Mass" / BMP
Dresden Amen
In Thee is gladness / "In der ist Freude"
(H-405) I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew / "Artavia"
(H-542) Jesus shall reign wheree'er the sun / "Duke Street"

I-22-12 (Sat.): Funeral Mass at 10 AM

UPDATED I-20-12 to reflect the WSHR request line!
("SHR" stands for "Sacred Heart Radio" - hehehehehe!)

Requiem Aeternam / Mode VI
(W-524) Holy God, we praise Thy name / "Grosser Gott"
Psalm 23: My shepherd is the Lord... / Gelineau
Alleluia: Marier
Ave Maria: Schubert
Sanctus and Agnus XVIII
Morten tuam annuntiamus, Domine / "Jubilate Deo"
Dresden Amen
Lux Aeterna / Mode VIII
Panis Angelicus / Franck

I believe that my Redeemer Lives / St. Louis
How great Thou art / "O Store Gud"

H=Hymnal 1940 (Maroon) / W=Worship III

Peace,
BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the seventh)

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:12:39 PST

Trinity, Body and Blood of Christ, Sacred Heart

* = new to the Worship series

*548 O Dawn of All Creation ("Andujar") - one of some really good hymn tunes by David (not Bob) Hurd. However, being in the Trinity section of the hymnal, I'm still trying to find a Trinitarian connection with the text. I see descriptors such as "Dawn of all creation", "Light of incarnation", and "Flame of transformation", but no direct invoking of the Father, the Son, and/or the Holy Spirit.

549 Come Now, Almighty King ("Italian Hymn") - tune name aka "Moscow" and "Trinity". Should be "Come, THOU Almighty King". Missing another good hymn with the same tune: "Thou, Whose Almighty Word" (which was bastardized in Worship III to "God, Whose Almighty Word")

*550 How Wonderful the Three-in-One ("Rockingham") - the tune often used with "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross". I like this better than the Early American tune ("Prospect"?) that is often used with this.

*552 The Play of the Godhead ("Bedford Park") - tune written by Robert Batastini, not bad. However, almost any hymn text (including this one) that has "dance" in it, and even worse, the rhyming word "romance", gives me the shivers. I mean, these words are perfectly acceptable in any pop love ballad, but not in a hymn.

553 Holy, Holy, Holy ("Nicaea") - please revert to Worship II text

*554 Come, Join the Dance of Trinity ("The Flight of the Earls") - see my note about "dance" in #552, above.

556 Adoro Te Devote / Hidden Here before Me (Mode V) - The third line of music is missing a note. Those who know the hymn as well as I will spot it. This musical alteration was also used in Worship III. The correct melody was used in Worship II. Also, there has been a different translation each issue - Worship II: "Godhead Here in Hiding"; Worship III: "God with Hidden Majesty"; Worship IV: "Hidden Here before Me". The Worship II version is best. Even OCP has been using it as of late.

557 O Food of Exiles Lowly / O Esca Viatorum ("Innsbruck") - tune name aka "First Friday" (probably in association with "O Sacred Heart, All-Holy"). Nice to see the added Latin.

*558 Tell the Gospel's Boundless Riches ("Rustington") - nice stirring Parry tune. Text, for coming from Sr. Delores, actually isn't bad at all.

*559 O Christ, Your Heart Compassionate ("Resignation") - good

560 To Christ the Prince of Peace ("Festal Song") - Worship III used the tune "Narenza". While "Festal Song" is a fine tune, "Narenza" seems to have a stronger association with this particular text.

Next installment: Christ the King

Peace,

BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the sixth)

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:51:44 PST

Ascension, Pentecost

* = new to the Worship series

529 Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise ("Llanfair") - go back to the Worship II text

530 A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing ("Lasst uns Erfreuen") - they ADDED a verse. Coo1!

*531 Since Our Great High Priest, Christ Jesus ("All Saints") - nice addition!

*532 Go to the World ("Sine Nomine") - weak text. Save the tune for "For All the Saints".

535 Spirit Divine, Inspire Our Prayer ("Graefenberg") - third title in three issues. Worship II: ATTEND Our PRAYERS. Worship III: ACCEPT Our PRAYERS. Worship IV: INSPIRE Our PRAYER. I believe a verse or two was also added.

*536 O Spirit All-Embracing ("Thaxted") - not bad for a Dufner text

*537 Come Spirit Blest / Ven Creador (Krisman) - I'd rather stick with/Profiero seguir con "Come Holy Ghost" and/y "Veni Creator Spiritus", thank you very much/muchos gracias.

538 Veni, Sancte Spiritus (Taize) - Partial to the actual sequence chant

*539 Laus Tibi Sancte Spiritus ("O Filii et Filiae") - Latin refrain (commendable). English verses - you be the judge.

*540 Holy Spirit, Come to Us (Taize) - in English, Spanish, and Latin - reminds me of this goofy round we had to sing in fifth grade, "Love, love, love, love, Christians, this is your call..."

541 Holy Spirit, Lord Divine ("Veni, Sancte Spiritus"/Webbe) - tune is a welcome edition. Text is a translation of the "Veni Sancte" by my local colleague, Peter Scagnelli.

*545 Living Spirit, Holy Fire (True) - text by Ruth Duck, tune by Lori True. I'll pass the buck to you, the reader.

547 Spirit of God within Me (Joncas) - The tune in Worship III is better. The tune "St. Christopher" would work well also.

Next installment: Trinity.

Peace,

BMP

JANUARY WTF AWARD UPDATE

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:09:19 PST

And now there are three - a record in one month!

It started with the traffic cop who doesn't know a red light from a green light.

Now I have TWO more to add! This makes a record THREE WTF awards in one month!

First, one - dateline: Cranston High School West, Cranston, Rhode Island. Picture this:

The school, for over fifty years, has had a nice little prayer banner in the school's auditorium, not hurting anyone. In fact, the prayer was written by a guy, David Bradley, who was in the seventh grade at the time he was asked to write it. He will be 65 this Thursday.

Fast forward to 2012 - this Jessica Ahlquist, CHSW student and resident atheist, with the help of her daddy and the infamous American Civil Liberty (Deprivation) Union, er, ACL(D)U, get a federal judge to order the banner taken down. So apparently any Christian religion is not ok, but atheism, which is a religion in itself (albeit without a God), is.

Incidentally, Governor Lincoln Chafee, to whom I gave a WTF award last month for insisting the Christmas tree he less-than-ceremoniously lit is nothing more than a "holiday tree", supports the judge's decision. Why should I not be surprised?

To add insult to injury, now that Miz Ahlquist got her wish, she now fears for her life (apparently there have been threats against her, not surprising; I wish no harm on anyone, but I have to say, it's not surprising) and she no longer wants to attend Cranston West, the very school she just (by some fluke) successfully sued. In fact, it's been noted in a Facebook thread that she is looking to attend LaSalle Academy in Providence - a Catholic high school. I suppose she'll be looking to do similar damage to that school as well?! One can only hope whoever is in charge of admissions at LaSalle will note Miz Ahlquist's behavior when deciding whether or not to let her in, if what I read is true, that is.

So, this makes Jessica Ahlquist the second WTF Award recipient of January 2012.

Now for the latest one - dateline: a Citizens Bank branch inside a Stop and Shop supermarket.

Normally you would think that a bank is the easiest place to ask for something as simple as a couple of rolls of quarters. For months, I have been able to do that with no problem. The supermarket branch is open for a brief time on Sundays and some holidays (they'll be open tomorrow, MiLK Day from 11-3), something normal bank branches do not do.

This afternoon, after I finished my last Mass of the day, I went to the Stop and Shop near home to pick up a gallon of milk and grab a couple of rolls of quarters so we can do our laundry (we have a laundry room downstairs in our apartment building). This time, I get "Do you have an account here?" I said to the teller, "No, but I get them here all the time. Why?" "Because we're not allowed to take money from non-customers," she said. "Since when? That's new to me." "It's not new. I'll do it this one time as a courtesy." So from now on you need an account just to make change? What the sam hell is this dame (or her employer) thinking? It's not like my $20 bill is going to bounce like a basketball check. It's that kind of service that just gives me more reason NOT to start account with Citizens. What kind of tie-ups would I encounter if my money did land up there? No thanks, I don't want to know. Oh, and further, as of a little over a year ago, they now charge seven bucks to cash a check that's drawn on their bank if you don't have an account. As my mother would say about banks and utilities, "The bigger they get, the worse they get!"

So, WTF Award number three for January 2012 goes to Citizens Bank.

Peace,

BMP

TIM TEBOW

bpage69@yahoo.com (Brian Michael Page) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:01:26 PST

I for one can appreciate Tim Tebow's taking a knee in prayer. We all could use a little prayer. You see, Tim is not necessarily praying for a win. He could be praying that he at least finishes the game in one piece. At the same time, he is very likely thanking Almighty God for giving him the talent to do what he does as well as he does. Of course, winning is an added bonus. Won't happen against the Patriots, but Tim is by all means doing the right thing.

After all, (I now quote my pastor) would you rather live with the Tebows, or would you rather live with the Kardashians?

Or even better: Would you rather live LIKE the Tebows, or would you rather live LIKE the Kardashians? I'll take the former, thank you very much.

Peace,
BMP