Ministry Monday

There are so many ways to involve a parish community in its music ministry, and not all of them, of course, include singing. Haven’t we all heard the parishioner who says, “I can’t join the music ministry - I can’t sing!” Luckily for us, music ministry today can include instrumental assistance, including a handbell choir. In many instances, handbell choirs were the only choirs allowed in a parish setting during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a choir setting that can be accomplished without projecting the human voice. It can also be done with plenty of social distancing, if space allows. And more than anything, it provides the community of a choir without singing- a perfect option for those who want to use their musical gifts without singing. Handbell choirs are a great option in a music ministry program, but some music ministers may not know where to start: how can I afford handbells? Who do I purchase them from? How do I teach (and direct) a handbell choir? These questions and many more are addressed in my conversation today. Donna Kinsey has served for over 50 years as the pastoral musician for St. Francis De Sales Parish. She has taught music for public and Catholic schools in both Morgantown, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. She is also a handbell clinician and has spearheaded the National Catholic Handbell Festivals with the National Association of Pastoral Musicians. This episode is truly a primer on starting a handbell choir. Not only that, Donna has provided a handout in the “show notes” of this episode for additional tips. If you’ve ever considered starting a handbell choir, this is the episode for you.

This episode of Ministry Monday is brought to you by Reverend J. Ronald Knott from Louisville, KY. Fr. Knott has written 40 books including his homily series called An Encouraging Word, books for clergy and books on spirituality. He has taught at seminaries and lectured all over the world on topics such as how to develop a united parish staff and how to grow successful parishes. Consider beginning your Fall Ordinary Time with your parish team by reading "THE SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP OF A PRIEST", available on amazon in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. Visit www.ronknottbooks.com for more information. Today’s episode features Peter Kolar, Editor for Spanish and Bilingual Resources at GIA Publications. Peter shares both liturgical and personal viewpoints for the Quinceañera celebration: how is it implemented in both a sacred and secular context? What music best supports a quinceañera? and more.

This week's episode of Ministry Monday features composer and NPM member Luke Rosen. In this replay episode from October 2023, Luke shares his reflections on the many things a pastoral musician can consider as they compose music, whether it's for a parish music ministry or just for personal enjoyment.

Wedding season is well upon us, and with it always comes with a story. Many of you may already know that prior to working full-time for NPM, I was a full-time DIrector of Music at a Catholic church, which was set in a very beautiful, very visible, and also very tourist-laden area of my city. For 13 years I played 60-70 weddings annually, half of which were non-parishioners. The experiences came with a sense of excitement and joy…but also a time for catechesis for the bride and groom. We’ve probably all had the couple who needed a bit more clarification on why their favorite secular tune cannot be a part of the music at their Catholic wedding, and honestly, I’m sure we could compile our best wedding stories into a book! (I’ve heard it said, “I could write a book” many times…) I’ve often heard a dreadful saying by pastoral musicians that “I’d rather play three funerals versus one wedding.” While this has always bothered me, I think the roots lie in a mutual misunderstanding of young couples being married, and the pastoral musicians who serve them. The beauty of the Sacrament of Marriage can often be eclipsed by the secular aesthetic that couples mostly worry about, from the flowers to the bridal party to, of course, the bride and groom’s ensembles. But just because a couple may not fully grasp the Sacrament does not mean that they cannot enter into a paradigm of catechesis prior to their wedding day. And in fact, I think we shortchange many couples by assuming they do not grasp a general understanding of the liturgy and how it will relate to their wedding. Why not take it as an opportunity to bridge that gap of understanding, even if only to help them more deeply understand their wedding? Today on Ministry Monday we speak to Paul Radkowski, Director of Music at the Church of St. Edward the Confessor in Granville, Ohio. Paul discusses the ways that pastoral musicians can support couples as they prepare for the Sacrament of Marriage: how can they best plan their ceremony music? what if a loved one wants to sing in the wedding? What if the couple wants to include secular music in the wedding? Paul addresses these questions and more.

Growing up in the Catholic Church I was familiar with the poster of the liturgical calendar. You know the one: its circular design reflects the changing colors and seasons in the Church calendar. I always found this poster to be fascinating, even as a very young person: What did it mean? How did the The Church decide these things? Why do the colors change? As a young adult I asked myself questions about the saints on the calendar, the nuances of Holy Days of Obligation, and more. The practical and historical contexts of our Church calendar have always fascinated me. Which brings me to our episode today. I recently came across Fr. Paul Turner’s new book, Sacred Times, which is described as “A Guide to the General Roman Calendar and the Table of Liturgical Days.” The book reads like a story you’d find at a sacred bookstore, but is so full of information it’s as indespensible as an encyclopedia at times. I reached out to Fr. Paul and asked to interview him for the podcast, of which he obliged, thankfully. In preparation for my interview I read the book. I quickly realized that this could be a series of episodes, simply to capture the full breadth and depth of the book. And so consider the following interview as an introductory course on the book, Sacred Times, published by Liturgical Press. Our chat addresses many questions about the Church’s observances, such as: What is the Proper of Time versus the Proper of Saints? Why does Easter move each year, versus being on one set date? How are Holy Days of Obligation chosen? and more.

Today is the last episode Ministry Monday will be airing before a brief Holy Week and Easter hiatus. We wanted to leave you with an episode that would provide a prayerful pause as you wrap up the last rehearsals, make the last binders, and write the last “thank you” notes to your Holy Week musicians. Today we begin a conversation focusing on the sequences and hear from Fr. J. Michael Joncas. What is the history of a sequence’s form? What terminology predates the sequences? How can we most effectively employ sequences in our parishes? It is a great episode from which to prepare the Sequence for Easter Sunday.

Today we speak with Irish composer Dana Scallon (known professionally as DANA) about the life of Saint Brigid, patroness of Ireland. Dana was inspired to write a hymn reflecting the life of Saint Brigid, celebrating the 1500th anniversary of the saint’s death, and she was gracious enough to sit down and share her inspiration for the piece today. Dana joins us today from her home in Ireland. For more information about St. Brigid and St. Brigid's Song, check out the show notes of this episode at ministrymonday.org.