Weekend in Milwaukee

A good friend of mine (a musician) was married last weekend (to another musician--both high school choir teachers) in the Milwaukee area. I was the best man as well as the choir director. So not only did I have to prepare a speech for the toast, but I also had to prepare a one-hour rehearsal for a pick-up choir to sing the Durufle Ubi Caritas as well as a setting of Set Me as a Seal (Gresham) the morning of the wedding! Luckily, most of the singers were choir directors themselves and they knew their music cold.

The wedding was one that would make a catholic envious: great music, excellent preaching, a congregation that sang, a couple who were truly making God the center of their marriage . . . now if they were only catholic! (Trust me, I've been working on them:)

While I was in the area, I also had the opportunity to attend Sunday mass at the Milwaukee cathedral for the 8 AM service. Yes, the interior is as uninspiring as everyone says . . . why would you rip out your pews and put padded seats in their stead? The contemporary art and lay-out was a bit of a turn-off as well.

The music selections were adequate, but not spectacular. Here was the line-up (they had Ritualsong in the pews):

Processional: Joyful, Joyful

Kyrie: spoken

Gloria: New Plainsong Mass (Hurd)

Psalm: Proulx/Gelineau

Gospel Acclamation: St. Louis Jesuits Mass

Offertory: A Transfiguration-type text set to PICARDY--can't remember the name

Sanctus/MA/Amen/AG: Community Mass

Communion: Take and Eat (Joncas)

Recessional: Can't recall . . .


The organist did a nice job and the instrument they have in the gallery seemed of a very high quality. The one thing that disturbed me though was a note in the worship aide to remain standing after the Agnus Dei. I and a family in front of me both ignored the directive and knelt. I struggle with this kind of thing . . . I mean, I don't want to affect the unity of the gathered congregation but my conscience just will not allow me to honor such a blatant disregard for the rubrics.