ROAMIN'
CATHOLIC
By Charles A. Coulombe
ARTICLES
LETTERS
NEWS
Contents © 1998
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.
And All That Jazz
Annunciation Church, at Peck Road and Longden Avenue in the lower reaches of Arcadia, has over the last few years made a reputation for itself as a center of innovation. The latest innovation to emerge is the "Swing and Jazz Mass," featured at 5 p.m. every Sunday. This writer and his friends attended two of these Masses: the first, on Trinity Sunday, June 7, and a follow-up on July 26.Both occasions featured as the main vocalist a very talented black female singer. The musical back-up consisted both times of pianist, bassist, and guitar. The drummer present at the first Mass was absent at the second. The make-up of the sanctuary party also changed; where the first Mass featured two lovely young girls in short skirts, the second made do with two middle-aged ladies in slacks. Both times, the main vocalist declared before the procession that we were "required to sing." While the audience did not comply completely, there was a good deal of toe-tapping. The music used for various songs, the responsorial psalms, and things like the Gloria was certainly jazzy; there was no discernible swing.
There was a turnover in celebrants as well; in place of the administrator, Fr. Paul Menke, Paulist guest-officiant Fr. James Fisher celebrated the second Mass.
At the second Mass there was a fall-off in attendance from the first. Where the first liturgy opened to a packed house, the congregation at the second was smaller than a morning midweek Mass. The handful of stalwarts in the latter case were mostly middle-aged to elderly, accompanied by some children.
On the first occasion, the Mass began with a seldom-heard old favorite: "They'll know we are Christians." In the second case, the participnts sang a song which offered contemporary lyrics ending in "Come Holy Ghost." Both times, in place of the responsorial psalms mandated by the Missal, a sprightly little call-and-response song was played.
At both Masses, the lectoresses did the readings, and the priests the Gospels. The sermon was not notable at either Mass, although Father Fisher struck a traditional note by repeating a scrap of the Gospel and then crossing himself. He further assured us that God does not lie and is good.
On the first occasion, the Offertory was quite involved, with ladies bringing up the altar cloths and preparing the table prior to the priest offering the prayers. The second time, this rite was omitted. Most people stood through the Eucharistic Prayer. At the second Mass, a young child who first knelt was pulled up by his mother and made to stand.
The celebrant prayed none of the Eucharistic prayers found in the missalette. At the Our Father, at both Masses, the crowd held their hands up rather than grasp their neighbors' hands. This is the custom at Annunciation, in accord with the cardinal's letter on liturgy prescribing the correct stance for the Our Father--the "orans" posture.
At the first Mass, the communicants processsed to communion from the back to the front; this was abandoned the second time, in view of the small numbers involved. The altar-breads differed also: in place of the fluffy recipe employing Perrier water at the first Mass, the second Mass was graced with a whole-wheat tasting substance.
The two priests varied a great deal in style and tone. Fr. Menke was rather flamboyant, interjecting a heartfelt "whew!" after each song. When commencing chants, he would begin, stop himself, and ask the band for the right note. Fr. Fisher struck a more reserved stance, harmonizing tunefully.
After the priest's recessional, those few of the small number who remained behind applauded. On the first occasion, most had remained behind to enjoy the swing concert which followed. This featured a flood-lit tabernacle, in which Our Lord was still present.