Sunday, February 25, 2007

Execrable expressions

The other day I read the term "gathering hymn" somewhere -- a term commonly seen in Catholic circles these days. It's no longer an extraordinary expression, though it would have been, say, forty years ago. But the terms stuck with me and I thought about it and the slight tinge of dyspeptic nausea it always gives me, and the detachment from Catholic liturgical tradition it symbolizes. Here is the yield of that thought -- a list of such expressions:
gathering hymn
gathering song
worship space
worship experience
meaningful worship experience
worshiping community
glory and praise
glory and praise team
contemporary choir
praise team
worship style
blended worship style
minister of music
music ministry
worship ministry
worship band
liturgical ministry
community life
communications ministry
stewardship ministry
evangelization ministry
ecumenism ministry
pastoral coordinator
pastoral ministry of spirituality
hospitality ministry
What do the appearance of such expressions in the Catholic parish over the last decades suggest? Your thoughts?

Update 2/27/07 (additional suggestions from commentors):
"Hymn for Going Forth" (instead of Recessional)
"Please stand & welcome our PRESIDER"
St So & So Catholic Community (sign outside the church)
What's so difficult about saying 'priest' instead of ('presider' or even 'celebrant'), 'Catholic Church' (instead of 'Catholic Community'), 'introit' or 'processional hymn' or even 'entrance hymn' (instead of 'gathering song'), 'nave' and 'sanctuary' (instead of 'worship space'), 'Mass' (instead of 'worship experience'), 'congregation' (instead of 'worshiping community'), 'choir' -- since 'schola cantorum' would probably be too hard (instead of 'praise team'), 'liturgical rite' (instead of 'worship style'), 'choir director' -- since 'choirmaster' probably wouldn't fly (instead of 'minister of music'), and so forth? I suppose it's like the difference between the term 'man' and the multifarious circumlocutions we employ to avoid using it by whatever means necessary -- spokesperson, chairperson , firefighter. Anything to avoid the singular all-too-clear simplicity of that traditionally inclusive term "man," or the Anglo-Saxon contraction of the Greek presbyter connoting exclusive masculine hierarchy, "priest." Is that it?

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