tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post1428751597261645118..comments2023-09-22T06:56:46.508-05:00Comments on Adoro te Devote: The Word Can Speak for Himself: Stop Being So Dramatic!Adorohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02853244433854822731noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-76714376563264513842011-07-05T08:03:59.068-05:002011-07-05T08:03:59.068-05:00And please, let's do some basic vocabulary/wor...And please, let's do some basic vocabulary/word recognition! There is a HUGE difference between "immorality" and "immortality". And if the parish had a nickel for every time I've heard those mixed up -- they could re-roof!amethystmenacehttp://titlevariesslightly.stblogs.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-73271684685432348152011-07-04T11:08:10.486-05:002011-07-04T11:08:10.486-05:00Dymphna ~ Well said! There is a difference between...Dymphna ~ Well said! There is a difference between a person who is just trying to do a decent job versus a show-off!Adorohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02853244433854822731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-41381801425207940492011-07-04T11:05:26.974-05:002011-07-04T11:05:26.974-05:003Puddytats, the LDS is a cult so they are constant...3Puddytats, the LDS is a cult so they are constantly working on smoothe presentation in their members. I don't care about speaking skills. The reader could stutter for all I care but the dramatic readings just make me want to laugh at the show off performer at the ambo.Dymphnahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01469622835449220113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-13485706175979349242011-07-04T08:09:31.229-05:002011-07-04T08:09:31.229-05:00Mrs Andy ~ Oh...my! *ROFL*! Someone needs to get ...Mrs Andy ~ Oh...my! *ROFL*! Someone needs to get that woman under control! You know EXACTLY where I was and who I'm talking about and I thank God I attended a different Mass that day!<br /><br />Oh, yes, the barbershop quartet. *eyeroll* I don't attend that Mass anymore.Especially considering they are the BEST group. (Well, I don't mind the cantors, they at least keep it simple and without performance.) But one can't bet on the lounge performers for that Mass so it's easier to attend a different, more predictable one. <br /><br />PS ~ I'm mostly free for dinner these days. When should we get together? ;-)Adorohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02853244433854822731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-12345871739368177572011-07-03T23:04:39.353-05:002011-07-03T23:04:39.353-05:00HA! I am in a fit of giggles over this post! Wer...HA! I am in a fit of giggles over this post! Were you lucky enough to have attended the mass with the Maccabees reading where they were to have their wrists slit? The lector read loudly, dramatically ...and....she *pretended to slit her wrists* while staring steely eyed at the congregation. It's true! I dared not look at my husband for fear that we would shake the pew with laughter! I don't look at the lectors anymore. Ever. I'm afraid. But TODAY! I got to hear a barbershop quartet during the offering. Ah, yes. Good times.<br />~Mrs. Andy<br />P.S.<br />We need to catch up over dinner soon!Mrs. Andynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-90806233814960777182011-07-03T19:16:23.236-05:002011-07-03T19:16:23.236-05:00Chloe ~ LOL - "foolproof" when dealing w...Chloe ~ LOL - "foolproof" when dealing with people? ROFL! <br /><br />If you can maybe encourage your deacon to help people understand that a simple and sober reading of the Word is much better than melodrama according to the reader's own definition of "meditation", that would be HUGE probably. And for the monotoners - to let them know that a bit of vocal inflection is totally ok and even necessary. <br /><br />Hmm...maybe I should see if I can find, online, a religious community doing the Office Readings of the day. That might help.Adorohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02853244433854822731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-15679407790435478332011-07-03T19:12:26.648-05:002011-07-03T19:12:26.648-05:00You mean there isn't a foolproof formula you f...You mean there isn't a foolproof formula you forgot to mention in the original post? :o)<br /><br />Our bitty mission parish has just come under a new head deacon and he has enlisted help making some (good) changes. I'll bring it up and see what happens.Chloehttp://odoxy.tumblr.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-27840971996781811432011-07-03T17:46:56.475-05:002011-07-03T17:46:56.475-05:00Ray ~ That's not theatrical; that's basic ...Ray ~ That's not theatrical; that's basic public speaking 101! (I'm not in love with the word "ambo" either, but it's there so I have to use it whether I like it or not).Adorohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02853244433854822731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-64276771593749454222011-07-03T17:41:36.642-05:002011-07-03T17:41:36.642-05:00Thanks, Adoro. My only theatrical move generally ...Thanks, Adoro. My only theatrical move generally is to raise my head and look at the congregation when I am done with a phrase of the Responsorial Psalm. <br /><br />No pounding of the pulpit (boy do I hate the word "ambo").Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08332138030182107580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-17045359514579701882011-07-03T17:30:14.631-05:002011-07-03T17:30:14.631-05:00Ray ~ Not having been there, but still, knowing yo...Ray ~ Not having been there, but still, knowing you, I'm guessing you read it properly and without melodramatic theatrics. I can't imagine you standing at the ambo nearly pounding it for emphasis on every word and pausing dramatically whether there is punctuation or not. It just isn't your style. <br /><br />I'd rather have you read at my parish any day than some of the people who get up there on a regular basis and wow us with theatrical interepretation.Adorohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02853244433854822731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-92026415302281124002011-07-03T17:22:11.642-05:002011-07-03T17:22:11.642-05:00Adoro:
Last Mo;nday I was the reader at a noon Ma...Adoro:<br /><br />Last Mo;nday I was the reader at a noon Mass and the first reading was a very memorable one from Genesis when Abraham was begging the Lord not to destroy all the people in Sodom. It ends in a conversational tone:<br /><br />June 27; Reading 1 <br />Gn 18:16-33<br />. . .Then Abraham said, “Let not my Lord grow impatient if I go on.<br />What if only thirty are found there?”<br />He replied, “I will forbear doing it if I can find but thirty there.”<br />Still Abraham went on, “Since I have thus dared to speak to my Lord, what if there are no more than twenty?”<br />He answered, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”<br />But he still persisted: “Please, let not my Lord grow angry if I speak up this last time. What if there are at least ten there?”<br />He replied, “For the sake of those ten, I will not destroy it. . . .”<br /><br />I used normal conversational question and answer voice inflections. Is that what you are referring to?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08332138030182107580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-15663175481421314362011-07-03T15:10:22.781-05:002011-07-03T15:10:22.781-05:00Sara ~ The problem with the "school Masses&qu...Sara ~ The problem with the "school Masses" is not that the children are reading and singing per se. The problem is that the way it is done turns the Mass into "look at ME and what I can do!" which is teaching the children the wrong lesson. <br /><br />Mass is about worship of God; not performing for an audience. In our world of the emphasis of lateral theology, it is no wonder people attend Mass and want it to be about them and their feelings as opposed to elevating us all to God's level as He intends. <br /><br />You're quick to complain that people are complaining, then say that "The Church" should fork over the money for training. I agree - it would be WONDERFUL to get consultants in. But guess what? That money doesn't trickle down from somewhere; it comes from the people in the pews. <br /><br />Have you ever considered perhaps donating the cash for that endeavor yourself, or finding a donor for it? You have a great idea but now you're sitting back saying "The Church" has to do it. Well...is you is or is you ain't a member of the Church fully qualified to step up to that plate and donate or find other donors?<br /><br />In Michael's defense, I don't think he's speaking of people who step up on the spot, but people who are regular readers and CHOOSE not to review and practice the readings ahead of time. My own parish has that happen for Daily Masses, too, people often asked at the last minute with no time to prepare. No one bats an eye if they stumble a bit. No one is attacking you, either, for stumbling if you have no time to prep. <br /><br />Context is everything here, isn't it?Adorohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02853244433854822731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-73024520288790354142011-07-03T14:54:24.011-05:002011-07-03T14:54:24.011-05:00Adoro--Personally I think it's great with the ...Adoro--Personally I think it's great with the "school Masses"--i assume these are at the Catholic schools??-- that the young people have the opportunity to read, even though it may be "tag team" and perhaps mumble or not speak as clearly as they should. It is their setting and that is how they learn. The Lord loves their little voices.<br /><br />Good Lectors or Readers or whatever we want to call them are made, usually not born. I just love it how so many folks in the church will complain about the readers, or the music,or the choir, yet the church will not fork over money to hire a consultant or university professor to conduct a week-long public speaking seminar for the lectors, or pay for voice or music lessons for their music ministers..outside consultants can objectively critique individuals without worrying about "hurting feelings" and improve what is already there...the church expects everyone to "volunteer", or bring previous skills to the table..and as we all know alot of the "volunteer" efforts can be greatly improved upon...<br /><br />Michael--Lots of times I am called upon to read the readings for Daily Mass, especially for the little chapel at the military base I work at..there is not an assigned reader, we wing it on whoever shows up, especially since it is during a work day. I MIGHT have one "dry run" and that is it. If people don't like it because I might stumble over a word --especially some of the Old Testament words-- here and there they are more than welcome to do it themselves.<br /><br />Sara3puddytatshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15262778035877473976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-72214104298083425272011-07-03T12:30:14.838-05:002011-07-03T12:30:14.838-05:00adoro
Actually the Reader at the Cathedral is a ...adoro <br /><br />Actually the Reader at the Cathedral is a man, he's so good that I think he must be a trained actor. <br /><br />All we need now is to ordain him to the dicaconate and he we have chant the readings about at High Mass in the EF.Just another mad Catholichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10503510474554718305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-8788092639706382952011-07-03T11:21:23.795-05:002011-07-03T11:21:23.795-05:00Very good post - every pastor should read it. An ...Very good post - every pastor should read it. An Orthodox monk from the 19th century felt that the readings should almost be chanted without any emotional inflection so that the Word might speak for itself - just as you say.Terry Nelsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09819523933502820341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-77409196869146551552011-07-03T09:22:43.071-05:002011-07-03T09:22:43.071-05:00The only thing worse than the overly dramatic read...The only thing worse than the overly dramatic reader is the reader who doesn't take the readings seriously enough to, you know, actually read them ahead of time, and ends up faltering in the middle of a reading because s/he has never seen some of these words before.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-67075315903243544322011-07-03T05:55:41.098-05:002011-07-03T05:55:41.098-05:003puddytats ~ I agree in part - it's not the ro...3puddytats ~ I agree in part - it's not the role of the Catholic Church to teach public speaking skills, and in fact, around here another thing that sticks in my craw are all the "school Masses" involving a parade of kids up to the ambo to tag-team the readings and psalm during Daily Mass - another atrocity requiring us to actually read from the Missal ourselves. <br /><br />While the school is right to be teaching public speaking, the Mass is not the forum for that, and I see that although when I was in school we had to spend time "up front" in the classroom, that is done less and less. (public or Catholic schools)<br /><br />I was actually on my high school speech team, and my category was Creative Expression (ergo a bit dramatic), yet it was clear even to us that context is quite important: who is our audience and what are we trying to present?<br /><br />As much of a musical diva I was in those days, I would never have gone up to the pulpit and dramatized the readings of the Mass; it's simply inappropriate in a common sense sort of way. <br /><br />LOL - but then that's another thing lacking in our world today, isn't it? <br /><br />Seriously, though, a classical education has been lost to "theories" now inflicted on the children in schools, taking away from the foundation they SHOULD have - such as the basic premises of public speaking. <br /><br />Incidentally, the "dramatic readers" at my parish have nice vocal quality, but they need someone to explain to them that "meditative reading" is not THEIR meditation, but is to allow the meditation of the congregation! <br /><br />That would probably go a long way towards correcting the problem!<br /><br />Bunny Boy! ~ LOL, I miss you! <br /><br />It's wonderful when you have a reader with good diction - and from what you're saying, she's not reading dramatically, just using her vocal skills to enable the congregations meditation. Awesome! :-)<br /><br />Thankfully, other than school children at "school Masses" (which I avoid), we don't have mumblers - at least not that I've heard.Adorohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02853244433854822731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-29342982772769964862011-07-03T03:00:06.858-05:002011-07-03T03:00:06.858-05:00Adoro
At the Cathedral one lay reader has a wond...Adoro <br /><br />At the Cathedral one lay reader has a wonderful shakespearian (read queen's english) voice which really carries the content of the readings and which gives dignity to the WORD himself. <br /><br />I much prefer this to the mumbling, accented drivel which normally passes for reading after which at top-notch spead the reader proclaims "this is the word of the Lord" without so much as taking a breath. <br /><br />Yours from England <br /><br />Bunny BoyJust another mad Catholichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10503510474554718305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-75089265380862858862011-07-03T00:45:22.561-05:002011-07-03T00:45:22.561-05:00I think alot has to do with the fact that public s...I think alot has to do with the fact that public speaking is not taught in school, and most people are terrified to stand up and read or speak in front of others.<br /><br />The folks that DO have any kind of training are usually the drama/theatre types....and there you have it.<br /><br />I see the lack of public speaking skills in my line of work..engineering...most engineers can barely make it through a job interview, much less stand up and give a formal presentation on a project. I find though, being here in Utah, that members of the LDS church stand up and speak in church from an early age, so they are more comfortable with public speaking. The Catholic Church does not encourage that or have a forum for young people (or any people for that matter) to hone their public speaking skills.<br /><br />Sara3puddytatshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15262778035877473976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-79790287966386245992011-07-02T22:39:19.772-05:002011-07-02T22:39:19.772-05:00Dramatic readings are awful. I once worked at a pa...Dramatic readings are awful. I once worked at a parish where there was a reader who would do different voices for the different characters. She used to drive me insane.DominiSumushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02219325748138519802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-75214644304872228102011-07-02T22:25:46.042-05:002011-07-02T22:25:46.042-05:00Chloe ~ Great question! When you figure it out, le...Chloe ~ Great question! When you figure it out, let me and the rest of us who labor under this objective knowledge know!Adorohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02853244433854822731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-48092879531055641322011-07-02T22:23:40.916-05:002011-07-02T22:23:40.916-05:00I just learned something new, and I thoroughly app...I just learned something new, and I thoroughly approve! I had a feeling something like this was the case, but had never seen it explained.<br /><br />My only question, then, is how to bring up the subject / ensure that properly installed lectors again see the light of day?Chloehttp://odoxy.tumblr.comnoreply@blogger.com