June 11, 2018

#017: Union of Voices, Unity of Hearts (with Dr. Tony Alonso)

June 11, 2018

We are entering the busiest time of year here at Ministry Monday. We are making final preparations for two national conferences, both taking place in just a few weeks. So, today we are again dipping into our archives. This time, we’ll hear from Dr. Tony Alonso. I have to say, this is one of the best, most honest, and authentic plenum addresses I’ve heard. Tony speaks about issues that face those of us who work in pastoral ministry, directly addressing the conflict, competing vision, and sometimes contentious attitudes that can impede our unity.

Recorded at the fortieth NPM national convention in 2017, you will hear Tony speak about the obstacles and opportunities toward expressing the fullness of who we are as a Church musically and theologically, and Pope Francis’ image of the Church as “field hospital” as a metaphor for how our work might serve better as a medicine of unity rather than as a weapon of division.

SHOW NOTES

For more information about Dr. Tony Alonso and his other compositions, visit his composer pages at GIA Publications and World Library Publications. You can also visit his website: www.tonyalonso.com.

To learn more about the Summer Ministry Colloquium, to be held on June 30, visit the One Call Institute website. You can see a listing of the team, breakout topics, and register to attend. Don't miss it!

The recordings of "How Firm A Foundation" and "Give Us Peace" were produced by GIA Publications.

Visit NPM's digital resource library, referenced at the end of the episode.

To join us this summer at the national convention in Baltimore, Maryland, visit the 2018 NPM convention website.

All content of this podcast is property of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians or its content suppliers and is protected by United States and international copyright laws. For information about the podcast and its use, please contact us.

June 4, 2018

#016: Navigating Transitions (with Tom Franzak)

June 4, 2018

It can be hard enough to juggle one calendar, but those of us in pastoral ministry juggle three – yearly, liturgical, and fiscal. What’s more, each has a unique beginning. We celebrate the yearly New Year on January 1, the liturgical New Year on the first Sunday of Advent, and the fiscal New Year on July 1.

Today, we’ll focus on fiscal time. With just a few weeks left before July 1, parishes and pastoral ministers around the country are preparing for transitions. Some pastors will begin new assignments, some ministers will begin new positions, some communities will begin new partnered or clustered relationships, and so forth. Navigating our experience of these transitions can be challenging, especially if you are someone changing positions. Even if you or your community aren’t experiencing changes, at some point, you surely will. So, whether your July 1st New Fiscal Year will see new changes or not, it is important that we cultivate an informed spiritual and tactical mindset. Tom Franzak will help us frame how we think about and approach these transitions, and we’ll share some of his music in this week’s Ministry Moment.

SHOW NOTES

For more information about Tom Franzak and his work, visit his composer pages at GIA Publications and OCP. You can also visit his website, www.tomfranzak.com.

The recording of "The Call" was produced by Myrrh Records. The recordings of "Halleluya! We Sing Your Praises" and "Give Us Peace" were produced by GIA Publications.

Visit NPM's digital resource library, referenced at the end of the episode.

To join us this summer at the national convention in Baltimore, Maryland, visit the 2018 NPM convention website.

May 28, 2018

#015: How Liturgy Transforms (with Msgr. Ray East)

May 28, 2018

Here we are, back in Ordinary Time. The color green once again graces our sanctuaries, and the rhythm of our ministerial calendars seems to slacken a bit (unless, of course, you include weddings). The very inclusion of the word “ordinary” is misleading. The season is anything BUT ordinary, filled with parables and miracles. And, let’s not forget, there is nothing ordinary about the Eucharist - every celebration is remarkable, every celebration is transformational.

On a practical level, it is us who put the “ordinary” in Ordinary Time. Following marathon celebrations of the Lenten, Triduum, and Easter seasons and First Communions, Confirmations, and Ordinations we often tone down our celebrations. Coinciding with the arrival of summer, we pare down our music and liturgical ministries to accommodate vacations and travel. Now, these are understandable adjustments. But, often, the change in our practices during Ordinary Time can result in missed opportunities or self-fulfilling prophecies. Sometimes, it seems, we forget that “ordinary” is not exclusive of “transformation”.

Today, we’ll hear from Msgr. Ray East. Recorded at the twenty-fifth NPM national convention in 2001, Fr. Ray speaks about the transformative nature of the liturgy. With his customary spirit-filled preaching, Fr. Ray reminds us how our ordinary, day-to-day work as pastoral ministers has the power to transform our communities, ourselves, and our world.

SHOW NOTES

For more information about Msgr. Ray East and his work, read the following articles: on African American Catholic spirituality; on Race and Religion; on the call to remember the poor. You can also watch Fr. Ray's keynote address given at the 2017 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress.

The recording of "Somos el Cuerpo de Cristo" was produced by OCP. The recording of "Give Us Peace" was produced by GIA Publications.

Visit NPM's digital resource library, referenced at the end of the episode.

To join us this summer at the national convention in Baltimore, Maryland, visit the 2018 NPM convention website.