LOVE Leonard Cohen. This is one of his best.
It’s a bit odd, tho, seeing a priest singing Cohen. His songs are so…um…primal.
(I feel as though the women giggling off to the side are a bit embarrassed for the priest?)
I think his voice is better than average, but he’s singing this one too high.
Why are people so “stunned” if a priest or nun (like the one from the Brit talent show last week) sing well?
Are they supposed to all be bad singers or something?
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It’s not Cohen. It’s the tune of “Hallelujah” with original lyrics composed for the occasion.
I’m certainly not stunned that a priest can sing well. In fact I believe it should be expected that clergy train in the musical arts, because Mass is written to be sung. Singing is central to a cleric’s vocation. We have a Divine Command to sing that is more than evident in Sacred Scripture. If a priest reaches seminary and can’t sing his way out of a paper bag, then that is a critical deficiency which needs to be addressed. He should arrange for voice lessons or at least sit in with the choir and get a feel for how music is performed in order that he may do it reverently and joyfully in the context of the Sacred Liturgy.
I think Eastern Christian clergy are much better prepared to sing than Latin Church clergy. I think a larger emphasis is placed on this in formation, and clergy who sing well are well-regarded in the East, because the whole liturgy is sung, it’s not optional - at least for Byzantines, I don’t have much experience with other Rites.
I went to a superb funeral recently where the priest sang the Psalm, and
a capella at that, and I was duly impressed. I think people are impressed, not stunned, when Latin priests can sing well, because it’s just not valued enough in seminary or by the laity. And less and less emphasis is being placed on the classical arts in these days, so that the art of corporate singing and the singing of hymns and in harmony is becoming lost at an alarming rate as the older generations die off. Americans are particularly deficient in these skills, and that is why it should be a priority mission for the Church, particularly the laity, to press for a greater appreciation of beauty in art, and a greater emphasis on training and practice of the arts from a very early age, especially the classical arts, so that these don’t become lost…arts.
I think that another component that may account for some negative feedback on this is that priests and religious are not regarded in traditional Catholic culture as worthy of a spotlight. They should be respected, certainly, but their job is to blend into the background and make God shine through in all they do, and that usually requires a humble, self-effacing personality to accomplish. When clergy or religious come along who are type-A and outgoing, we are a little taken aback, especially when they do something that is designed to focus the spotlight on themselves and showcase their talent as opposed to being centered on the Lord. This song was not centered on Jesus, it was a sentimental, secular love song to the couple. I don’t know the exact comment on the singing nun’s talent show song, but it was a pop song by Adele. When clergy and religious have a talent and exploit that talent to gain fame and/or fortune, they should be evangelizing the Gospel, either subtly or overtly, but it must be centered on faith and draw people into the Church, not lead them down a path well-trodden by secular pagan culture. What this priest did, while his talent was impressive, was not suitable for the time and place he did it, and so that is the issue we have with this particular news story. Every case is unique.
I will take this opportunity to plug an excellent album by
the Carmelite Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Los Angeles, called Lean Into the Wind. It is joyous, playful, faithful, reverent, and holy. It runs a wide gamut of musical styles, so there is something for everyone in it. It was released on the Feast of the Annunciation and I was honored to purchase it at a special pre-sale at my diocesan Men’s Conference, from a real life Carmelite sister, and I was equally honored to hear Sister Regina Marie Gorman speak on the topic of feminity and the relationship of men to our daughters, wives, and mothers. She finished the talk with a meditation on the title track of this CD, and the whole thing left an unforgettable mark on my soul that will last a long time. Please consider patronizing these sisters and support them in their mission.
Maybe it was after the Mass? I don’t know, but this was a beautiful song).
Also he had those sneaky looking eyes…and it was totally inappropriate to do it at the altar! Ha ha I guess I got my rant out.