Use of Catholic Church for musical play auditions

[FatherOf10]

A question has come up in my home schooling community about the use the nave of a Catholic Church building for music auditions and practices, for a secular musical play (singing “show tunes” such as “If I were a rich man”).

I cannot imagine this is appropriate, especially as the Eucharist is still present in the Tabernacle in the Sanctuary. At the same time I am having trouble finding authoritative teaching on this subject.

The thread on the “Proper Use of the Church” is close in theme, but I didn’t see any references to authoritative material.

Can you point me to any resources?

Thank you.

 

[Sarabande]

As a musician who has and still does tons of auditions every year, I can say I have never done an audition in a Catholic church, but have in many Protestant churches - but they were never in the actual church, but in rooms connected to the church.

I don’t know how right it is to use the actual church for audition space, because many people who go to these auditions don’t understand the kind of respect or etiquette for being in the sancturary. They do all sorts of things to prepare for the audition or socialize, etc. At my most recent audition at a Presbyterian church, they allowed the singers to warm up in the “sanctuary” part of the church or in other rooms.

On the other hand, I’ve done plenty of rehearsals in churches - but these were for sacred and religious works.

I’m sorry I can’t point you to any resources, but I’d be interested to see if there are some concrete rules on this.

 

[Spirithound]

…about the use the nave of a Catholic Church building for music auditions and practices, for a secular musical play (singing “show tunes” such as “If I were a rich man”).

I cannot imagine this is appropriate, especially as the Eucharist is still present in the Tabernacle in the Sanctuary. At the same time I am having trouble finding authoritative teaching on this subject.

Can you point me to any resources?

Your #1 resource is going to be your pastor. Talk to him, ask him if it’s appropriate, ask for permission to use it. If he grants permission, he’ll probably reserve the Blessed Sacrament in the rectory or other place apart from the church proper/nave/sanctuary.

 

[benedictgal]

Fr. Mark Gantely, JCL, over on the EWTN Q & A section, addressed this issue when someone asked him a similar question:

Canon 1220, §1 states: “All those responsible are to take care that in churches such cleanliness and beauty are preserved as befit a house of God and that whatever is inappropriate to the holiness of the place is excluded.”

I imagine that this is more vague than you would like. Certainly a diocesan bishop can further specific what acts are inappropriate to the holiness of the place. Lacking a determination by him, then it is up to the pastor to determine what is inappropriate and what can be permitted.

I hope this helps.