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Author Archives: Craig Colson

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These 40 Days of Lenten Music

By | February 14, 2012

In just over a week we enter into the sacred season of Lent. Forty days of fasting, prayer, almsgiving, and a call in this “Year of Faith” proclaimed by the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, to strengthen our faith and to help strengthen the faith of others. So what will change? In our own lives, [...]

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How to Get Your Teens to Sing at Mass

By | January 23, 2012
2012-1_CYM-TeenSinging

One of the keys to inviting people to sing is simply that – to invite. Don’t scold the congregation and don’t show your frustration and start saying how you come here week after week to lead them in song and no one sings! This is the wrong approach! Simply invite and affirm them. Remind them that our role at the Liturgy is to practice full, active, conscious, participation as Vatican II tells us. Tell them that it sounds so beautiful to hear their voices singing God’s praise together.

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How Can I Be a Better Music Minister in 2012?

By | January 5, 2012
2012-1_MusicianResolutions

2012 is here! If we look back on 2011 I think we can all say it was a busy year. Most of us spent this last year preparing for the implementation of the New Roman Missal that we received on November 27th of 2011. Now that the Missal has been implemented and our Christmas preparation has come to an end, we can focus on the things that we may need to change in our personal lives or our ministries.

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The Final Countdown to the Roman Missal

By | November 7, 2011

Well there is a countdown going on today and it has nothing to do with 80’s rock bands, but everything to do with the third edition of the Roman Missal. We are only 19 days away from this new translation of the current Sacramentary we use at Mass. So here’s the question … are you ready?! I hope the answer is: “Yes!” If you are worried that you may have forgotten something, let’s start with the obvious.

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Liturgy Resources for Musicians

By | October 25, 2011

Several times over the course of the retreat I was asked about different resources available for musicians looking for music suitable for the Liturgy and other youth focused events. I thought I would take the time now to share some of the resources that I use.

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Is the Catholic Church changing what songs are sung at Mass?

By | September 14, 2011

Although I’ve only been alive a short period of time compared to how long the Church has existed, it is clear to me through studying history that the debate over what music is suitable for Liturgy has been going on for a long, long time. In recent years this musical debate has taken to a new highway, the Internet.

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An Opportunity to Go Deeper: The New Roman Missal

By | August 29, 2011

I recently met to plan music for a funeral with a family who has been away from the Church for a long time. Unfortunately, they view the Church as a dictatorship full of rules and regulations they do not understand. Their Mother passed away and she was the only member of the family who remained [...]

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Mass Music from the 2011 Life Teen Training Convention

By | July 5, 2011

The 2011 Life Teen Training Convention was four amazing days of prayer, praise, fellowship and community. Nearly 500 attendees, including Priests, Youth Ministers, Music Ministers and Core Team Members filled the convention hall at the Doubletree Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona last week. This year’s theme, Veni Sancte Spiritus, was truly prayed as we celebrated the [...]

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Bishops Approve a Gradual Introduction of New Mass Settings

By | June 28, 2011

This past week on June 17, 2011, the president of the USCCB authorized the gradual implementation of the new Mass settings and left the final decision up to the Bishop of each Diocese. This however does not mean we can implement any other changes in September, just the sung Mass settings. This is good news as it will allow us all to teach these new settings as we normally would and not have to worry about teaching new responses at the same time.

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Planning Ahead for the New Missal

By | May 19, 2011

Well the Triduum has ended, Jesus has risen from the dead and our churches are probably a bit quieter than they were on Easter Sunday. Although many of us are still busy with graduations, Confirmations and First Holy Communions, all the busyness of the spring is coming to a close and we should all be able to take a deep breath…right? Well, not exactly.