My Successor - Vindicated (more or less)

Some of my earlier concerns about what Ann was up to at St. C's were laid to rest this weekend.

My earlier gripe that she had dropped the Haas Gloria (well known and loved by the parish) for the Andrews (unknown and difficult) turned out to be a move away from a Kyrie "setting" to a "little" Gloria in OT, cointrasting against a more festive Gloria for feasts and seasons. We sang the Haas Sunday. Her version is a bit slower, but that's partly cos she plays ALL the notes in the (very busy) accompaniment. She played it very well.

She also returned the Mass of Creation Lamb, but uses the alternate acclamations - sort of necessary due to the new rules on preparing the table (only the priest may pour the wine).

I'm having a little trouble judging the success of her repertoire moves, because we usually bring my granddaughter, and sit in the cry room. So I can't tell the level of participation. We also usually get there late, and wind up missing whatever teaching she does - I'm half tempted to start going by myself so I can get there on time. When I WAS there for one, she taught from the back and didn't get much in return. I always went up front - it seemed to help.

She DOES seem to be dropping a lot of new tunes on them, including missalette stuff. Also lots of P&W, now that we have the Troubador books.

Her uptempo accompaniment style still is not working at all (oom pah oom pah oom pah...) - nails on a chalkboard - but it seems like she's laying a foundation for a decent approach to liturgy. It's just HER approach, and involves undoing some of what I established. Time will tell, but I think she'll be okay.