U2 EUCHARIST

Hat tip to the Curt Jester

I was in quite a bit of shock to read this on Jeff's blog:
Churches in the United States are weaving music from the Irish rock band U2 with their more formal traditional liturgy.
Episcopal parishes from California to Maine are holding “U2 Eucharists” in an effort to make their services more attractive to young people interested in rock music and social activism.
At the Grace Episcopal Church in Providence, Rhode Island, the Reverend Robert Brooks welcomed worshippers and then added some unusual advice – he warned them to protect their hearing.
“If the sound’s an issue, we do have earplugs available,” he said.

I'm glad this wasn't a Sunday. It was St. Patrick's Day. I couldn't believe my eyes that Grace Church was one of the Episcopal churches holding such a liturgy, especially when you consider that this church once boasted a choir school, and the organ is a III/103 Casavant Freres.

Man, I thought the Catholics were bad!

OK, so it was St. Patrick's Day. Even still, wouldn't majestic Irish hymntunes like DOHMNACH TRIONOIDE, SLANE, and SAINT PATRICK'S BREASTPLATE suffice? Isn't church music supposed to be unique in qualities? Different from music in the secular world? At least I thought so. That's how I was raised.

Full story at Ireland Online
Grace Church March 2006 newsletter

Peace,
BMP