ASSIGNMENT CHRISTUS VINCIT II

The last episode of Assignment Christus Vincit was a Top Ten List that featured the Least Popular Organ Stops. That was featured in Podcast #18.

I now present to you Assignment Christus Vincit II. This time it's an episode of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. I'll supply the good and the bad. What I'm looking for is the ugly. The ugly usually requires some scenario involving the bad. Anyways, the best "ugly" scenario to the following not only get used and credited to whoever posted it to me, but he/she will get his/her blog/podcast/website promo'd as well.

This is Churches under construction sequel edition of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Hat tip to Gerald at The Cafeteria is Closed for the Good and the Bad.

The Good

This is in Alaska, believe it or not. St. Andrew Church in Eagle River, AK. Gerald reports thus:
"They will not have carpet. The musicians will not be in the sanctuary. They will have statues and stained glass windows, and many other positive things. Maybe it's because they simply call themselves a parish."

The Bad

This is St. Theresa's Stadium, uh, Church, in Tuckertown, NJ. Here is what some people had to say about this roundhouse:
"It looks like a 50s burger joint." - Father Erik J. Richtsteig
"It reminds me of the Roman Colosseum; wonder if they'll feed our true beliefs to the lions of multiculturalism." - Jose
"Baseball has been played in buildings like that - called 'domed stadiums'." - (yours truly)
"'Future home of the Catholic Church Hall of Fame', or better, 'Future site of the 2007 Catholic Church All-Star Game'." - my son Chris
BTW, the ushers will be selling season tickets right after Mass.

The Ugly
That's where our readers come in. The best ugly scenario gets mentioned on our next podcast (#23), which airs this Sunday. Therefore, deadline is 11:59 PM EST this Saturday (4/1 - ah! good old April Fools Day, as well as my son Brian's birthday).

Good luck.
Peace,
BMP

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY(Music in the Twin Cities Edition)

The Good: Click Here!
The Bad: Click Here!
The Ugly: Cantor for either: Shamus O'Reilly (the Christus Vincit Leprechaun)

BTW - in forthcoming Episode #21 (due this coming Sunday), Shamus is hung over from St. Patrick's Day!

And, don't forget to check out our TWENTIETH SHOW, and vote for us on Podcast Alley, if you haven't done so yet this month. (Each month is a new vote!)

Peace,
BMP

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY (Ash Wednesday edition)

OK, so I'm a little late, but here's a sneak preview of my forthcoming podcast:

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - featuring music used during the giving of ashes.

The good: Parce Domine (beautiful Mode I chant, Latin antiphon, based on the second of three antiphons prescribed by Holy Mother Church for the giving of ashes)

The bad: Ashes (by Tom Conry) (bad, bad lyrics - ever see that three-syllable "stum-bl-ing" in the second verse??? What kind of hymnwriting is that??? A kindergartner can talk better than that for crying out loud!!! And this is a PUBLISHED hymn in a hymnal???)

The ugly: Singing "Ashes" while the choir is dramatically hoisted up on strings (just like you'd see in a Broadway musical) and the celebrant is caught stum-bl-ing to the foot of the sanctuary stairs, nearly dropping the bowl of ashes. Catechism? That's more like Calamitism!

Peace,
BMP

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY(Cathedrals Under Construction Edition)

The Good:

Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral, Houston TX (due to be finished Fall 2007).
Note: As the exterior is not yet complete, the interior is not there for me to make the call. However, the plans do call for a choir loft (YAY!). Beautiful cruciform design. Reminds me greatly of the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore.

The Bad:

Cathedral of Christ the Light, Oakland CA (due to be finished in 2008).
A cathedral? Really??? I was thinking concert hall for a moment. Kinda like Lincoln Center in New York City, or the Sydney Concert Hall in Australia.

The Ugly:
Inaugural concert at the Oakland cathedral by none other than the Minnesota Trinity.

Peace,
BMP

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY - Organ edition

From CHRISTUS VINCIT PODCASTING, Podcast #5 (just uploaded today):

Dedicated to organs (in a liturgical setting) this time, instead of hymns:
The Good: any well-maintained, well-played, pipe organ
The Bad: any old electronic toaster organ (Hammond comes to mind)
The Ugly: a Hammond so fried you can cook a full-course breakfast on it for you and your choir

Happy Epiphany!
BMP

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLYSpecial Christmas Season Edition

With Christmas season still here for a few more days, here's the "Good, Bad, and Ugly" scenario that will be in our forthcoming podcast:

The Good: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night
The Bad: Children, Run Joyfully
The Ugly: "Children, Run Joyfully" sung by Barney and Pals (even worse: being medleyed in with the "I Love You" song)

Happy remainder of Christmas Season!
Peace,
BMP

THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY (Feasting Edition)

Sorry, Brian, but had to jump on the bandwagon. Seeing as how Thanksgiving's tomorrow, I thought a food- oriented one might be appropriate.

The Good: "Panis Angelicus"
The Bad: "We Come to the Feast"
The Ugly: "We Come to the Feast" sung in Vegas lounge style, like the Christmas In Heaven scene at the end of Monty Python's The Meaning of Life.

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY (Special Advent Edition)

The Good: "On Jordan's Bank" or "Comfort, Comfort, Ye My People" (tie)
The Bad: "A Voice Cries Out" (Joncas)
The Ugly: "A Voice Cries Out" performed by the New Christy Minstrels to an audience of bar clientele rocking left and right on their stools and swinging their beer mugs.

On behalf of Nick and myself, a very happy Thanksgiving to all readers and their families.

Peace,
BMP

ADDENDUM to the last THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

OK all - here's part of the chant/Latin spoof of Hail Mary/Gentle Woman that was concocted. I somewhat remember the chant adaptation I had on the Gentle Woman part, but our pal Jason had done the Latin text - which I can't remember to save my behind.

So, here's the Hail Mary (Ave Maria) part anyways.

Peace,
BMP

ANOTHER EPISODE of THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

Round 2 of THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY - Christus Vincit Style!

The Good: Ave Maria (chant, Abt, Arcadelt, Victoria - pick one - they're all good!)
The Bad: Hail Mary/Gentle Woman
The Ugly: Elvis Presley doing a rendition of Hail Mary/Gentle Woman that medleys with "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You" (they're both in D major in most books - they're both in that 50's rock-ballad style 6/8 time - and they can both put you to sleep!)

Our Louisiana buddy (whom Nick and I both know on several boards and good friends with) once did a translation of Gentle Woman, to which I took Landry's melody and transformed it into this cool chant tune. My copy got lost in the big Pawtucket mill fire two years ago from yesterday.

BMP

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

In the style of our good friend Matthew Meloche up in The Dusty Choir Loft, here's a new good-bad-ugly scenario:

The Good: Come, Ye Thankful People, Come (which has the line "God our maker doth provide for our wants to be supplied")

The Bad: Table of Plenty (which has the line "Gard will pro-vahd for AWLLLLL that we neeeeeeeed")

The Ugly: Hearing "Table of Plenty" sung by the cast of "Hee Haw"

Peace,
BMP