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“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Are You a Servant Leader?

Richard J. Clark · December 13, 2013

URING THIS BUSY LITURGICAL SEASON, when music directors are often overwhelmed, there is little time to think, no less listen to others. However, it still might make sense to take stock of what kind of leaders we are. It is not enough to just be a good musician. We must be smart about our leadership.

A colleague recently sent me this article: How to Become a Servant Leader, by Emma Johnson. Although written for those in the business world, the wisdom here fits beautifully in the world of sacred music. Putting moral, ethical or even altruistic reasons aside, there is a simple pragmatism here of getting the very most productivity out of not only employees but also volunteers, especially if one is a director.

The opening line alone is intriguing: “Bossing around employees is so passé.” The very essence of what a conductor must do is tell people what to do. This doesn’t change, but giving people the tools and emotional environment to accomplish what a director asks is key.

Emma Johnson writes:

“Bossing around employees is so passé. Developing people, treating them with respect, encouraging their talents and input—these are trends that research has proven build strong companies and give them the competitive edge. Servant leadership—the philosophy of focusing first on the needs of employees and customers—has gained popularity in recent years, with numerous Fortune 500 firms like TDIndustries, Aflac and Synovus subscribing to its principles.

“If you really listen to your colleagues and figure out how to get them what they need, they will perform at a higher level, which improves the customer experience, which affects business results,” says Kent Keith, CEO of Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership…The essence of servant leadership—serve the employees first, and success with clients will follow—might appear to be the antithesis of modern business.”

She breaks down the basic areas of “Servant Leadership” into five areas:
• Listen
• Appreciate
• Respect
• Develop
• Unleash (Let the gifts of your musicians shine!)

This model is perfectly applicable to music ministry. Furthermore, leadership and authority are two very different things. Some with authority do not command respect. Many without authority have more influence than those in charge. Servant leadership in no way compromises authority or clarity of direction. It does not necessarily mean making everyone happy. In fact, a Servant Leader will usually earn the respect and trust of others. Do so, and you can change the world.

Finally, I offer a FREE DOWNLOAD (PDF) of a setting of Psalm 96 for the Christmas Mass at Midnight based on chant Puer natus for SATB, Schola, Organ, and 2 Trumpets. Were I a better servant leader, I would have made this tool available sooner! (One may discern much from negative example.)

The multipage PDF includes:
• Full score
• Trumpet parts
• Choir/Cantor part
• Congregation insert.

To find Responsorial Psalms for the entire liturgical year by several extraordinary composers, look to the Chabanel Responsorial Psalms. These are made available for FREE by a true servant leader, Jeff Ostrowski.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Servant Leader Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Richard J. Clark

Richard J. Clark is the Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 July 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and propers for this Sunday are also provided at the the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    This coming Sunday—13 July 2025—is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). All the chants have been conveniently assembled and posted at the feasts website. The OFFERTORY, Ad Te Levávi, is particularly beautiful.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Music Director Job • $80,000 per year
    Our readers will be interested in this job offering for Music Director at Saint Adalbert’s Basilica, located 40 minutes from where I live. My pastor was recently elevated to this basilica. He is offering $80,000 per year, plus benefits. I’m told Saint Adalbert’s Basilica is utterly gorgeous and contains one of America’s most magnificent pipe organs. It would be fantastic to have a colleague nearby!
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

“Leave the Mass alone. Our churches are full—the Protestants, in spite of their vernacular, far otherwise.”

— Cardinal Godfrey (one of the Vatican II fathers)

Recent Posts

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