President Reagan's Funeral at the National Cathedral

[JeffreyLloyd]

It was a very nice service! Did anyone else notice they sang Ave Maria at the start of it?

That was snazzy!

[garydench]

Yeah I noticed that, though I prefer Caccini's version of the Catholic prayer.

[benedictine]

I noticed it. I thought it was nice. ---Pax Deo.

[BjBarnett]

i noticed it. I thought the whole thing was pretty awesome. Did you guys catch all the Cathedrals ringing there bells for Reagan after it was over? That was awesome..

[TexasCatholic]

I wasn't too fond of Ave Maria being a part of the ceremony. I'm not sure Mr. Reagan would have approved so much either. Wasn't he Presbyterian?...

On the other hand, Amazing Grace is the right and proper song for any Christian funeral. The ceremony was beautiful...

-James

[JeffreyLloyd]

Ave Maria, IMO, is the greatest song ever written.

[garydench]

I wasn't too fond of Ave Maria being a part of the ceremony. I'm not sure Mr. Reagan would have approved so much either. Wasn't he Presbyterian?...

On the other hand, Amazing Grace is the right and proper song for any Christian funeral. The ceremony was beautiful...

-James

Well he started making the provisions for his funeral when he was in Office, so I assume he chose the music as well.

[JeffreyLloyd]

Well he started making the provisions for his funeral when he was in Office, so I assume he chose the music as well.

He did :)

[Polycarp1]

The Ave Maria was a request by Nancy Reagan -- and its use demonstrates Anglican inclusivity. As the National Cathedral, it's a building hosted by ECUSA and regularly having ECUSA services but available for the use of the nation. In this case, an Episcopal priest who was part of the Reagan Revolution was called on to lead a service that was intentionally inclusive of the wide variety of faith traditions in America. And Nancy Reagan requested the Ave Maria sung by Ronan Tynan, along with a few other elements, to be a part of the service. (My father, a lifelong Methodist with a fondness for the Ave Maria, would have approved.)

[chalice_thunder]

I'm not too big a fan of Ronan Tynan - but hey, that's just my opinion. He did a fine job of Ave Maria.

Amazing Grace as a solo does not work at all for me. In my opinion as a liturgist, the hymn should have been sung.

OH well - you know the old joke:

Q: What's the difference between a liturgist and a terrorist?

A: You can reason with a terrorist.

[Polycarp1]

I'm not too big a fan of Ronan Tynan - but hey, that's just my opinion. He did a fine job of Ave Maria.

Amazing Grace as a solo does not work at all for me. In my opinion as a liturgist, the hymn should have been sung.

OH well - you know the old joke:

Q: What's the difference between a liturgist and a terrorist?

A: You can reason with a terrorist.
Good point. I don't object to worshipping by listening -- to an organist or a choir just the same as to a preacher doing a sermon. But I get very frustrated by people who feel that my worship is the time for their performance. As the preface in the Eucharistic Prayer reads, "Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we listen silently as Miss Diva Wannabe performs a solo on 'Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts....'":doh:

[chalice_thunder]

Good point. I don't object to worshipping by listening -- to an organist or a choir just the same as to a preacher doing a sermon. But I get very frustrated by people who feel that my worship is the time for their performance. As the preface in the Eucharistic Prayer reads, "Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we listen silently as Miss Diva Wannabe performs a solo on 'Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts....'":doh:

EXACTLY!
I am so tired of that kind of "performance church."

While I think that it might be ok to sing a choral mass once a year or something like that, it should be done with some reason - perhaps in the context of a historical liturgy from an earlier BCP. But to remove the ORDINARY from the mouths of the people is, IMO, the wrong thing to do...no matter how nice it sounds.

**climbs out of the pulpit and bends over in preparation from the spanking that will inevitably follow from the Anglican Association of Musicians.

[Ballerina]

I watched the ceremony. Absolutely beautiful. All funeral should be that way; it was a true celebration of Reagan's life. Bush Sr really got chugged up. Very honest speech. :)

[TexasCatholic]

'Amazing Grace' comes across most powerfully, IMO, on the bag pipes. It's the one and only request I have for my own funeral. Amazing Grace on the bagpipes.

-James

[jukesk9]

I'm not sure Mr. Reagan would have approved so much either. Wasn't he Presbyterian?...


John Calvin loved the Blessed Mother. I doubt the Reagan family would've approved Ave Maria if the President would've objected to it.

[PaladinValer]

Actually, since an Episcopal priest officiated the burial service, wouldn't that imply he was Episcopalian? ;)

[Polycarp1]

The Raleigh News and Observer article on Reagan's faith stated that he began attending Bel-Air Presbyterian Church 20-odd years ago, at about the time he became President, and formally became a member of that church shortly after leaving office.

As I understand, the Rev. Fr. Senator and Ambassador-Designate who conducted the service was one of the members of Congress elected as part of the Reagan Revolution. Since the National Cathedral, which is Episcopalian, was to be used for the funeral, and there was a man who was both an Episcopal priest and an ex-Senator who was a part of Reagan's legacy, he was Nancy's (or Ron's) choice to conduct the service.

[PaladinValer]

That's the last time I just a book by its cover...

**Is now completely embarassed** :(