Case LIII: A Musician’s Co-Operation by Playing in Protestant Churches and at Dances

In a small town there is an orchestra of which Torquatus is a member. He is a man with family and obtains his sole income from this profession, making a fairly good living. He is often called upon to play at Protestant funerals, also at dances—not infrequently immodest dances. The leader of the orchestra declares that Torquatus must play at all engagements or be dismissed. Torquatus, a conscientious Catholic, asks his confessor what to do under these circumstances. What answer should be given him?

If Torquatus can find other employment, by which he can support his family respectably, he should be advised, without doubt, to quit the orchestra. If this is not possible, then the question is whether the situation excuses him in co-operating, in the manner mentioned, at Protestant funerals and at dances. The twofold danger, of injuring his own soul and of giving scandal to others and co-operating in their sins, appears to prohibit him from so doing.

As regards the actual danger it should not be difficult for a conscientious father of a family to render this danger very remote, especially by purity of intention and by vigilance and prayer.

His participation in an act of non-Catholic worship, and in the sins of others on the dance floor, appears to be more important. For this reason these two points may receive closer attention.

1. As regards playing at Protestant funerals, a distinction must be made as to whether the co-operation must be regarded as formal, or merely as material. Such participation is formal if it forms part of the forbidden ritual, or if it is part of the same, as for instance playing the organ, or singing at non-Catholic services. In such cases the participation can not be excused for any necessity whatever, because it is essentially wrong. In this sense moralists prohibit Catholics from singing, making responses, or playing the organ at non-

Catholic services (Compare Marc, n. 433 (2); LEHMKUHL, n. 656).

If the orchestra, of which Torquatus is a member, plays funeral marches, etc., at Protestant funerals, the same as at other purely profane occasions, this co-operation can as little be considered as formal participation as that of mourners accompanying a funeral; both could be considered only material participation, for this reason taking part in a Protestant funeral procession is allowed for just reasons, for example as an act of civic decency. “To accompany a funeral as far as the doors of the church or cemetery is considered a civil observance (Marc, n. 432, 2). And (LEHMKUHL, n. 656, 2), permits “A concert of musical instruments during a religious rite, but not as a part or ornament of it—for example, in honor of a non-Catholic prince who is present.”

2. The second question is whether Torquatus’ musical co-operation at dances—not infrequently immoral dances—is not formal co-operation, and as such positively forbidden. “Formal co-operation in another’s sin is always intrinsically evil, and therefore never lawful” (Aertnys, I, II, n. 77). The same authority says: “Co-operation is formal either from the end of the work or from the end of the agent” (n. 76). The latter is evidently not the case with Torquatus, who certainly does not intend the sins of others. As regards the finis operis the rule is: “Co-operation is formal when it concurs with the evil will of another by furnishing assistance which by its own nature is ordered to evil or is a part of it.” It would be difficult to establish that the playing of a musical instrument, even in the rendering of an immodest piece, is to be considered as an act which by its own nature is ordered to evil or is a part of it. It would be quite another matter with the singing of shameful songs.

Even if we admit that the co-operation of Torquatus is merely material and therefore in case of need not in itself prohibited, yet it appears that his co-operation at such dances is a grave scandal to all who learn of it, this so much the more as he is looked upon as a righteous man. This aspect is not to be overlooked, and for this reason Torquatus is obliged without doubt to prevent, as far as possible, such scandal by making known in his circles that he only unwillingly and under pressure of circumstances plays at Protestant funerals and at questionable dances. If he does this then he is hardly obliged, for fear of giving scandal, to quit the orchestra, “since charity, by force of which he ought to remove scandal, does not bind with so great an inconvenience” (AERTNYS, n. 317).

Although in the interests of morality it were greatly to be desired that hall keepers, and others, who arrange dances and amusements dangerous to morals, were unable to find musicians and dancers, yet we must not impose this as duty upon an individual as in the case of Torquatus, when the principles of morals do not appear to compel under such great difficulties.

P. John Schwienbacher, C.SS.R.