University of Nebraska Lincoln should never have granted a doctorate to this student

OPINION: M. Joseph Willette apparently lacks the ability to create beautiful works of art, so he fell back on attacking the Catholic Mass

When M. Joseph Willette submitted his “Mass of Perpetual Indulgence” to wrap up his doctoral program at the University of Nebraska Lincoln, the school should have handed it back to him and asked him to create something of value.

Yet, the Glen Korff School of Music, led by Professor Felix Olschofka, apparently has no problem with mocking the Catholic faith.

As covered now several times by The College Fix, Willette (pictured) created a drag performance version of the Catholic Mass and performed it at a local Lutheran church.

The performance is explicitly meant to mock Catholicism, as it includes portions unique to the Mass, including the Kyrie, where the faithful ask for God’s mercy, and the Sanctus, where Catholics venerate the Eucharist. The offensive parts of the Mass have been covered twice now by Fix articles – what I want to focus on is the low-quality work the UNL music department supports and how it is unbecoming of an academic institution.

Simply put, Willette shows no understanding of what makes music beautiful – or perhaps he lacks the technical skill to make good music, so he has to fall back on political and offensive productions. He mocks not just Catholicism, but good music.

Below are a few clips from the drag performance which is supposed to replicate the Catholic Mass.

In addition to being offensive, this University of Nebraska student’s music is just really, really, bad. I mean really low quality, incredibly jarring, awful to listen to. pic.twitter.com/glPAre6bVo

— Matt Lamb (@MattLamb22) June 10, 2025

I don’t dispute the music sounds like some post-Vatican II Catholic Masses – because the music is simply bad and ugly.

There is no harmony or unity in the songs. It sounds worse than a junior high band recital. In one clip, the singing is bad but is thankfully drowned out by the obnoxious percussionist music.

The best part of the whole show is when it ends.

The music department must know how to produce good music. Compare that awful performance by Willette with this violin performance by Professor Olschofka.