That was Pre-Vatican II though.
Reminds me of the choir director who described one person as having a lovely voice – for the Altar Guild!My father was once told as a child in choir by a priest that he would do greater service to God by lip sinking. LOL.
She’s not much of a singer obviously. But I’m sure intent countsI don’t think God is a music critic and I don’t think he responds to our prayer, praise, song and worship in any way other than reading what is in our hearts. The most beautiful cantata or chant Mass or sacred music performed by the most talented artists whose lives are sinful and hearts are far from God is heard as discordant jangling and noise in heaven. The most pathetic plinking on out of tune instruments and off-key singing by singers whose hearts are filled with the Holy Spirit and whose lives reflect their humility and holiness are heard as fitting accompaniment to the angelic choirs of heaven.Does bad music please God? While it satisfies our need to ‘pray twice to the Lord by singing’, does God like it? I wonder. When it’s obviously bad – I mean *really bad *-- I suspect God might feel agitated. Might He prefer that we not sing, when we can’t? Might He prefer that we *not *assemble and play groupings of instruments that don’t go together? Recently attending a Mass with attrocious music, I couldn’t help ponder this question…again.
I stand corrected “lip-syncing” as I have now been informed as to where that comes from. Thank you. I also want to say that at some Teen Services music might be considered bad to the older crowd but good to the younger crowd. It is tough to try to judge what God likes as not one of us really is Him.My father was once told as a child in choir by a priest that he would do greater service to God by lip sinking. LOL.
What Puzzleannie said.
As one who cannot sing a note, this is all I ever heard growing up from priests, nuns, and anyone within earshot in Mass. What I always wished they would understand is that a person who cannot sing is totally unaware of it, because it sounds good to them, perfect in fact. A little charity goes a long way here in how one breaks this news to others. People never tell you, “you can’t sing,” they usually try to dilute the message with “can you sing a bit softer?” or words to that effect. That doesn’t help someone who makes noise like fingernails on a chalkboard but thinks they are giving the 3 tenors a run for their money.
I really agree with this. The last paragraph is especially good. Our church has a different set of musicians, each bringing various levels of proficiency to the table, for each Mass. I often think the best advice may be the old line, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” I hear many comments made that are critical only and not the least constructive. I do also agree that musicians, like everyone who provides a service, should always strive to improve their skills and not just be ‘satisfied,’ or ‘stuck,’ as my priest would say.Some people (and congregations) are totally clueless about traditional hymns, chant, etc. If they like the sentiment of a particular song, and if it sounds like the music they listen to outside of church, they will think it’s “good” music. So, if they are presenting mediocre music at Mass but sincerely believe it to be “good” music, and are putting forth their best efforts, I think God is certainly pleased. And if they are presenting excellent music but even their best efforts are pretty weak, I think God is pleased with that, as well, as long as they are trying their best. (I surely hope so, because that was my situation when I first returned to playing the pipe organ! Weak skills but sincere performance, until I improved enough to sound decent).
OTOH, if they DO know better, but continue to use exclusively mediocre music simply because it’s easier, perhaps God is not so pleased with that – not so much because of the music itself, but because of the lax attitude and the failure to strive toward excellence. However, doing a makeover of a particular parish’s music is not an easy task, and usually must be undertaken slowly and gently.
One thing which I am sure is not pleasing to God is the amount of fault-finding, prideful attitudes, and backbiting which so often goes on behind the scenes in so many church music departments, and sometimes from the congregation as well. And that can happen whether the choir is singing pop-style songs or Gregorian chant.
I heard the same thing growing up, but I LOVE to sing. Granted I didn’t sing very loudly at Church but I still sang.
Our dear priest, whom I love, can’t carry a tune in a bucket. He tells us, that while in seminary, he was told NOT to attend complusory choir classes, because of his singing [in]My father was once told as a child in choir by a priest that he would do greater service to God by lip sinking. LOL.
ability! He does intone “Let us proclaim the mystery …” and “Through him, with him, in him…” Should he attempt a sung mass, I’d remember this: Make a joyful noise unto the Lord. He is quite happy and so are we, that he doesn’t sing. Honestly though, I do miss the sung mass. Our former priest had a marvelous voice and sang Sat/Sun/feast/etc.masses.