Bongos, mass and my husband

[whatevergirl]

Hi everyone;

Happy Saturday!
We went to the vigil mass this evening, and we really like this parish very much. My husband wanted me to post this question to you here. So, mass started late by 15 minutes tonight, which was unusual, but no biggie. But, while we were waiting for the priest, the ‘band’ started playing the bongos–loudly. My husband leaned over and whispered in my ear, “I would like to take a poll right now and see who appreciates these bongos. If 80% like them, I wouldn’t say another word…but I doubt many do.” Honestly, I don’t like the bongos, either, everyone. It is so irreverant before or during mass. And the bongos continued during mass. We just are a wee bit confused.

My dd leaned over and said before mass–“it sounds like Donkey Kong, mommy.” LOL I giggled quietly, but it was pretty funny to hear even my dd’s thoughts about it.

So, do you ‘mind’ the bongos? Do you feel that the music is getting a bit carried away–too ultra modern? It’s not even modern, as my husband would say “I felt I went to a Mama and Papa’s concert, and a mass took place.” He really was not happy about it. My husband is a pretty conservative Catholic, albeit has his ‘issues’ with some of the RCC teachings. (although he follows them) I dunno. We really like this parish, but these bongos, and “hippie style” singing. It’s not always this way, maybe every couple of masses, it’s like this.

Just curious as to your thoughts on this.

 

[Guitar]

Although personally “conservative” in my church music preferences, as a “jobbing musician” I am exposed to all sorts within the boundaries of “licit”, so I don’t think I can be accused of fuddyduddyism or elevating matters of taste, culture and opinion to the status of moral issues.

Me, I reckon no bongoes. Not for white Westerners, anyway. Maybe in the context of a tribal culture for whom drums are a ceremonial “official occasion” instrument. But that doesn’t apply in Western societies.

Bongoes get mentioned a lot here and while I’ve seen some pretty screwy stuff in my time, I seem to have missed out on the bongo experience. (And Kumbaya. ) Is this a North American thing?

 

[ilovekittens]

I don’t like bongo drums in church, either.

 

[AngelRose81]

Well, my parish doesn’t have bongos all the time at least. Sometimes they are used if the youth is doing a special mass or we are having a choir concert or something. I don’t really like them either. I’m also not a huge fan of the guitars, drums, etc that sometimes sneak in. I choose to go to our parish’s 8 am service, which is the most traditional NO mass offered. DH (who’s not Catholic, btw) doesn’t like the extra instruments either.

 

[Cathryn]

I would not like the bongos at at the Sacrifice of the Mass either. I imagine it also irritates the angels and saints, too, who are worshiping in awe and reverence around us. I believe we should be in harmony with them.

 

[kage_ar]

Unless one is attending Mass on an island in the south seas, I cannot imagine bongos being appropriate.

 

[whatevergirl]

Ok good–we are not alone!
I don’t mind bongos, in popular songs I’m listening to on the radio, or a cd. And the woman playing the bongos was kind of jumping around…beating the drum. It reminded me of I Love Lucy…babaloooo! I think it’s more distracting. We are trying to pray, and I have found the music to be distracting. I don’t think that should be a choir’s or band’s intent at mass.

Thanks for your comments evreyone!

Guitar–I’m not sure if this is just a western thing??

 

[Cathryn]

Ok good–we are not alone!
I don’t mind bongos, in popular songs I’m listening to on the radio, or a cd. And the woman playing the bongos was kind of jumping around…beating the drum. It reminded me of I Love Lucy…babaloooo! I think it’s more distracting. We are trying to pray, and I have found the music to be distracting. I don’t think that should be a choir’s or band’s intent at mass.

Thanks for your comments evreyone!

Guitar–I’m not sure if this is just a western thing??

I have the image in my mind of being in a jungle and the Mass being said reverently by the priest. The bongo music would be coming from the backround by the folks who decided not to go to the Mass. It is the outside world, it’s not the sacred.

 

[whatevergirl]

I have the image in my mind of being in a jungle and the Mass being said reverently by the priest. The bongo music would be coming from the backround by the folks who decided not to go to the Mass. It is the outside world, it’s not the sacred.

Bingo! Yes, that’s how we felt. I hate to judge why they have chosen this music, but the result is irreverance.

 

[agapewolf]

For what its worth, drums, when played correctly make me want to belt louder when I’m in the congregation., and it helps me lead others in singing at my church.

it can’t be a performance, and has to be played well

I wonder if what you actually saw were actually bongos…or perhaps djembe or congas.

I disagree that it is always irreverant. I’m not arguing here that it belongs in the mass, so before anybody goes haywire on me… let it go.

I just disagree that it is irreverant. My friend is one of the most humble guys I know, and he is an amazing drummer, he played drums for the pope when he came. He plays for church every Sunday and he is VERY reverent.

By the way, drums are not the outside world. They are mentioned in the psalms.

 

[whatevergirl]

For what its worth, drums, when played correctly make me want to belt louder when I’m in the congregation., and it helps me lead others in singing at my church.

it can’t be a performance, and has to be played well

I wonder if what you actually saw were actually bongos…or perhaps djembe or congas.

I disagree that it is always irreverant. I’m not arguing here that it belongs in the mass, so before anybody goes haywire on me… let it go.

I just disagree that it is irreverant. My friend is one of the most humble guys I know, and he is an amazing drummer, he played drums for the pope when he came. He plays for church every Sunday and he is VERY reverent.

By the way, drums are not the outside world. They are mentioned in the psalms.

hmmm, you have me wondering a bit now! How would I know if they were bongos? They sounded and looked like bongos. (we were sitting kind of close to the choir area this evening)

 

[agapewolf]

I’m not saying it matters for the discussion at hand.

djembe is a large african drum

congas are large hand drums that stand a few feet tall.

Bongos are mini versions of congas that played in the lap. They tend a lot of times to be replicated as children’s toys.
This is why It grates on me when people constantly refer to all the hand drums they hear here as bongos… (whatever girl, I’m not blaming you at all… I understand that you might know the difference)…

 

[whatevergirl]

I’m not saying it matters for the discussion at hand.

djembe is a large african drum

congas are large hand drums that stand a few feet tall.

Bongos are mini versions of congas that played in the lap. They tend a lot of times to be replicated as children’s toys.
This is why It grates on me when people constantly refer to all the hand drums they hear here as bongos… (whatever girl, I’m not blaming you at all… I understand that you might know the difference)…

it’s the conga (sp?) then. It stands about 3 feet or a little less.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Well, where is PenguinFan that he can’t post on his own???

That said- You gotta be kidding me. I always wondered who would beat out my famed Nairobi Trio from Old Parish. Your bongo bongers have done so. That is not a compliment.

 

[benedictgal]

Hi everyone;

Happy Saturday!
We went to the vigil mass this evening, and we really like this parish very much. My husband wanted me to post this question to you here. So, mass started late by 15 minutes tonight, which was unusual, but no biggie. But, while we were waiting for the priest, the ‘band’ started playing the bongos–loudly. My husband leaned over and whispered in my ear, “I would like to take a poll right now and see who appreciates these bongos. If 80% like them, I wouldn’t say another word…but I doubt many do.” Honestly, I don’t like the bongos, either, everyone. It is so irreverant before or during mass. And the bongos continued during mass. We just are a wee bit confused.

My dd leaned over and said before mass–“it sounds like Donkey Kong, mommy.” LOL I giggled quietly, but it was pretty funny to hear even my dd’s thoughts about it.

So, do you ‘mind’ the bongos? Do you feel that the music is getting a bit carried away–too ultra modern? It’s not even modern, as my husband would say “I felt I went to a Mama and Papa’s concert, and a mass took place.” He really was not happy about it. My husband is a pretty conservative Catholic, albeit has his ‘issues’ with some of the RCC teachings. (although he follows them) I dunno. We really like this parish, but these bongos, and “hippie style” singing. It’s not always this way, maybe every couple of masses, it’s like this.

Just curious as to your thoughts on this.

When you said bongos, it reminded me of Gilligan’s Island and that bizarre Matthew McCoughanay incident a few years back. That being said, I do not think that bongos (or drums) have any place in the Mass. Nothing that is profane should be used for the liturgy.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is something that is supposed to be solemn and reflect the Divine Majesty of God. We tend to forget that during the Mass, the veil between heaven and earth is lifted and we are joining the angels in worshipping and adoring God.

Bongos is just another example of idiosyncracies that have cropped up into the Mass.

Incidentally, the bongo playing for the Holy Father may not have happened during the Mass. Even if it did, I am reminded of what Cardinal Arinze said during a Q & A session that appeared on the Adoremus website:

Did the pope arrange it? Poor Holy Father – he comes, the people arranged. He does not know what they arranged. And somebody introduces something funny – is the pope responsible for that? Does that mean it is now approved? Did they put in on the table of the Congregation for Divine Worship?

While he was referring to the issue of “liturgical dance”, in other broadcast interviews, he has made the same statement regarding other strange novelties that had popped up during many of JP II’s apostolic voyages. I suspect, though, that Pope Benedict XVI will keep a sharper eye on things.

 

[whatevergirl]

Well, where is PenguinFan that he can’t post on his own???

That said- You gotta be kidding me. I always wondered who would beat out my famed Nairobi Trio from Old Parish. Your bongo bongers have done so. That is not a compliment.

LOL! Penguins and Patriots are playing right now–we just can’t compete with them. hee hee He has been enjoying this board though. We only have one computer, so even if he wasn’t preoccupied…I found this place first!

Regarding the drums…I didn’t think it was a compliment. haha!! Oh my…it’s kind of funny in an offbeat (no pun) kinda of way.

 

[agapewolf]

Apparently I’m being followed.

drums are not profane…the are in the psalms.

My mention of the drumming for the pope was not to promote their usage. I was merely mentioning who the person was. I said in my earlier post, I was not arguing for it in mass. B-gal why must you always argue points that I’m not even bringing up?

I was refuting the point that they are irreverant, and now the “label” of being profane. Not that they should be used in Mass. Can you please read my posts?

 

[whatevergirl]

Apparently I’m being followed.

drums are not profane…the are in the psalms.

My mention of the drumming for the pope was not to promote their usage. I was merely mentioning who the person was. I said in my earlier post, I was not arguing for it in mass. B-gal why must you always argue points that I’m not even bringing up?

I was refuting the point that they are irreverant, and now the “label” of being profane. Not that they should be used in Mass. Can you please read my posts?

I wondered what you meant by that, if you were a bongo advocate. haha

 

[benedictgal]

Apparently I’m being followed.

drums are not profane…the are in the psalms.

My mention of the drumming for the pope was not to promote their usage. I was merely mentioning who the person was. I said in my earlier post, I was not arguing for it in mass. B-gal why must you always argue points that I’m not even bringing up?

I was refuting the point that they are irreverant, and now the “label” of being profane. Not that they should be used in Mass. Can you please read my posts?

First of all, I think that you’ve been listening to Rockwell’s song too much (the one where Michael Jackson makes a guest appearance–80s hit) .

But, in all seriousness, this is what Musicam SAcram says regarding musical instruments:

1. In permitting and using musical instruments, the culture and traditions of individual peoples must be taken into account. However, those instruments which are, by common opinion and use, suitable for secular music only, are to be altogether prohibited from every liturgical celebration and from popular devotions.44

Any musical instrument permitted in divine worship should be used in such a way that it meets the needs of the liturgical celebration, and is in the interests both of the beauty of worship and the edification of the faithful.

Furthermore, the former Pope John Paul II made some observations as well in his Chirograph on Sacred Music:

In our day too, careful thought, as I emphasized in the Encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia, should be given to the fact that not all the expressions of figurative art or of music are able “to express adequately the mystery grasped in the fullness of the Church’s faith”[14]. Consequently, not all forms of music can be considered suitable for liturgical celebrations.

1. Another principle, affirmed by St Pius X in the Motu Proprio Tra le Sollecitudini and which is closely connected with the previous one, is that of sound form. There can be no music composed for the celebration of sacred rites which is not first of all “true art” or which does not have that efficacy “which the Church aims at obtaining in admitting into her Liturgy the art of musical sounds”[15].

Yet this quality alone does not suffice. Indeed, liturgical music must meet the specific prerequisites of the Liturgy: full adherence to the text it presents, synchronization with the time and moment in the Liturgy for which it is intended, appropriately reflecting the gestures proposed by the rite. The various moments in the Liturgy require a musical expression of their own. From time to time this must fittingly bring out the nature proper to a specific rite, now proclaiming God’s marvels, now expressing praise, supplication or even sorrow for the experience of human suffering which, however, faith opens to the prospect of Christian hope.

This may not specifically and directly address the issue of bongos, but, the general idea is there.

 

[whatevergirl]

First of all, I think that you’ve been listening to Rockwell’s song too much (the one where Michael Jackson makes a guest appearance–80s hit) .

But, in all seriousness, this is what Musicam SAcram says regarding musical instruments:

Furthermore, the former Pope John Paul II made some observations as well in his Chirograph on Sacred Music:

This may not specifically and directly address the issue of bongos, but, the general idea is there.

Thank you very much for posting this. I just read it aloud to my husband, and he was nodding his head, and wonders if there is anything that we can do? I mean, if it is violating (maybe that’s not the right word) the edification of the faithful, and the intent of worship, then bongos should be taken out. The music minister now runs the show at the parishes? It seems this way, to an extent.