Can we make mass less "cheesy"..?

[TEPO]

I couldnt help myself from swaying back and forth during the Our Father last Sunday out of pure sarcasm because it just seemed soooo sloooow and quite frankly, a little cheesy.

Why does mass have to be such a social event? Why do we need to turn our churches into something like a meeting hall as opposed to a temple where miracles take place…

I want to see more candles.
I want to see people to experience church… Not attend church.
I want to hear more syncronized prayer that sounds more “chantish”
I want to smell more incense.
I want to see special effects in lighting.
I want to hear more orchestrated music with flutes and harps.
I want to see the lights shut completely off with a drumroll right before father says “Through Him with Him in Him in the unity of the Holy Spirit”
I want bells replaced with symbols.
I want more stained glass.

I want Church to be a unique and thrilling experience. Less casual more theatrical.

Please feel free to critique my proposal.

 

[Alveus_Lacuna]

I want to see more candles.
I want to people to experience church… Not attend church.
I want to hear more syncronized prayer that sounds more “chantish”
I want to smell more incense.

In the Orthodox Church, these are all givens, no matter the temple you attend.

I want to see special effects in lighting.
I want to hear more orchestrated music with flutes and harps.
I want to see the lights shut completely off with a drumroll right before father says “Through Him with Him in Him in the unity of the Holy Spirit”
I want bells replaced with symbols.

And we’ve just returned to the realm of cheese…

 

[TEPO]

I just think it gets cheesy when people try to make mass seem “fun”… I’d rather go to a “scary” church.

 

[MarkThompson]

Please feel free to critique my proposal.

The only critique is that it’s just a list of “I wants.” The Mass is not about what you personally prefer. Never has been, never will be. Other than that, you’re entitled to prefer whatever you feel like.

BTW, “special effects in lighting,” “flutes and harps” at Mass, drumrolls, and “symbols [cymbals?]” are pretty much the definition of what many people here would consider “cheesy.” This is the Mass; we’re not introducing the next guest on Letterman.

 

[tammy57]

The only critique is that it’s just a list of “I wants.” The Mass is not about what you personally prefer. Never has been, never will be. Other than that, you’re entitled to prefer whatever you feel like.

BTW, “special effects in lighting,” “flutes and harps” at Mass, drumrolls, and “symbols [cymbals?]” are pretty much the definition of what many people here would consider “cheesy.” This is the Mass; we’re not introducing the next guest on Letterman.

(Wasn’t that TEPO’s point?)

tammy57

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

I just think it gets cheesy when people try to make mass seem “fun”… I’d rather go to a “scary” church.

but it does need to be balanced…God is not only justice…but he is mercy. We need to remember both.

I left the Catholic Church when I was a teen because all I heard was the God of justice…and yet interesting enough never heard a homily on receiving in a state of grace and reconciliation. Went to the Protestant church for the God of mercy. Back because I realized he is both.

Yes…we don’t want it to be a big warm and fuzzy moment where you can do whatever you want HOWEVER it shouldn’t be “scary” either.

Forget everything going with stained glass, etc…I love a Mass where everyone is participating and not just there to put their seat time in.

 

[TEPO]

The only critique is that it’s just a list of “I wants.” The Mass is not about what you personally prefer. Never has been, never will be. Other than that, you’re entitled to prefer whatever you feel like.

BTW, “special effects in lighting,” “flutes and harps” at Mass, drumrolls, and “symbols [cymbals?]” are pretty much the definition of what many people here would consider “cheesy.” This is the Mass; we’re not introducing the next guest on Letterman.

So in other words, you’re saying that you’re happy with mass just the way it is.

Well, I just think some parts of it are unnatural and uncomfortably odd. Like holding hands for two minutes while singing the Our Father in slow motion.

Whatever happened to those spooky pipe organs we used to use…?

 

[TEPO]

but it does need to be balanced…God is not only justice…but he is mercy. We need to remember both.

I left the Catholic Church when I was a teen because all I heard was the God of justice…and yet interesting enough never heard a homily on receiving in a state of grace and reconciliation. Went to the Protestant church for the God of mercy. Back because I realized he is both.

Yes…we don’t want it to be a big warm and fuzzy moment where you can do whatever you want HOWEVER it shouldn’t be “scary” either.

Forget everything going with stained glass, etc…I love a Mass where everyone is participating and not just there to put their seat time in.

This might sound funny, but I just went on a haunted hay ride with my kids, and ended up having more discussion on God after the ride then I ever had after mass… My kids dont like to go to mass, and I have a hard time getting my older daughter to go… She dosent even want to be confirmed.

…But whenever we discuss “evil” the kids seem to want to ask questions…

I think people may actually yearn to fear God as well as praise Him.

 

[Oumashta]

I couldnt help myself from swaying back and forth during the Our Father last Sunday out of pure sarcasm because it just seemed soooo sloooow and quite frankly, a little cheesy.

Why does mass have to be such a social event? Why do we need to turn our churches into something like a meeting hall as opposed to a temple where miracles take place…

I want to see more candles.
I want to see people to experience church… Not attend church.
I want to hear more syncronized prayer that sounds more “chantish”
I want to smell more incense.
I want to see special effects in lighting.
I want to hear more orchestrated music with flutes and harps.
I want to see the lights shut completely off with a drumroll right before father says “Through Him with Him in Him in the unity of the Holy Spirit”
I want bells replaced with symbols.
I want more stained glass.

I want Church to be a unique and thrilling experience. Less casual more theatrical.

Please feel free to critique my proposal.

I fully agree with the candles, insence, sycronised prayer that sounds chantish, and more stained glass. But honsetly, special effects in lighting, symbols, drumroll, orchestra?

 

[Phemie]

So in other words, you’re saying that you’re happy with mass just the way it is.

I’m happy with Mass when it’s celebrated the way it should be. You’re suggesting something more suitable to the Phantom of the Opera.
More incense would be nice but it’s not necessary. People participating more would be nice but not if they’re doing it to be part of a theatrical production.

Well, I just think some parts of it are unnatural and uncomfortably odd. Like holding hands for two minutes while singing the Our Father in slow motion.

I’ve yet to be in a parish where this is done – guess I’ve been lucky enough to go to Mass in parishes where the Our Father is recited or sung as directed by the GIRM not with additional rituals that aren’t approved by the Church.

Whatever happened to those spooky pipe organs we used to use…?

I know that the pipe organ is the most suitable instrument for Mass, but they were few and far between even when I was growing up in the 50s. Our parish certainly didn’t have one and it was erected back in 1848.
Organ, yes; pipe organ, no.

Unfortunately, in many places, organists who can play a pipe organ are scarcer than hens’ teeth, so we do what we can with the talent that is available.

 

[TEPO]

I fully agree with the candles, insence, sycronised prayer that sounds chantish, and more stained glass. But honsetly, special effects in lighting, symbols, drumroll, orchestra?

Sure, I went to a Christmas Mass in AZ one time, that actually used a harp, and these wierd “chime” objects that were played in sequence by about seven individuals… They even used violins. It was remarkable…

As for the lighting, I think it should all be dimmed when the Priest turns the bread and wine into Body and Blood… I think the Church should stress the Miracle of the Eucharist. This would be the perfect time to shine a single beam of light down as transubstantiation takes place.

The actual mass is more about Faith, Worship and Gods Miracle of the Eucharist. Much less about community. Community time is after Church.

 

[TEPO]

I’m happy with Mass when it’s celebrated the way it should be. You’re suggesting something more suitable to the Phantom of the Opera.
More incense would be nice but it’s not necessary. People participating more would be nice but not if they’re doing it to be part of a theatrical production.

Well what do you expect from a guy who lives down the street from Hollywood…? kpeople: But honestly, the cost would probably be a bit much -but it sure would be cool.

I’ve yet to be in a parish where this is done – guess I’ve been lucky enough to go to Mass in parishes where the Our Father is recited or sung as directed by the GIRM not with additional rituals that aren’t approved by the Church.

I dont know for sure what is approved or not, but in the Church I’ve been attending lately, the Our Father is sung in song form, and the song is sung sooooo sloooowly, it actually seems to last several minutes… Long enough to feel the sweat bead-up between mine and the strangers hand I was holding.

I know that the pipe organ is the most suitable instrument for Mass, but they were few and far between even when I was growing up in the 50s. Our parish certainly didn’t have one and it was erected back in 1848.
Organ, yes; pipe organ, no.

Unfortunately, in many places, organists who can play a pipe organ are scarcer than hens’ teeth, so we do what we can with the talent that is available.

You have a good point… The pipe organ is extremely rare, and very difficult to play.

 

[Phemie]

Well what do you expect from a guy who lives down the street from Hollywood…? kpeople: But honestly, the cost would probably be a bit much -but it sure would be cool.

Sorry, but ‘cool’ isn’t what I’m looking for when I go to Mass.

I dont know for sure what is approved or not, but in the Church I’ve been attending lately, the Our Father is sung in song form, and the song is sung sooooo sloooowly, it actually seems to last several minutes… Long enough to feel the sweat bead-up between mine and the strangers hand I was holding.

I know that we often sing a cappella, particularly at the Saturday evening Mass, and people seem to think that if it’s being sung in Church you can’t pick up the tempo. Even hymns set to “Ode to Joy” come out sounding like funeral dirges.

The worst setting for the Our Father that I’ve ever heard, bar none, was when our youth group insisted on singing it to the tune of “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” from “Jesus Christ Superstar”. To them the setting meant nothing; to me it was a head spinner as I hadn’t realized what the tune was until the words I was singing became “He’s a man, he’s just a man, and I’ve had so many men before, in very many ways he’s just one more.” Not good.

 

[TEPO]

Sorry, but ‘cool’ isn’t what I’m looking for when I go to Mass.

What about elegant and respectful then…?

That might be a better way to describe what I’m imagining in my mind when I say “special effects”… The other poster said I was acting as if I were introducing the next guest on letterman -but why shouldnt we do as much or even better when introducing the true Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ…? Gods Miracle/New Covenant to us.

All I’m actually suggesting is the dimming of the lights when the Eucharistic Miracle occurs, while adding a single beam of light to focus our attention on what matters. Also reintroducing the “bell-ringing” or something better like chimes or cymbols or something. Other than that I’d appreciate more elegant music like violin, harp, or even pipe organ.

Nothing cheap here. Just the best. More traditional yet with more modern lighting.

 

[TEPO]

Also, no more holding hands while singing the extended Our Father… :coolinoff:

 

[paperbackwinter]

First, we gotta stop building these barns that pass for churches. While I understand a Catholic Church is a community, we don’t need to have Mass in the meeting room. A beautiful setting is needed.

Second, if you really want to see the beauty of the Mass, go to a weekday Mass. You’ll be amazed. The response to the prayers is as loud as a Sunday Mass but with a 90% fewer people. The people that go to weekday Masses don’t have to be there, but they are. And they truly show their love for the Mass. Chanting and music is nice, but a weekday Mass with people truly devoted to their God is absolutely stunning.

 

[thistle]

Also, no more holding hands while singing the extended Our Father… :coolinoff:

You are not obliged to hold hands anyway. Nobody can force you to hold hands.
When its time for the Our Father simply put your own palms together.

 

[dconklin]

We have a non-denominational church here in town that has all the stage lights and special effect that you would love. They have full band and an espresso machine as well. However, I bet that do not have any incense and the definitely don’t have the Eucharist.

 

[giuseppeTO]

There is a parish in Maryland who did the dramatic lighting thing for a while but eventually dropped it. There was a series of 4 buttons on the pulpit and on the altar and the priest and lectors changed the lighting for different parts of the Mass. I found it distracting.

 

[archangel04]

I couldnt help myself from swaying back and forth during the Our Father last Sunday out of pure sarcasm because it just seemed soooo sloooow and quite frankly, a little cheesy.

Why does mass have to be such a social event? Why do we need to turn our churches into something like a meeting hall as opposed to a temple where miracles take place…

I want to see more candles.
I want to see people to experience church… Not attend church.
I want to hear more syncronized prayer that sounds more “chantish”
I want to smell more incense.
I want more stained glass.

I want to see special effects in lighting.
I want to hear more orchestrated music with flutes and harps.
I want to see the lights shut completely off with a drumroll right before father says “Through Him with Him in Him in the unity of the Holy Spirit”
I want bells replaced with symbols.
I want Church to be a unique and thrilling experience. Less casual more theatrical.

Please feel free to critique my proposal.

OK the bold part is just way to cheesy, even more cheesy then what we have now, you might as well have Pink Floyd laser show with new age dancers and fog lol.