Changes in the Liturgy

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whipp711

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No, I’m not talking about the upcoming changes. Let me set the stage. I converted from Presbyterian to Catholic 40 years ago. After a bit, I lapsed, and there was a period of little interaction with the Church. In 2002, the wife and I experienced a rebirth or interest in becoming better Catholics.

Upon returning, I noticed some significant changes in the practice of Mass. Let me preface this by saying this is particular to our parish and some others in the Dallas, Texas area. I’m talking about the “musicification” of the Mass. I remember the congregation simply saying in unison parts of the Mass. Now, there was singing.

Before lapsing, I noted the influx of guitars at Saturday night Mass. Sunday was still traditional music. At my parish now, we have a band for all Mass celebrations. Drums, electric guitars, bongos, flutes, you name it. I had this feeling that the music was becoming the focus and center of attention. The band sits behind the altar with a wall that doesn’t even have a Crucifix.

I know, I’m like a guy frozen in ice for decades, unfrozen and uncomfortable with the current practice.

Question: Was this a U.S. Church pushed agenda or practice of musicification? Local parish issue? Thanks for any observations or thoughts.
 
Sung Liturgy is part of the Church’s tradition. I know some may object to today’s type of music in parishes, but surely the entire Mass can be sung, or even just parts of it. The TLM (High Mass) and various Eastern Rite Liturgies are chanted and sung.

I have met priests who try to chant parts of the OF Mass. I think the entire Mass should be chanted and sung. But that is just me.
 
ConstantineTG said:
Sung Liturgy is part of the Church’s tradition. I know some may object to today’s type of music in parishes, but surely the entire Mass can be sung, or even just parts of it. The TLM (High Mass) and various Eastern Rite Liturgies are chanted and sung.
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I know that it is part of the tradition of the Church. Not focused on that. The modern band and hymns being sung are a real juxtaposition for me.

I’ve had the good fortune to travel the world. Mass is celebrated with more reverance than what I’m running into locally.

Our prior Father introduced bits of Latin and true Gregorian chants as an experiment. I absolutely loved it. My wife and I experienced the same thing while attending a Mass at the Vatican last year. Gave you goose bumps.

It’s just missing locally.
 
+JMJ+

Well in all honesty Wipp, this practice of “Rock Masses” or the use of a secular style of Music within the liturgy is an abuse, and is unfortunately all over catholic parishes.

I believe it was highly influenced by a misunderstanding of Catholic Worship. Cardinal Arinze has great things to say about this topic.

+Deo Gratias+

youtube.com/watch?v=9rJFdmmqj_s&feature=youtu.be
 
Does a banjo beat bongos? You might be one upping us with the addition of that flute.
 
whipp711 said:
I know that it is part of the tradition of the Church. Not focused on that. The modern band and hymns being sung are a real juxtaposition for me.

I’ve had the good fortune to travel the world. Mass is celebrated with more reverance than what I’m running into locally.

Our prior Father introduced bits of Latin and true Gregorian chants as an experiment. I absolutely loved it. My wife and I experienced the same thing while attending a Mass at the Vatican last year. Gave you goose bumps.

It’s just missing locally.
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Well, its a mix of the old and new. They try to follow old tradition of sung Liturgy but using the music of today. The results vary. I’ve heard modern music which are nice and worthy of use in Church. I’ve also heard some that makes your eyes roll to the back of your head.
 
Barbkw said:
Does a banjo beat bongos? You might be one upping us with the addition of that flute.
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I left out electric bass. Our music director, God bless him, plays an electric accustical (sp) guitar in a spirited fashion. Folk music cross with Broadway show tunes.

If a harmonica shows up, I’m searching for another parish.
 
ConstantineTG said:
I have met priests who try to chant parts of the OF Mass. I think the entire Mass should be chanted and sung. But that is just me.
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Not just you. I love it when the priest sings the parts proper to him, I especially love it when the dialogs are sung.
 
There is a book called “Why Catholics Can’t Sing” I don’t remember the author.

But the jist of it is that the music published by OCP is for the most part not suitable for congretational singing. It works well with a trained vocalist or choir but in many of these hymns the range is just to much for the average joe catholic.

I get very disappointed when I attend the Wednesday school mass for the children here at school. The choir director has a lovely voice but she stands up there strums a guitar and sings these repetive high pitched songs that the children just don’t or won’t sing.

It’s not just the modern music. We had a Faith Rally here a few months ago and the song leader was very good and the songs he chose were loved by the children and easy to sing.

Personally I like gregorian chant and the old Marian hyms we used to sing at May Crowning.

Just my 2 cents worth
 
If you prefer the Extraordinary Form (the Traditional Latin Mass), you could go to Mater Dei off of Loop 12 and Irving Blvd. It’s gorgeous, with all the sung Propers and various motets.
 
whipp711 said:
IIf a harmonica shows up, I’m searching for another parish.
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LOL! When I was growing up, our parish choir had a hardcore harmonica player. He didn’t just have one harmonica, but several (all in a different key and octave) that he kept in his harmonica apron he wore, along with hiswestern shirt, cowboy boots, and Texas-style string tie (he wore dress pants, though:thumbsup:).

How do you feel about brass bands and crossing-guard whistles in church?
en.gloria.tv/?media=3047

I heard there’s also a bagpipe Mass. :eek: I love well-played bagpipe, but I’m baffled how they made it work seeing how Highland Bagpipes can only play 9 notes.
 
whipp711 said:
No, I’m not talking about the upcoming changes. Let me set the stage. I converted from Presbyterian to Catholic 40 years ago. After a bit, I lapsed, and there was a period of little interaction with the Church. In 2002, the wife and I experienced a rebirth or interest in becoming better Catholics.

Upon returning, I noticed some significant changes in the practice of Mass. Let me preface this by saying this is particular to our parish and some others in the Dallas, Texas area. I’m talking about the “musicification” of the Mass. I remember the congregation simply saying in unison parts of the Mass. Now, there was singing.

Before lapsing, I noted the influx of guitars at Saturday night Mass. Sunday was still traditional music. At my parish now, we have a band for all Mass celebrations. Drums, electric guitars, bongos, flutes, you name it. I had this feeling that the music was becoming the focus and center of attention. The band sits behind the altar with a wall that doesn’t even have a Crucifix.

I know, I’m like a guy frozen in ice for decades, unfrozen and uncomfortable with the current practice.

Question: Was this a U.S. Church pushed agenda or practice of musicification? Local parish issue? Thanks for any observations or thoughts.
Click to expand...
I hate the music in most modern Roman parishes. Its like they took the worst parts of protestant worship and tried to incorporate it into Roman Catholic worship. I have had the misfortune of sitting through Masses with bongos, and banjos even a “progressive jazz Mass” (barf). Luckily, I found a Roman Catholic Parish that worships conservatively, the only music is acapella, piano, or organ on Sunday, still though, too many protestant hymns but its at least tolerable, and we need to remember who we are worshiping not necessarily HOW we are worshipping.

Find a new parish man.
 
Augustus24 said:
Never, although the music takes me back to my grandparents house. I cant stop watching it, its like watching a train wreck, I just cant look… away…

My God, what is happening to our Church?
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Modernism of its worst kind. To me it is very much the same as devilry and hidden agendas. Im sorry to be so blunt, but this is my personal view on this matter.
 
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