Do We Have to Sing Along During Mass?

[Phemie]

I find music often speaks to me as the spoken word cannot. However, that means that no one sits in the pew in front of me twice.
:bigyikes:
uch:

I sing to keep bears away when I’m out geocaching. So far my voice has accomplished that remarkably well. I still sing at Mass, though.

We once had a pastor who insisted on singing the Preface every Sunday. I would often walk in on him practicing it during the week. I loved him for it but, goodness, it could sometimes be painful to hear. The religious brother who lived at the rectory even told him in a meeting that he sang badly and should stop but Pastor still insisted on singing the Preface and often some of the dialogue. I actually giggled the day the 4 or 5 month old baby in front of me shuddered when Fr. hit a particularly sour note. But it did show me that he viewed singing as important and gave me the courage to sing myself. I know my voice isn’t as bad as his was.

 

[garn9173]

I cann’t sing to save my life. I just silently say the Gloria, Hosahana (sp?), etc. to myself.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

I sing to keep bears away when I’m out geocaching. So far my voice has accomplished that remarkably well. I still sing at Mass, though.

We once had a pastor who insisted on singing the Preface every Sunday. I would often walk in on him practicing it during the week. I loved him for it but, goodness, it could sometimes be painful to hear. The religious brother who lived at the rectory even told him in a meeting that he sang badly and should stop but Pastor still insisted on singing the Preface and often some of the dialogue. I actually giggled the day the 4 or 5 month old baby in front of me shuddered when Fr. hit a particularly sour note. But it did show me that he viewed singing as important and gave me the courage to sing myself. I know my voice isn’t as bad as his was.

:bigyikes:

Poor little one.

I think I get a sort of clue when I sing and people in the pew in front of me turn around to see if there’s a wounded animal behind them…

 

[PJM]

=Inquiringperson;9265448]I really don’t like singing, and I’m hoping if I’m allowed not to sing.

I’m unsure I would choose the term “have too” even though there is a sense of that proclaimed in Vaticam II’s "Active participation’.

Prayer is necessary; even essential. It is a FaCT that singing is a “form of prayer” and therefore one should enter into it willingly, humbly and joyfully. YES? Yes!

God Bless,
Pat /PJM

 

[liturgyluver]

Nobody has to sing, but there are plenty of directives to show that Church expects its congregation to engage with the the sung parts of the mass, whether they are the congregational settings of the Ordinary, the responsorial Psalm (which inceidently I dislike, I much prefer to chant the whole Psalm, but that’s what we have!) and the hymns.

Only in the Catholic Church can you go to a service and hear an organ silently playing a hymn or a setting of the ordinary while everyone sits - or stands - like dumb spectators. I can’t believe that in a congregation of 400 maybe 20 people sing - it is shameful.

I am increasingly thinking that Thomas Day’s book “Why Catholic’s can’t sing?” accurately describes the majority of US, UK and European experiences at mass. It seems that only German and Austrian Catholics know how to sing and understand the value of music in the liturgy. We need to try and learn from them and stop buck passing and pretending that we can just ignore important parts of the liturgy with pathetic excuses and 100 reasons why it’s okay not to sing.

 

[ProVobis]

Only Jubilate Deo is required.

 

[YoungTradCath]

There is more cheer in a graveyard than with you guys.

-Tim-

We are talking about requirements, not cheer, nor what might be preferred.

For which form of the mass?

In the ordinary form of the mass singing is a good way of participating.

In the liturgy the function of the Choir is the to lead the congregation, not perform.

Singing is prayer.
Singing is participation.

St Augustine says that “To sing once is to pray twice” (Qui cantat, bis orat)

In the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, singing is also a good way of participating.

 

[MissRose73]

St Augustine says that "To sing once is to pray twice" (Qui cantat, bis orat)

I love that quote from the great saint.

I would say we should sing when invited to do so by the priest and/or the cantor. No one asks that we sing as good as professionals or trained choirs. The only times I do not sing is if I have a sore throat or a cold. Otherwise, I do my best to sing as I enjoy music, both contemporary and traditional Catholic hymns at Mass.

 

[superamazingman]

There is more cheer in a graveyard than with you guys.

-Tim-

Is there anything we said that was wrong? You may sing if you wish, but there’s no strict obligation to.

 

[ProVobis]

St Augustine says that “To sing once is to pray twice” (Qui cantat, bis orat)

Actually he didn’t say that.

wdtprs.com/blog/2006/06/who-sings-well-prays-twice-not/

 

[roadsend]

Only Jubilate Deo is required.

When Jubilate Deo or anything else identifiably Catholic is sung. I sing with enthusiasm. When traveling I have been approached twice after Mass by the choir director and asked to join.
At my home parish I sing one or two hymns per month on the average. Almost every thing sung at my home parish is either Protestant or pop-slop and I will not insult Christ by singing that kind of stuff at his Mass. Some of the Protestant stuff is actually pretty good music, but the theology can be pretty questionable.

 

[liturgyluver]

Actually he didn’t say that.

wdtprs.com/blog/2006/06/who-sings-well-prays-twice-not/

Thanks for this link - what he says is an even more positive endorsement of singing than the oft-quoted phrase.

“For he who sings praise, does not only praise, but also praises joyously; he who sings praise, is not only singing, but also loving Him whom he is singing about/to/for.”

 

[Crescentinus]

As long as it’s not along the lines of “Amazing Grace”, I’m good.

 

[IneedGod]

I try, sometimes I just mouth the words but I sing if I can.
Singing is something I miss from the prodestant church but I am hoping with time I will be able to sing more of the Cathlolic hyms.

Song IS a form of worship. I sing at home songs that I know with joy and a bit louder as no one but God can hear me and he loves it even it others dont lol.

Btw check out my siggy. God Bless!

 

[triumphguy]

Well I never! Wiki was wrong!

However 2,000 years of Catholic tradition would echo that saying anyway.

That is why people devote their lives to praising God in monasteries for example.

Apparently Augustine did say, “He who sings, loves” which may be more powerful.

Much of the liturgy ought to be sung, and some of it should ONLY be sung.

 

[superamazingman]

Oh Gather Us In makes me cringe! Is it a sin to make fun of a church song on the car ride home from Mass?

yes, it is a sin to make fun of a church song. But that ain’t one, so you’re good.

 

[exoflare]

Obviously you are either tone deaf, have no artistic temperament, or have an agenda about Church music.

Look, the question is pretty straightforward - why should the same words, just said differently, somehow make a prayer twice as valuable? I was serious about it, but apparently it was more important to insult me than to teach. It’s stuff like this that leads me to believe “he who sings prays twice” is just one of those cliches that sounded good to people so they started repeating it without knowing why.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

Look, the question is pretty straightforward - why should the same words, just said differently, somehow make a prayer twice as valuable? I was serious about it, but apparently it was more important to insult me than to teach. It’s stuff like this that leads me to believe “he who sings prays twice” is just one of those cliches that sounded good to people so they started repeating it without knowing why.

I agree with you. Upon examination, the statement seems more poetic than logical. Maybe if you have to read the lyrics or the music as you sing, in a way, you are doing it twice, because it goes into your eyes, into your brain and comes out your mouth, but that’s kind of a stretch, really.

Intuitively, I thought I understood that quote, but thanks for questioning it, because now I am no longer sure it really means anything at all. And I see above, that it may never have even been said!

 

[liturgyluver]

I agree with you. Upon examination, the statement seems more poetic than logical. Maybe if you have to read the lyrics or the music as you sing, in a way, you are doing it twice, because it goes into your eyes, into your brain and comes out your mouth, but that’s kind of a stretch, really.

Intuitively, I thought I understood that quote, but thanks for questioning it, because now I am no longer sure it really means anything at all. And I see above, that it may never have even been said!

I think it does mean something deeply significant. Music has the ability to add an ethereal dimension that the spoken word cannot. It has the ability to confer greater solemnity on the liturgy - adding depth to prayer and unity to those singing and/or listening. To take a historical example, just imagine if the Propers of the mass were simply recited - this would lose the depth and beauty that singing or chanting them brings.

The “real” quote by St Augustine far better illustrates the value of song in the liturgy.

 

[SMHW]

I really don’t like singing, and I’m hoping if I’m allowed not to sing.

I don’t mean to belittle anyone and I don’t pretend to know anyone’s personal situation.

But short of a true problem of the voice or the ear, why wouldn’t people WANT to sing at Mass? I think singing ought to be taught to children if for no reason other than so they can sing at Mass. Singing is sort of a sacramental.

I realize that this does not actually address the original question. Of course there are valid reasons not to sing at Mass. But at least for the Ordinary Form, the default is that people sing when it is called for and refrain from singing when there is a reason not to do so.