Do you have the option of attending a parish that is in keeping with your understanding of Abuse-Free and Liturgically-Correct?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Peeps
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Our cathedral has a professional organist and music director. I understand that he is, by far, the most expensive staff member. Most parishes can’t afford to pay a proper salary to a talented sacred music professional.
 
Ya… that could be it…

Seems like the church in town gets touchy about the whole boundary thing, but the country church doesn’t seem to mind…IDK.
 
It depends on what your standards are for “proper music”. From reading this forum, my impression is that people think whatever their own taste, preference, or biases are constitutes “proper” music. They can usually dredge up some document by the Vatican or the bishops that they claim supports their personal hangup.

I have heard a huge variety of musical styles and abilities at Masses throughout my life, but I have never heard any Mass music that I would deem “improper”. All the music is approved by the Pastor and the vast majority of music with lyrics has been in the approved Catholic missal or song supplement. (The exception is usually something like Schubert’s “Ave Maria” done by a soloist as a Communion reflection, or other similar classical piece.)

Other people hear “improper” music just about everywhere they go.

I am happy to leave this decision up to the bishops. I don’t want or need the music police putting the hammer down on some parish because they had kids playing electric guitar and the drums at the Lifeteen Mass.
 
Last edited:
That’s not true. You can’t play music that isn’t in a book that’s approved by the bishops. I know this from first hand experience
 
You can get away with a lot of these things played as “communion reflections” or before Mass begins or some other sort of “incidental” music.
The same way that before my wedding officially began, the church musicians were permitted to play “The Wedding Song” and “Just You and I”, neither of which would have been okay during the actual Mass.
 
Mary did you know is approved by the bishops. It’s not liturgical abuse. Take it up with them if you want
 
Tis_Bearself said:
I have heard a huge variety of musical styles and abilities at Masses throughout my life, but I have never heard any Mass music that I would deem “improper”. All the music is approved by the Pastor and the vast majority of music with lyrics has been in the approved Catholic missal or song supplement. (The exception is usually something like Schubert’s “Ave Maria” done by a soloist as a Communion reflection, or other similar classical piece.)

Other people hear “improper” music just about everywhere they go
Click to expand...
This!! I have a personal preference in music — but I don’t believe those with a different preference are wrong, less reverent, improper, etc.
 
Take it up with the bishops. But it’s not liturgical abuse
 
Last edited:
Catholic Answers apologist says that “Mary Did You Know” can be understood in a manner appropriate for Catholics.


They also say that it is “imprudent” to have the song during a public Catholic liturgy because it might confuse people, but it seems one could say that about most “Protestant” hymns and yet last weekend in view of the Gospel I heard about six Protestant hymns sung at Masses (I was at several Masses in addition to the Sunday one, for various reasons).
I believe Archbishop Chaput praised “A Mighty Fortress” from the pulpit even.
 
Last edited:
Tis_Bearself said:
think another thing you are seeing on here is that people just love to complain on the Internet. For many, complaining about a Mass or about anything else in life is a way of blowing off steam.
Click to expand...
I definitely agree, but I think there is also a group of folks who think that pointing out “liturgical abuses” (I say that in quotes because what’s usually described aren’t abuses) makes them more Catholic than the next guy. It’s odd.
 
phil19034 said:
40.png
Phemie:
glass bowls and glass cups
Click to expand...
Glass??? 🤔 I thought glass wasn’t allowed?
Click to expand...
It’s not. But this is the third time I’ve been to Mass at a Cathedral where they use glass. But I’m not surprised. This is Canada and, as one priest yelled at me in a meeting when I brought up Redemptionis Sacramentum on another topic, “We’ve never listened to Rome before and we’re not about to start now!”
 
Phemie said:
40.png
phil19034:
40.png
Phemie:
glass bowls and glass cups
Click to expand...
Glass??? 🤔 I thought glass wasn’t allowed?
Click to expand...
It’s not. But this is the third time I’ve been to Mass at a Cathedral where they use glass. But I’m not surprised. This is Canada and, as one priest yelled at me in a meeting when I brought up Redemptionis Sacramentum on another topic, “We’ve never listened to Rome before and we’re not about to start now!”
Click to expand...
Wow… Just wow.
 
phil19034 said:
40.png
Phemie:
40.png
phil19034:
40.png
Phemie:
glass bowls and glass cups
Click to expand...
Glass??? 🤔 I thought glass wasn’t allowed?
Click to expand...
It’s not. But this is the third time I’ve been to Mass at a Cathedral where they use glass. But I’m not surprised. This is Canada and, as one priest yelled at me in a meeting when I brought up Redemptionis Sacramentum on another topic, “We’ve never listened to Rome before and we’re not about to start now!”
Click to expand...
Wow… Just wow.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that was my thought also.

It was at that point that I went home, thought it over, and decided that being part of the liturgy committee in my parish was over for me. I simply couldn’t continue seeing documents being disregarded left, right, and center, and being part of it.

But having been trained in proper liturgical procedures I can tell you it is darned difficult, if not impossible, to go to Mass and NOT be critical of everything. It’s why I spend a lot of time with my eyes closed to avoid seeing things that I don’t want to see and that I can’t change.
 
Again, I haven’t attended mass at every parish in my diocese. The biggest ones are the use of liturgically innapropriate instruments for the music in the Liturgy (not all but many) and the use of EMHCs when they are not warranted. Just to be clear, I’m not about to enter into a debate about it.
 
Phemie said:
But having been trained in proper liturgical procedures I can tell you it is darned difficult, if not impossible, to go to Mass and NOT be critical of everything.
Click to expand...
I feel your pain, since I have the same problem after six years as head sacristan. 😐 If I don’t learn to control this tendency, it will eventually drive me bonkers.
 
Last edited:
I don’t go to Mass for the music, for the quality of the liturgy, for the use or non use of Lain, for how people dress, where they chat or for the sermon.

I go to Mass to worship God and to partake in the Eucharist. I bring my joy with me. None of the above even registers with me. My church is a small town parish. We share a priest with a country parish.

I participate in my church’s ministries and cursillo. This is how I get to know my fellow Catholics and do the will of the Lord.

All the rest of that stuff is window dressing. Nice to have but not a deal breaker.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top