My parish’s music director does a great job choosing reverent and appropriate hyms for each week that usually come from the scripture readings. We may do a song a few times each year but nothing gets overplayed. I know sometimes it is hard not to be a critic when visiting another parish.
That being said, we also have to be charitable to our brothers and sisters who devote their time to music ministry. The majority of priests are not musicians and many are alone and don’t have the time/resources to manage the misuc ministry. They also shouldn’t have to.
Most parishes don’t pay their musicians well and good organists/ choir directors are in short supply for a number of reasons. Other parishes don’t have a large budget to buy new music or to even keep the organ maintained and in working order. One way to get better music is to put more in the collection each week so the parish can afford to sustain the ministry.
Also, not many churches have trained singers in the choir…in fact they’re lucky if some of them can read music or carry a tune at all. Remember, everyone that does sing in the choir is doing it as a service to the parish.
Like a few previous posters mentioned, if you don’t like an aspect of your parish, offer your help to make it better in whatever way you can. Sitting and complaining won’t change anything.
