Frustrated by Music and Culture at Catholic Churches

[Duesenberg]

Yup, we are not in decline. I regard an enjoyable song as a bonus; the others I try to get something out of. We are there for the sacrifice of the mass, as said above.

See #6 above. Yes, we attend Mass to be present as Jesus Christ is sacrificed to His Father for our sins and to sacramentally receive His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. That doesn’t mean that we’re not also there to fellowship, to be nourished by Sacred Scripture, to be inspired by beautiful music, etc. Jesus Christ’s great gifts to us cannot be used as excuses for ignoring things like fellowship, good music, ongoing cathechetics, etc., etc., etc., which our Protestant brethren so excel because it’s very often these things that attract people to Jesus Christ and retain them for the long term.

 

[Anesis]

I agree with you wholeheartedly. I am a parish secretary at a large parish with a school. The focus is SO much on the school that those of us who can’t afford to send our children there, or don’t have children, or who have grown children feel like second class parishioners sometimes. Our pastor read “Rebuilt” and I read it too, after seeing it in his office. I was really upset after reading it because I am a convert and have already “done” the big evangelical church with music boards and bands, rooms with Xbox, PS4 and Nintendo for the kids, praise music and all that and it left me so empty. I didn’t feel like we were worshipping God at all - just being entertained and coddled with our latte bar to take into the service with you, etc. This emptiness is what brought me to the Catholic faith. I wanted liturgy, vestments, incense, candles, bells, traditional music and when they throw in some Latin, I’m thrilled and really feel the focus is on worshipping Our Lord, not entertaining those who need flash and praise music.

After reading “Rebuilt”, one day when it was quite in the office and he and I were there alone, I asked Father if what I read in that book was his plan for our parish. He said no, not really but that he was struggling with being more attractive to weak Catholics. I told him that it was my humble opinion that he should focus on those who are faithful and devout, that we don’t need anymore weak Catholics who want to “modernize” the Church. That the faithful are the ones doing all of the work, they are the ones raising strong Catholic families, they are the ones sacrificing their Sunday by actually attending Mass instead of a sports activity for their children. They are not trying to change our stance on abortion, gay marriage, etc.

I did tell him that I knew for certain there are gay parishioners that are living a single life and that maybe he might think about some sort of ministry for them and that it would go a long way to bringing more faithful into the Church and change the perception that the Catholic Church is “against” homosexuals. He is usually very grumpy and doesn’t like to be “told” things, but I was very respectful and bringing it from the point of view of someone who had not been Catholic their whole lives. He was surprisingly open and listened. We still have to sneak in the Agnus Dei and Sanctus into the Masses he isn’t celebrating though but it’s a start. And thankfully, none of that “rebuilt” stuff made it into our parish.

 

[Duesenberg]

…I was really upset after reading it because I am a convert and have already “done” the big evangelical church with music boards and bands, rooms with Xbox, PS4 and Nintendo for the kids, praise music and all that and it left me so empty. I didn’t feel like we were worshipping God at all - just being entertained and coddled with our latte bar to take into the service with you, etc. This emptiness is what brought me to the Catholic faith. I wanted music boards and bands, rooms with Xbox, PS4 and Nintendo for the kids, praise music and when they throw in some Latin, I’m thrilled and really feel the focus is on worshipping Our Lord, not entertaining those who need flash and praise music…

You’re trying to sell the same thing. Either we have some of the things that appeal to some people appreciate (music boards and bands, rooms with Xbox, PS4 and Nintendo for the kids, praise music, etc.) OR we have the things (music boards and bands, rooms with Xbox, PS4 and Nintendo for the kids, praise music, etc.) that appeal to other. That’s a false zero-sum game. Not all need come at the expense of the others. We could have both – or at least most of both.

Many of us Catholics are quick with a long list of excuses why we can’t have coffee socials after Sunday Masses. Why we cannot have brief Bible studies before or after Mass. Why ushers/greeters are so rare in many parishes. Why there often isn’t much to attract kids on Sundays before or after Mass. That’s not healthy.

This coming Sunday I will arrive for Mass about 20 minutes before the start. I’ll sit outside in the parish’s garden and go through the day’s readings and read a few extra prayers because it’s simply too loud inside from the chatter and the musicians warming up. I’ll enter the church just before the procession. 42-50 minutes later about 400 of us will leave, and we’ll do it very quickly. That’s not healthy either.

 

[Viki63]

This is true of course. We are lucky in our parish to have 2 vibrant Bible study groups, at which we pray for one another and share fellowship as well as studying the Bible.

 

[pianistclare]

YES to # 3 and # 7

 

[Duesenberg]

We do not have “worship services.” We are not primarily concerned with music or culture at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We offer ourselves as a living sacrifice at the Mass.strong text What we see at bible communities is everything except the mass! They have jettisoned the mass for the sake of culture, entertainment and little else. Being cultured or entertained is not one of Jesus’ commands. Loving one another is.

I’m not sure what you mean by “culture” in this context, but it’s wrong to dismiss the importance of things like music at Mass. It’s not about entertainment. It’s about preparing someone to stand at the foot of the cross to bath in the grace that flows from the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to His Father.

FWIW, we DO NOT “offer ourselves as a living sacrifice at the Mass.” The celebrant does, in the Person of Jesus Christ.

 

[pianistclare]

The Church disagrees with you:

As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “By the Eucharistic celebration we already unite ourselves with the heavenly liturgy and anticipate eternal life, when God will be all in all” (no. 1326). The Sanctus proclamation, “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord . . . ,” is the song of the angels who are in the presence of God (Is 6:3). When in the Eucharist we proclaim the Sanctus we echo on earth the song of angels as they worship God in heaven. In the eucharistic celebration we do not simply remember an event in history. Rather, through the mysterious action of the Holy Spirit in the eucharistic celebration the Lord’s Paschal Mystery is made present and contemporaneous to his Spouse the Church. Furthermore, in the eucharistic re-presentation of Christ’s eternal sacrifice before the Father, we are not simply spectators. The priest and the worshiping community are in different ways active in the eucharistic sacrifice. The ordained priest standing at the altar represents Christ as head of the Church. All the baptized, as members of Christ’s Body, share in his priesthood, as both priest and victim. The Eucharist is also the sacrifice of the Church. The Church, which is the Body and Bride of Christ, participates in the sacrificial offering of her Head and Spouse. In the Eucharist, the sacrifice of Christ becomes the sacrifice of the members of his Body who united to Christ form one sacrificial offering (cf. Catechism, no. 1368). As Christ’s sacrifice is made sacramentally present, united with Christ, we offer ourselves as a sacrifice to the Father. “The whole Church exercises the role of priest and victim along with Christ, offering the Sacrifice of the Mass and itself completely offered in it” ( Mysterium Fidei, no. 31; cf. Lumen Gentium, no. 11).

 

[Hereiam]

Even though music is complementary to the Mass, it is not THE Mass. The source and summit of our faith is the Eucharist, not the music, instruments, or choir, therefor if the liturgical music is not what we wish it would be, it would be a shame to make that detract from that which is truly important.

 

[Sy_Noe]

It is frustrating. In my Masters I wrote a re-vamp for a parish. This included turning 4 bland-music masses into 4 distinct options to appeal to all.

5 pm Saturday- Contemporary (JMT, Matt Mahar) w/chant

8am Sunday - Chant only, Latin Anglus, no “extra” music

10am Sunday- “Breaking Bread” hymnal with organ; spoken mass, cantor responsorial

11am Sunday (across town at other parish)- Classic Organ; chanted Angelus, cantor responsorial, Close with “modern” song or appropriate Cultural song (ie God Bless America on July 4)

It has worked like a dream for them. They are in tune with all types of people, including those who insist on sticking by their beloved tacky 70’s songs.

Sounds like one of the Episcopal churches near me. Its priest used to be a Roman priest. They offer:

Sat evening a piano and acoustic guitar service of reflection with healing and anointing

Sun early morning traditional Rite 1 service with no music

Mid morning Rite 2 family service with choir which is their largest gatherng.

Late Sun morning a contemporary service with a band which is their second largest.

The priest says find the one that speaks to you.

 

[Sy_Noe]

Even though music is complementary to the Mass, it is not THE Mass. The source and summit of our faith is the Eucharist, not the music, instruments, or choir, therefor if the liturgical music is not what we wish it would be, it would be a shame to make that detract from that which is truly important.

I’m not sure anyone is saying music is THE Mass. But the music can certainly make a difference in the experience depending on one’s cup of tea. Homilies and sermons likewise. The priest’s effect on the persona of a parish as well.

 

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

Sounds like one of the Episcopal churches near me. Its priest used to be a Roman priest. They offer:

Sat evening a piano and acoustic guitar service of reflection with healing and anointing

Sun early morning traditional Rite 1 service with no music

Mid morning Rite 2 family service with choir which is their largest gatherng.

Late Sun morning a contemporary service with a band which is their second largest.

The priest says find the one that speaks to you.

What can I say? It’s a formula that works.

In the parish when each person found a Mass that met their needs, ironically, they were much more accepting of needing to attend a Mass that was not their preference.