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ABostonCatholic
Guest
The Gospel was sung today. I’ve never experienced that before, and I’d rather not experience it again. Does anyone else’s parishes do this?
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bpbasilphx
Guest
Chanting the Scriptures is a practice that goes back to the Synagogue.
In fact, saying holy words in an ordinary speaking voice was totally unheard of in ANY religion until the Latin church invented Low Mass.
Think–in the days before amplification, chanting the lessons was the best way to make sure they got heard in a big, probably noisy congregation.
Cnanting the lessons is the norm in all the Eastern Churches, including those in union with the Roman Church. When they are properly chanted, they are actually more easily understood, and it suppresses the individual reader’s attempt to “interpret” them, so they can work by their own power.
Merely reading them is nothing more or less than a concession to human weakness.
In fact, saying holy words in an ordinary speaking voice was totally unheard of in ANY religion until the Latin church invented Low Mass.
Think–in the days before amplification, chanting the lessons was the best way to make sure they got heard in a big, probably noisy congregation.
Cnanting the lessons is the norm in all the Eastern Churches, including those in union with the Roman Church. When they are properly chanted, they are actually more easily understood, and it suppresses the individual reader’s attempt to “interpret” them, so they can work by their own power.
Merely reading them is nothing more or less than a concession to human weakness.
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James0235
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Catholic90
Guest
Our priest sang/chanted the Eucharistic Prayer last night. It was beautiful. Even my 3 teens said, “That was REALLY cool!”
We have had the Gospel sung before. A particularly beautiful one I remember was “The Gospel of John” sung by a choir. It was truly amazing.
We have had the Gospel sung before. A particularly beautiful one I remember was “The Gospel of John” sung by a choir. It was truly amazing.
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ABostonCatholic
Guest
Some traditions are best to be dispensed with.
That might explain why I think the Low Mass is the best we can offer. The High Mass is next, then the Novus Ordo. Is the Mass going to be a time of pure prayer? Then let’s have the Low Mass. Or is it going to be a time of religious instruction? Then let’s move to a Protestant service. Is it going to be an odd mix? Then have the HM or NO.
But now we have amplification, so it’s not necessary for that reason.
So much for heading east…
But what’s the point of understanding them if we can’t interpret them? Besides, I really don’t think it’s easier to understand. It’s like having a conversation with a slow talker or a stutterer.
Yet if it helps people understand the Scripture, that’s not a bad thing.
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ABostonCatholic
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I bet they finally felt like they could rock out in church.
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Phemie
Guest
I would love to hear the Passion chanted but unfortunately I’m unlikely to experience that unless I make the effort to travel to a parish where that is done.
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bpbasilphx
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Some traditions are best to be dispensed with.
**The whole purpose of tradition is to preseve it and pass it on.**What you think is not the mind of the Church. High mass, with the Bishop, several priests, deacons and lesser ministers is the NORM.
Is the Mass going to be a time of pure prayer?
You’re the only one who says that signing detracts from prayer. Not the Church. Not the Fathers. The Mass is NOT the time for one’s personal devotion.
But now we have amplification, so it’s not necessary for that reason.
**Following your reasoning, we shouldn’t have candles either. Do you want to get rid of them, too?
I might add that for years I was choir director and cantor in a large Orthodox Church half the size of a city block. The architecture enhanced natural sound. No artificial amplification was needed.**
But what’s the point of understanding them if we can’t interpret them? Besides, I really don’t think it’s easier to understand
**It’s not the duty of the reader to interpret the scriptures. That’s for the homiy.
Again, what you think is not the mind of the Church.
Deal with it.**
**The whole purpose of tradition is to preseve it and pass it on.**What you think is not the mind of the Church. High mass, with the Bishop, several priests, deacons and lesser ministers is the NORM.
Is the Mass going to be a time of pure prayer?
You’re the only one who says that signing detracts from prayer. Not the Church. Not the Fathers. The Mass is NOT the time for one’s personal devotion.
But now we have amplification, so it’s not necessary for that reason.
**Following your reasoning, we shouldn’t have candles either. Do you want to get rid of them, too?
I might add that for years I was choir director and cantor in a large Orthodox Church half the size of a city block. The architecture enhanced natural sound. No artificial amplification was needed.**
But what’s the point of understanding them if we can’t interpret them? Besides, I really don’t think it’s easier to understand
**It’s not the duty of the reader to interpret the scriptures. That’s for the homiy.
Again, what you think is not the mind of the Church.
Deal with it.**
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Seminarian_X
Guest
My contention is that if a priest is unable to sing, he shouldn’t. Unfortunately, too often that sensible and, to my mind, rather obvious advice is largely ignored. If a guy sounds like a cat in a blender, he’s not edifying anyone if he attempts to sing.
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Neil_Anthony
Guest
Was it chanted? Usually chanting is really beautiful to hear. Or was it done in some folk-song way?
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water
Guest
I really enjoyed this chanting. When I was in my country, Vietnam, 15 years ago, I would hear this Gospel chanting during Lent - it was awesome! and I believe that same parish still does the same thing.
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ALLFORHIM
Guest
I believe our church calls it a Cantata(SP?) Our choir did it for Christmas and Easter.
As long as the choir sounds good I think it is great!!
As long as the choir sounds good I think it is great!!
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water
Guest
I had not seen your post for awhile! I am not sure what we call it, but it is awesome that your choir does that too. I admit that it is long and the older I get, the longer the Gospel seems to be.I believe our church calls it a Cantata(SP?) Our choir did it for Christmas and Easter.
As long as the choir sounds good I think it is great!!
Happy Easter to you!
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ALLFORHIM
Guest
Yes it is long and I do get a bit restless myselfI had not seen your post for awhile! I am not sure what we call it, but it is awesome that your choir does that too. I admit that it is long and the older I get, the longer the Gospel seems to be.
Happy Easter to you!
But it is beautiful.I have been away for awhile. Forums dont really suit my personality–fighting,arguing,debating. I dont like it and Im not a confrontational person either.
I probably wont post too often because I need to spend more time with my family and God. These forums can turn into an addictionYes Happy Resurrection Sunday–tom.
HE LIVES!!! AMEN!!!
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brotherhrolf
Guest
The Gospel of John is chanted in my cathedral parish by two cantors - who chant the various parts; a priest who chants the words of Our Lord; the choir chants the crowd; and the male choristers chant the scribes and pharisees and the Roman soldiers. It has been chanted like this on Good Friday since I was a boy in the 50s.
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water
Guest
I hope I didn’t derail this topic, but I too have realized that there are certain forums that are not suited for me and if I keep staying there, I am not doing any good for anybody including myself.Yes it is long and I do get a bit restless myself
I have been away for awhile. Forums dont really suit my personality–fighting,arguing,debating. I dont like it and Im not a confrontational person either.
Yes Happy Resurrection Sunday–tom.
HE LIVES!!! AMEN!!!
God bless!
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ALLFORHIM
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SuscipeMeDomine
Guest
I’m sorry that it was a bad experience for you. My pastor plus two cantors chanted the gospel yesterday (Good Friday) and it was incredible. We’re blessed that our pastor has a beautiful voice and uses it for our benefit – he chants the Eucharistic prayer every Sunday as well.
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ABostonCatholic
Guest
Is the Mass going to be a time of pure prayer?
You’re the only one who says that signing detracts from prayer. Not the Church. Not the Fathers. The Mass is NOT the time for one’s personal devotion.
But now we have amplification, so it’s not necessary for that reason.
**Following your reasoning, we shouldn’t have candles either. Do you want to get rid of them, too?
I might add that for years I was choir director and cantor in a large Orthodox Church half the size of a city block. The architecture enhanced natural sound. No artificial amplification was needed.**
But what’s the point of understanding them if we can’t interpret them? Besides, I really don’t think it’s easier to understand
**It’s not the duty of the reader to interpret the scriptures. That’s for the homiy.
Again, what you think is not the mind of the Church.
Deal with it.**
Look, I’m not against music per se, but consider that in the culture we live in, at least in America, music is a god. We can’t live without it. Everyone has to have an iPod, or better yet, a phone with our music on it.
Every where we go we hear music blaring in the stores, or from someone’s radio, even at home as we hear the neighbors’ music or someone driving by with their stereo turned up.
Children and teens live their whole lives around music! Some listen to their iPods while they fall asleep, while they get ready for school, on their way to school, on their way home, etc. and never have time for silence.
Many people judge the church they go to by how good the music is! In order to attract kids to come to church, we’ve turned Mass into a rock concert. We try to appeal to them with music. In other words, we’re succumbing to the world! We’re serving this false god. Is it that much to ask that the Church say “enough is enough!” and purge our churches of this nonsense and restore Sacred Silence?
Is my thinking really out of line with Church teaching? Doesn’t the Church value Sacred Silence? Wasn’t it in silence that Elijah heard God on the mountain? Wasn’t it silence that Paul was struck with when he was “caught up in the 3rd heaven”? Isn’t it only with silence that we can speak of God?
Must not the “The Begetting of God must be honoured by silence”? Does not unspoken meditation become “the word of instruction” by which the spoken word is “teaching to the purified heart by means of the silent illumination of the thoughts those truths which transcend speech”? (G. Naz. & G. Nyssa)
If somehow our culture were to return to the worship of statues, wouldn’t it be prudent of the church to remove statues, lest people begin worshiping the creation rather than the creator? Likewise, if music becomes our god, our standard of judgment, our standard of behavior (yes, the music we listen to has an impact on our thoughts and behavior), and becomes an end in itself, even in Mass, rather than a means to the end of worshiping God, then we must remove it, for it is distracting us from God even if we do not realize it.
Aren’t we becoming caught up in the beauty of the sounds of the priest chanting the Gospel that we do not listen to the words of the Gospel themselves? Do we say that the priest chanting the prayers was “cool” because we reached higher level of worship of God on account of it, or because it finally made Mass interesting for the kiddos, because they finally were able to worship their god?
Like I said, I’m not against music per se. I’m not an aural iconoclast. There is a time to have music as a part of worship, but now is not that time.
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ABostonCatholic
Guest
It was chanted.
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