Sorry to leave so suddenly, everyone. I had a four-hour choir rehearsal tonight. Last week I took over playing for a teenage Broadway choir after their accompanist quit, and their concert is in three weeks. Fun and great kids, but my butt is tired of sitting at a bench!
Anyway, I’m not an expert on music history by any means, but from the few music history books I’ve read, I’ve concluded that music wars have been going on since the First Century. There’s always tension in the Church about which music is “correct,” and everyone always thinks their choice is “correct.”
I’m not sure I understand what some of you are talking about when you say that GUI and AAW are not appropriate for mass. The Music Director at our church told me that the only requirement for mass hymns is that they are “reverent.” Can you show me something, perhaps in the GRM (not sure if I spelled that correctly) that would indicate that certain hymns are not appropriate for mass? Thank you.
Another thing–I’ve read quite a few comments on this board from people who say that they “refuse to sing” certain hymns, e.g., any hymn by Martin Luther.
I would like to humbly request that these people please bring signs to church, and when they choose not to sing a certain hymn, could they please hold these signs up so that we will all understand why they are just standing there not singing and not even opening the hymnal?
I apologize for my inability to read minds, but when I see people standing and staring stonily ahead during a hymn, in my limited human understanding and uncharitable heart I can’t help but think that these people are totally uninvolved with the mass. In my judgmental and haughty spirit–pray for me–I wish that they would just leave mass and go home and do what they really want to do, like watching tv or gardening or making love or going to Cracker Barrel. Why should they remain at mass when they obviously (judging from body position and facial expression and lack of participation in the singing), hate mass?
It’s especially tough to be playing the piano in church and glance out at the congregation and see someone standing with their mouth closed and a sour expression on their face, not even looking at the hymnal to read the words. I try very hard to be charitable in my thoughts and think, “They probably have a cold.”
In view of some of the comments on this forum, another charitable thought I could have is, “They probably hate this song and refuse to sing it out of protest because they think it’s inappropriate for Catholics.”
But I admit that I really don’t believe they have a cold or that they have thoughtfully decided to protest the singing of a song by keeping their mouths shut. I regret that I am a weak sinner, and in my sinful weakness, it hurts me to be playing my heart out, and see people just stand there and not singing along with my playing.
SO if you are someone who doesn’t sing for the admirable reason that you are thoughtfully protesting a song, would you mind holding up a sign, and then we’ll all know that you aren’t a lazy, bored, unspiritual person, but in reality, you are really a very very spiritual and very thoughtful person who loves going to mass.
Thanks so much. It will help me be more charitable in my thoughts about you.
If you don’t feel comfortable holding up a sign, perhaps you can at least approach the pianist/organist in your church after mass, and tell them why you didn’t sing the song. Tell them that you are very close to Jesus and love mass, but explain that you don’t sing THAT particular song because ____. Thanks for being nice to the musicians. It will help us serve you better to know why you aren’t singing along when we play.
I’m serious here, folks. What the jolly HECK darn good does it do to protest the singing of a song by just standing there with your mouth and hymnal closed?!! What are you accomplishing anyway?! You looked like a lapsed Catholic who was forced to come to church by your grandma! If there are any Protestants visiting the day you decide to protest, they will receive a negative impression of the Catholic Church from YOU. No wonder so many Protestants think that the Catholic Church is dead. When the animal doesn’t move, it’s dead.
If you are truly convicted that a hymn is improper or inappropriate, why not go to the music director in the church and talk to him/her about your convictions?
