I need "Happy Clappy" Mass

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Meggie

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I think I need what many of you would call “happy clappy” Mass. My faith has been slipping, I think I’ve finally discovered part of the cause by acknowledging my disabilities. I have auditory processing disorder which means my ears hear but my brain don’t understand. This can make certain normal sound patterns, like deep bass, extremely painful for me, it also makes chanting in any form intolerable even when I try to psyke myself out or use relaxation methods.

I go to a normal parish that uses normal parish music…the 70’s stuff. Marty somebody and John Michel Talbot and such. While this doesn’t harm my spiritual life I think it detracts from it because the music is very neutral to me. However, they recently did a much more “modern” song the rythm and tempo changed my attitude and brought me into a more focused state. (as some “modern” rhythms do for me…in places other than Mass)

My thought is that I should seek out whatever Mass, even if it is a youth Mass, (I’m 22, not a youth) so I can have more of a Communion with God during this Holy time. And I’m fairly sure I am not confusing emotion with faith because I have done non-Eucharistic praise & worship and that is NOT forfilling as even a Mass that is painful for me. (And I’ve gone to a monistary where they chanted, amazing Mass, beautiful but the chanting was so painful by the end of Mass I was slightly disoriented)

Is it correct to seek out this kind of Mass and music, i know many people here are against it 100%…I’m curious to know what you think.
 
Meggie said:
I think I need what many of you would call “happy clappy” Mass. My faith has been slipping, I think I’ve finally discovered part of the cause by acknowledging my disabilities. I have auditory processing disorder which means my ears hear but my brain don’t understand. This can make certain normal sound patterns, like deep bass, extremely painful for me, it also makes chanting in any form intolerable even when I try to psyke myself out or use relaxation methods.

I go to a normal parish that uses normal parish music…the 70’s stuff. Marty somebody and John Michel Talbot and such. While this doesn’t harm my spiritual life I think it detracts from it because the music is very neutral to me. However, they recently did a much more “modern” song the rythm and tempo changed my attitude and brought me into a more focused state. (as some “modern” rhythms do for me…in places other than Mass)

My thought is that I should seek out whatever Mass, even if it is a youth Mass, (I’m 22, not a youth) so I can have more of a Communion with God during this Holy time. And I’m fairly sure I am not confusing emotion with faith because I have done non-Eucharistic praise & worship and that is NOT forfilling as even a Mass that is painful for me. (And I’ve gone to a monistary where they chanted, amazing Mass, beautiful but the chanting was so painful by the end of Mass I was slightly disoriented)

Is it correct to seek out this kind of Mass and music, i know many people here are against it 100%…I’m curious to know what you think.
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Perhaps you would be better with a completely spoken Mass?
 
Daily Masses are usually compeletly spoken, and I do o.k…but thats only 15-25 minutes of my attention…and while I follow, I have a hard time being drawn into the Mass.
 
Caesar said:
Perhaps you would be better with a completely spoken Mass?
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That’s a good suggestion. Many parishes offer Mass with no music. My old parish offered it as the first morning Mass. You might want to look around for that.
 
I have problems focusing b/c of my hearing problem. This extends to school and my daily living as well. However, in class I can bring a tape recorder and go over my lessons, but I can’t audio record my being close to the Eucharist. I can’t keep notes on my place in Mass like I do in work. I can’t have the priest repeat things a gazillion times like my parents and brothers have to because I’m not focused. Its not an excuse, I really do try my best. I connect best with a certain type of music, the focusing power this creates is extreme because it enables my brain to get into a pattern where I can better understand spoken word. I discovered this by accident when a professor, ticked at her 8am class scheduling, would blast music with a similar rhythm before class and it made a huge difference in my ability to understand what she was saying, at least for the first 45 minutes.
 
Meggie said:
Is it correct to seek out this kind of Mass and music, i know many people here are against it 100%…I’m curious to know what you think.
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Of course it’s okay Meggie.

Rejoice in the Lord Always – whether you clap or not.

I hope you find a mass with the music you need to inspire you.
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Meggie said:
I My thought is that I should seek out whatever Mass, even if it is a youth Mass, (I’m 22, not a youth) so I can have more of a Communion with God during this Holy time. And I’m fairly sure I am not confusing emotion with faith because I have done non-Eucharistic praise & worship and that is NOT forfilling as even a Mass that is painful for me. (And I’ve gone to a monistary where they chanted, amazing Mass, beautiful but the chanting was so painful by the end of Mass I was slightly disoriented)

Is it correct to seek out this kind of Mass and music, i know many people here are against it 100%…I’m curious to know what you think.
Click to expand...
I think you have hit upon something very important that may apply to a lot of people. It is quite possible our preferences not only with the music at Mass, but with other aspects of the environment or “ambience” have to do with how our brains and sense organs work together. That is probably why “youth” Masses–Lifeteen etc. appeal so much to the young, simply because their sense processing functions are still developing. That is why, conversely, the “contemporary music” Mass is so grating to not necessarily older people, but those for whom too much rhythmic noise, percussion, electric guitars, electronic synthesizers etc. is far too stimulating or even painful.

I like Gregorian chant, but in small doses. For Mass if I can’t sing along with most of the service music and hymns, any vocal music is more of a distraction than an aide to worship. In fact if we are going to a Mass such as TLM High Mass with choir where there is going to be a lot of singing and chant, I prefer to also go to another, quieter Mass later in the day where I can focus more. At my stage in life I prefer the quiet, minimalist early Mass with a minimum of singing, and that without accompaniment. But that has more to do how I process environmental sounds and sights than with “liturgical correctness”.

I know from experience that different age groups for CCD prefer different types of music and what grates on me actually helps them participate more in Mass, so be it. However, I also know there are some children who definitely have auditory processing issues or other sensory issues, whether developmental or otherwise, which make it nearly impossible for them to focus in Mass with music that appeals to the majority. Their needs should be respected, and we actually cover that in sacramental prep and advise parents to find a Mass for such children which coincides with their comfort level.

I think you would be very well advised to seek out a Mass where the music and other environmetal factors enhance rather than detract from your experience and ability to focus on the Eucharist. After all, that is exactly what others do when they seek out TLM, a parish that uses chant, a parish with a great organist and choir etc.
 
Until you find the right sort of mass do you think that playing that sort of music to yourself before mass (in the car, or on a walkman if you don’t drive to mass) would help you concentrate once Mass starts. If a couple of minutes of music beforehand allows you to concentrate for 45 minutes that should be long enough for an average mass (a fully spoken mass could be shorter than that), unfortunately it would mean that your concentation would be most likely to slip at the most important part of mass, but until you can find a mass that includes the sort of music you find stimulating that might be a good solution.
 
thanks all…yes I think I’m going to try to get myself to a youth Mass.

I do listen to the tempo music I like before Mass but walking into church and hearing that 70’s music with several layered beats and odd harmonies will throw me off again.

puzzleannie-thank you very much I feel alot better about making the decisions I will.
 
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