I really wish the Mass were more old school

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RollTide1987

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I’ve been listening to some Gregorian chants as well as some ancient Christian music chanted in Koine Greek and I can’t help but feel more connected with that worship music than the more modern day songs we sing at mass. I feel like our Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Rite Catholics brothers are doing it better than those of the western Church.

Here are just a few examples of what I feel we are missing:

The Lord’s Prayer sung in Aramaic

Phos Hilaron (oldest known Christian hymn)

Miserere mei, Deus
 
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To each his own. These days you can find a parish that suits your inclinations. I’m not drawn the way you are, but go for it.
 
If you want to worship this way, just seek out an EF Mass in your area, or go to an Eastern Catholic liturgy.

You can also usually find OF Masses with very good music at your local cathedral, at least from time to time.
 
Yes, some cathedrals have proper scholas who will sing Latin polyphonic arrangements even at an OF Mass… our cathedral does every Sunday at the 11 AM Mass.
 
My point is simply that these things are preferences. Arguments and supporting documents can be found all about, but the bottom line is that these are matters of personal taste and what draws one into the spiritual and sacred. I respect Pope Benedict, but I disagree with him here. I think (based on what I’ve read) his views are based on a limited perspective of select traditional worship styles.
 
Well if I have to weigh opinions on the appropriateness of different kinds of music in the liturgy, I’m going to tend to go with a Pope over the opinion of a lay liturgist or musician. I tend to think their opinions and interpretations on official church documents carry a lot more weight. I do recognize that many choose to ignore their counsel.

Also I don’t think your personal taste argument is really relevant because that logic allows for just about anything as if there are no norms for the liturgy, and that’s simply not how the Catholic Church operates.
 
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I go to the Norvus Ordo mass like the vast majority of Catholics. But if I walk into a mass where they have a rock band blaring away it’s just an instant turnoff. I love rock music outside of mass, but it’s the quintesential example of the type of music that is inappropriate for the mass. Whenever I have been to such a mass, the rock music takes over everything else and the whole thing becomes about the performance rather than the mass. The mass becomes a loud arena concert.

And it just doesn’t look right either. Here you have the priest and deacon standing there in their robes trying to conduct a holy mass that has numerous parts of quiet sacred holiness interrupted by electric guitar riffs and bass beat drums. It’s like two different worlds colliding with things looking and sounding so out of place.
 
I much prefer the traditional liturgy. Once I experienced the beauty and mystery that is the Traditional Latin Mass, I’ve never wanted to go back to the Ordinary Form.

It’s not just the Latin language I love, it’s also the beautiful reverence!

The Ordinary Form compared to the Extraordinary Form just feels like watered down Catholicism if you ask me.

Lex orandi, lex credendi! The way you pray is the way you believe!
 
Scott84 said:
The way you pray is the way you believe!
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I don’t believe any less or differently when I’m in cargo pants singing Marty Haugen guitar hymns and wishing the Sign of Peace than when I’m in a head covering kneeling at a TLM. It’s the same Jesus dying for us on the altar at both Masses.

It’s fine to have a preference in Mass style, but “the way you pray is the way you believe” refers to sincerity of prayer in your heart, not whether some particular person thinks one style of praying is more “reverent”.
 
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I think you’d see a lot more “old school” trappings in parishes if more people could express their preference for them without putting others down. Joyful enthusiasm for something is more infectious than being told your ways are inferior. I have been to some parishes where they are slowly increasing their “old school”-ness and I guarantee it’s due to people who are able to express themselves that way.
 
Chris-Wa1 said:
I go to the Norvus Ordo mass like the vast majority of Catholics. But if I walk into a mass where they have a rock band blaring away it’s just an instant turnoff.
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I have visited many parishes on vacation and had numerous home parishes as I moved, and I have never heard rock music played in mass.
 
I attend Mass at the monastery I’m attached to as oblate. The Mass is the Ordinary Form, but the Propers and Ordinary are in Gregorian chant, Latin with Greek Kyrie, and the rest is in French plainchant. The only thing not chanted is the homily. First, second readings, Gospel, preface and EP, all chanted. Very beautiful, and very solemn with bells, and incense on major feasts, solemnities and Sundays.

With that kind of Mass there really is no incentive for me to seek out an EF Mass; I’m in heaven, because I also actually much prefer the Ordinary Form liturgy to the EF liturgy, so a lovely match of old and modern.
 
RollTide1987 said:
I’ve been listening to some Gregorian chants as well as some ancient Christian music chanted in Koine Greek and I can’t help but feel more connected with that worship music than the more modern day songs we sing at mass. I feel like our Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Rite Catholics brothers are doing it better than those of the western Church.

Here are just a few examples of what I feel we are missing:

The Lord’s Prayer sung in Aramaic

Phos Hilaron (oldest known Christian hymn)

Miserere mei, Deus
Click to expand...
Speak to your pastor. It may be that no one has ever suggested them. It’s worth a try.
 
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