Is it okay to not sing the hymns during Mass?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Holly3278
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
H

Holly3278

Guest
Hey everyone. Sometimes I go to Mass out of town and they will sing hymns before and after Mass and either just before or during distribution of the holy Eucharist. Well, I don’t usually know what the hymns are and can’t find them so I don’t sing along. Is this okay?
 
You can’t do the impossible. Listen to them and don’t worry.
 
Except for Daily Mass, I always hear hymns at Sunday Mass. 🤷

I open the hymnal and sing along or just follow along, except during Communion.
 
Holly3278 said:
Hey everyone. Sometimes I go to Mass out of town and they will sing hymns before and after Mass and either just before or during distribution of the holy Eucharist. Well, I don’t usually know what the hymns are and can’t find them so I don’t sing along. Is this okay?
Click to expand...
Of course, if you don’t know them you don’t have to sing the hymns.

However this illustrates one point as to why Catholics don’t sing. Why do some parishes not even indicate the number of the hymn.

For someone like me, who never heard of hymns such as Salve Regina, how am I supposed to sing what most people know by heart?

Lucky for me, I know how to flip through the index from my Protestant days. 😃
 
TrueLight said:
Of course, if you don’t know them you don’t have to sing the hymns.

However this illustrates one point as to why Catholics don’t sing. Why do some parishes not even indicate the number of the hymn.

For someone like me, who never heard of hymns such as Salve Regina, how am I supposed to sing what most people know by heart?

Lucky for me, I know how to flip through the index from my Protestant days. 😃
Click to expand...
Heck, some parishes, like the one where I grew up, don’t even have hymnals. They switch hymns every Sunday so, unless they happen to hit a hymn that you’ve learned to sing somewhere else, you’re out of luck. Plus, unless you have an amazing voice that people will talk about after Mass, people glare at you if you sing, they want to listen to the choir.
 
I prefer to just listen to the choir to be honest. And besides, I really don’t like to sing during the distribution of the holy Eucharist. I always want to just contemplate on receiving Him.
 
Singing is a form of prayer. It’s a different form of worship, some would argue a higher form, but that’s an opinion I would say. In any case, as one Priest I know said, “God gave you the lousy voice you’ve got, what a better way to use it than to give it back to Him at Mass!” Tongue-in-cheek, obviously, but the point is, it is a form of prayer and the things mentioned in this thread are unfortunate. We’re also taking part in the Mass as a community and it’s good to join in this communal prayer if possible. I personally would encourage everyone to step outside of their “I’m not a good singer,” or “I don’t want to sing,” box and to give it up to a higher purpose by glorifying the Lord with song 👍

God bless,
Paul
 
if I DID sing at church people would pretty much hope I would’nt the next time.🙂
 
lisahiku said:
if I DID sing at church people would pretty much hope I would’nt the next time.🙂
Click to expand...
😛 I bet the people behind me wish I wouldn’t sing, but I love some of the hymns, and enjoy singing along. Singing the hymns isn’t mandatory, but it is nice when everyone sings, lousy voices or not! It’s part of the unity we strive for.

Of course, if it’s two octaves out of my range (a common complaint), I don’t bother. That’s just subjecting my fellow parishioners to cruel and unusual punishment!
 
I never sing the hymns at Mass. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. I’m quite sure that everyone else would be glad I don’t sing if they’d heard my singing voice.:o
 
TrueLight said:
However this illustrates one point as to why Catholics don’t sing. Why do some parishes not even indicate the number of the hymn.
Click to expand...
We have a board with the numbers on it. The cantor used to announce the Communion hymn just as it was beginning, “Please, join in our Communion hymn, ‘Clappy Clap Clap For The Lordy Lord Lord,’ number 666, in your Hymns Even Protestants Won’t Sing hymnal.” It always sounded like being in a bar when the band announces, “There’s a red Dodge in parking lot with your lights on.” :o

Our new priest put an end to this practice – Praise the Lord!

The numbers are still up on the boards, so folks can open their hymnals and sing along.👍
 
I_Thirst said:
We have a board with the numbers on it. The cantor used to announce the Communion hymn just as it was beginning, “Please, join in our Communion hymn, ***‘Clappy Clap Clap For The Lordy Lord Lord,’ ***number 666, in your Hymns Even Protestants Won’t Sing hymnal.” It always sounded like being in a bar when the band announces, “There’s a red Dodge in parking lot with your lights on.” :o

Our new priest put an end to this practice – Praise the Lord!

The numbers are still up on the boards, so folks can open their hymnals and sing along.👍
Click to expand...
LOL

How does that one go?
 
Depends. If you’re not singing because you can’t find the hymn or something, it’s okay. If you’re not singing just because you don’t want to sing, or whatever, then I would say it’s not okay (though I don’t think it’s sinful of course).

At Mass I sing along to all the songs despite their utterly poor theological content and often Protestant happy clappy type lyrics. I do it because I don’t want to seem holier than thou, and I don’t want to seem uninterested, and I don’t want to look as if I’m special. Furthermore, if I don’t sing I have no right to complain about the music!

Sing! Sing to the Lord! It’s a beautiful thing to do.
 
Every single person should be singing. Having an allegedly terrible voice is no excuse; if anything, sing a little quietly. The Mass is a prayer, and the hymns are an integral part of that prayer. Make music in your hearts to the Lord, and with your voice. :harp:

Again, if you don’t sing very well, sing anyway and pray that the Lord will help you sing. “Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”
 
Matthew_Holford said:
I never sing the hymns at Mass. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. I’m quite sure that everyone else would be glad I don’t sing if they’d heard my singing voice.:o
Click to expand...
Perhaps if you sang it would embolden them to say “You know, that guy has a terrible voice, so maybe I can sing along and sing loudly too!”

At least, that’s what we should be thinking in terms of singing in mass. It’s a community!

And, if it makes you feel better, I remember my childhood church having plenty of terrible singers in the pews… several who were quite out of key… but at one point as an altar server I realized that from the altar the sum total sounded fabulous… because enough voices singing together drowns out and harmonizes a good hymn and it all sounds amazing. That’s the power of 200 voices singing together… they just work!

It’s also the reason I disdain the practice of some music ministers I’ve seen of picking intricate or very difficult songs to sing… it kills the desire of anyone in the congregation to sing along. I certainly don’t on those songs because it’s mentally tiring and distracting to try and keep up (and I don’t feel that singing at mass should be a show of human accomplishment in just how high their falsetto is or how many rapid changes in pitch one can attain in the space of a single sylable)
 
I’m afraid no one, now, will convince me to sing. I was asked by my music teacher at school to mime when the rest of the class were singing. Every one who has heard me sing has criticised or laughed at my singing. I do not know why I am so bad when most people I know can at least hold a tune.
 
Sing the Ordinary: that belongs to the people. Let the choir sing the Propers. If there’s a hymn after the Propers (or, sadly, in lieu of it) it’s your choice to sing or not.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top