Is poor singing ability an impediment to the priesthood?

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JimmyM

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I’m thinking about becoming a priest, but the problem is I am a horrible singer …
 
Very much doubt that your singing abilities will be a deal breaker when it comes to your discernment to the priesthood.
I will pray for your discernment.

…
 
It’s certainly nothing like an impediment, but a priest who can sing is a gift to the liturgy.

Singing can be trained and learned by just about anyone. Have you ever considered taking lessons from a skilled voice coach?
 
Just a slight expansion on my response – a priest’s singing ability is very far down the list of things that I care about when I’m at Mass.
 
Our pastor has an amazing voice. He could have been a professional singer.

Our associate pastor, from a few years ago, couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. 😛 And he told us that if we wanted to hear the priest singing, we would be best served attending the Mass that the pastor sang at.

He was right. He would sing, when required. But it was awful. :o
 
If you’re embarrassed or if you think that having that skillset is important, go develop that skillset.

Even a professionally trained instrumental musician most likely needed to take a few semesters of Voice in college. If you know any professional musicians, you might address the issue with them, and see if they have any recommendations on how to approach things. Hop online and find a voice coach in your area. If you take a once-a-week class for a couple of months, I’m sure you’ll see results from that guidance.
 
JimmyM said:
I’m thinking about becoming a priest, but the problem is I am a horrible singer …
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Every diocese that I know of has a “cut-off” program when it comes to accepting priests. They give you a Justin Bieber album and you have to sing it back before a panel of 3 diocesan judges while complimenting it with a self-made dance performance. If you’re slightly below satisfactory in giving a professional performance, your candidacy to the priesthood is automatically withdrawn.
 
Our pastor, whom I love very much and appreciate immensely, has a terrible voice. If you turn out like him we will all be blessed.👍
 
TK421 said:
Every diocese that I know of has a “cut-off” program when it comes to accepting priests. They give you a Justin Bieber album and you have to sing it back before a panel of 3 diocesan judges while complimenting it with a self-made dance performance. If you’re slightly below satisfactory in giving a professional performance, your candidacy to the priesthood is automatically withdrawn.
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:rotfl:
 
JimmyM said:
I’m thinking about becoming a priest, but the problem is I am a horrible singer …
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Jimmy,

I think that it is wonderful that you feel that you have a calling to the priesthood. I would not even worry about your voice.

However, I was thinking like the poster Midori was in their post, in that you could always work on your singing voice by taking some lessons.

When I was in the adult choir and was also a cantor, I was always practicing and would work on my singing voice, for improvement. 🙂
 
DaveBj said:
Apparently not, judging from some priests whom I have heard :eek:
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Ditto.

I recall a former Pastor who, bless his soul, insisted on chanting the Preface every Sunday so that he could lead us into the Sanctus in chant. He would spend a lot of time during the week practicing the Preface over and over. One Sunday he hit a particularly sour note and the baby in front of me shuddered violently. It took everything I had to not burst out laughing out loud. OTOH, it gave me the courage to chant Evening Prayer when I was asked to lead it.
 
maryjk said:
Our pastor has an amazing voice. He could have been a professional singer.

Our associate pastor, from a few years ago, couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. 😛 And he told us that if we wanted to hear the priest singing, we would be best served attending the Mass that the pastor sang at.

He was right. He would sing, when required. But it was awful. :o
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How one carries a tune is not important. What matters is how one unloads it 😛
 
I cannot sing a note – even though I have had many years of training. I suspect it is due to a hearing problem. But it was never a condition of ordination in the Latin Rite. Some of us sing to give God praise … and some sing to get even …
 
mikeghiorso said:
I cannot sing a note – even though I have had many years of training. I suspect it is due to a hearing problem. But it was never a condition of ordination in the Latin Rite. Some of us sing to give God praise … and some sing to get even …
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. . . and some of us just make a joyful noise. Accent on noise 😃 😛
 
Not from what i,ve heard over the years.Its OK if i need entertaining i buy a cd.You know it will be fine
 
IIRC, our dear Holy Father, Pope Francis, struggles with singing due to 3/4 of one of his lungs being removed.

So, no - it’s certainly not an impediment. By the way - chanting (which is what most priests do when they are “singing” the Mass) is much easier than singing. Get a good choir director, and just about anyone can chant.
 
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