Is this Appropriate (Choir Questions)?

[JulianN]

So the Knights are just sitting together? And singing?

 

[goout]

So the Knights are just sitting together? And singing?

Where I come from, beer would certainly be involved, and that might be outside the rubrics.

 

[CatholicSooner]

So the Knights are just sitting together? And singing?

In the choir section at the front of the sanctuary with microphones. Maybe they will cut the mics lol I dont know.

But it isn’t uncommon for our choir to sing songs that the parishoners do not have the words to. I doubt this happens with the Knights in the choir

 

[JulianN]

Well, the location of your choir is another topic for another day. But if they’re not distracting, I’m not sure why the Knights would be any more so. The Knights have a history and mission of supporting priests — honestly, this sounds lovely.

 

[EnglishTeacher]

Pretty much all choirs have trouble recruiting men to sing, so it would be a great change to see a bunch of men singing as the temporary choir for a day, even if they are not perfect singers.

I don’t see how it would be distracting any more so than any number of other things that can occur at Mass. Personally, the distractions I have to fight most against are my own often-wandering thoughts inside my head.

 

[snarflemike]

However, one of the things they are wanting to do, as a surprise birthday present to our priest, is have the Knights of Columbus fill the choir this Sunday during mass.

Sounds gimmicky to me. If they’re not part of the choir, why the heck would they want to do this? How is this any different than filling the ranks of the EMHCs for Communion?

 

[JohnLilburne]

From the first post: “However, one of the things they are wanting to do, as a surprise birthday present to our priest, is have the Knights of Columbus fill the choir this Sunday during mass.”

I think there may be a problem with the Parish Priest not being in control regarding who has a special liturgical function in the Mass.

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal has:

“103. Among the faithful, the schola cantorum or choir exercises its own liturgical function, its place being to take care that the parts proper to it, in keeping with the different genres of chant, are properly carried out and to foster the active participation of the faithful by means of the singing.87 What is said about the schola cantorum also applies, with due regard for the relevant norms, to other musicians, and especially the organist.”

“107. Liturgical functions that are not proper to the Priest or the Deacon and are mentioned above (nos. 100-106) may even be entrusted by means of a liturgical blessing or a temporary deputation to suitable lay persons chosen by the pastor or rector of the church.”

[Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal, © 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.]

 

[Tolle_Lege]

This is probably ok as long as they sing reverently, and sing some of the more masculine or patriotic hymns, such as “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” or “America the Beautiful.”

 

[dochawk]

One of the reasons I posted the topic is b/c I don’t know if it violates the rubrics of the mass.
But that is what I am concerned about.

At this point, I think the phrase we’re looking for is, “liturgical scrupulosity.”

We’re talking about a bunch of people putting in effort to sing at Mass.

Maybe good choirs are a dime a dozen in your area, but I don’t recall the last one I saw (although these last few years, I’m rarely at a roman rite liturgy unless at a KofC event or visiting family).

So a bunch of guys are going to sing as a choir.

Maybe some will stick around and do it more often.

I’m not seeing a downside here . . .

The choir is in the front side of the sanctuary. So its not just about the quality of singing, but the visual distraction as well

by this logic, corporate communions for the KofC, or anyone else for that matter, should be prohibited . . .

Yes it will be. People will know that they are not the normal choir and will be watching them.

Really?



I’m starting to think “trolling”, rather than scrupulosity . . .

Where I come from, beer would certainly be involved, and that might be outside the rubrics.

The next KofC I see with a beer at Mass will be the first . . .

But it isn’t uncommon for our choir to sing songs that the parishoners do not have the words to.

Now that is closer to abuse than anything you’ve brought up with the knights . . .

hawk, FGK, PGK, PFN, etc.

 

[CatholicSooner]

Now that is closer to abuse than anything you’ve brought up with the knights . . .

hawk, FGK, PGK, PFN, etc.

What? Lol. why would a choir singing without the congregation having the words be abuse?

 

[dochawk]

Deliberately usurping one of the congregation’s roles in such a way that they cannot participate, and instead must watch the performance?

It’s a lot closer to abuse than an alternate choir showing up to sing . .