Is this song OK?

  • Thread starter Thread starter LouisvilleRC
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
opus101 said:
Ran out of time above.

The song is ultimately about us. It’s not about, “Lord have mercy on those who suffer”, or “Lord, help us to help them”, it’s about all of us wonderful lovers and dreamers who are the Voices that Challenge. It’s “us”. “We” are the voice of God. “We” challenge others.

This is problematic for many reasons. It could easily be the theme song of the LCWR or any group of dissenting “believers”, because the issues listed are ones that everyone would agree upon, and it avoids controversial issues like the sufferings of the unborn who are butchered, those who are euthanized, those who are scandalized by by sacrilege, those who are lead astray by future millstone wearers, those who seek truth and are given falsehood instead…the list goes on and on.
Click to expand...
I’m not certain what musical norms your are talking about, but the music is fine as well as the message. This is a song is a call to action, that it is through our voices and our actions that we do the work God has called us to to do, thus “we are the voices of God”
It follows the line of Jesus telling us to feed,cloth and visit those in need.
By the way, if we are not the voices of God, who is, we are to spread the Gospel through word and works. Also when we say God, we understand it is the Trinity.
Do you agree with the message, being the voice of God for those who have no voice.

Deacon Frank
 
Hoosier_Daddy said:
It reeks of 1960s liberal peace pot and love. And it is not Christian specifically. But the biggest reason I would never use this song in Mass is because of it’s obvious exploitation and rampant infestation of the exclamation point.
Click to expand...
Just out of curiosity, how do you presume those exclamation points would be sung? :rolleyes:

.
 
felsguy said:
Just out of curiosity, how do you presume those exclamation points would be sung? :rolleyes:

.
Click to expand...
Given the composer I would assume a palm slap to the body of the guitar with an semi-awkward syncopated pause in the vocals. 😉
 
FAB said:
I’m not certain what musical norms your are talking about,

Deacon Frank
Click to expand...
These ones presented by the USCCB Subcommitee on Music in the Liturgy

authorstream.com/Presentation/VolteMort-10448-MUSIC-FDLC-new-music-fdlcnew-ppt-powerpoint/

I would state that this song falls precisely into the category described in slide 14, namely that the emphasis of liturgical music should not be that of the individual believer.

I agree that it is great to call others to service in Christ, but that is not the purpose of the liturgy music.
 
Brendan said:
These ones presented by the USCCB Subcommitee on Music in the Liturgy

authorstream.com/Presentation/VolteMort-10448-MUSIC-FDLC-new-music-fdlcnew-ppt-powerpoint/

I would state that this song falls precisely into the category described in slide 14, namely that the emphasis of liturgical music should not be that of the individual believer.

I agree that it is great to call others to service in Christ, but that is not the purpose of the liturgy music.
Click to expand...
The emphisis of the song is for the individual to do the will God.
Call us to hear the voices that challenge
Deep in the hearts of all people!
Click to expand...
A prayer to the Spirit, open us to see the work that needs to be done
By serving your world as lovers and dreamers,
We become voices that challenge!
Click to expand...
Christ called us to love our neighbor and to fight injustice
For we are the voice of God
Click to expand...
As pophets of the old testament, the voice of God

It seems that you want to get caught up in the modern langauge and miss the Gospel message.
Just because it’s new, doesn’t mean it’s not good, it relates the gospel message in a way that can be understood with today’s challenges.
 
I would have to hear it to see if I would ever use it, but I really do not like to add too many new songs. But to answer the original question, it is okay in that there is nothing that prohibits it being sung. It is not the Propers, but they are not mandated. It is not a secular song if it is only sung at Mass. It does mentions Christ and is as Christological as I Corinthians 12, which is its core message.

Whether or not it should be used, that is a matter for the bishop, priest and anyone whom they grant authority to make decisions, under the Catholic principle of subsidiarity.
 
In general, I find music at Catholic churches ranges from abysmal all the way up to mediocre.

We have such beautiful music in our history, don’t know why we can’t hear it at mass.
 
FAB said:
I’m not certain what musical norms your are talking about, but the music is fine as well as the message. This is a song is a call to action, that it is through our voices and our actions that we do the work God has called us to to do, thus “we are the voices of God”
It follows the line of Jesus telling us to feed,cloth and visit those in need.
By the way, if we are not the voices of God, who is, we are to spread the Gospel through word and works. Also when we say God, we understand it is the Trinity.
Do you agree with the message, being the voice of God for those who have no voice.

Deacon Frank
Click to expand...
As I said (and others as well), all of the above is true.
So that makes it a secular pop-style religious song.
It needs plenty more than the above to qualify as sacred music.
 
pnewton said:
I would have to hear it to see if I would ever use it, but I really do not like to add too many new songs.
Click to expand...
A link has already been given with the audio.
pnewton said:
It is not a secular song if it is only sung at Mass.
Click to expand...
No, but it is secular in compositional style.That’s the factor that makes it inappropriate, not whether or not it is sung only at Mass. Sacred styles are reserved for liturgical use alone. Contempo-pop-showtime music is not sacred in style. The style of this composition is definitely heard outside of Mass.
 
pnewton said:
But to answer the original question, it is okay in that there is nothing that prohibits it being sung.
Click to expand...
Would you expect there to be a special communication from the Bishops that this particular song not be sung at Mass?! Would you really expect them to draw up a list of all songs that are inappropriate? That would be impossible…and it would give people leeway to sing anything (inappropriate) that wasn’t on the list!

Or …something actually useful could be done. We could study guidelines in a positive way…

Here’s some really useful information:

From Bishop Olmsted, a 4 part series on liturgical music:
diocesephoenix.org/bishop-olmsted-columns.php?postmonth=201112&story=565787896

From Archbishop Sample, a very insightful letter on sacred music:

dioceseofmarquette.org/UserFiles/Bishop/PastoralLetter-RejoiceInTheLordAlways.pdf

Both men are very knowledgeable about both music and the liturgy.
 
opus101 said:
Ran out of time above.

The song is ultimately about us. It’s not about, “Lord have mercy on those who suffer”, or “Lord, help us to help them”, it’s about all of us wonderful lovers and dreamers who are the Voices that Challenge. It’s “us”. “We” are the voice of God. “We” challenge others.

This is problematic for many reasons. It could easily be the theme song of the LCWR or any group of dissenting “believers”, because the issues listed are ones that everyone would agree upon, and it avoids controversial issues like the sufferings of the unborn who are butchered, those who are euthanized, those who are scandalized by by sacrilege, those who are lead astray by future millstone wearers, those who seek truth and are given falsehood instead…the list goes on and on.
Click to expand...
Do you not believe that we are the voice of God? It is our Catholic teaching , it is also in our faith tradition coming from the prophets.
It is a perfectly good sovcial ministry song and there are several upcoming Sundays that it would be appropriate
Deacon Frank
 
opus101 said:
. Contempo-pop-showtime music is not sacred in style. The style of this composition is definitely heard outside of Mass.
Click to expand...
It may not be traditional style, but it can be considered sacred.
There is discussion always on music and the vidio posted looks like such a discussion.
 
opus101 said:
Would you expect there to be a special communication from the Bishops that this particular song not be sung at Mass?! Would you really expect them to draw up a list of all songs that are inappropriate? That would be impossible…and it would give people leeway to sing anything (inappropriate) that wasn’t on the list!

Or …something actually useful could be done. We could study guidelines in a positive way…

Here’s some really useful information:

From Bishop Olmsted, a 4 part series on liturgical music:
diocesephoenix.org/bishop-olmsted-columns.php?postmonth=201112&story=565787896

From Archbishop Sample, a very insightful letter on sacred music:

dioceseofmarquette.org/UserFiles/Bishop/PastoralLetter-RejoiceInTheLordAlways.pdf

Both men are very knowledgeable about both music and the liturgy.
Click to expand...
The US seems to be one of the few territories where hymnbooks and their contents are not approved by the Bishops. This means that the debate about what should or should not be sung at mass will continue without resolution.
 
opus101 said:
Would you expect there to be a special communication from the Bishops that this particular song not be sung at Mass?! Would you really expect them to draw up a list of all songs that are inappropriate? That would be impossible…and it would give people leeway to sing anything (inappropriate) that wasn’t on the list!

Or …something actually useful could be done. We could study guidelines in a positive way…

Here’s some really useful information:

From Bishop Olmsted, a 4 part series on liturgical music:
diocesephoenix.org/bishop-olmsted-columns.php?postmonth=201112&story=565787896

From Archbishop Sample, a very insightful letter on sacred music:

This song would fall under his explaination on page 9 concerning the use of modern style music and that it does not need to be excluded
Bottom line is that liturgist and music directors can use a variety of music

dioceseofmarquette.org/UserFiles/Bishop/PastoralLetter-RejoiceInTheLordAlways.pdf

Both men are very knowledgeable about both music and the liturgy.
Click to expand...
 
opus101 said:
Would you expect there to be a special communication from the Bishops that this particular song not be sung at Mass?! Would you really expect them to draw up a list of all songs that are inappropriate? That would be impossible…and it would give people leeway to sing anything (inappropriate) that wasn’t on the list!

Or …something actually useful could be done. We could study guidelines in a positive way…

Here’s some really useful information:

From Bishop Olmsted, a 4 part series on liturgical music:
diocesephoenix.org/bishop-olmsted-columns.php?postmonth=201112&story=565787896

From Archbishop Sample, a very insightful letter on sacred music:

dioceseofmarquette.org/UserFiles/Bishop/PastoralLetter-RejoiceInTheLordAlways.pdf

Both men are very knowledgeable about both music and the liturgy.
Click to expand...
This song would fall under his explaination on page 9 concerning the use of modern style music and that it does not need to be excluded
Bottom line is that liturgist and music directors can use a variety of music
 
liturgyluver said:
The US seems to be one of the few territories where hymnbooks and their contents are not approved by the Bishops. This means that the debate about what should or should not be sung at mass will continue without resolution.
Click to expand...
Or…

The resolution is that the bishops need to determine each what they think is best for their diocese, and usually the priest on a parish by parish basis, in accordance to the Catholic principle of subsidiarity. In other words, people on the internet that are not at a parish have no concept of what is best for that parish, or any vested interest in what is sung there. This too is a type of resolution. There is no need that the people of God need to be so regimented. It is better to be laid back and tolerant of differences on matters that are simply not doctrinal or a part of our Faith and Tradition.

I respect the choices Bishop Sample makes. However, if I were to quote the most liberal and loose bishop on this matter, would everyone take that as Church teaching? Bishop Sample runs the tightest and strictest diocese in the country. He has made this choice as being the best. It must be respected, but but not exaggerated. This is a copy of the USCCB document “Sing to the Lord” on the subject of Music in the Liturgy.

evansville-diocese.org/worship/SingToTheLord.pdf

Even though this is from the USCCB, it is not binding on any bishop. Everyone should heed their own bishop.
 
FAB said:
Do you not believe that we are the voice of God? It is our Catholic teaching , it is also in our faith tradition coming from the prophets.
It is a perfectly good sovcial ministry song and there are several upcoming Sundays that it would be appropriate
Deacon Frank
Click to expand...
Like I’ve said a number of times already, it’s not that the text is untrue or bad ,or something that I personally don’t believe. The problem is that it is too incomplete, generic, and somewhat self-directed for the most part.

And that’s just the problem with the text.

The text does not comprise the ‘song’. Otherwise it would be a poem.

The actual music itself is way off the mark as far as sacred music compositional styles are concerned.

It would work well in a number of other venues outside the sacrifice of the Mass. It could be used by any religion or denomination that believes in the one God, so that opens up a lot of ecumenical possibilities for its use.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top