Least Favorite Songs at Mass

[pnewton]

“Dance” in the context of the hymn means “living fully”.

Oh… Who would have thought!

 

[Audrey]

Rivera:

I’m a choir member, so I get to sing some goodies and baddies every week. Given that this is VERY subjective, least favorite: Hosea ("…long have I waited for your coming home to me and living deeply our new life…" huh? I just don’t get it). Current favorite: Dona Nobis Pacem, which we sing around the house all the time, but we substitute the words “Fa-a-ther Mi-i-tch Pacwa… Pacwa” .

n

Hosea is one of my favorite songs. Hosea turned away from God and when he returned, this was God’s song to him. It shows that God will wait as long as it takes for someone to return to the church and he will welcome them with open arms. Having been away from the Catholic Church for 17 years before becoming a “Revert,” I can really connect with this most beautiful song.

 

[thann]

Some of the bad old church songs I am glad have disappeared into oblivion:

Sons of God
Here We Are
Allelu
Go Tell Everyone

(hey, aren’t those all by Ray Repp?)

Also I really dislike *Gather Us In * because it sounds almost exactly like The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald!

And as for favorite hymns…

My absolute **favorite ** hymn is Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence. I am a classical guitarist, and this song is simply breathtaking when played on classical guitar:

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
and with fear and trembling stand;
ponder nothing earthly minded,
for with blessing in his hand
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
as of old on earth he stood,
Lord of lords in human vesture,
in the Body and the Blood
he will give to all the faithful
his own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven
spreads its vanguard on the way,
as the Light of Light descendeth
from the realms of endless day,
that the powers of hell may vanish
as the darkness clears away.

At his feet the six-winged seraph;
cherubim with sleepless eye,
veil their faces to the Presence,
as with ceaseless voice they cry,
“Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia, Lord Most High!”

---

I am a sub at my parish and several others in the Archdiocese of Detroit and when I select the music I always choose at least two old hymns – we need to make sure they are not lost!

'thann

 

[Brendan]

Anything my Marty Haugen or David Haas

Come to the Feast
Gather us in

:nope:

BTW, on Amazing Grace, did ‘ya know that you can sing that song to the tune of "Gilligan’s Island’

 

[bquinnan]

“Sing a New Church” has to be the worst ever.
SING A NEW CHURCH (1991)

Tune: Nettleton 87.87D
Text: Delores Dufner, OSB

Summoned by the God who made us
Rich in our diversity
Gathered in the name of Jesus
Richer still in unity
Let us bring the gifts that differ
And, in splendid, varied ways,
Sing a new Church into being,
One in faith and love and praise. …

Talk about being PC. Gotta get in that “diversity”.
Also, “to sing into being a new Church” implies that there is someting wrong with the existing Church.

This is one of the songs that I had in mind when I commented about praising the community rather than the Lord. I have the same problem you do with the idea of a “new Church.” Didn’t Luther, Henry XIII, Calvin and many others already do that? If we don’t believe the Church that Christ gave us is good enough, we sure as heck aren’t going to better.

But the whole point of the song seems to be how great we are and how wonderful our gifts are. Where is the humility in that? Unfortunately, this song seems to be a favorite at our parish, complete with drum accompaniment. They are literally trying to pound political correctness into our brains!

 

[bquinnan]

Brendan:

Anything my Marty Haugen or David Haas

Come to the Feast
Gather us in

:nope:

BTW, on Amazing Grace, did ‘ya know that you can sing that song to the tune of "Gilligan’s Island’

It also works well to “The Yellow Rose of Texas,” as will almost any poem by Emily Dickinson. Try it!

"Because I could not stop for Death,
He kindly stopped for me;
The carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste,
And I had put away
My labor, and my leisure too,
For his civility."

 

[bquinnan]

Disillusioned:

Can people tell me if they know the very substantive reason why Kumbayah is the real Mccoy in terms of being bad? It’s not a subjective thing.How can anyone even dare to keep singing it ?(did anyone see the Addams Family films ?)

I didn’t. I’m curious what you’re getting at, though.

 

[Katholish]

pnewton:

My apologies. That quote was from Katholish. You are absolutely correct in pointing out that their are many fine Catholic composers out there and may we always honor them and give their works preference. Of course Bach is no longer composing, but decomposing (or reposing)

And now that I am here, I can respond. The patriarchs are part of the Church and are traditionally honored as saints by the Church though the title is usually only applied to those who were part of the full visible Church after Pentecost. The reason that the Psalms would not be excluded by what I said is explained by St. Ignatius of Antioch.

Epistle to the Magnesians, Chapter 10:

For Christianity did not embrace Judaism, but Judaism Christianity, that so every tongue which believeth might be gathered together to God.

King David was of the same Faith that we are. He just lived in a different time of Salvation History.

 

[Dr.Colossus]

Only saw one vote for Gather Us In. I love the tune, hate the lyrics:

*Here in this place,
New light is streaming
Now is the darkness vanished away.
See in this space
Our fears and our dreamings
Brought here to You in the light of this day

Gather us in, the lost and forsaken,
Gather us in, the blind and the lame,
Call to us now, and we shall awaken
We shall arise at the sound of our name.

We are the young
Our lives are a mystery
We are the old who yearn for Your face
We have been sung
Throughout all of history
Called to be light for the whole human race.

Gather us in, the rich and the haughty
Gather us in, the proud and the strong
Give us a heart so meek and so lowly
Give us the courage to enter the song.

Here we will take the wine and the water
Here we will eat the bread of new birth
Here You will call your sons and your daughters
Call us anew to be salt for the earth.

Give us to drink the wine of compassion
Give us to eat the bread that is You
Nourish us well and teach us to fashion
Lives that are holy and hearts that are true.

Not in the dark
Of buildings confining
Not in some Heaven
Lightyears away
But here in this place,
New light is shining
Now is the kingdom,
Now is the day.

Gather us in, and hold us forever.
Gather us in, and make us Your own.
Gather us in, all peoples together.
Fire of love in our flesh and our bone.*

Ok, quick rundown:

References to God (by name): 0
Inferences to God (By pronoun): 5
References to Us/We/Our/Etc: 31

There is obviously something wrong here. Furthermore,

Here we will take the wine and the water
Here we will eat the bread of new birth

Except that it’s not wine/water/bread by the time we take it! It’s a terrible song all around.

 

[goat]

Disillusioned:

Don’t you loathe the standard charismatic mass where one by one the congregation loll their arms in the air? it’s so forced.

“The Wave” at Mass?!? Say it ain’t so!

 

[goat]

I nominate:

Pretty much anything in an OCP hymnal.

 

[The_Vatican_Two]

It is sad to say, but I do not like most of the songs at mass. I especially do not like “The Lord of the Dance” and “Rain Down.” I also do not like it when they do that whirling hand clap thing during the Alleluia. What is that all about anyway!?!

 

[Rivera]

Disillusioned:

Tell me do you dislike the chant or dislike Mitch Pacwa or even both ? He gets involved in discussions about children’s stories, films and vampire myths. They take the poor fella for a ride.

Oh no I love both the chant and Fr Mitch! Thats why we sing about him at home. Thanks for the insight about Hosea.

n

 

[seamole]

pnewton:

I disllike Eucharistic songs (e.g. “We Come To Tell His Story”, “We Are the Body of Christ”) that focus on the community and not the more substantial presence of Christ on the altar? Such songs are fine in other places of the mass, but Communion songs should focus on the Eucharist.

From the very, very little I know of theology, I believe consuming the body of Christ is a renewal of one’s membership in the body of Christ.

“We come to tell his story”, however, I don’t understand.

 

[misericordie]

:crying: I dislike all NON-Catholic songs sung in Mass, but which have made its way into the Liturgy. Such as “Amazing Grace”, on “Eagles Wings”, “here I am Lord”, and all the other feel-good psychotherapy songs. Note I say songs, not hymns, which they are NOT.
Cardinal Arize' Help US!!!!!!!!!!!:crying:

 

[1962Missal]

The so-called “classics” that are generally less than forty years old.

On Eagles Wings, You are Near, Be not afraid, Here I am Lord.

<<<Visions of burlap and felt banners and potted plants on the altar dance in my head. Hippy Mass from hell.

Justin

 

[agick]

Hi All,

When I was going through Navy Boot Camp back in 1972, we Catholics had to go to Sunday Mass while the Protestants went to their Sunday Services. Even the agnostics and atheists had to attend one or the other service. (Do boots today have to attend Sunday Mass or Services? hmmm…).

Anyway, during these Sunday Masses I was a bit shocked to find Dylan’s Blow’n in the Wind being sung. I’ve always liked that song, but singing it during Mass hardly seemed appropriate.

Oh well, sure beat sitting around the barracks shining my shoes,

TonyG

 

[Rivera]

Audrey:

Hosea is one of my favorite songs. Hosea turned away from God and when he returned, this was God’s song to him. It shows that God will wait as long as it takes for someone to return to the church and he will welcome them with open arms. Having been away from the Catholic Church for 17 years before becoming a “Revert,” I can really connect with this most beautiful song.

I hesitate to discuss the absolute value of a piece of music because it is so subjective. I never connected with Hosea, but it is a favorite of our Choir director. I like just about anything in Latin, but I also I kinda like Catholic hip hop (a la Father Stan Fortuna), so go figure. My attitude is that I sing as a gift to Jesus, not to myself, so whether I like the music or not I always try to sing my best.
n

 

[kellie]

Awwwwwwww thanks Katholish,

Now I remember that song Lord Of The Dance

I used to sing it at school

I love it

I havent heard it in years

Love Kellie

 

[agick]

Hi All,

The Lord of the Dance was sung by the children’s choir in my parish some weeks ago which seemed ‘cutesy.’ But I’d hate to hear our adult’s choir sing something so ‘sappy.’ Here’s hoping they don’t.

TonyG