Life Teen

[WakeUpNeighbour]

Dear brother in Christ, as far as I discern from some writings here is someone that always keeps an opposite opinion and could even consider an insult from me to call him “brother in Christ” . Not just opposite but hostile toward something or someone that will not be found on this forums.
Dear “benedictgal”, take it slower, please. There is no need to burn out anyone. Perhaps it would help to wait a second before answering or to read preview and edit sensible … Without a pressure, anyone can see that folks in this discussion takes (Catholic) liturgy serious and have different experience but (in general) not generalizing.
Congratulations all for patience and understanding for traditionalists among us. I am a traditionalist too since I work on giving the living faith* to the next generation

• including the Love for The Catholic Church with its earth-human sinfulness and Divine holiness.
  With LOVE
  
  Oh, and “AquinaSavio”, for some saints it was an honor to leave Eucharist and meet Christ in man. Even God Himself left his Heaven to come closer to human being!! Profanation of humanity is today much worse, as told above.

 

[benedictgal]

Dear brother in Christ, as far as I discern from some writings here is someone that always keeps an opposite opinion and could even consider an insult from me to call him “brother in Christ” . Not just opposite but hostile toward something or someone that will not be found on this forums.
Dear “benedictgal”, take it slower, please. There is no need to burn out anyone. Perhaps it would help to wait a second before answering or to read preview and edit sensible … Without a pressure, anyone can see that folks in this discussion takes (Catholic) liturgy serious and have different experience but (in general) not generalizing.
Congratulations all for patience and understanding for traditionalists among us. I am a traditionalist too since I work on giving the living faith* to the next generation

• including the Love for The Catholic Church with its earth-human sinfulness and Divine holiness.
  With LOVE
  
  Oh, and “AquinaSavio”, for some saints it was an honor to leave Eucharist and meet Christ in man. Even God Himself left his Heaven to come closer to human being!!

My concern is that the Faith and Tradition need to be handed down to the next generation in the correct form. Inasmuch as there are different ways to spread the message, the same concept cannot apply to the Mass. We can’t cobble up another form of the Holy Sacrifice simply because we think that young people may find the Mass “dull and boring”, as the Houston LifeTeen page indicates. If we think that making the Mass “more exciting” will improve it, then, we are definitely in a very sad state.

I may have said this in this thread or in another one, but, it bears repeating: St. John Bosco, who apparently is one of LifeTeen’s patron saints, specialized in youth ministry. However, it was never at the expense of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Sure, he did juggling acts, played games with the kids and gave them an outlet for their energy, but, he never, ever watered down the Faith and he never regarded the Mass as his own personal property that he could do with as he pleased. I ought to know. I was educated at a Salesian school and know the history of Don Bosco very well. Perhaps it would do well for LifeTeen if they would actually follow his example rather than simply consider him as their patron.

 

[MrS]

My concern is that the Faith and Tradition need to be handed down to the next generation in the correct form. Inasmuch as there are different ways to spread the message, the same concept cannot apply to the Mass. We can’t cobble up another form of the Holy Sacrifice simply because we think that young people may find the Mass “dull and boring”, as the Houston LifeTeen page indicates. If we think that making the Mass “more exciting” will improve it, then, we are definitely in a very sad state.

I may have said this in this thread or in another one, but, it bears repeating: St. John Bosco, who apparently is one of LifeTeen’s patron saints, specialized in youth ministry. However, it was never at the expense of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Sure, he did juggling acts, played games with the kids and gave them an outlet for their energy, but, he never, ever watered down the Faith and he never regarded the Mass as his own personal property that he could do with as he pleased. I ought to know. I was educated at a Salesian school and know the history of Don Bosco very well. Perhaps it would do well for LifeTeen if they would actually follow his example rather than simply consider him as their patron.

 

[AquinaSavio]

Oh, and “AquinaSavio”, for some saints it was an honor to leave Eucharist and meet Christ in man. Even God Himself left his Heaven to come closer to human being!! Profanation of humanity is today much worse, as told above.

WakeUpNeighbor,

What do the saints’ ecstasies have to do with this subject? Many of them, such as St. Dominic Savio, occurred after receiving the Eucharist because they were so intimately united with Christ. I’m not understanding the point you’re trying to make.

The Mass is the thing which unites us most intimately with Christ while we are upon earth. It is a re-presentation of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary. It is, indeed, the most precious thing on earth. When this is made a mockery of because people aren’t getting the proper feeling out of it, then yes…it is a great evil. Yes…it is even a greater evil than the sufferings in the world. Christ is hurt when people are hurt. But Christ is directly insulted when the Eucharist is insulted.

 

[WakeUpNeighbour]

I know this was written over two months ago…but I had to respond. You will note that the term “clashing cymbals” is used in conjunction with a “noisy gong” and used to describe someone who acts without love. St. Paul seems to think of them with contempt.

False!
How about Psalm 150:5?
“Praise God with cymbals, with clashing cymbals.”
Is it encouraging acts without love or there is another hurry-quote-mistake?

But since a subject here is LifeTeen, let us keep it on.
There is no theological incorrectness in LifeTeen as a program,
also the time will show about practical aspects (Church has time!). But be assure there are liturgical and other abuses outside the LT as well. LT could not be treated as a goat of guilt.

“Christ is directly insulted when the Eucharist is insulted.”
I agree completely. But what on earth THIS has with the LifeTeen program? We are in that circle of mindless accusation again …
Being familiar with the Fathers of The Church You would find enough support for **any **of this claims on Christ in the Eucharist and human. It is not a question of the truth but emphasis based on personal experience. There is no need to be militant when protecting Church. It hurts the Church also.

Keep on quoting whatever, just use some “salt” of love and sense.

 

[benedictgal]

False!
How about Psalm 150:5?
“Praise God with cymbals, with clashing cymbals.”
Another hurry-mistake?

But since a subject here is LifeTeen, let us keep it on.
There is no theological incorrectness in LifeTeen as a program,
also the time will show about practical aspects (Church has time!). But be assure there are liturgical and other abuses outside the LT as well. LT could not be treated as a goat of guilt.

“Christ is directly insulted when the Eucharist is insulted.”
I agree completely. But what on earth THIS has with the LifeTeen program? We are in that circle of mindless accusation again …
Being familiar with the Fathers of The Church You would find enough support for **any **of this claims on Christ in the Eucharist and human. It is not a question of the truth but emphasis based on personal experience. There is no need to be militant when protecting Church. It hurts the Church also.

Keep on quoting whatever, just use some “salt” of love and sense.

While it is very true that other liturgical abuses exist apart from LifeTeen, this movement is one of the biggest perpetrators (as are/were the Neocatechumenals, who, by the way, received a personal and direct message from Pope Benedict XVI to cease and desist by 2007). Furthermore, even though the LifeTeen founder wrote a letter (which agapewolf posted in another thread) informing the LifeTeen communities to stop the liturgical abuses of gathering the kids around the altar, using an unapproved form of dismissal (as opposed to “the Mass is ended, go in peace” or the other two approved forms) and having a “rock-party atmosphere” before the Mass, one wonders if the word ever got around.

WakeupNeighbor, inasmuch as the pslam you quoted lists cymbols as an instrument, that is not to say that the Church is bound to use such as valid for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Remember, just because King David danced before the Ark of the Covenant doesn’t make liturgical dancing an approved form of worship (as Cardinal Arinze has said many, many times). Furthermore, the Church in Musica Sacram says, in part:

those instruments which are, by common opinion and use, suitable for secular music only, are to be altogether prohibited from every liturgical celebration and from popular devotions.44

Cymbols, drums, banjos, electric guitars and bass guitars would fall under this category. As far as Musica Sacram is concerned, it hasn’t been abrogated to my knowledge and still remains a solid standard.

 

[palmas85]

While it is very true that other liturgical abuses exist apart from LifeTeen, this movement is one of the biggest perpetrators (as are/were the Neocatechumenals, who, by the way, received a personal and direct message from Pope Benedict XVI to cease and desist by 2007). Furthermore, even though the LifeTeen founder wrote a letter (which agapewolf posted in another thread) informing the LifeTeen communities to stop the liturgical abuses of gathering the kids around the altar, using an unapproved form of dismissal (as opposed to “the Mass is ended, go in peace” or the other two approved forms) and having a “rock-party atmosphere” before the Mass, one wonders if the word ever got around.

WakeupNeighbor, inasmuch as the pslam you quoted lists cymbols as an instrument, that is not to say that the Church is bound to use such as valid for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Remember, just because King David danced before the Ark of the Covenant doesn’t make liturgical dancing an approved form of worship (as Cardinal Arinze has said many, many times). Furthermore, the Church in Musica Sacram says, in part:

Cymbols, drums, banjos, electric guitars and bass guitars would fall under this category. As far as Musica Sacram is concerned, it hasn’t been abrogated to my knowledge and still remains a solid standard.

Off topic a bit but whatever happened to the founder of Lifeteen anyway? Still around? Haven’t heard much about him lately since he decided to resign from the Priesthood and open up his own personal worship center.

Which all things being equal might not be a bad thing.

 

[benedictgal]

Off topic a bit but whatever happened to the founder of Lifeteen anyway? Still around? Haven’t heard much about him lately since he decided to resign from the Priesthood and open up his own personal worship center.

Which all things being equal might not be a bad thing.

I didn’t know that! From what you said (and from the research that I’ve done) he seemed to have been leading the group down that path from the get-go. No wonder EWTN wanted nothing to do with the group, as even the Life on the Rock team nixed broadcasting any LifeTeen liturgies.

 

[WakeUpNeighbour]

Well, this one about “instruments suitable for secular music only”, makes me sad: if some play only those instruments - it is gonna be difficult for them to praise God in liturgy the right way!

Arent those Vatican people protecting liturgical norms for the culture that nearly does not exist anymore?

Did they consider how to arrange organ-only liturgy in the mission parts of the world too? I hope they wont try to say that my brothers missionaries and their villagers are praising God false!

After a decade of study over culture and evangelisation in Catholic Church I found that Youth culture in the Church should be treated similar to the missionary - and often bringing teens closer to Christ is a real missionary work! I just work a thesis on this issue.
Good incarnated in the culture of some period and alloved people to praise Him their own way.
Missionaries try to incarnate The “Euangelion” in the culture of own people. Todays Youth ministry often does the same.

Now I seriously wonder:
Where is the ballance on the level of incarnation and allowance of cultural biased worship AND liturgy?

… about the founder of LifeTeen - his story begins to be similar to some other reformators who did not pass the final exam of the Church but moved a rock of heavy nothingness for the future generations (including some great reformators of religious orders). Church wil survive and time will show more … his guilt is not proven (yet) so he is not convicted guy but in procedure!

 

[benedictgal]

Now I seriously wonder:
Where is the ballance on the level of incarnation and allowance of cultural biased worship AND liturgy?

The problem is that the term “culture” as the Church defines it (and as affirmed by Cardinal Arinze) applies to those indigenous peoples (South American and African tribal groups, etc). The youth culture does not fall under that definition. In fact, someone tried to use that argument to allow for liturgical dance at Youth Masses, but, Cardinal Arinze quickly nixed that one saying that there is no tradition in the Western world for dance.

Here is what the late Pope John Paul II wrote regarding inculturation and liturgical music:

1. The music and song requested by the liturgical reform - it is right to stress this point - must comply with the legitimate demands of adaptation and inculturation. It is clear, however, that any innovation in this sensitive matter must respect specific criteria such as the search for musical expressions which respond to the necessary involvement of the entire assembly in the celebration and which, at the same time, avoid any concessions to frivolity or superficiality. Likewise, on the whole, those elitist forms of “inculturation” which introduce into the Liturgy ancient or contemporary compositions of possible artistic value, but that indulge in a language that is incomprehensible to the majority, should be avoided.

In this regard St Pius X pointed out - using the term universal - a further prerequisite of music destined for worship: “…while every nation”, he noted, “is permitted to admit into its ecclesiastical compositions those special forms which may be said to constitute its native music, still these forms must be subordinate in such a manner to the general character of sacred music, that nobody of any nation may receive an impression other than good on hearing them”[16]. In other words, the sacred context of the celebration must never become a laboratory for experimentation or permit forms of composition and performance to be introduced without careful review.

This document, called the Chirograph on Sacred Music and written in 2003, was issued to commemorate the 100th anniversary of St. Pius X letter on Sacred Music. John Paul also makes this additional observation, which I think is very appropriate to the LifeTeen situation:

1. On various occasions I too have recalled the precious role and great importance of music and song for a more active and intense participation in liturgical celebrations[9]. I have also stressed the need to “purify worship from ugliness of style, from distasteful forms of expression, from uninspired musical texts which are not worthy of the great act that is being celebrated”[10], to guarantee dignity and excellence to liturgical compositions.

…4. In continuity with the teachings of St Pius X and the Second Vatican Council, it is necessary first of all to emphasize that music destined for sacred rites must have holiness as its reference point: indeed, “sacred music increases in holiness to the degree that it is intimately linked with liturgical action”[11]. For this very reason, “not all without distinction that is outside the temple (profanum) is fit to cross its threshold”, my venerable Predecessor Paul VI wisely said, commenting on a Decree of the Council of Trent[12]. And he explained that “if music - instrumental and vocal - does not possess at the same time the sense of prayer, dignity and beauty, it precludes the entry into the sphere of the sacred and the religious”[13]. Today, moreover, the meaning of the category “sacred music” has been broadened to include repertoires that cannot be part of the celebration without violating the spirit and norms of the Liturgy itself.

St Pius X’s reform aimed specifically at purifying Church music from the contamination of profane theatrical music that in many countries had polluted the repertoire and musical praxis of the Liturgy. In our day too, careful thought, as I emphasized in the Encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia, should be given to the fact that not all the expressions of figurative art or of music are able “to express adequately the mystery grasped in the fullness of the Church’s faith”[14]. Consequently, not all forms of music can be considered suitable for liturgical celebrations.

This last statement lies at the heart of my concerns regarding the music used during LifeTeen Masses. I looked up their recommendations and, quite frankly, it’s all praise and worship music that only makes a joyful noise and nothing else. The supporters of LifeTeen praise JPII to the skies for establishing the youth movement, but, evidently, they may not have read what he wrote about the liturgy, especially the appropriateness of the music used for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

 

[AquinaSavio]

False!
How about Psalm 150:5?
“Praise God with cymbals, with clashing cymbals.”
Is it encouraging acts without love or there is another hurry-quote-mistake?

WakeUpNeighbor,

I did not say that it was the only reference to clashing cymbals. That was your misinterpretation of my post. Even so, that verse is so over-quoted in these debates. Just because the instruments were named in the Old Testament does not make them suitable for Mass. I seem to recall horns being used in the OT, yet no one demands that they be used at Mass as well.

But since a subject here is LifeTeen, let us keep it on.
There is no theological incorrectness in LifeTeen as a program,
also the time will show about practical aspects (Church has time!). But be assure there are liturgical and other abuses outside the LT as well. LT could not be treated as a goat of guilt.

“Christ is directly insulted when the Eucharist is insulted.”
I agree completely. But what on earth THIS has with the LifeTeen program? We are in that circle of mindless accusation again …
Being familiar with the Fathers of The Church You would find enough support for **any **of this claims on Christ in the Eucharist and human. It is not a question of the truth but emphasis based on personal experience. There is no need to be militant when protecting Church. It hurts the Church also.

It was not a mindless accusation. I did not say that Life Teen is the only organization which supports such things. I am sorry to say, but I think you are reading what you want to read and trying to twist words here. That never works in a debate. I do not like to respond to posts where the author tries to put words in my mouth. If that was not your intention, then I am sorry.

Life Teen does often support things which are not appropriate at Mass. The party atmosphere and the things to make everything fun. Since when do we teenagers need everything to be fun? It seems as if everyone is treating us as if we’re stupid. And, if we are stupid, why not encourage us to learn and try to understand the traditional liturgical practices? We don’t need everything simplified for us. There was no dancing and clapping on Calvary…seems there shouldn’t be at Mass, either.

We don’t always need to have everything our way.

 

[WakeUpNeighbour]

That IS something, “benedictgal”! Thanks. It will help me with my studies seriously.

And “AquinaSavio” - sorry, but I got the same impression about You at fist. After all, I must admit that the “party atmosphere” spread even here across the Ocean and I cant stand it either. Lucky we - there is no more this party sufferings in our church since our USA-trained Youth Minister left the scene Final year became wery inculturated in holly (or some would say “cold pray”) decency in the church, thanks God.

Peace to all!

 

[benedictgal]

I am part of a LT parish and yes I don’t enjoy the LT Mass as much as the regular Mass, BUT when I do go the songs are always very God oriented . I think you have to be very careful about not over stereotyping the “youth Mass” because they can be very nice and worshipful.

Just out of curiousity, what are the names of some of the songs that you sing? Inasmuch as you say that they are God-oriented, there are many that begin with the word “I” or with the word “we”. They may mention God, but, when the two aforementioned words are thrown into the mix, then, the “I” and “we” become the actors in the song rather than God, and, it turns into a celebration of ourselves and what we are doing for God rather than the other way around.

The reason I say this is because I have seen the hymnals used. My parish uses Spirit and Song and the music is not the best. However, it is very important to read what Pope John Paul II said in his document on the music:

In our day too, careful thought, as I emphasized in the Encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia, should be given to the fact that not all the expressions of figurative art or of music are able “to express adequately the mystery grasped in the fullness of the Church’s faith”[14]. Consequently, not all forms of music can be considered suitable for liturgical celebrations.

1. Another principle, affirmed by St Pius X in the Motu Proprio Tra le Sollecitudini and which is closely connected with the previous one, is that of sound form. There can be no music composed for the celebration of sacred rites which is not first of all “true art” or which does not have that efficacy “which the Church aims at obtaining in admitting into her Liturgy the art of musical sounds”[15].

Yet this quality alone does not suffice. Indeed,*** liturgical music must meet the specific prerequisites of the Liturgy: full adherence to the text it presents, synchronization with the time and moment in the Liturgy for which it is intended, appropriately reflecting the gestures proposed by the rite.*** The various moments in the Liturgy require a musical expression of their own. From time to time this must fittingly bring out the nature proper to a specific rite, now proclaiming God’s marvels, now expressing praise, supplication or even sorrow for the experience of human suffering which, however, faith opens to the prospect of Christian hope.

You are young yet and may not fully understand these things. But, as you get older and are, hopefully, exposed to music that has been part of the Church’s sacred treasury of hymns for the past several hundred years, you might gain an appreciation for the richness of authentic liturgical music. I am afraid that what you are getting at LifeTeen may not even come close to the rich treasures kids like St. Dominic Savio and St. Maria Goretti received when they were your age.

 

[romanholiday]

I haven’t seen this issue addressed yet:

Why does it seem that most proponents of LifeTeen or Praise/Worship style music in masses are also usually very doctrinally orthodox on issues of faith and morals. I went to Franciscan U for my Masters in Theology and loved my courses and found faculty, staff and students to all be very sound on doctrinal matters. Since graduating, I have been in contact with my Charismatic/LifeTeen/Praise&Worship persons who also have been doctrinally orthodox.

In both instances though, the doctrinal orthodoxy doesn’t carry over into proper liturgical practices. Love and obedience is professed to both JPII and Benedict XVI but that seems to end when matters of liturgy and music come up. Then it becomes a bob and weave to avoid the clear meaning of Sacrosanctum Concilium, Musicram Sacram, the Chirograph on Music, Sacramentum Caritatis, etc.

So there you have it: Why doesn’t orthodoxy on matters of faith and morals carry over into obedience regarding liturgy??

 

[WakeUpNeighbour]

I haven’t seen this issue addressed yet:

Why does it seem that most proponents of LifeTeen or Praise/Worship style music in masses are also usually very doctrinally orthodox on issues of faith and morals. I went to Franciscan U for my Masters in Theology and loved my courses and found faculty, staff and students to all be very sound on doctrinal matters. Since graduating, I have been in contact with my Charismatic/LifeTeen/Praise&Worship persons who also have been doctrinally orthodox.

In both instances though, the doctrinal orthodoxy doesn’t carry over into proper liturgical practices. Love and obedience is professed to both JPII and Benedict XVI but that seems to end when matters of liturgy and music come up. Then it becomes a bob and weave to avoid the clear meaning of Sacrosanctum Concilium, Musicram Sacram, the Chirograph on Music, Sacramentum Caritatis, etc.

So there you have it: Why doesn’t orthodoxy on matters of faith and morals carry over into obedience regarding liturgy??

As far as I found in LifeTeen intro & training material there are different understandings of the ortopracsy.

 

[romanholiday]

As far as I found in LifeTeen intro & training material there are different understandings of the ortopracsy.

I’m not sure what you mean. Are you saying that LifeTeen interprets for itself what is proper orthopraxy or not? That LifeTeen decides how to best implement the directives from Rome on liturgy and music? If that is the case, their orthopraxy is very poor.

Let’s see…“Gregorian Chant should have pride of place” is interpreted as Rome saying that it should never be used and Praise & Worship music should be used exclusively.

Or how about…It is clear from Church documents on music and liturgy that electric guitars, drums, tambourines, and rock style music in general are not primarily associated with secular music and are thus eminently suitable for use in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Do those interpretations of orthopraxy regarding liturgy sound about right? How could anyone come any other conclusion!?

 

[benedictgal]

I’m not sure what you mean. Are you saying that LifeTeen interprets for itself what is proper orthopraxy or not? That LifeTeen decides how to best implement the directives from Rome on liturgy and music? If that is the case, their orthopraxy is very poor.

Let’s see…“Gregorian Chant should have pride of place” is interpreted as Rome saying that it should never be used and Praise & Worship music should be used exclusively.

Or how about…It is clear from Church documents on music and liturgy that electric guitars, drums, tambourines, and rock style music in general are not primarily associated with secular music and are thus eminently suitable for use in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Do those interpretations of orthopraxy regarding liturgy sound about right? How could anyone come any other conclusion!?

Your assessment is rather astute and, unfortunately, alarmingly accurate. When I lived in Austin, I would visit the adoration chapel of a large parish south of the Lake Lady Bird (old name: Town Lake). The folks were good people and were very devout. Their bookstore featured a lot of TAN books. However, on Thursday evenings, the charismatics took over and they had hand-holding and swaying during the Pater Noster and then after Mass, they had a healing service. It weirded me out a little so after Mass I would just leave. At the time I was a twenty-something (I had just lost my mother and was rather lonely). I did fall into that stuff momentarily; but, a good friend of mine helped me put things into perspective. I’m still friends with the folks there and I visit the bookstore from time to time, but, I don’t stay around for Thursday Masses.

Believe me, when it comes to Youth Masses, I can speak from experience. In my younger years (JPII was elected when I was 11), our contemporary music was mostly from the St. Louis Jesuits. That’s all we heard at school and at church (although we were taught Holy God, We Praise Thy Name (which is one version of the Te Deum in English), Immaculate Mary and Holy, Holy, Holy). It wasn’t until I left my hometown to go to UT that I re-discovered the vast treasury of our Church’s rich sacred musical heritage.

When I became involved in my parish’s liturgy committee, the staff encouraged me to read the sacramentary and the official Church documents. Boy, what an eye-opener. I still re-read things from time to time to remind myself about things.

That’s why when liturgical weirdness pops up, I am greatly concerned.

 

[Anthony02]

As a youth minister running Life Teen in a parish… i wish to hear from you as to what your thoughts are if you have experienced a Teen mass or life nights? What about the idea of modern praise and worship music in a mass and during the Eucharistic Prayer having youth around the altar?

Although it is LIfe Teen that got me involved with the Catholic Church (I am a convert), I refuse to go back to a Life Teen Mass now knowing what I know now. I have experience reverence during Mass and I can honestly tell you that the Life Teen Mass is far from reverent. I never really got an opportunity to pray before Mass like I wanted to unless it was really early before anybody got there. I believe once you enter a Catholic Church, the focus should be on Jesus not on what you did on Friday night. Another thing that I am glad to see changed was the gatheing around the sanctuary during the Liturgy of the Eucharist. How akward that was. Also, the music doesn’t really draw you into the Mass. To me, it almost seems like we are at a rock-n-roll concert. This is my opinion though.

 

[benedictgal]

Although it is LIfe Teen that got me involved with the Catholic Church (I am a convert), I refuse to go back to a Life Teen Mass now knowing what I know now. I have experience reverence during Mass and I can honestly tell you that the Life Teen Mass is far from reverent. I never really got an opportunity to pray before Mass like I wanted to unless it was really early before anybody got there. I believe once you enter a Catholic Church, the focus should be on Jesus not on what you did on Friday night. Another thing that I am glad to see changed was the gatheing around the sanctuary during the Liturgy of the Eucharist. How akward that was. Also, the music doesn’t really draw you into the Mass. To me, it almost seems like we are at a rock-n-roll concert. This is my opinion though.

Hello, Anthony. Evidently, your opinion was shared by the Fathers of the 2005 Synod on the Eucharist. The bishops placed the issue of music at Youth Masses as one of their areas of concern, as a shadow, if you will. Pope Benedict XVI also makes some references to “rock music” in his book, Spirit of the Liturgy. As this thread is rather long, I believe I may have posted it early on (or someone else may have).

 

[wjj2001]

Sorry, I don’t get on here much, so this is a late response;

I know this was written over two months ago…but I had to respond. You will note that the term “clashing cymbals” is used in conjunction with a “noisy gong” and used to describe someone who acts without love. St. Paul seems to think of them with contempt.

Thankfully someone already pointed out that I was referring to Psalm 150. Paul was not referring to the instruments themselves, but to people who made noise without love. From what I’ve seen, there is much love for God and neighbor in the youth Masses I have attended.

None of those things are more important than the profanation of the Eucharist…and when the liturgy is performed improperly, that’s exactly what it is.

I agree with the first, but I usually see much greater devotion to the Eucharist a youth and charismatic Masses, when recipients are fully aware of just what it means to receive the Body of Christ into their own bodies. I contrast this with so many traditional (not TLM) Masses I have attended where many sit down and talk after Communion, or rattle their rosary beads during the homily. Where is the reverence in that?

Now, I’m not saying all traditionalists are like that, or that all youth choirs (bands) are reverent, but I am saying that more contemporary music can be every bit as reverent as what some believe to be “traditional.” As I’ve said elsewhere, let’s bring back harps, lutes, and songs only in Aramaic if we want to celebrate the liturgy as the early church did.