MERGED: "Musical abuse" at Mass tonight/Rock/Contemporary

[CruceSignati]

Just had to vent my feelings here

So tonight at Mass, I was trying to keep the focus on Jesus; however, that is difficult when the Great Amen begins with a drum solo and for the Offertory, a song is sung to a newly baptised child and his parents. It was a bit like Happy Birthday, with names inserted and all.
I’m not actually mad, but I must say that this experience has made me very thankful for our own priest, who is quite traditional and is making great efforts to bring back some of the older hymns that are quite beautiful and reverent.

What are your thoughts? What is music like at your parish??

 

[CalCatholic]

I would not want to hear drums at Mass !

 

[mab23]

I would not want to hear drums at Mass !

I agree!

 

[Maria1993]

I feel really bad for saying this, but the music is not the best at our parish.

I respect the fact that the ladies try their best but…they sound like they are wailing. The guitar, organ, and base is ok. Just the singing…not really a fan.

 

[Molokai_fire]

Hi
At last someone who understands! How are we meant to elevate our souls and stand quietly before God receiving his blessing, when a drum solo is banging into our private meditations? I am all for change and growth, but this is regression.
There is a law by the Catholic Church which prohibits drums but its not easy to find. Whenever I voice my opinion , parishoners accuse me of being ‘behind the times’ and a stick, but we’re talking about our souls, you have to be all or nothing… for once, I’d like these people which say this to stop and think what it is to give yourself over to God, and what it is to value silence to have communication with God. The youth, and I am one of them, need to see that life is not a backtrack with songs playing to set your mood and give you high’s and lows according to what is happening. Life is real and raw and fundamentally simple and we need to get back to that, for within this lies the beautiful in life

 

[sojo]

Oh my… I know it would be hard for many of us NOT to be distracted by that!

As far as our parish - we seldom have any music. Our keyboardist (electronic keyboard - we can’t afford an organ) has gotten too ill with Parkinson’s to play any longer. Our “choir” is about 4 people who may or may not show up, but if they do, they will sing the same hymns over and over. Believe me, only a couple can carry a tune much less move beyond their particular octave.

So hardly any music, and when we do, its down to about 7-10 tried and true hymns. And Father often forgets his mike is on, so his off-key renditions drown the rest of us out anyway.

Still… not as bad as the drum solo you had to endure!

Thank goodness the Mass doesn’t really depend on music, or candles, or pretty side-shrines or kneelers. We don’t have any of that either . Its only human to miss the “frills” – I sure do. But there’s much to be learned about our faith when you are reduced to a few folding metal chairs, no music or all the rest.

 

[Carolus_Martell]

Yikes! Drums at mass.

 

[smndtupidisaftr]

I’ve seen it quite a few times. I’m not a fan of their use. All of the accompaniment gets in the way of our voices and the words we say.

 

[Tigg]

Yes, we too now have a drummer accompanying the choir! It’s dreadful - especially after Communion.

There is a law by the Catholic Church which prohibits drums but its not easy to find.

How can we find this? Our pastor needs to see this one!

 

[Elizium23]

It is not hard to find.

, 1903, Pope St. Pius X.Tra le Sollecitudini

1. The employment of the piano is forbidden in church, as is also that of noisy or frivolous instruments such as drums, cymbals, bells and the like.

 

[John_Lilburne]

Monsignor Andrew Wadsworth is the Executive Director of ICEL. I am impressed by his talks about music in the liturgy. I think he is making realistic assessments of the current situation and concrete and worthwhile suggestions for how to improve things.

His talk at chantcafe.com/2012/06/msgr-wadsworths-speech-to-cmaa.html describes problems with the Closing Mass of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress, in Dublin June 17th, 2012.

His speech to the Society of St Gregory of 10 November 2012 includes suggestions for musicians, at chantcafe.com/2012/11/msgr-wadsworths-address-to-st-gregory.html .

He has spoken about the implementation of the new translation of the Roman Missal, at
praytellblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Wadsworth-NY-talk.pdf and
praytellblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Wadsworth-NY-talk-2.pdf . This second part has more on liturgical music.

A video of a talk he gave on 14 June 2011, “The Agony and the Ecstasy: The Fundamental Importance of Liturgical Chant in the Roman Missal and Our Celebration of the Eucharistic Mystery”, is at vimeo.com/25776981 .

Another talk of 21 August 2010 is “Towards the Future – Singing the Mass” at chantcafe.com/p/towards-future-singing-mass-by-msgr.html

There are a lot of resources for implementing the chant in the new Roman Missal, at npm.org/Chants/index.html and at icelweb.org/musicfolder/openmusic.php .

 

[seekerz]

It is not hard to find.

Tra le Sollecitudini, 1903, Pope St. Pius X.

It’s not the instrument, but it’s appropriate use. We have to know when our preferences are matters of faith or simply of culture and habit.

According to this article, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) states:

1. However, from the days when the Ark of the Covenant was accompanied in procession by cymbals, harps, lyres, and trumpets, God’s people have, in various periods, used a variety of musical instruments to sing his praise. Each of these instruments, born of the culture and the traditions of a particular people, has given voice to a wide variety of forms and styles through which Christ’s faithful continue to join their voices to his perfect song of praise upon the Cross.

Can’t we just praise God without making a particular instrument an issue?

 

[roadsend]

A drum solo is about the drummer, not about the Mass.

If the drums came to my parish. I would be down the road at the Greek Orthodox Liturgy (which is my canonical right to do), whenever I am unable to Make the seven hour round trip to a Catholic church that I can count on to offer a reverent Mass.

 

[seekerz]

A drum solo is about the drummer, not about the Mass.

And you determine that how exactly? For all the “solo” singing I have encountered in the Mass, I don’t see what’s automatically offensive about a drum solo. These are personal preferences, not automatic offenses against God.

I’m much more disturbed by the people who seem afraid/unwilling to actually open their mouths and sing along with the choir, or join in responses during the Mass.

 

[theistgal]

And you determine that how exactly? For all the “solo” singing I have encountered in the Mass, I don’t see what’s automatically offensive about a drum solo. These are personal preferences, not automatic offenses against God.

I’m much more disturbed by the people who seem afraid/unwilling to actually open their mouths and sing along with the choir, or join in responses during the Mass.

I’m a cantor at my Byzantine Catholic church, and our congregation always joins in very heartily with the responses and chants. Yet when I occasionally visit a Latin Rite church, I too find it difficult to “open my mouth and sing along with the choir” because, sorry, so many of the hymns are just unsing-able, or theologically questionable, or both.

(FWIW every so often I’ll find a church with the “Adoremus” hymnal; those hymns are actually pretty good. )

 

[Maria1993]

It is not hard to find.

Tra le Sollecitudini, 1903, Pope St. Pius X.

Wait…we can’t have a piano? O___o
We have one at a nearby parish.

 

[superamazingman]

It’s not the instrument, but it’s appropriate use. We have to know when our preferences are matters of faith or simply of culture and habit.

Actually, it’s both. It’s not a matter of faith, but as you conveniently ignored, the church has spoken quite clearly on this issue. Using the old crutch of “culture and habit” doesn’t give us the authority to ignore the church in this area.

Can’t we just praise God without making a particular instrument an issue?

Go right ahead! Praise God however you want! But at the liturgy, it’s not about doing whatever we want, or “not making issues.” There’s rubrics and directives for a reason.

 

[Tigg]

It is not hard to find.

Tra le Sollecitudini, 1903, Pope St. Pius X.

The employment of the piano is forbidden in church, as is also that of noisy or frivolous instruments such as drums, cymbals, bells and the like.

I suspect there is a document issued after 1903 on this subject. The piano is the most common instrument found in churches in our little town and is used even at our Cathedral.

 

[superamazingman]

I suspect there is a document issued after 1903 on this subject. The piano is the most common instrument found in churches in our little town and is used even at our Cathedral.

Post it then! I haven’t seen one (except maybe a non-authoritative one from the USCCB, which holds no authority).

One could have also said the same thing about ad-libbing priests 20 years ago when it was more common. That doesn’t mean they should have been doing it. That just means LOTS of people are wrong.

 

[CruceSignati]

I’m much more disturbed by the people who seem afraid/unwilling to actually open their mouths and sing along with the choir, or join in responses during the Mass.

Thats the other thing about this parish. While myself and my family were singing our hearts out at this Mass, most of the parishioners were just standing and facing the altar, not even making an attempt to sing praises to God