Mortal sin not to sing at Mass?

  • Thread starter Thread starter dizzy_dave
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
D

dizzy_dave

Guest
Is it a Mortal sin to not sing the songs during Mass? I don’t feel comfortable singing, I am a terrible singer, I don’t like singing. But is it a Mortal sin, or even Venile?
 
It is preferred that you sing, but I wouldn’t go so far to call it sin if you don’t. For many many years, it was considered taboo to speak a word during mass, so I think if you prefer to be silent during mass, it should be ok.
Now if you start finding the singing of others annoying, and start thinking negative thoughts, then it starts diving into the realm of sin.
In the end, I would suggest picking up the book, and trying singing. You may not be able to sing according to your own or the worlds standards, but God gave you a voice, and to him it is beautiful.
God Bless,

Justin
 
Considering that I go to silent masses 99% of the time, if I started belting out “Ave Maria” I would get some strange looks to say the least.

No, refraining from singing is not a sin, much less a mortal sin.
 
I find it very troubling when parishoners begin to file out during the recessional hymn! :mad: In my opinion that is at least venial sin, because that hymn is a part of the Mass and leaving during it is showing irreverance. THERE! I said it!

Also, I know a guy who sings really BADLY, and LOUD at mass. :eek: He knows how bad he is. He probably isn’t sinning, but [sigh] sometimes I wonder if it isn’t a terrible distraction to the faithful.

I would say that if you can’t sing well, you can stand revererantly following the hymnal words in a meditative attitude without singing… and still be an equal blessing to God and be in perfect unity with the Mass.
 
It is a sin when I “sing” in Mass…but the good book says to “Make a Joyful *Noise *unto the Lord” and I plan on continuing to do that.

No, gosh no - there is nothing sinful, venial or mortal, by not singing in Mass.
 
40.png
dizzy_dave:
Is it a Mortal sin to not sing the songs during Mass? I don’t feel comfortable singing, I am a terrible singer, I don’t like singing. But is it a Mortal sin, or even Venile?
Click to expand...
I don’t know, But I am pretty sure it is covered by the Act’s of Mercy. If you can’t sing, I am grateful you don’t. 😃 Your heart is praying and that is far more important. 😉
 
40.png
ridesawhitehors:
I find it very troubling when parishoners begin to file out during the recessional hymn! :mad: In my opinion that is at least venial sin, because that hymn is a part of the Mass and leaving during it is showing irreverance. THERE! I said it!
Click to expand...
Many people find this practice troubling, but I doubt that it could be a venial sin.

I am not sure that the recessional hymn is a part of the Mass. If it is, then the purpose is to “recess”, that is, leave the Mass. The priest processes out of the church while the singing goes on, and anyone else is free to follow.

Please remember that there are always a few people who have a serious reason to leave without waiting for the singing to stop (late for work, sick child, etc.) I am not talking about people who just want to zoom out of the parking lot.
 
40.png
Marie:
I don’t know, But I am pretty sure it is covered by the Act’s of Mercy. If you can’t sing, I am grateful you don’t. 😃 Your heart is praying and that is far more important. 😉
Click to expand...
Our former pastor, he retired in June, couldn’t sing. However, he encouraged it a lot. He often asked us to sing, even if we couldn’t, explaining that if God gave use our voice he ought to be able to listen to it.
 
My thoughts:

Are you singing in your heart? Sometimes people mouth the words of prayer or songs, but don’t think of the meaning of what they’re praying. If you are singing on the inside, I believe that means much more to God than if you just ‘sing through’ whatever the song is.

God is tone deaf. He wants you to praise Him. Lift your voice in song.

I am not tone deaf. :o If you know you don’t sing well, then sing softly. (my personal opinion here 😉 ). Certainly don’t volunteer to lead the singing. (Also my personal opinion 😃 ).

Most people sing better than they think they do. It’s not about you, it’s about Him.

The more you sing, the better you get! Praise the Lord in song!

As a cantor, I would rather have a whole congregation singing badly with me, than just a few people singing well. We are to participate wholeheartedly in the entire mass, so please sing.

Bottom line, is it a sin? Sin is turning away from God. Are you turning away from Him when you don’t sing? Only you can answer that.

Lip sync-ing is also okay, if the prayer is in your heart and you have laryngitis! 😃
 
40.png
ktm:
No, refraining from singing is not a sin, much less a mortal sin.
Click to expand...
But sometimes NOT refraining may be. :rotfl: When I sing, people start calling the SPCA, claiming that I’m torturing some poor animal.

John
 
Our Pastor cannot sing. Our associate Pastor has a wonderful singing voice…its a bit amusing to hear the difference between them.

I am a former evangelical and we sang out loud whether we had the voice for it or not and oddly enough we didn’t really pay that much attention to each other to judge if anyone else could not sing. Certainly no one was stared at or anyone asked to NOT sing!

At Mass I sing out on the songs I know…but I’m afraid there are many I just don’t know yet so I sort of hum along. I’m still learning and as soon as I feel comfortable I will sing them out as well. I really have no idea what my voice sounds like and frankly…I don’t care and I don’t care if my neighbor can sing or not either. But that’s my Protestant background showing I’m afraid. 😉 Its just a kind of confidence that God accepts our praise no matter what it sounds like and we accept that even though our neighbor might sound like a screech owl we’re sure its acceptable to God.

dream wanderer
 
actually, if i sang, it WOULD be a mortal sin. it would drive the faithful from the church in droves.
God gave me an amazing talent with paint and pen, but he totally forgot to help me out in the singing department.
 
No it’s not a sin not to sing at church unless your intention is to be hurtful, i.e, (you don’t like the person leading, so in spite, you don’t sing, etc).

Anyway…St. Augustine said, “when you sing you pray twice”.
 
40.png
dizzy_dave:
Is it a Mortal sin to not sing the songs during Mass? I don’t feel comfortable singing, I am a terrible singer, I don’t like singing. But is it a Mortal sin, or even Venile?
Click to expand...
Are you not singing because you can’t keep a tune? Would it be shamefull if you missed a note? Would there be doubts if someone looked at you because you messed up?

If the answer is ‘yes’, then I would recommend self-reflection on the matter. Dive into Scripture and understand that when you sing, it should not be lip service. Our voices raised in song should not be a meaningless ceremony, else read Isaiah 1.

When you sing, you are singing to God, praising Him for His Glory and Mercy! It should be out of the abundance of love in your heart for Him. Its out of the overlflow of the heart that the mouth speaks (and sings too!)

There is nothing wrong with silence. But all that we do should be motivated by Spirit, not flesh. If you don’t want to sing becuase there is any feeling of shame if you were to, then yes, its possible that its a sin. Allow the Spirit to minister to you in this area. Fast and pray for illumination in this area.

If you find that you desire to sing, even though you may mess up, sing! The only way it could be a distraction to anyone else around you, is if they focus on you, instead of God while they are singing~thereby offering nothing but lip service. Know that the LORD is happy with your voice, whether you believe yourself to be a good singer or not. You are a wonderful, beautiful creation of the Most High God.

Sing your praises to Him.
 
I used to tell people that ASCAP had a permanent injuction that prohibited me from singing in public, because my voice defamed songwriters. Friends told me that I sang in three notes, all of them flat.

But one day our parish Music Director requested that EVERYONE sing. As she explained it, if you sing badly, those who sing well will just have to sing louder to drown you out! 👍

I now sing at Mass, and I think I’ve gotten better over the years. (I’m now up to 5 flat notes.)
 
My problem is I really can’t read music, so if I don’t know the hymn (and if it’s modern I probably don’t), I usually have to fumble around, because I don’t know where the music is going next.If I do know the hymn I bellow like a calf.
 
:rotfl I,also, have a terrible singing voice. So, I don’t sing. Yes, the bible says we are to make a joyful noise before the Lord. But singing is only one form of doing so. I figure that if God wanted me to sing, He would have given me the ability to do so!!! :whistle:
 
The excuses people make for not singing. :confused: I’m having a hard time understanding this. Why is everyone so self-conscience? I read of people being afraid to wear a head covering and people tell them to go ahead and do it anyway…or if they feel like receiving on the tongue or whatever to go ahead and do it anyway…

So this is a first for me…go ahead and SING anyway… 😛 If someone has a problem with the way your voice sounds that is THEIR problem,not yours. It is God who is the audience, not them. I find most people under-estimate their singing ability anyway…most of us sound better than we think we do.

dream wanderer
 
Code:
40.png
dizzy_dave:
Is it a Mortal sin to not sing the songs during Mass? I don’t feel comfortable singing, I am a terrible singer, I don’t like singing. But is it a Mortal sin, or even Venile?
Click to expand...
Given that most of the music in church today is so bad and mediocre, I would think it would be a mortal sin to sing!

Antonio 😃
 
But hey, many here did quote the Psalmist’s command to make a joyful NOISE. Now isn’t "noise: defined as a series of disorganized sound waves? Organized sound waves are considered “music”

To to be truly technical about it, making a joyful noise to the Lord is to pelt out disorganized sound waves eh? http://forum.catholic.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

So if you have absolutely no singing talent, then I’d say that if you still open your mouth, you are doing it BIBLICALLY! http://forum.catholic.com/images/smilies/ani/rotfl.gifheh heh heh.

(Man, talk of convoluted logic. Reminds me of the “Judas went out and hanged himself…Go thou and do likewise” argument.) http://forum.catholic.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top