Music during Adoration

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I am sponsoring a confirmandi and was asked some questions regarding her first Adoration which her class was attending and they apparently did not have any discussion on this prior to their attendance. I am an adorer and was happy to give her as much information as I could regarding the beautiful quiet and individual prayer experiences available to all of us with our Lord during the peaceful time we spend with him in adoration. When I asked her how everything went for her her following her experience she told me it was nothing like I had told her. Apparently they only had a few minutes after the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament where they could quietly pray and then a lady came in and started talking to them about adoration while the Blessed Sacrament was still exposed and after the talk a group of singers with drinks in hand started singing and the group was invited to join in with the hymns and this took up the remainder of the time until the Blessed Sacrament was deposed and that was their first experience with Adoration. She was disappointed and so was I. Is this what we are teaching our young people about adoration. Where is the reverence and the idea that everyone is there to pray individually without anyone directing their thoughts while they are in the presence of our Lord. I would think the talk should have been done prior to them going in and the singing - well, I don’t know what to think about that. Can someone help me out here. Am I really old school here and are things changing that much. I am really disappointed.
 
i don`t blame you for being disappointed. The whole thing sounds revolting. You unintentionally said that at the end, the Blessed Sacrament was “deposed”: sounds appropriate!

There seems to be a perverted idea around that if our lives arent filled with ACTION, ACTION, ACTION (and continuous NOISE), then were missing something. There are very few public places that don`t have (in my opinion) some annoying, intruding background noise.

If we cant spend quiet time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, theres something horribly wrong! Even if a lot of individuals don`t realise it, for physical, mental and spiritual refreshment, we need the peace of silence.
People who pray the Rosary out loud during Adoration give me the horrors.

i like the words of the French villager to the Cure of Ars: “I look at Him, and He looks at me.”: just silent meditation and informal prayer, rather than set formal prayer.

The West has gone stupid! :mad: Too much artificial stuff. Its a plastic society. Its a shallow society. Television must be largely to blame. Has the attention span of the average adult collapsed to that of a 2 year old? (Sorry, 2 year olds! 😊)

End of growl.
 
AAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGG!

I totally agree. Adoration, after any opening remarks by the priest, shoud be silent, I think. No music!
 
It sounds like what the confirmandi experienced was some form of benediction. It is not uncommon for a spiritual meditation or talk will take place in the context of a benediction.

The Blessed Sacrament is exposed, incensed, a hymn is sung, typically O Salutaris/O Saving Victim. Then there may be a period of adoration or a talk by a priest or someone else while the Blessed Sacrament is exposed. Then Tantum Ergo is typically sung with a prayer, the divine praises, and then the Blessed Sacrament is reposed while all sing Holy God We Praise Thy Name.

That is a typical benediction. Does that sound like what the confirmandi experienced.

Perhaps one or two people had a bottle of water and this came across as “Drinks in hand” by the time it was communicated to you?

-Tim-
 
:doh2: geez!!! I can understand your dissapointment!!

That is a horror!

Nice quiet time with Jesus, how elese are you suppose to “hear” what Jesus has to say to you??
 
She’s lucky.

I don’t ever recalling a word being said about adoration in my confirmation class, and I imagine many other classes are the same.

Usually what the classes “confirm” is the sickly state of our catechesis.
 
Sorry FIASCO that was supposed to be reposed…my typing these days is not the best.

It could have been a Benediction but with a lot of music, one of the songs she mentioned was “Be not Afraid” which does not sound like a song that would be part of the Benediction, however the incense was used so I am not quite sure what they were doing. I know they called it XLT. Thanks for all the comments. I was just hoping for her first experience that it could have been more reverend and more prayerful with the beautiful quiet time to see and hear only Him.
 
Our parish offered Eucharistic Adoration once in the past several years. This was just two years ago. The “music minister” could not control herself and had to inject some “meditative” music and offer some spontaneous points to ponder during adoration. For those of us attempting adoration, it was really sad not to mention incredibly annoying. It brought new meaning to “carry the cross.”

I have taken the opportunity to educate my fellow parishioners on what is right and what is wrong in our parish - with charity. It is having some effect. The parish management and staff that are responsible for the modernist and unorthodox activity, including the pastor, are not about to change. They are stubbornly in the camp of defending the “spirit of vatican ii.” There are a few parishioners that are confused and open to hearing the Truth.

Individual discussions and periodic meetings in the homes is a great way to wake up the parish and start down the long road to change our Bride of Christ from suffering to vibrant.
 
That is unfortunate, but the good news is, I don’t think it’s common or that this is the way things are headed. I have been to Adoration at a number of different parishes in different dioceses and have never encountered this. There is one parish I know of that has a “Hispanic Holy Hour” where they pray and sing hymns in Spanish in front of the Blessed Sacrament, but it’s only one hour a month and the rest of the time they have silent Adoration. I’ve never heard “Be not Afraid” as a Benediction hymn. On the other hand, I do make a point of trying to find parishes that are not too wacky.

Since she attended this as part of a class and there was a woman talking about Adoration, it sounds like maybe it was a (misguided) attempt at an educational session and Adoration is not usually like this at their church? Or, if this is how it’s usually done there, take her to the chapel where you attend Adoration so she can experience it as it should be experienced.
 
When we have Holy Hour at our church, the first 10 minutes is benediction and then we do the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Then there is silence while Father goes to the back and folks go to confession. That silence lasts about 20 minutes. The Father comes out and finishes up benediction and puts Jesus back into the tabernacle.
While there is silence, some sit and meditate, some read a book, some pray and some say the rosary very quietly.
There is singing during both parts of the Benediction.

I have been to adoration in other churches where it’s going on all day and people come in and out of the church. That’s a little different, you can have an hour or more (or less if you want) of silence in the presence of Jesus.

Maybe you can take your confirmand to adoration somewhere where it goes on for a day and let her experience it in a different setting.
 
mcmitton said:
AAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGG!

I totally agree. Adoration, after any opening remarks by the priest, shoud be silent, I think. No music!
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First off, adoration can be lead by others besides priests; bishops, deacons, instituted acolytes, and an EMHC who has been commissioned to expose and repose the Blessed Sacrament by his/her pastor for certain occasions can do this.

Secondly, there are many different “types” of prayer experiences that we expose our kids to. Silence in adoration, or outside of adoration, is only one.

I’d agree this adoration period the OP described sounds quite disorganized and ill planned, but the quality does not depend on silence.

If this is part of a confirmation class, I’d suggest getting involved to be sure that an atmosphere of spirituality and pray and reverence is encouraged. Also, make sure that adoration is not just used as “class filler.”
 
Samuel63 said:
Our parish offered Eucharistic Adoration once in the past several years. This was just two years ago. The “music minister” could not control herself and had to inject some “meditative” music and offer some spontaneous points to ponder during adoration. For those of us attempting adoration, it was really sad not to mention incredibly annoying. It brought new meaning to “carry the cross.”

I have taken the opportunity to educate my fellow parishioners on what is right and what is wrong in our parish - with charity. It is having some effect. The parish management and staff that are responsible for the modernist and unorthodox activity, including the pastor, are not about to change. They are stubbornly in the camp of defending the “spirit of vatican ii.” There are a few parishioners that are confused and open to hearing the Truth.

Individual discussions and periodic meetings in the homes is a great way to wake up the parish and start down the long road to change our Bride of Christ from suffering to vibrant.
Click to expand...
So the way adoration is done n most parishes and dioceses is broken and in need of fixing??? Now please remember that the OP is talking about a planned, limited time, class setting teenage adoration. I would agree with everyone that he way the OP describes this even it is a little disjointing, but we must be able to see the ability to worship God in the Eucharist in different ways. If you were talking about a perpetual adoration chapel, I’d be right there with you, but this is confirmation class; it won’t be silent always. However, it should be silent sometimes because different people enjoy different experiences.

But the “teaching” on adoration itself should be done before they enter into the prayer experience, not during.
 
I am so appreciative of all your kind and informative comments. I want so very much for our young people to know Jesus in this Sacrament and to know how important this time with him is and how much grace can be obtained from just one hour with him when I heard this my heart was very saddened that they are not being taught this beautiful prayerful experience in the way it should be taught. They left there not knowing what they had just experienced and how deeply it may have touched them. These young teens do not even go over their prayers in class.
 
sacristan1 said:
I am so appreciative of all your kind and informative comments. I want so very much for our young people to know Jesus in this Sacrament and to know how important this time with him is and how much grace can be obtained from just one hour with him when I heard this my heart was very saddened that they are not being taught this beautiful prayerful experience in the way it should be taught. They left there not knowing what they had just experienced and how deeply it may have touched them. These young teens do not even go over their prayers in class.
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[edited]

This was a COMMUNITY worship, not private adoration time. While a small amount of silence should be there, it is perfectly acceptable to have group and community prayers, songs, etc.

Because of Steubenville experience, and other events like XLT, (where there is a talk before adoration, and then songs during adoration), I can now go to a quiet adoration chapel and be peaceful and still and pray quietly and love it. It took an introduction with something I knew (praying through music), to show me knew experiences of Christ. It set an atmosphere of my senses getting out of the way so my heart was deeply focused on Christ.

I enjoy both now, but it took one to get me to appreciate the other.

By the way, Bishops now come to lead the Steubenville youth conference adoration times.
 
In my personal opinion, excessive music is extremely distracting during adoration. I will sing in front of the tabernacle but only if no one else is there. I went to a religious retreat and they had a band play during Eucharistic adoration. I appreciated the devotion these people showed but my brain was so rattled, I couldn’t think of what I was trying to say to Jesus. Adoration is our conversation time with him. The same way its rude to watch tv when a friend is talking to you, I think its rude to have any unnecessary distractions. This is just my opinion.
 
sacristan1 said:
I am sponsoring a confirmandi and was asked some questions regarding her first Adoration which her class was attending and they apparently did not have any discussion on this prior to their attendance. I am an adorer and was happy to give her as much information as I could regarding the beautiful quiet and individual prayer experiences available to all of us with our Lord during the peaceful time we spend with him in adoration. When I asked her how everything went for her her following her experience she told me it was nothing like I had told her. Apparently they only had a few minutes after the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament where they could quietly pray and then a lady came in and started talking to them about adoration while the Blessed Sacrament was still exposed and after the talk a group of singers with drinks in hand started singing and the group was invited to join in with the hymns and this took up the remainder of the time until the Blessed Sacrament was deposed and that was their first experience with Adoration. She was disappointed and so was I. Is this what we are teaching our young people about adoration. Where is the reverence and the idea that everyone is there to pray individually without anyone directing their thoughts while they are in the presence of our Lord. I would think the talk should have been done prior to them going in and the singing - well, I don’t know what to think about that. Can someone help me out here. Am I really old school here and are things changing that much. I am really disappointed.
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Just FYI, I have been going to Eucharistic Adoration for about a year and a half. There are two modes at our our Church:
  1. On Thursdays 8:30 am to 4:00 pm - Quiet, no music, no talking, no nothing, just the Monstrace on the alter with the candles.
  2. Evening, once a month on Tuesdays, and every Tuesday night 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm during Lent. - At this one the Pastor brings out the Monstrace, kneels with the incense, reads a Gospel reading, we sing gregorian chant, then we have a Church musician that plays acoustic guitar and sings extremely mellow and beautiful songs for about thirty minutes. We are lucky to have him. We then have one more incense session, then more gregorian chant, the pastor blesses the congregation with the Monstrace in hand, then he puts away the Eucharist, and concludes with a verbalized closing. It’s a very beautiful experience.
The afternoon routine never changes, and the evening routine never changes.

BUT, I have a question!! Okay, in the Evening Eucharistic Adoration; **when the Pastor stands up at the podium and reads the Gospel, I believe you are supposed to stand up…?, **make the forehead, lips/chin, and chest thumb crosses, and say, “Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ” - just like regular Mass, are we not? I always do this, -but- last night, I was the only one standing, in the back. Everyone else stayed on their knees during the reading of the Gospel, then said, “Praise…” on my cue. This is wrong, most Evening E/A congregations will stand, but like every once in a while, they all stay on their knees during the reading. I don’t know. Maybe instead of wondering and commenting, I should be up front as a leader. If I know the routine, I should lead others. …guess I answered my own question…🙂
 
I have NO authority only an opinion which in the future I shall perhaps keep to myself.
 
[edited] I too have seen some pretty “stupid” things done with kids during adoration. These things can cause confusion and turn people off. That’s why at my parish and many diocesan events, I am now the one who organizes how these prayer experiences go. That’s what I would suggest to you, go talk with your pastor and get involved so that these kids can experience adoration as they should. If you have a deacon or an associate pastor they would probably be glad to help if asked. Although, I could be wrong there…lol

But remember there are different types of experiences, some may find one type appealing while others do not. Don’t try to make every event the same that is not good. On the other hand, a perpetual adoration chapel is set up for exactly that, consistently quiet time for individual face to face time in the garden with Jesus.
 
[edited]

Steubenville! :eek:
Each to his own, of course.
[edited]

Something else just came into my mind: lighting.
At a chapel where i used to go on most First Friday nights, there`d be Mass at 9:00pm, followed by Exposition /Adoration until 11:30. There were candles, of course, but they were complletely drowned out by lights which ruined the effect of the candles. Almost all of the others spent most of the time reading Fr Gobbi books or stuff from unapproved alleged “apparitions”; so they were happy with the glare.
The last time there, there was a blackout about 10 minutes into the Exposition; so the candles were the sole light source.** Beautiful! **There was just the soft, flickering candlelight glow.
That was by far the best night. 👍
 
Fiasco said:
Steubenville! :eek:
Each to his own, of course.
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Perfect example, I love the Steubenville adoration experience, many hate it. Many stay away because of it, many go to it because they love it. The Church is very diverse, “don’t be surprised by diversity!” That is a quote from a very wise priest who was our spirituality professor for diaconate formation for four of my five years. I really miss him, he moved back to N. Dakota.😦
 
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