Must a cantor be Catholic?

[Sarabande]

If they’re volunteering to sing music, then why wouldn’t they do it? I’ve heard Protestants sing the Ave Maria and not bat an eye at what they’re singing. We’ve got two Protestants (a Methodist and a Lutheran) in my parish’s choir, and neither has balked at singing the Ave Verum Corpus or Salve Regina (or Pange Lingua, or Exsultet, or Litany of the Saints…).

Yup. Totally agree with you there. We used to have an Anglican in our choir - volunteer. He had no problem singing any of the music.

 

[Phemie]

I don’t know if I’m within 1000 miles of you, but I’m way under 50, a Catholic and I can sing a few different settings (either as chant, solo or in a choir) of a Salve Regina, Ave Verum Corpus and various others. I’m not the only one either. My husband and many other Catholic friends/colleagues can as well. We’re mostly all in our 20s and early 30s. But perhaps our numbers are skewed because we’re either musicians or lovers of sacred music.

Yup, I think the last 9 words explain everything. The only Latin I’ve heard at Mass in the last 4 years is Salve Regina. Oops, no I’m wrong, we’ve attempted the Taizé “Laudate Omnes Gentes”, might as well have asked them to sing in Klingon

 

[Sarabande]

Yup, I think the last 9 words explain everything. The only Latin I’ve heard at Mass in the last 4 years is Salve Regina. Oops, no I’m wrong, we’ve attempted the Taizé “Laudate Omnes Gentes”, might as well have asked them to sing in Klingon

hahaha!

We’re fortunate at our parish, though (and I guess a bit spoiled in a way). Because they do a Latin NO twice a month there, the parish, choir and the cantor does a lot of the music in Latin. But again, I think that is the exception to the rule. Go to most suburban parishes in my area and you wouldn’t hear that. They only small parish I’ve heard it done was a little farming parish 3 1/2 hours north of where I live. This is in the middle of nowhere. The previous pastor there was in his 30/40s and had taught and encouraged singing the Salve Regina and chant Latin mass parts. They had no cantor at all. Just an organist.

(Guitar - off-topic, but forgot to mention the above in your own thread. It’s the same parish I spoke of with the congregation that sang it’s heart out without a music team - only an organist - and I guess during the 5 years that pastor was there, a pastor who gave a hoot about certain music. )

 

[Phemie]

hahaha!

We’re fortunate at our parish, though (and I guess a bit spoiled in a way). Because they do a Latin NO twice a month there, the parish, choir and the cantor does a lot of the music in Latin. But again, I think that is the exception to the rule. Go to most suburban parishes in my area and you wouldn’t hear that.

When my Dad was dying in 2003 I went back home for a few months to be with him. At Christmas the choir sang a beautiful Latin Sanctus. I went to mention how lovely it was and the choir mistress smiled and said “Yes, folks really like this one” Fast forward 2 weeks and I’m planning Dad’s funeral. He’d been an altar server for 28 years from 1925 to 1953 and I thought a lot of Latin at the funeral would be nice. Choir mistress: “Oh, the Church doesn’t do Latin any more, we sing in French.” OK, so a Latin ‘performance’ for Christmas is OK but the Church’s chants for a funeral isn’t???

To humor me they had a Latin hymn at offertory, I think it was Ave Maria, not exactly what I would have picked. Note that I had been away from French Mass celebrations for years so there wasn’t one hymn in their repertoire that I was familiar with. Those I heard didn’t seem to fit in with the liturgical action that they were accompanying. And in that parish there are no hymnals and it’s strictly the choir performing.

Luckily I’d planned the readings & intercessions while Dad was in the hospital so at least there I got what i wanted. The priest was surprised that we were having 3 readings. This is the same priest who gave Communion to my brother’s Jewish partner.

 

[benedictgal]

If they’re volunteering to sing music, then why wouldn’t they do it? I’ve heard Protestants sing the Ave Maria and not bat an eye at what they’re singing. We’ve got two Protestants (a Methodist and a Lutheran) in my parish’s choir, and neither has balked at singing the Ave Verum Corpus or Salve Regina (or Pange Lingua, or Exsultet, or Litany of the Saints…).

Of course at Princess Diana’s wedding and funeral I believe the Ave Maria was sung and the choir was Anglican.

As I said in my earlier post, our organist at my parish in Austin was Lutheran. But, he was very respectful of the Church’s liturgical requirements and, the music he set the responsorial psalms to was somewhat quasi-Gregorian and easy to sing, as were the parts of the Mass he set to music (while keeping the words intact).

I asked him why he didn’t just jump into the Tiber. He said that even though he’s heard about 1000 homilies, he wasn’t quite ready yet. I hope he made the leap.

 

[anamchara]

Pope John Paul II hired a Jewish man, to be the Vatican’s maestro.

At my parish, a woman organist from the Congregational Church across the street, has sometimes filled in for our organist, when she’s been out sick. You’d never know except that she plays better than our organist.

So I would accept a non-Catholic as a cantor, providing they are trained properly.

Who knows, the experience for the cantor may lead to their conversion?

Jim

I see no reason for them to be Catholic, who would know anyway? Music comes from God so it doesn’t matter who is singing and sharing that gift. IMHO.