Nine Reasons People Aren't Singing in Worship

[EasterJoy]

OK, maybe I should comment, because I don’t have time right now to read the article in full and I have barely read any of the previous comments. I did skim over the reasons he gave, however.

My two cents - I just want to throw it out there that the congregation neither needs to sing nor should they actually be expected to. I noticed that was his #6 was exactly this - that people aren’t expected to. That’s not a bad thing! It’s great if the congregation can join in, but there’s nothing wrong with not doing so or not being able to do so. Before anyone lights into me about “active participation”, well, true, participating in music is one way in which people can actively participate in the Mass. But consider this - just listening to music attentively and thinking of it as worshipping God can be participating just as much as someone who is actually singing. If the correct music is done at Mass, and care is taken and effort is made to make that music a priority, one would/should be perfectly fine with just listening to it. I’m biased in more ways than one, because 1) I am a music major who could be considered a “professional” compared to many today, and 2) I also prefer chant and polyphony, and especially for polyphony, that’s definitely something that should be reserved for the choir. Chant, well, people are more than welcome to join in for the Ordinaries, but there’s nothing wrong with only the choir being able to do the propers. As far as I know, there’s no actual mandate that the music at Mass has to be something the congregation is able to sing. I have no problem, however, with there being a couple hymns at Mass, which the congregation can join in if they like.

OK, I’m done.

You do not understand this correctly. It is the position of the Church that music at Mass should be chosen so that the whole assembly can and will participate, because it is integral to the single act of worship that is the Mass. Consider the section on singing from the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (boldface mine, obviously):

The Importance of Singing

1. The Christian faithful who come together as one in expectation of the Lord’s coming are instructed by the Apostle Paul to sing together Psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles (cf. Col 3:16). Singing is the sign of the heart’s joy (cf. Acts 2:46). Thus St. Augustine says rightly, “Singing is for one who loves,”[48] and there is also an ancient proverb: “Whoever sings well prays twice over.”
2. **Great importance should therefore be attached to the use of singing in the celebration of the Mass, with due consideration for the culture of peoples and abilities of each liturgical assembly. **Although it is not always necessary (e.g., in weekday Masses) to sing all the texts that are in principle meant to be sung, every care should be taken that singing by the ministers and the people not be absent in celebrations that occur on Sundays and on Holydays of Obligation.

However, in the choosing of the parts actually to be sung, preference is to be given to those that are of greater importance and especially to those which are to be sung by the Priest or the Deacon or a reader, with the people replying, or by the Priest and people together.[49]

1. The main place should be given, all things being equal, to Gregorian chant, as being proper to the Roman Liturgy. Other kinds of sacred music, in particular polyphony, are in no way excluded, provided that they correspond to the spirit of the liturgical action and that they foster the participation of all the faithful.[50]

Since the faithful from different countries come together ever more frequently, it is desirable that they know how to sing together at least some parts of the Ordinary of the Mass in Latin, especially the Profession of Faith and the Lord’s Prayer, according to the simpler settings.[51]

 

[Bonnie]

To “they don’t know the songs,” there is, “they know the songs, and that is the problem.” There is a huge range of musical tastes in a typical Catholic parish. Some people think “Eagle’s Wings” is the greatest sacred song ever, and other people find it the symbol of everything that is wrong with contemporary music played in churches…

To “the congregation can’t hear the people around them singing”–yes, I’d say the sound system is sometimes so high that the instruments drown out the voices. Some sound systems are also badly suited to the space, so that the music is too loud in some parts of the church and not loud enough in others.

Easter Joy - all your points are good ones, but these 2 applied to me. I’ve told the family that if Eagle’s Wings is sung at my funeral, I’ll come back & haunt them.

The loudness of the choir is another. I stopped attending the Sunday morning Mass, partly because between the electric guitar and the sound system being much too loud, I couldn’t tolerate it. Both the evening Masses have acoustic guitars and/or piano & aren’t too loud. And at my favorite, the responses are chanted in Latin.

 

[bisco]

i’ve been to a few parishes up and down the east coast and california, and i’ve never heard any gregorian chanting.

 

[Bonnie]

i’ve been to a few parishes up and down the east coast and california, and i’ve never heard any gregorian chanting.

Maybe you need to visit the “Inland Empire” of the Northwest!

 

[Cat]

Actually, it’s a bit more nuanced than that.

I would recommend you read the whole article: catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=7939&CFID=28879326&CFTOKEN=68635865

Or elsewhere:
Again, I would recommend reading the whole piece, despite its length: sanctamissa.org/en/music/books-and-articles-on-sacred-music/a-chronicle-of-the-reform-catholic-music-in-the-20th-century.pdf

Regarding what “some Catholics” think about “congregational hymns,” I offer a final quotation:

You can read the rest of Pope Benedict XVI’s thoughts on this matter here: sanctamissa.org/en/music/books-and-articles-on-sacred-music/liturgy-and-church-music-benedict-xvi.pdf

So basically–to summarize–Christians who want to sing hymns with a congregation are going to have to attend Protestant worship services, because congregational hymn-singing is a man-made addition to the liturgy that God created?

Would you say that’s the gist of it?

 

[Cat]

Part of the issue is that Protestants see worship AS singing. The person referred to as the “Worship Leader” we would call the song leader, music leader, or cantor. The priest is the worship leader. For Evangelicals, at least, the song leader IS the worship leader. So, if the congregation is not singing, they are not worshiping. Catholics realize that they are worshiping in many ways even if they are not singing. The overwhelming emphasis on singing has led Protestant churches to place an enormous emphasis on sound systems, the excellence of the “worship leader’s” competence and ability, the “wow” factor in the music etc. This has, in a way Catholics have not yet experienced, led to a performance approach to a religious service that has become increasingly congregation directed. The songs serve the function of “inspiring” the congregation (actually, stirring up their emotions) and, in the process, almost ceasing to be worship, i.e. God-directed adoration. A pastor will often say something like, “I hope you were all blessed by that song. I know I was.” The authors of the widely-praised book Renew recommend hiring the best possible musicians to play at Mass and taking spending a large amount of money for a good sound system to be the top, financial goal of a parish. Many parishes are studying Renew in order to put its recommendations into effect in their parishes. Having read the book and its sequel, I would caution against many of its recommendations. Also, one of the things that kills congregational singing is carpeting. The muffling effect of carpeting makes the individual sense that he or she is singing too loudly. The person sensing this will sing more quietly which will add to the problem.

I was Protestant for 47 years. Yes, I love being Catholic, but I miss terribly the joy of singing with full voice and full heart alongside of my Christian brothers and sisters.

If you see evil in that, then…well…why the heck am I Catholic, anyway? I want out. This whole thread and this post are so discouraging and disheartening, it makes me want to cry.

And ah, yes, good sound systems–they’re right up there with coat racks, aren’t they? Unnecessary Protestant innovations.

 

[styrgwillidar]

That is one of the reasons I like to be early for Mass…

I go to the early mass as thankfully there is no music and no singing. No trying to turn the mass into an opera, no modifying the communal prayers into some unfamiliar mess- rearranging or repeating phrases, no taking familiar upbeat tunes and singing that at half-speed turning them into funeral dirges, or having yet another bland unfamiliar tune/song with little to distinguish it from any of the other hymns before…

Just quiet contemplation of the celebration, focus on the words of the prayers and the miracle of Christ’s gift to us that occurs at each mass.

To each their own, I’m just grateful our parish has maintained the option.

 

[ProVobis]

… but I miss terribly the joy of singing with full voice and full heart alongside of my Christian brothers and sisters.

And not to sound too insensitive, but what’s to stop you from doing this outside the Mass?

 

[pianistclare]

The Church teaches us that the Angelic choirs sing continually before the Throne of the Most High.
I don’t get why people think we humans should not sing. Especially at Mass.
Holy Holy Holy ring a bell anyone? (no pun intended).
Reverence does not equate to the absence of humanity.

 

[ProVobis]

i’ve been to a few parishes up and down the east coast and california, and i’ve never heard any gregorian chanting.

I hear they do Gregorian chant in Africa, where supposedly the Church is growing.

 

[johnnyc176]

I hear they do Gregorian chant in Africa, where supposedly the Church is growing.

And in the south USA.

 

[johnnyc176]

The Church teaches us that the Angelic choirs sing continually before the Throne of the Most High.
I don’t get why people think we humans should not sing. Especially at Mass.
Holy Holy Holy ring a bell anyone? (no pun intended).
Reverence does not equate to the absence of humanity.

As long as there is an option to attend a quiet Mass if one wants and as long as it doesn’t sound like a protestant service I got no problem.

 

[johnnyc176]

I go to the early mass as thankfully there is no music and no singing. No trying to turn the mass into an opera, no modifying the communal prayers into some unfamiliar mess- rearranging or repeating phrases, no taking familiar upbeat tunes and singing that at half-speed turning them into funeral dirges, or having yet another bland unfamiliar tune/song with little to distinguish it from any of the other hymns before…

Just quiet contemplation of the celebration, focus on the words of the prayers and the miracle of Christ’s gift to us that occurs at each mass.

To each their own, I’m just grateful our parish has maintained the option.

 

[Cat]

And not to sound too insensitive, but what’s to stop you from doing this outside the Mass?

Um…the fact that I can’t fit 500 people into my house gathered around my piano or organ.

 

[Corki]

As long as there is an option to attend a quiet Mass if one wants and as long as it doesn’t sound like a protestant service I got no problem.

What if there wasn’t an option for a “quiet” Mass? We have two Masses- one English, one Spanish and the only time we have a Mass without music is when the leader is out of town or ill. There’s certainly not an obligation for any parish to provide a Mass with no music. (and technically, when there isn’t singing, I think the Mass, or at least large parts of it, is supposed to be chanted)

 

[OraLabora]

I go to the early mass as thankfully there is no music and no singing. No trying to turn the mass into an opera, no modifying the communal prayers into some unfamiliar mess- rearranging or repeating phrases, no taking familiar upbeat tunes and singing that at half-speed turning them into funeral dirges, or having yet another bland unfamiliar tune/song with little to distinguish it from any of the other hymns before…

Just quiet contemplation of the celebration, focus on the words of the prayers and the miracle of Christ’s gift to us that occurs at each mass.

To each their own, I’m just grateful our parish has maintained the option.

I hear you. I used to attend the 7 am weekday Mass at St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal when I worked nearby. No music except for the sung alleluia, usually on a simple tone that all could master (Mode IV or VI usually). The propers and ordinary were simply recited. Quiet and contemplative; I’d pray the Office of Readings before Mass if traffic wasn’t too bad and I was able to get there early enough, and sometimes pray at St. André Bessette’s tomb. In winter I’d arrive in the dark, and when Mass was over the sun would just be coming up over the city, which was at one’s feet as one came out of the oratory which is up on Mt. Royal. It was always a very special way to start the workday.

Now mind you at the abbey I’m oblate of, every Mass has the propers and ordinary in Gregorian chant, extremely well sung by the monks. The rest is in French plainchant. It’s the OF Mass at its finest. So both have their place. But in lieu of bad music, I do prefer a quiet Mass. I don’t mind that not everyone can sing properly and those who can’t try to anyway, but it’s the music itself that is most often un-singable. French hymns for the Mass are pretty poor in my area.

 

[YoungTradCath]

Although oddly, when our Gregorian schola sings at Mass, a number of elderly people chime in at least for the ordinary parts of the Mass.

But the Propers (introit, gradual, alleluia, offertory and communion antiphon), in my understanding, were almost never sung by the people.

That’s because, contrary to popular opinion, the vast majority of relatively-commonly-used Latin Gregorian settings (even if we don’t consider Missa de Angelis) are extremely easy to sing when you have several (not even a lot maybe four or five at the minimum) other people supporting you. I even love to sing things like Asperges and Vidi aquam which, while not as easy as the average ordinary setting, are still easy compared to most propers.

But I agree that the Propers are not going to be sung by the people probably but I don’t think they ever were intended to be. I still don’t get the ideological war against the propers though, why the choir can’t sing the one line part of the Introit at the beginning of the procession. What’s the hurt in that? They sang plenty of songs at the installation of Abp. Cupich that I really don’t care for, yet they managed to slip in the “He will make them princes” and it worked very nicely. Why does the attitude often come down to, “THE PEOPLE HAVE TO SING EVERYTHING!!?” I don’t understand that. It just smells bad, you don’t even have to argue against it, and it’s nothing but bad liturgical dogmatism informed by ideology. Have hymns, it doesn’t bother me, but if you’ve got a capable choir, why not sing the propers at their proper places? They’re very short, or can be made to be short (while remaining musically coherent) and they are often leagues better thematically—they are bible quotes almost always after all—than the random hymns typically picked. /rant

 

[TheSeeker2014]

As long as there is an option to attend a quiet Mass if one wants and as long as it doesn’t sound like a protestant service I got no problem.

Personally not to sound mean but when worshiping God and being sincere to Him as a Church, I would not be worried or thinking about “Do I/this service sound like a Protestant one”?
Mind on the wrong things…

 

[pianistclare]

As long as there is an option to attend a quiet Mass if one wants and as long as it doesn’t sound like a protestant service I got no problem.

LOL. What about the Mass resembles a protestant service?
Do they sing a Lamb of God? do they sing a Gloria?
Sounds a bit snobbish IMHO.
There’s plenty “catholic” about Mass.
Focusing on one small aspect is missing the whole point of coming together as the Body of Christ at the table.
Don’t get me wrong, I loathe plenty of the pieces that are hoisted upon the faithful by ill-informed musicians. But let’s get real. The Mass is so much more than people who are just tagged by the pastor to volunteer to lead the singing. But if we are there, we should try to join in the prayer.
Most daily Masses have no music whatsoever.
Since the question in the thread is why aren’t people singing…if it’s because they are thinking they are above such participation, then that’s not necessarily a good thing.

 

[johnnyc176]

LOL. What about the Mass resembles a protestant service?

LOL back at ya! As far as music? When the guitars and drums enter the picture or contemporary Christian music.

Sounds a bit snobbish IMHO.

I wouldn’t know. Maybe if you play a couple of notes?