Non Catholic in the choir

[agapewolf]

Thank you for the kind and charitable answers. In my original post I left out something important, because it was early and I was in a rush to get started on a 500 mile day.

She is not participating in the choir regularly, only on Christmas Eve-Midnight Mass. Yes, I am praying that this can be one step towards a re-conversion.

But my internal problem, my: this.feels.wrong.to.me : is that her participation is likely more about performance than liturgy.

All of the parts of the Holy Mass are parts of one whole, one prayer, the prayer of the church…the most important prayer that happens on this created world: the Eucharistic Prayer, the source and summit of our worship, the Prayer, Sacrifice, and Sacrament through which all of the other Sacraments derive their power (at least according to St. Thomas Aquinas).
It seems that someone who has publicly rejected before her family and her parish the very foundation of our faith–the Real Presence of our Lord and Saviour in the Holy Sacraments of the Catholic (Universal) Church, invites scandal when performing one of the liturgical functions–helping to lead the faithful in musical prayer.
I teach our EMHC and Lectors at our parish that everyone in the building is participating in the Eucharistic Prayer, although it is the action of Jesus and Jesus alone, and only through the words spoken by the Celebrating Priests (acting in persona Christi) that this most profound miracle takes place. But those who have visible roles–the altar servers, the choir, the lay readers, the ushers…it seems to me they should BELEIVE in what they are doing.
Otherwise seems a sacrilege. And every parish that I have seen that has non-Catholic music directors or organists also have music ministries that seem slanted well more towards performance than liturgical prayer.

I understand what you are saying. As a music director, ANYONE, catholic or not, who views participating in the music ministry as a means to perform is not in the right ministry. My music ministers, 99% of the time have the best attitude of service, so a “performer” does not fit in, and actually they quickly see it themselves and either adjust their attitude or leave. (by their own evaluation).

In many protestant services, they have more of a performance based music ministry, so the approach may be different, however, I know some and they have a heart for prayer in their music as well.

I have 2 non-Catholics in my Catholic lifeteen worship band. (Please no arguments about lifeteen here). My drummer has the heart of a servant, and he realizes that his job is to help the church sing better and drown him out, which they do. He plays so often for me for free and sacrifices a lot for the parish, including the music ministry. He has a way better attitude than many Catholic musicians I’ve worked with.

So what I’m saying is that just because of the situation, there might not be an “attitude” issue. THis may be a means of conversion.

 

[peary1]

Is it right for a non-Catholic to perform a liturgical function at Holy Mass?

In our parish, the fallen away, now worshipping as a Baptist, daughter of one of the choir members will be singing with the choir. Before her marriage to a Baptist young man she had served in the choir and as a cantor. Since her marriage she has been quite vocal in saying, on visits home, that she is “no longer a practicing Catholic.”

**Don’t you just love those kinds of people who are so arrogant that they will shove stuff like that in your face on purpose? Someone at home should tell her to shut her trap as it is offensive to speak in that way to others who are committed Catholic Christians. And if she speaks that way in the Choir, she should be told the same thing, irregardless of Mommy at her side. **

We know from GIRM 103 that the choir/schola cantorum does perform a geniune liturgical function, as their voices assist the congregation in the sung part of the prayer that is the Holy Mass.

In our parish EMHC and Lay Readers are trained, not just in how to perform their duties but in ministry and the Theology of the Eucharist. To me it appears that having a non-Catholic participating in a liturgical ministry is very wrong, and a misunderstanding of the ministerial nature of serving in the choir.

Am I just being exclusionary and stubborn here, or do others think this is the sort of issue that should be pursued as a real problem?

I don’t see any reason as to why she can not sing in the Choir, as long as she does not participate in reception of the Eucharist. And why is she in the Choir anyway? Why doesn’t she join her own choir at the Baptist Church?

 

[sckcd]

peary1:
She probably does sing in her new church, but the OP said she is home visiting and is singing at a Christmas Eve service. And while she may be proclaiming to be a non-*practicing *Catholic, she is still Catholic isn’t she? A more welcoming attitude may sway her back to her roots and return to the CC. Just a thought.

 

[CB_Catholic]

Thank you for the kind and charitable answers. In my original post I left out something important, because it was early and I was in a rush to get started on a 500 mile day.

She is not participating in the choir regularly, only on Christmas Eve-Midnight Mass. Yes, I am praying that this can be one step towards a re-conversion.

But my internal problem, my: this.feels.wrong.to.me : is that her participation is likely more about performance than liturgy.

All of the parts of the Holy Mass are parts of one whole, one prayer, the prayer of the church…the most important prayer that happens on this created world: the Eucharistic Prayer, the source and summit of our worship, the Prayer, Sacrifice, and Sacrament through which all of the other Sacraments derive their power (at least according to St. Thomas Aquinas).
It seems that someone who has publicly rejected before her family and her parish the very foundation of our faith–the Real Presence of our Lord and Saviour in the Holy Sacraments of the Catholic (Universal) Church, invites scandal when performing one of the liturgical functions–helping to lead the faithful in musical prayer.
I teach our EMHC and Lectors at our parish that everyone in the building is participating in the Eucharistic Prayer, although it is the action of Jesus and Jesus alone, and only through the words spoken by the Celebrating Priests (acting in persona Christi) that this most profound miracle takes place. But those who have visible roles–the altar servers, the choir, the lay readers, the ushers…it seems to me they should BELEIVE in what they are doing.
Otherwise seems a sacrilege. And every parish that I have seen that has non-Catholic music directors or organists also have music ministries that seem slanted well more towards performance than liturgical prayer.

In the first place, you can’t judge her internal motivation for wanting to sing in the choir, that is between her and God. So you can knock that off your list of objections, I would think. What may SEEM to you to be performance oriented may not actually be. This is very subjective, depending on your opinion of they type of music you prefer, the way it’s played, the choice of songs, etc. What you see as a “performance” may be a sincere effort on their part to praise God. In the third place, God moves in mysterious ways, try not to get in His way. There is nothing wrong with her wanting to sing in the choir, and that desire might have been put in her heart by God. Enjoy the music and thank the Lord for it.

 

[daeve]

That is a beautiful story, Daeve. It’s not corny at all.

Thanks. I’ve tried to get my sister back to sing but so far, no luck. We could have really used her excellent trained voice this year.