Pope to purge the Vatican of modern music

[Lapell]

If we make the music dull, then this will not get people to focus on Jesus. For most people, dull music makes themm think “Has it been an hour yet?” Modern music helps us actually enjoy the celebration. Worship should not be boring and always serious. Why is it so terrible to have fun and be modern in the Church?

It seems to me that dullness has nothing to do with not being “modern”, or not fast enough. You still can sing tunes slowly and yet be lively (provided it doesn’t trail too much!!), it’s how much expression (and how proper according to the context) there is… The people in the choir, not just the director, can do wonders from just the way they interpret a verse… As for having “fun”… you are at Mass, not in Olympic Stadium!!!

 

[peary]

**Well, here’s a different question:

What do you think GOD likes?? **

 

[drafdog]

I love it! A pope with apparently no sense of history. Gregorian chant was once “modern” just like anything else which is new. To decry “modern” music and ban it from use is to attempt (but by no means succeed) to cut a hole in the fabric of time.
I still want to see evidence that the sacred congregation for liturgy is commissioning new liturgical music for use by all languages so that the vaunted Catholic contribution to the arts will actually have some substance in this day.

Matthew

 

[Lapell]

I realise some people seem to think those in favor of Gregorian Chant have no room for anything else… the way some speak as though they would take nothing that’s not “modern”. Those who call Greg. Chant outdated, did they ever try to listen to some? If not, they sure could be accused, and rightly so, of being ignorant, wouldn’t they?

 

[peary]

I love it! A pope with apparently no sense of history. Gregorian chant was once “modern” just like anything else which is new. To decry “modern” music and ban it from use is to attempt (but by no means succeed) to cut a hole in the fabric of time.
I still want to see evidence that the sacred congregation for liturgy is commissioning new liturgical music for use by all languages so that the vaunted Catholic contribution to the arts will actually have some substance in this day.

Matthew

A pope with no sense of history? I can’t think of a greater contemporary theologian than Benedict XVI except for John Paul II. Gregorian chant was never considered ‘old’, ‘modern’ or anything else. It was just the norm of liturgical music that developed from several sources throughout the centuries. The fact is, Benedict XVI has a very GREAT sense of history as Liturgy IS history and cannot be ‘invented’ or ‘improvised’ - the use of chant in liturgy is an anchor TO history and places the liturgical celebration of the Church WITHIN as well as OUTSIDE of history. The Vatican has been using chant in its special Novus Ordo masses at Christmas and Easter and other celebrations for the past 40 years. What’s the problem?

 

[E.E.N.S]

A pope with no sense of history? I can’t think of a greater contemporary theologian than Benedict XVI except for John Paul II. Gregorian chant was never considered ‘old’, ‘modern’ or anything else. It was just the norm of liturgical music that developed from several sources throughout the centuries. The fact is, Benedict XVI has a very GREAT sense of history as Liturgy IS history and cannot be ‘invented’ or ‘improvised’ - the use of chant in liturgy is an anchor TO history and places the liturgical celebration of the Church WITHIN as well as OUTSIDE of history. The Vatican has been using chant in its special Novus Ordo masses at Christmas and Easter and other celebrations for the past 40 years. What’s the problem?

Exaclty. Christians got their chanting organically from the Jews, (after all, many of the first Christians were Jews.)

 

[ErikaA]

This article makes me want to become Catholic. Why? Because I am nauseatingly sick of “Jesus is my Girlfriend” music that pervades the Christian airwaves and Protestant Churches.

Take your average pop song, inject a little Savior and voila - you’ve got a catchy pop jingle to rejoice in the Spirit by. And don’t get me started on the freaking old timey country hymns. I like bluegrass as much as the next guy, but I don’t want to hear “This Little Light” one more time. It’s not that great a song. For the love of all that’s holy, give me some Bach or Handel. Bring in the Vienna Boys Choir and leave the WOW hits on the cutting room floor.

 

[whatevergirl]

This article makes me want to become Catholic. Why? Because I am nauseatingly sick of “Jesus is my Girlfriend” music that pervades the Christian airwaves and Protestant Churches.

Take your average pop song, inject a little Savior and voila - you’ve got a catchy pop jingle to rejoice in the Spirit by. And don’t get me started on the freaking old timey country hymns. I like bluegrass as much as the next guy, but I don’t want to hear “This Little Light” one more time. It’s not that great a song. For the love of all that’s holy, give me some Bach or Handel. Bring in the Vienna Boys Choir and leave the WOW hits on the cutting room floor.

I like some of the WOW hits.

Not during mass though. ha I wish the Vatican would send out a grand proclamation to all Dioceses around the world to mandate more reverent and authentic Church music. I play piano, and love Bach, and gregorian chants. Not that the music needs to be gregorian chants, but what I find about the modern day church music (our parish does a good job with blending authentic with some new songs) is that it seems to be a time for everyone to direct their attention ‘to the band.’ It’s not a concert. It’s not a time to be clapping and swaying in the pews to a beat, but rather it’s a time to be reverent and attentive to why we are there to begin with, and it’s not for the choir. I love our choir at our parish. Oh! They were invited to the Vatican recently to sing, and Pope Benedict said our parish’s name out loud, I was told! :yup: :extrahappy: But, I bet they sang authentic music for him!!!

That being said, I have always viewed singing as a joyful expression of praise, or a solemn expression, depending on the season. But, it seems to be used as a form of entertainment. We had a priest once back in PA say during his homily, “if you are looking for entertainment, you should go to the movies. If you are looking for nourishment for your soul, you will find that at mass.”

Just my $.02

 

[ErikaA]

Sorry whatever girl if I offended you. I realize some of the contemporary Christian music’s not bad. But you’ve got to admit, a lot of it is trite, formulaic nonsense. And I agree also, I don’t want to hear in in Church. Heck, I love Peter Gabriel’s music, but I don’t think Solsbury Hill is a good choice for Church. Maybe In Your Eyes?

 

[mschrank]

At one time, Gregorian Chant was “modern” in the sense meaning “contemporary” but it was always SACRED. People never sang pop songs (or their equivalent) in Gregorian Chant. It was always for liturgical use only. And yes, they did have popular music back then.

That’s why our Pope wants it back, because it’s a sacred form of art.

 

[mschrank]

This article makes me want to become Catholic. Why? Because I am nauseatingly sick of “Jesus is my Girlfriend” music that pervades the Christian airwaves and Protestant Churches.

I know! Tell me about it. Reminds me of that episode of the Simpsons where Homer catches up to that country singer woman he coached a few seasons back.

“I’m singing Christian worship music now. It’s pretty easy, you just replace the ‘baby’ with ‘Jesus’”

Barf.

 

[whatevergirl]

Sorry whatever girl if I offended you. I realize some of the contemporary Christian music’s not bad. But you’ve got to admit, a lot of it is trite, formulaic nonsense. And I agree also, I don’t want to hear in in Church. Heck, I love Peter Gabriel’s music, but I don’t think Solsbury Hill is a good choice for Church. Maybe In Your Eyes?

Aw, no offense taken. I understand your sentiment. It’s funny you say this, because I was listening to Jeremy Camp today on the way in, and quite a few of his songs, which are very good, leave Jesus and God out of the lyrics. So, really, if you are listening to these songs, not knowing he is a Christian artist, you might mistake them for regular songs about love, or relationships. Good points!

 

[whatevergirl]

I know! Tell me about it. Reminds me of that episode of the Simpsons where Homer catches up to that country singer woman he coached a few seasons back.

“I’m singing Christian worship music now. It’s pretty easy, you just replace the ‘baby’ with ‘Jesus’”

Barf.

I hadn’t thought of it quite like that!!!

 

[Lily_Marlene]

Would anyone consider “Amazing Grace” modern music?

We hear it often in our church here in Florida especially during Funeral Masses when family members request it.

In my opinion it doesn’t belong in church at all. My understanding is that it is not theologically correct.
This is definitely one song we can eliminate.

How do you feel?

Lily Marlene

 

[Lapell]

I love that song (Amazing Grace), and very much, but now that Lily Marlene mentions it, it’s also true that I don’t think of that song as one to be sung during a Mass.
Now, I don’t know about you, but how do you feel about many contemporary interpretations of Haendel’s Messiah? I confess that I have a problem with a number of them…
Maybe this should be on a new thread?

 

[ErikaA]

Alright, someone asked, so I’m weighing in. Amazing Grace is okay. I don’t hate it, but I don’t salivate at the thought of hearing it. It’s certainly one of the easiest pieces to play on the piano. The melody isn’t bad, but I think God gave us more than three chords for a reason. “Go Tell it on the Mountain” can be left on the Mountain as far as I’m concerned. And don’t get me started on the worship music that consists of the soul-piercing two line refrain, “Jesus loves me, woo hoo, My Savior’s great.”

But my favorite in any Church is when they cue the recorded music, you know the karoke machine. I honestly think Jesus leaves the Church when they fire that puppy up. And i don’t blame him. That staticy, studio polished sound makes me want to head for the doors too. Recorded muzac is fine in a supermarket or bar, but I’m thinking that’s not the motif you’re going for in Church.

Sorry if I’m overly passionate about this issue. I really love music and get really ticked off when I go to Church and have to listen to garbage.

 

[Lapell]

Alright, someone asked, so I’m weighing in. Amazing Grace is okay. I don’t hate it, but I don’t salivate at the thought of hearing it. It’s certainly one of the easiest pieces to play on the piano. The melody isn’t bad, but I think God gave us more than three chords for a reason. “Go Tell it on the Mountain” can be left on the Mountain as far as I’m concerned.

Hum! It seems to me that a lot of good tunes are actually built on three chords, so what would really be wrong about them?
And there are tunes which use more than three chords and are gems, I won’t have a thing against them either…
Just because some are rather simple doesn’t automatically make them simplistic!!!

 

[ErikaA]

Hum! It seems to me that a lot of good tunes are actually built on three chords, so what would really be wrong about them?
And there are tunes which use more than three chords and are gems, I won’t have a thing against them either…
Just because some are rather simple doesn’t automatically make them simplistic!!!

Yeah I know. I’m a big Beatles fan so I was having a bit of sarcastic fun there. Still, I never got the big deal with Amazing Grace.

 

[whatevergirl]

Alright, someone asked, so I’m weighing in. Amazing Grace is okay. I don’t hate it, but I don’t salivate at the thought of hearing it. It’s certainly one of the easiest pieces to play on the piano. The melody isn’t bad, but I think God gave us more than three chords for a reason. “Go Tell it on the Mountain” can be left on the Mountain as far as I’m concerned. And don’t get me started on the worship music that consists of the soul-piercing two line refrain, “Jesus loves me, woo hoo, My Savior’s great.”

But my favorite in any Church is when they cue the recorded music, you know the karoke machine. I honestly think Jesus leaves the Church when they fire that puppy up. And i don’t blame him. That staticy, studio polished sound makes me want to head for the doors too. Recorded muzac is fine in a supermarket or bar, but I’m thinking that’s not the motif you’re going for in Church.

Sorry if I’m overly passionate about this issue. I really love music and get really ticked off when I go to Church and have to listen to garbage.

I don’t like ‘Go tell it on the mountain either.’ Oh my, I have not laughed this hard reading a post in a looooong time! You are too funny. You make some really good points, but so funny how you describe Jesus leaving the church…ROFL!

 

[ErikaA]

I don’t like ‘Go tell it on the mountain either.’ Oh my, I have not laughed this hard reading a post in a looooong time! You are too funny. You make some really good points, but so funny how you describe Jesus leaving the church…ROFL!

I’m glad I could bring some levity to your day. I think it’s the only thing I’m good for sometimes - giving people a laugh. But I really don’t mean to disrespect anyone. Just venting a little in my overly sarcastic way.