Projecting the words for songs at mass

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OnBendedKnee said:
At my church they will be projecting the words to the songs at mass. It will be displayed on the wall behind the altar and below the cross and risen Christ. I have mixed feelings about this.
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Here’s a thought to consider…What is the purpose of projecting the words to the songs? And the next logical question would be, why just the songs? Why not all the words, Mass propers, homily, etc? Let’s project the bulletin and read it aloud before Mass too [/sarcasm]

I can’t help but think that this is just another tactic to “get people to sing” and the application in some respects lacks an understanding of what’s going on. To me, the focus on providing something like this may be well intentioned but hopelessly misplaced. This is just a band-aid and not a solution to deeper problems…In that context, it is more than just a distraction, and misses the whole purpose.

I understand why it is done in some places, but its very existence sidetracks any truly necessary reforms. If you spoon feed everything to everyone, they no longer have need to take ownership of it. I think this is a danger in some degree to our faith. This is a negative cultural aspect we impose on the liturgy. In doing so, we are attempting to constrain the liturgy to our cultural comforts rather than letting the liturgy speak for itself and transform us.

Just my opinion…

Joe B
 
JButky said:
I can’t help but think that this is just another tactic to “get people to sing” and the application in some respects lacks an understanding of what’s going on. To me, the focus on providing something like this may be well intentioned but hopelessly misplaced.
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Well, you’re wrong. 🙂 The purpose, where I’ve seen it, is not that. The purpose is to improve focus and reverence, to promote silence, to reduce noise and “busy-ness” in the pews. Where it’s done well, it produces a far more reverent liturgy than a typical N.O. family Mass filled with noise and distractions.

The purpose is not to “get people to sing,” even though it does make it easier to sing for the majority of those who do know the tunes to the words (which is generally provided by attending these Masses consistently, and further by a review of the tunes by the cantor, just before Mass and while people are gathered). The people who don’t want to sing, as well as the people who don’t know the tunes, simply don’t sing (that song or all the songs). The tune & any descant is handled by those who can do so, and I never hear any complaints about that.
 
I have to say I would be horrified to see powerpoint presentations or the like during homilies. It is very common already for priests to abuse what freedoms they have in what they do, and if visual presentations were commonly accepted we would just have a new set of problems to go with those we already suffer under. I would much prefer keeping homilies tasteful and solemn given the context of when they are occurring rather than introducing innovations which will inevitably lead to even less regard for the tone proper in a Mass.
 
Elizabeth502 said:
The purpose, where I’ve seen it, is not that. The purpose is to improve focus and reverence, to promote silence, to reduce noise and “busy-ness” in the pews. Where it’s done well, it produces a far more reverent liturgy than a typical N.O. family Mass filled with noise and distractions.
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I can’t agree that merely putting song lyrics in large view improves focus or reverence. This sounds more like a schoolteacher who is conditioning you to act in a certain manner simply because you are instructed to do so. Reverence is not learned from putting lyrics in the air. Reverence comes from understanding and appreciation. Instill reverence and this “noise” is not a problem. How does one “promote” silence? It’s seems an absurd proposition to promote silence by putting lyrics up for people to make noise. 😃
The purpose is not to “get people to sing,” even though it does make it easier to sing for the majority of those who do know the tunes to the words (which is generally provided by attending these Masses consistently, and further by a review of the tunes by
the cantor, just before Mass and while people are gathered).
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If you are “promoting” silence as reverence, then why are you having noisy practices before Mass? And yet you say that the purpose is not to “get people to sing?”

Reverence is an interior disposition that must be cultivated. It cannot be produced by posting large print on the walls.
The people who don’t want to sing, as well as the people who don’t know the tunes, simply don’t sing (that song or all the songs). The tune & any descant is handled by those who can do so, and I never hear any complaints about that.
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I don’t know what to make of your last point here. It just seems moot to the question at hand. Active Participation does not mean singing or not singing. It means actively participating in the music that is occurring with a proper interior disposition. This can be manifested through singing or listening and meditating on what is sung. To infer that the act of putting lyrics up on a wall promotes this in all the facets you mention is more than a bit questionable. It seems rather a means to coerce people to act in a particular manner that certain others would prefer without regard for personal interior dispositions.

I’m sorry, but I cannot agree with your assessment. And how do you reason my counter argument concerning posting everything up there? I would be interested in hearing your reasoning regarding my original proposed question.

I’m not telling you that you are wrong either. 😉 I would just like to hear a reasoned explanation for doing this. Current explanations are really pretty shallow.

Joe B
 
TheMc said:
Why do the words in the book need to be amplified? They are already in front of you!
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SOme people have to hold babies, and cannot hold the book.

I often forget my reading glasses, and cannot see the words in the hymnal, but I can see words projected on a screen.

Why pay for hundreds of expensive hymnals when you can project the songs on a screen for thousands less?
 
JButky said:
How does one “promote” silence? It’s seems an absurd proposition to promote silence by putting lyrics up for people to make noise. 😃
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I’m not sure what is complicated about this - if people aren’t rooting around finding the correct hymnal and the right page, it will be quieter.
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JButky:
It seems rather a means to coerce people to act in a particular manner that certain others would prefer without regard for personal interior dispositions.
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How is projecting the words more coercive than having a hymnal in the pew, a sign up front indicating the hymn numbers, and a cantor or organist instructing you which hymn to turn to.
 
graceandglory said:
Why pay for hundreds of expensive hymnals when you can project the songs on a screen for thousands less?
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How do you know this? Have you included the royalty fees for the copyrighted material needed? Would the benefits exceed the costs?
 
ProVobis said:
How do you know this? Have you included the royalty fees for the copyrighted material needed?
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Depending on the amount of hymnals bought, at my church it would be thousands cheaper to project it than buy yearly subscriptions. And the freedom to add new (old music) that isn’t in the book.
 
graceandglory said:
Why pay for hundreds of expensive hymnals when you can project the songs on a screen for thousands less?
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How do you know this? Have you included the royalty fees for the copyrighted material needed? Would the benefits exceed the costs?
 
ProVobis said:
How do you know this? Have you included the royalty fees for the copyrighted material needed? Would the benefits exceed the costs?
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I know this because I can add. It’s simple math.

After the original expense of projector, per year, its A LOT of money saved.
 
ProVobis said:
I used to travel and do Powerpoint presentations. Most people fell asleep. I gave up and prepared my own handouts.
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What in the world does this have to do with anything?

You were arguing about cost. I was giving you an answer.
 
agapewolf said:
What in the world does this have to do with anything?

You were arguing about cost. I was giving you an answer.
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Sorry, you have to look at the benefits as well. You can save money by not buying hymnals if you want to just look at costs saved. But I don’t think the OP was looking for a course in finance. And that’s all I’m going to say on this thread.
 
ProVobis said:
Sorry, you have to look at the benefits as well. You can save money by not buying hymnals if you want to just look at costs saved.
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This also makes no sense.

You asked someone if they had knowledge of costs of licensing fees. I gave you an answer that it is thousands less.
 
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