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CharitableFaith
Guest
My question is how come at Mass we are not aloud to have “Praise and Worship” music like Pentecostal Churches do? Just curious!
God Bless
God Bless
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corsair
Guest
The Catholic church has 2000 years worth of music and art to draw from. Protestants have ,at most, 500 years worth. The Catholic liturgy was never developed in the “pentecostal” style.
If praise and worship music is what is important to you then perhaps you may want to seek it out. As for me, give me Sacred Polyphony any time.
If praise and worship music is what is important to you then perhaps you may want to seek it out. As for me, give me Sacred Polyphony any time.
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CharitableFaith
Guest
Actually it’s not what’s important to me, I was just very curious, I don’t even like that kind music which was played in my old Protestant church.
God Bless!
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Splagchnizomai
Guest
Some PnW music doesn’t fit with our Catholic theology or the structure of Mass.
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Diana_Catherine
Guest
Praise and worship is fine outside of Mass but Mass is a prayer and the most important part is the Eucharist. The music should cause one to focus on that point.
Praise and worship music can be fun and maybe could become entertaining and that is not what should be happening at Mass.
In Pentecostal Churches and other protestant churches alot of times the music is a big focus and meant to draw people in but for us it is the presence of Jesus that draws us in.
God Bless
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opus101
Guest
This might help you understand. It is the first of a 4-part series of articles written recently by Bishop Olmsted.catholicsun.org/bishop/2011/121511.html
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cothrige
Guest
Is this a typo? We are allowed to have nothing else in my experience. All of the music in the Catholic parishes I have access to come from those CDs they sell on TV at night with just that kind of music on them. Stuff like “Our God is an Awesome God” and “Shout to the Lord.” The absolute favourite at our parish is “He is Exalted.” If I hear that one more time I swear I might go postal. There are, however, some “traditional” Masses before 8 AM or so which do play stuff like “How Great Thou Art,” “Amazing Grace” or “A Mighty Fortress.” I suppose these are now considered traditional Catholic hymns.
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Anna_Claire
Guest
Praise and worship music may not be what many of us prefer but …We should be thankful that there are different venues of worship that can support the desires of us all. We are all not the same: some like cheese on their crackers and are happy with that, while others would have nothing but caviar. God loves us no matter how we worship him. In answer to your question…it is allowed. Who told you it was not?
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MargeretMarina1
Guest
Praise and worship music is not permitted in the mass. It it not classified as “sacred music”, and only sacred music is allowed. You also have to consider how this music is being played. Recordings of any kind are forbidden during the mass. Music must be played, and the organ is the instument of choice. This excludes most religious praise and worship music that useses secular instruments such as guitars, drums, keboards, ect. The music chosen needs to reflect the liturgy, and be worthy of the mass in which Jesus Christ is present. This is a very serious issue for the mass, and should not be taken lightly.
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bobballen_18
Guest
I’m afraid that it is allowed. However, I believe the Pope (JPII I think…) has said stuff about it. This is not an exact quote, but this is generally what I understood whoever it was to be saying: that while praise and worship is not forbidden, it is not the highest form of music that is appropriate for church.
He said other stuff too, but think about it. So yeah, no, praise and worship is not forbidden, but why would you have a lower form of music when a higher form is available to you? Wouldn’t you want to have the highest form of music possible or available to you? Frankly, it does not matter what makes you “feel the most involved” or whatever it is people say that praise and worship does to them.
There’s my two cents. We should give God the best, not the second best, in everything, including music at Mass!
He said other stuff too, but think about it. So yeah, no, praise and worship is not forbidden, but why would you have a lower form of music when a higher form is available to you? Wouldn’t you want to have the highest form of music possible or available to you? Frankly, it does not matter what makes you “feel the most involved” or whatever it is people say that praise and worship does to them.
There’s my two cents. We should give God the best, not the second best, in everything, including music at Mass!
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MargeretMarina1
Guest
There are several Popes who have commented on religious music vs. sacred music. “Praise and worship music” is religious music. It is important and necessary in all areas of our Christian faith outside of the sacred liturgy. That means outside of the mass. Religious music is important for evangelization and as a different way to enjoy the music of your faith, but is not worthy of the liturgy. Sacred music is expressed as the only worthy form music for the liturgy. As far as I know, I didn’t see anywhere where it stated that religious music could be used as a part of the sacred liturgy. What you do see is a list of instruments inappropriate to the mass and the reason given is that they are secular. You’re not going to find much praise and worship music that isn’t secular and therefore inappropriate.
Gregorian chant and polyphony accompanied by the organ are generally the only acceptable and appropriate forms of sacred liturgical music
Gregorian chant and polyphony accompanied by the organ are generally the only acceptable and appropriate forms of sacred liturgical music
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Allegra
Guest
This statement does not reflect reality. You would be hard pressed to find even among the most devout Catholics, anyone who can pick out any Gregorian chant melody other than Tantum Ergo. Only one in dozens of parishes have a music program that features Gregorian chant or polyphony, much less uses it exclusively. Both forms of music are outside of our culture’s tonal and rhythmic systems. Therefore, they require a choir that is very well-trained and a choir director that is very specialized.
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mburn16
Guest
I’d rearrange the question:
Why aren’t more Catholics presented with the opportunity to engage in “praise and worship” types of activities.
In my opinion, its not that there is anything wrong with our liturgy directly (well…not exactly…but thats a different thread), but that there is relatively limited engagement of the faithful outside the liturgy. My protestant friends generally attend church twice a week, participate in bible study and the like, and evangelize at much greater rates than Catholics.
If Catholics instituted, say, a worship night on wednesdays in which laypeople were allowed to come forward and offer preaching, and where the music was more lively, and the atmosphere more joyus, etc…I think it would be a significant advance for the RCC.
Why aren’t more Catholics presented with the opportunity to engage in “praise and worship” types of activities.
In my opinion, its not that there is anything wrong with our liturgy directly (well…not exactly…but thats a different thread), but that there is relatively limited engagement of the faithful outside the liturgy. My protestant friends generally attend church twice a week, participate in bible study and the like, and evangelize at much greater rates than Catholics.
If Catholics instituted, say, a worship night on wednesdays in which laypeople were allowed to come forward and offer preaching, and where the music was more lively, and the atmosphere more joyus, etc…I think it would be a significant advance for the RCC.
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Gertabelle
Guest
Wow. Never thought my parish was so extremely rare! There’s our church surrounded by Title 1 public schools with families that listen to rap, hip-hop, and anything with a bassline that can cause deafness – and there’s our 11am mass group, six people in all, singing chant and polyphony with the most exquisite musicianship. And the mass is packed every week.
Oh, and there’s that parish ten miles from us that has a sacred schola at mass twice a week (Sunday night and Tuesday night) for the college students at a major state university (CU-Boulder).
And there’s that other parish in between the first two that also emphasizes chant and polyphony…
And… and… and… it’s the YOUNG PEOPLE who are running these groups! The YOUNG PEOPLE!! Yup, the college students are taking over, and they’re bringing their sacred music with them. God bless 'em!
Meanwhile, our wonderful seminarians have been known to offer monthly “vigil praise” events at the seminary, specifically geared towards young adults. Adoration, vespers, and lots and lots of praise-and-worship music, with confession being offered the whole time. It is a beautiful evening!
Sacred music for mass. Other music for other times.
Gertie
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pilots13
Guest
Ah, the “only do chant or your a heathen” discussion. I love this one. Two things, one question, and one find as a result of trying to get the answer myself.
Question: There is a list of instruments inappropriate to the mass and the reason given is that they are secular? Really? What makes something a secular instrument? Last I checked the Beatles used organs in their music and the Rolling Stones used choirs.
Find: From an article on getreligion.org: “Pope Benedict XVI is calling for an end to guitars and a return to traditional choirs in the Catholic Church… . The Pope’s supporters say that the music played during mass is a vital part of the communion between worshippers and God, and that medieval church music creates the correct ambience for perceiving God’s mystery, the newspaper said. But Cardinal Carlo Furno, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, said it was “better to have guitars on the altar and rock and roll masses than empty churches.””
And that last sentence is my view. If something heightens your worship experience, regardless of if it’s chant, choir, Haas, or rock and/or roll, why is it a bad thing? If even the Pope is using Haugen music at a Mass, then Rome must not find this anywhere near as big an issue as some people here do.
Oh and on a side note, “the medieval church” being the correct church drives me crazy. Another topic, another day…
Question: There is a list of instruments inappropriate to the mass and the reason given is that they are secular? Really? What makes something a secular instrument? Last I checked the Beatles used organs in their music and the Rolling Stones used choirs.
Find: From an article on getreligion.org: “Pope Benedict XVI is calling for an end to guitars and a return to traditional choirs in the Catholic Church… . The Pope’s supporters say that the music played during mass is a vital part of the communion between worshippers and God, and that medieval church music creates the correct ambience for perceiving God’s mystery, the newspaper said. But Cardinal Carlo Furno, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, said it was “better to have guitars on the altar and rock and roll masses than empty churches.””
And that last sentence is my view. If something heightens your worship experience, regardless of if it’s chant, choir, Haas, or rock and/or roll, why is it a bad thing? If even the Pope is using Haugen music at a Mass, then Rome must not find this anywhere near as big an issue as some people here do.
Oh and on a side note, “the medieval church” being the correct church drives me crazy. Another topic, another day…
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thewanderer
Guest
I’m just gonna throw this out there… but often it is precisely praise and worship / guitar music at mass that drives people away from the church and other more solemn (note I am not just saying gregorian chant, even just more traditional hymns etc) that tend to draw people in, especially young people. That has been my own experience both for myself and others I have known. I have also seen a couple threads on CAF that pretty much said the exact same thing. I think this fact goes hand in hand with the reason people discourage praise and worship and guitar etc from being used during mass, it turns the mass into something common, and does not set it apart as a beautiful liturgy where one puts ones best forward for God.
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liturgyluver
Guest
I would agree that this, in general terms, is the sad reality of Catholic music today. Congregations and priests seem to show no interest whatsoever in our rich heritage of liturgical music. Even when traditional hymns are scheduled, no-one bothers participating. Very, very sad.
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MargeretMarina1
Guest
Saying that it dosen’t reflect reality is exactly how most parishes end up with a guitar and a song leader for their Sunday mass. Every parish needs to make it their priority to assemble a choir group that sings along with the organ, and if possible also get a group together to do chant. These things can be accomplished over time and should be of upmost importance to the liturgy.
What makes the music secular is that we are exposed to it on a daily basis as non scared music, and also that it’s theatrical. For example, some countries in Africa consider the drums to be a religious instrument and therefore are allowed to use them during the mass. The culture your in matters. If your sitting there thinking gosh this guitar song is rockin and I love the beat, than you’ve ruined your mass experience. The focus should be the words.
Mburn: I would caution against ever creating a worship experience where parishners are allowed to come forward and offer preaching. These opportunities don’t exist because it’s too easy for a parishner to accidentally or on purpose lead others astray. It’s always good to make sure preaching is left to our priests and deacons, and that they are involved in any bible study and worship activities.
What makes the music secular is that we are exposed to it on a daily basis as non scared music, and also that it’s theatrical. For example, some countries in Africa consider the drums to be a religious instrument and therefore are allowed to use them during the mass. The culture your in matters. If your sitting there thinking gosh this guitar song is rockin and I love the beat, than you’ve ruined your mass experience. The focus should be the words.
Mburn: I would caution against ever creating a worship experience where parishners are allowed to come forward and offer preaching. These opportunities don’t exist because it’s too easy for a parishner to accidentally or on purpose lead others astray. It’s always good to make sure preaching is left to our priests and deacons, and that they are involved in any bible study and worship activities.
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mburn16
Guest
I’m sorry, but when you restrict preaching, even outside the mass, to the clergy, you decapitate the ability of the faithful to spread God’s word, or even to embolden the faith of existing believers.
This, I think, IS the one area where our Protestant friends have the upper hand: a far more direct engagement of believers as a whole to spread the Gospel.
This, I think, IS the one area where our Protestant friends have the upper hand: a far more direct engagement of believers as a whole to spread the Gospel.
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pilots13
Guest
To each their own. For me, I personally prefer the guitar music over organ (not to say I dislike the organ or chant). My parish uses a guitar, piano and flute, and they do a fantastic job every week. Again, for me, I pay attention to the music more when it’s something with a catchy tune. My experiences with organ or chant is you have a much harder time making out the words. Most organ Masses the organ is so loud you might as well not sing cause you can’t hear yourself anyhow. And chant often is either in Latin (which I don’t know) or in English but sounds almost mumbled when it’s done. Guitar music can absolutely be over done too. But for me it makes my worship experience better. That’s why we have different parishes with different styles. And it would be a mistake to do away with that.
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