R.O.C.K Solid

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Just_One_Touch

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This is the problem. At my parish, there is a group called R.O.C.K Solid. They perform songs from the missal, but in a very folksy manner. I disagree with this, but my mother keeps trying to push me to join. I’ve told her no, but she just keeps nagging at me, going so far as to mock me for thinking what I do. What do I do?
 
Just_One_Touch said:
This is the problem. At my parish, there is a group called R.O.C.K Solid. They perform songs from the missal, but in a very folksy manner. I disagree with this, but my mother keeps trying to push me to join. I’ve told her no, but she just keeps nagging at me, going so far as to mock me for thinking what I do. What do I do?
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If you can, find a choir in your area that does Gregorian chant. Then join it 😉

After a while, and you get good at it, take your mom to a Mass where you sing Gregorian chant with the choir.

If it doesn’t bring a tear to her eye I would be very surprised.

Gregorian chant is not that difficult to learn, especially for a young person. I managed to learn it and sing in a choir starting when I was 44.
 
OK, here’s another perspective. This group is performing approved hymns, which is far better, imo, than reaching into the vast pool of evangelical protestant music that many parishes gravitate toward, in the interest of keeping it fresh. It sounds to me like they’re trying to stay onside with the Church, but maybe with a fresher sound. Maybe what they’re doing isn’t wrong per se, but just not in keeping with your preferrred style?

IOW, maybe what we’re talking about is a difference in personal preference?

PS I’m a bit sensitive to this issue, because my parish was way off the deep end with the protestant evangelical stuff which is very entertaining to listen to on your own time, but is not “liturgical”. Before I switched parishes, I would have welcomed proper songs sung this way.

Just my 2 cents worth 🙂
 
Just_One_Touch said:
This is the problem. At my parish, there is a group called R.O.C.K Solid. They perform songs from the missal, but in a very folksy manner. I disagree with this, but my mother keeps trying to push me to join. I’ve told her no, but she just keeps nagging at me, going so far as to mock me for thinking what I do. What do I do?
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Your mom is not asking you to do something which is against the church. I suggest we go back to that old commandment bit of “honor thy father and mother” on this matter of personal preference.
 
It wouldn’t hurt to attend a few rehearsals and learn more about them. They may be willing to try different musical styles. You cannot influence them if you don’t even know them. If you find that they are unwilling to change anything about what they do, and you still do not want to be a member, quit then. Your mother can then see that you tried it out and still didn’t like it.

I assume that you are an older teen. If so, you can certainly try out the other option of finding a group in a nearby parish or your diocese that sings the kind of music you prefer. If you can arrange transportation, maybe joining that group would be an acceptable alternative.

Also, it may just be that your mom wants you to be more involved with parish life in general. Joining a non-musical group (ie, ushering, Legion of Mary, etc.) may be another good alternative. Ask her more about why she wants you to join the group and that will help you come up with other options.
 
At the group meeting, I heard their music, and I heard their ideas. Their leader said their goal is to play contemporary music to make Mass fun.
 
Just_One_Touch said:
At the group meeting, I heard their music, and I heard their ideas. Their leader said their goal is to play contemporary music to make Mass fun.
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You can work with that. Say something along the lines of
I guess you mean, encourage more teens and young adults to attend Mass. That’s a great goal! I think another way we can encourage people to attend Mass is by helping them understand how amazing it is when heaven comes down to earth at the consecration! That’s a really solemn moment. I think it’s great to do concerts or other events with your band, but can we change up the music for Mass? For example, it would be great to do some chant during Mass.
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As a mom, when I encourage my kids to do something at church it is because I want them involved. I really doubt your mom is so wedded to you joining this group over any other activity at church. Out of respect for her, try talking to the leader and also investigate other things you can do with the youth group or other groups at church. If you are quiet or a “loner”, she probably just wants to see you involved, making friends, and having fun. You can’t deny that this group, whatever their musical styles or ability, are obviously committed Catholics. Otherwise, they would have taken their act on the road long ago.
 
Just_One_Touch said:
This is the problem. At my parish, there is a group called R.O.C.K Solid. They perform songs from the missal, but in a very folksy manner. I disagree with this, but my mother keeps trying to push me to join. I’ve told her no, but she just keeps nagging at me, going so far as to mock me for thinking what I do. What do I do?
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  1. tell your mom to knock it off.
  2. tell her to learn what the church really wants for music (hint: it has nothing to do with guitars, except possibly a guitar bonfire)
  3. join a schola
 
FatHead said:
  1. tell your mom to knock it off.
  2. tell her to learn what the church really wants for music (hint: it has nothing to do with guitars, except possibly a guitar bonfire)
  3. join a schola
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  1. That would be rude and unloving.
  2. Heard of St. Francis at all?
  3. Not always possible but reasonable advice.
 
paperwight66 said:
  1. That would be rude and unloving.
  2. Heard of St. Francis at all?
  3. Not always possible but reasonable advice.
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  1. i dont mean in those exact words… 🙂 of course do it with kindness and love. but theres no reason to pressure someone to join a group like this with a sketchy premise like “making the mass fun” with trashy music
  2. yes, I have. What about him? did he use gituars and drums and a solemn Mass?
  3. thank you.
 
OraLabora said:
No but he didn’t use a schola either. He was against the use of Gregorian chant apparently.
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oh yes, Ive heard about that.

but i have one request: can everyone stop bringing up st francis every time we encourage chant? there were far more saints who encouraged and worked for chant, like St. gregory
 
FatHead said:
  1. tell your mom to knock it off.
  2. tell her to learn what the church really wants for music (hint: it has nothing to do with guitars, except possibly a guitar bonfire)
  3. join a schola
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  1. then go to confession for being so gravely disrespectful towards your mother.
The bottom line is this: perhaps this person struggles with equating personal preference with required form… as apparently many people on this section of the forum do… and his mother is trying to combat that.

I defer to his mother on this one, since the group apparently has a different take on what is reverent music (not necessarily TRASHY as some people have said), but hasn’t been brought to charges on any sort of doctrinal error. We have no right to tell this child to violate a commandment and reject his mother’s entirely valid wishes.
 
FatHead said:
oh yes, Ive heard about that.

but i have one request: can everyone stop bringing up st francis every time we encourage chant? there were far more saints who encouraged and worked for chant, like St. gregory
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Actually I’m a big fan of chant and sing in a schola. My point was that perhaps a saint that did encourage chant would have been more appropriate to this discussion. 🙂
 
I’ll wait for someone (benedictgal?) to post the references, but the Mass is not the place for contemporary music. It just isn’t the place for folksy music with guitars or a “band” that calls themselves “rock”. That is distasteful. The Mass is the re-presentation of Christ on the Cross. Would you play folk music at the foot of the cross? The Mass is solemn. Don’t let the liberal interpretation of the word solemn get to you. Solemn does not mean miserable or jaded.

The proper way to get the youth involved is to encourage them to learn what the Mass really means and that it is not for them but for God. People of all ages, especially the youth, love a mystery and love learning about sacred, transcendent things. They love learning Languages. They love learning about what makes their faith special. That’s what brings them closer to God, and that’s what will save their souls. Not contemporary music which only serves to please them and make it about them and their preferences. Show some faith in the youth of today - stop treating them like 3 year olds with attention spans that won’t last if there aren’t novelties and gimmicks and pop tunes. That’s what I would tell 'em.

Edit: oh, and St.Francis was not against Chant. He just didn’t want his Order chanting, so his Rule didn’t include Chant. Perhaps Brother JR can clear that up, but to me it is misrepresenting St.Francis to say he was “against” Chant always and everywhere.
 
Do you have more than one mass at your church. If you do perhaps one of them is more traditional.

What I can’t stand is when a church insists on using the guitar drums etc for all 3 masses.
I am ok with people using them if that is the most effective way to worship, but please pick a mass to do it at so we aren’t forced to hear it.

It happened to me before. I go down to my aunts house during the summer, and they are Lutheran (I do go to church with them because it is a very reverent service), so I go to a Catholic church down the road before theirs. It’s a beautiful and new parish, and has an organ and a piano. I have been to all 3 English mass’s and they only use guitar’s.

However at their Lutheran church they have an organ and a piano, and they only use the organ.
 
I agree with this 100%!
promethius said:
  1. then go to confession for being so gravely disrespectful towards your mother.
The bottom line is this: perhaps this person struggles with equating personal preference with required form… as apparently many people on this section of the forum do… and his mother is trying to combat that.

I defer to his mother on this one, since the group apparently has a different take on what is reverent music (not necessarily TRASHY as some people have said), but hasn’t been brought to charges on any sort of doctrinal error. We have no right to tell this child to violate a commandment and reject his mother’s entirely valid wishes.
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I knew this argument would come into play, it always does! :rolleyes:
NewsTheMan said:
(snipped) The Mass is the re-presentation of Christ on the Cross. Would you play folk music at the foot of the cross? The Mass is solemn.
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I am not disagreeing that Mass is the re-presentation of Christ on the cross,
what I have a problem with is the idea that some have that the crucifixion was some quiet, somber type of event.
That would not be historically accurate. Execution was public, brutal, and maintained an almost "circus-like’ atmosphere.
There would have been just as many, if not more, people there celebrating the executions than there were mourning them.
There would have been hecklers, people may have been throwing things at the condemned,
there would have been people sobbing & wailing, not mention all the travellers who were coming along the road in & out of the city.
Quiet & somber it would not have been.
 
Oneofthewomen said:
I am not disagreeing that Mass is the re-presentation of Christ on the cross,
what I have a problem with is the idea that some have that the crucifixion was some quiet, somber type of event.
That would not be historically accurate. Execution was public, brutal, and maintained an almost "circus-like’ atmosphere.
There would have been just as many, if not more, people there celebrating the executions than there were mourning them.
There would have been hecklers, people may have been throwing things at the condemned,
there would have been people sobbing & wailing, not mention all the travellers who were coming along the road in & out of the city.
Quiet & somber it would not have been.
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Right you are. But in mass, we’re not trying to represent the feelings or sounds or gestures of those awful people who enjoyed our Lord’s execution, even though they probably vastly outnumbered the mourners. Mourning is a solemn thing, always. In mass, we’re witnesses to Christ on the cross, and by extension, we mourn His death. Certainly, we should have the attitude of the ancient mourners. Wouldn’t we like to remember Christ’s death as a solemn event?

I mean, when people are murdered by psychopathic serial killers, we don’t give them funerals that emphasize or even mention the pleasure the killer had in killing them. Kind of a dumb comparison, but do you see what I’m getting at?
 
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