Should the guitar be played in mass?

[MarkThompson]

I can not remember the last time I saw a Church with a balcony apart from the Cathedral. I think the ADA requirements make balcony construction prohibitive in many parishes. I wish it were not so.

Right, no one wants to install a special elevator just for the choir loft.

Incidentally, this is also why churches (and other public buildings) aren’t built with handsome front steps anymore, but always at ground level.

 

[ProVobis]

No, he didn’t. I have read every document out on music. This is not true.

Actually it was Cardinal Arinze who referred to the guitar:

"The local church should be conscious that church worship is not really the same as what we sing in a bar, or what we sing in a convention for youth. Therefore it should influence the type of instrument used, the type of music used. I will not now pronounce and say never guitars; that would be rather severe. But much of guitar music may not be suitable at all for the Mass.

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I can not remember the last time I saw a Church with a balcony apart from the Cathedral. I think the ADA requirements make balcony construction prohibitive in many parishes. I wish it were not so.

Balconies help but aren’t always needed. I’ve seen places where pianos and organ consoles were turned around or somewhat hidden in front so people wouldn’t be focusing on the instrument or its/their players. People can’t help but see things right in front of them and they would be distractions as such.

 

[Patrick60]

I really dont like going to mass that has contemperary stile music. Will this be adressed in the new mass?

Instruments really don’t have much to do with the style of music. You can play all different types of music with an organ, for example. Anyone familiar with rock music in the 1960’s might remember the group Deep Purple, which made extensive use of the organ in many of their songs. Using certain forms of logic you could well make the supposition that because organ music is used quite extensively in secular or profane music that it should not be permitted in the liturgy. That is ridiculous, as is likewise the suggestion to exclude other instruments because they happened to be used in a non liturgical setting.
Historical arguments for or against certain instruments are likewise ambiguous, because the many instruments, including the guitar itself are much older than the organ, and by comparison the organ is a contemporary instrument. Furthermore, music, as well as the instruments used to play it, is very much a cultural thing.
Another person posting here posted this video

youtube.com/watch?v=Siz1eJMg9PY&NR=1

This is a Catholic Mass being celebrated in Africa. Is this inappropriate because it does not conform to Western European standards? Even Western European music is entirely unlike the music that was used in the Middle East during the time of Christ. Do you believe that the psalms were set to Bach at the time of Christ?

If the Western standards we currently enjoy or prefer are mandated worldwide, I imagine that there are many in other countries and other cultures who might not share our aesthetic preference for certain types of polyphony as well as our preference for Western instruments. I’m not saying this because I believe that Masses in the United States should resemble the Mass as it is celebrated in Africa, but I’d like to throw this question out for everyone. Should the Mass in Africa resemble the Mass as it is celebrated in the United States, or in historical Western Europe? And if yes, why?

 

[whipp711]

A simple solution is for non-traditional Mass on Saturday evening. Guitars, kazoos can reign supreme.

Just let Sunday be for us old fuddy duddies. Then, everyone is happy.

Alas, Saturday night is spilling over into Sunday at our Parish.

 

[BertBlyleven]

The Orthodox church uses no instruments and is exponentially gaining converts…

 

[GaryTaylor]

While I know guitars have been used in Mass, has anyone seen this as of late?

I can’t remember the last time I seeen this had to be the 80’s minimum.

pnewton, the balconys are rampant in the Churchs in New England. I notice some don’t use them, others have no choice. For example I was in Worchester Mass for a service and the church was just way to packed to not use the balconys which btw where on both sides of the church.

Church I attend here has a Balcony in the back of the church where I don’t even remember it used since maybe the 60’s.

They have this younger girl singing there now that has such an amazing voice, they actually have to limit her singing. I have never seen a standing ovation in church for a song sung by a member of the choir. But yet it happened during Christmas Mass. Now I notice they kind of limited her probly as not to be the main attraction.

Funny though because the guy that normally sings? Well he wouldn’t be winning any awards, but he’s not bad on the keyboards. They still use a Pipe Organ here. 75 Thousand to restore it this year.

Gary

 

[Monica4316]

I really dont like going to mass that has contemperary stile music. Will this be adressed in the new mass?

maybe…

the Pope has said before that Gregorian chant is preferred. The Council documents say this too. So I’m not sure why people are using guitars etc in the first place

 

[firstmode]

Psalm 150

1 Praise the LORD.[a]
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with timbrel and dancing,
praise him with the strings and pipe,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.

6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD.

Psalm 149

1 Praise the LORD.[a]
Sing to the LORD a new song,
his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.

2 Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
let the people of Zion be glad in their King.
3 Let them praise his name with dancing
and make music to him with timbrel and harp.

The introduction of Psalm 6, which is part of scripture, not an addition by commentators, says, “For the choir director; with stringed instruments, upon an eight-string lyre, A Psalm of David.”

Psalm 33:2, “Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.”

Psalm 71:22, “I will also praise Thee with a harp, even Thy truth, O my God; to Thee I will sing praises with the lyre, O Thou Holy One of Israel.”

Psalm 81:1-3, “Sing for joy to God our strength; shout joyfully to the God of Jacob. 2Raise a song, strike the timbrel, the sweet sounding lyre with the harp. 3Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.”

Psalm 92:1-4, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Thy name, O Most High; 2To declare Thy lovingkindness in the morning, and Thy faithfulness by night, 3With the ten-stringed lute, and with the harp; with resounding music upon the lyre. 4For Thou, O Lord, hast made me glad by what Thou hast done, I will sing for joy at the works of Thy hands.”

Psalm 98:5-6, “Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre; with the lyre and the sound of melody. 6With trumpets and the sound of the horn. Shout joyfully before the King, the Lord.”

 

[firstmode]

in Eph 5:19, the phrase “making melody” is the Greek word, psallo which means, “1) to pluck off, pull out, 2) to cause to vibrate by touching, to twang, 2a) to touch or strike the chord, to twang the strings of a musical instrument so that they gently vibrate, 2b) to play on a stringed instrument, to play, the harp, etc. 2c) to sing to the music of the harp 2d) in the NT to sing a hymn, to celebrate the praises of God in song.”

 

[Monica4316]

outside of the Mass, sure, praise the Lord using guitars.

within the Mass - music should reflect the spiritual reality which is Calvary.

also I think the Bible talks about harps, not guitars

and the Pope said that secular instruments shouldn’t be used at Mass (secular meaning those that we associate mainly with secular music).

 

[firstmode]

What about the lyre?

clker.com/cliparts/1/7/0/9/12379146681416514774papapishu_Lyre.svg.med.png

 

[pnewton]

Actually it was Cardinal Arinze who referred to the guitar:

"The local church should be conscious that church worship is not really the same as what we sing in a bar, or what we sing in a convention for youth. Therefore it should influence the type of instrument used, the type of music used. I will not now pronounce and say never guitars; that would be rather severe. But much of guitar music may not be suitable at all for the Mass.

I am sure you can see the contrast between the statement attributed to the Pope and what Cardinal Arinze really said. (which I understand and agree with, btw) You know how much exaggeration hits me like nails on a chalkboard. Thanks for the quote and the clarification.

 

[JHow]

I liked these thoughts…

It is not the guitar I dislike – it is the insipid music played on it.

Nothing in creation is inherently evil. Guitars can be good even in Mass, depending on the local culture

Speaking of local culture, anyone up for the the all-brass mass? This is a “msza polowa”, an outdoor or “field” mass at a hunting club in Poland. This is not uncommon there.

 

[iblessem]

When I read the negative comments about King David’s most beloved wooden instrument that he used in praise of his loving Father…I cried…I too find the lute or modern guitar made of our Lord’s wood, shaped and crafted by human hands, and offered as an instrument of praise to our Lord Jesus’ soul and divinity in the sacrifice of the mass as a most wonderful and pleasing instrument of love offered to him and the blessed Trinity.
Just as a metallic pipe organ, hammered by human hands in the fire, can be used in a profane way mocking the divine love, so can the wooden instruments be used. But nothing can be more beautiful than the tree of life played in the spirit of love. Please be more merciful as Christ was merciful to us in his sorrowful passion. You can always go to a mass with music that suits your idea of good music., but don’t judge others that see beauty in the natural sounds that God created.

Peace

 

[henrikhank]

When they introduced the organ music in the Mass did people get angry? I think so. It was just chanting witout organ in the beginning but later on they introduced organ music. I think those (like me) who hates guitar at Mass may do so because we are afraid of lossing the gregorian chant or just want what we already had. Well, the Gregorian chant is what should be sung at church. Guitar and piano are good for other moment, like after Mass at church coffee. And I know that the Ethiopian and Coptic Liturgy have drums and hand cymbals so everything is Ok as long as it is fitting for that particalr Liturgy.

 

[Sword_Brethren]

When they introduced the organ music in the Mass did people get angry? I think so. It was just chanting witout organ in the beginning but later on they introduced organ music. I think those (like me) who hates guitar at Mass may do so because we are afraid of lossing the gregorian chant or just want what we already had. Well, the Gregorian chant is what should be sung at church. Guitar and piano are good for other moment, like after Mass at church coffee. And I know that the Ethiopian and Coptic Liturgy have drums and hand cymbals so everything is Ok as long as it is fitting for that particalr Liturgy.

The old organ argument again. The organ was one instrument over many years. At a few places there were whole orchestras used but that was not common. But, now in just the last sixty years every instrument is allowed. No wonder Sunday Mass attendance has gone down in the last sixty years.

 

[Sword_Brethren]

I some ways, yes. We have a better knowledge of the people of this generation than they did, for example. I know this sounds silly, but that is exactly why the Catholic Church does not embrace stagnation.

I don’t agree with that at all.

 

[Thomas_Casey]

Question answered.

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