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ez3714
Guest
After Low Mass and Leonine Prayers, Father would lead us in an acapella hymn as he left. It was simple, beautiful, and the only music at Mass. Is it time to get rid of organists and choirs?
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Fauken
Guest
Yes, because it was a Low Mass.
No, organists and choirs have their place. Not every Mass needs to be a Solemn High Mass, and not every Mass needs to be a Low Mass. There are special occasions we should be able to break out the proverbial champagne out for.
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ez3714
Guest
Why can’t the congregation do that?
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ShrodingersCat
Guest
I don’t know about you, but my parish was not often blessed with priest or parishioners who could sing 
Actually, a few members of the choir couldn’t sing either
Actually, a few members of the choir couldn’t sing either
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Fauken
Guest
The congregation can, at a Low Mass. At a Sung/Solemn High Mass, the choir is the one making responses on behalf of the congregation.
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ez3714
Guest
Again why can’t the congregation do that? Shouldn’t they be doing that Instead of the choir?
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Fauken
Guest
To be honest? I don’t know. But why should they? Mass isn’t about what can or can’t be done.
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stpurl
Guest
ORGANISTS and choirs? Where do you live? In 50 years it’s been GUITARISTS, cantors, and ‘groups’ roughly 95% of the time and places in the Northeast.
I would definitely trade guitars for acapella, but who is this ‘we,’ kimosabe? Plenty of room in Catholic parishes for all kinds of music, from acapella to choirs to choirs plus instruments (even guitars). No need to force one preference onto all.
I would definitely trade guitars for acapella, but who is this ‘we,’ kimosabe? Plenty of room in Catholic parishes for all kinds of music, from acapella to choirs to choirs plus instruments (even guitars). No need to force one preference onto all.
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Gertabelle
Guest
Awesome! Another thread about how music at mass needs to suit the taste of each and every individual! WAHOO!!! Seriously, we’ve rehashed this topic of what music is the “right” music or the “best” music for mass more times than I can recall in my 13 years on CAF!
As a trained musician – and someone’s who’s been a pianist, organist, cantor, choir member, and choir director at mass – I find the music at mass at my local parish (where I am not involved in music ministry) to be truly awful. Can’t stand their choices, and it’s too loud, and we only get lyrics to these dumb songs with impossible “melodies”…
So what?
I’m at mass for Our Lord. I’m at mass for community worship, supplication, to be present at the sacrifice of Our Lord with this little segment of the Body of Christ.
Hate the music, but I’ve gotten to the point where I couldn’t care less what the musicians do. We – including the music ministry – are all there for the mass.
Period.
And maybe we can all just recognize that the entire Church does not have to bow down to our own personal opinions and preferences about the music at mass. Just saying.
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stpurl
Guest
“Actually, a few members of the choir couldn’t sing either ”
And they were usually the featured soloists.
”And they were usually the featured soloists.
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GiftofMercy
Guest
The music ministry is there to lead the congregation in responses and singing, nothing more, nothing less.
If people are not doing this, the fault is with them.
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ez3714
Guest
Thank you for emphasizing my point. If there were no music ministers and a few dozen other “special ministers,” there would be no us and no them.
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Fauken
Guest
But why shouldn’t there be? Shall we get rid of altar servers because they’re “special ministers”? How about the Sacristan? Or the MC?
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RCbkw
Guest
Then there are those of us at churches where the music is so important that the choir is made up of paid singers, none of whom are Catholic…Get that the organist is paid and part of the church staff with many liturgical responsibilities, but if a church can’t get any parishioners to sing in the choir maybe there shouldn’t be one?
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GiftofMercy
Guest
I am not sayng that at all.
There is no us and them where I am. There is just us.
are you in music ministry? If not join and learn what goes on and if fault is found, introduce the purpose of ministry, or reintroduce it
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Gertabelle
Guest
Yes indeed. As I’ve been reading through this thread, I cannot help but be reminded of what St Paul wrote to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 12:12-27):ez3714:
I am not sayng that at all.
There is no us and them where I am. There is just us.
12 There is one body, but it has many parts. But all its many parts make up one body. It is the same with Christ. 13 We were all baptized by one Holy Spirit. And so we are formed into one body. It didn’t matter whether we were Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free people. We were all given the same Spirit to drink. 14 So the body is not made up of just one part. It has many parts.
15 Suppose the foot says, “I am not a hand. So I don’t belong to the body.” By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body. 16 And suppose the ear says, “I am not an eye. So I don’t belong to the body.” By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell? 18 God has placed each part in the body just as he wanted it to be. 19 If all the parts were the same, how could there be a body? 20 As it is, there are many parts. But there is only one body.
21 The eye can’t say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 In fact, it is just the opposite. The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are the ones we can’t do without. 23 The parts that we think are less important we treat with special honor. The private parts aren’t shown. But they are treated with special care. 24 The parts that can be shown don’t need special care. But God has put together all the parts of the body. And he has given more honor to the parts that didn’t have any. 25 In that way, the parts of the body will not take sides. All of them will take care of one another. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honored, every part shares in its joy.
27 You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it.
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Dougbro1
Guest
Ironically, at my church, most of the choir is composed of my family, and we don’t get paid. Not that we’re demanding it or anything, we’re more than happy to do music.
I think not, but then again, this is coming from a choir member. Music ministry is one of the many highlights of my Catholic life (not the only highlight, mind you), and if it encourages the congregation to participate more, I’m all for it.
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IdaCatholic
Guest
Yes. I wish there was no music ministry. It has led to so much discord and ignorance.
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CTBcin
Guest
Absolutely not.
In most places I’ve been to, the congregation needs a little bit of help when it comes to singing.
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CTBcin
Guest
There will always be discord and ignorance about various parts of the Liturgy. Music is just one topic that people have really honed in on, unfortunately. But get rid of music and people will find something else to complain about.
Perhaps if people were properly catechized on sacred music and it’s function in the Mass, there would be less discord (and a lot less ignorance).
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