*sigh* Think we are going to look for another parish

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It’s too bad the Mass isn’t the same everywhere around the world as it used to be 50 years ago.

The Mass I went to this Sunday had an electric guitarist, drummist and pianist who thought they were rock stars in a concert.

It really doesn’t make sense to hear “chanting” during the Kyrie Eleison or Consecration while listening to a rock band play in between.

Interesting that the priest who started the whole LifeTeen phenomeon has been defrocked.
 
Don’t feel bad. When I was living in a bigger city for college, I could not find a church there I felt comfortable in. Everyone was very irreverent, the music was very nontraditional, and the style of the church was more like an auditorium. It was the only/best choice I had then. I had visited many different parishes in the area. I just went on yahoo yellowpages and typed in my location and catholic church and saw which ones were closest to me.

The priest at a church in my area went to a private Obama rally to give the opening prayer, and tells people at the church that the war is just as much of an issue as abortion :confused: . A family I know is very upset with this and wants to leave the church but their children go to the parish elementary school, and it’s such a small town that people really talk. They have been driving down to our parish lately. Our priest is not afraid to tell the congregation, without naming names, how they are expected to vote (pro-life).
 
whatevergirl said:
But, given all of this, I thought I could let that part go…but, seriously–bongos, drums, the music minister banging on the piano as though he were Billy Joel playing ‘The Piano Man,’ is just a bit much. Clapping after the music…again, if one wants to be entertained, go take in a show. Mass is not ‘a show.’ Lately, like over the past month or so, it seems to be turning into just that at this parish.
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We left a parish for exactly these reasons, and kept driving past three others that were similar until we finally ended up at a TLM. We’re not TLM-only people, but we’re in the South, too, and things can be grim.

Our geographical parish (10 minutes from our house) has electric piano, electric guitar, drums, and the occasional jazzy saxophone solo. This is at the regular mass, not a “Lifeteen” mass. The next closest mass to us throws bongo drums into the mix. :eek:

I prefer Gregorian chant and traditional hymns, but I’m not so rigid that more contemporary music will make me leave a parish. But there is a limit to how ridiculous a mass can/should be.
 
JPUSC said:
It’s too bad the Mass isn’t the same everywhere around the world as it used to be 50 years ago.

The Mass I went to this Sunday had an electric guitarist, drummist and pianist who thought they were rock stars in a concert.

I wonder if we attended the same mass. lol

It really doesn’t make sense to hear “chanting” during the Kyrie Eleison or Consecration while listening to a rock band play in between.

Agreed!!

Interesting that the priest who started the whole LifeTeen phenomeon has been defrocked.
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Really? Wow, I did not know this. That is interesting.
 
JPUSC said:
It’s too bad the Mass isn’t the same everywhere around the world as it used to be 50 years ago.

The Mass I went to this Sunday had an electric guitarist, drummist and pianist who thought they were rock stars in a concert.

It really doesn’t make sense to hear “chanting” during the Kyrie Eleison or Consecration while listening to a rock band play in between.

Interesting that the priest who started the whole LifeTeen phenomeon has been defrocked.
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Just some FYI on the last statement:
catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0800243.htm

Now, regarding the genre and the other issues whatevergirl noted in her OP, these are troubling. I plan on going to catch a part of the Gateway Liturgical Conference in St. Louis. If I am able to, I’ll ask some questions regarding topics that have been covered in this post. I also plan to listen to the Secretary for the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments and get his take on the matters.
 
Since you have youngish children, I think it’s your responsibility to find a Mass in which their souls will be most nourished. It also seems to me that, if the pastor is having all of the congregation stand for the consecration (not just those who are ill, etc), that there is disobedience there for Rome - but I may be totally wrong since I haven’t seen it myself - at any rate, that’s how I understand the GIRM and Card. Arinze’s statements. That said, you may not be able to find a reverent NO where you are (let alone a TLM). I’m not able to find such a NO (without driving an hour each way and in this archdiocese I’d need to drive 2 1/2 hours each way plus pay for parking to go to the only TLM, which used to be the indult TLM - I can’t afford the gas).
Even if you didn’t have children whose spiritual nourishment were your responsibility - you have been given stewardship over your body so you have a responsibility there! (Speaking to the pastor first is a good suggestion as some problems might be able to be addressed by him - besides if you find you have to “vote with your feet and wallet” you may be able to effect positive change even then - of course, threats certainly aren’t the Christian way - honesty with charity certainly is tho’.)

my :twocents:
 
Whatevergirl - I don’t have much to add as you recieved very good advice, but I will say a prayer for you and your family. I know this is a difficult decision to make. My personal opinion would be to look for another parish, especially since you have children and you want them to have a proper foundation in their faith and practices.
 
Thank you everyone for your heartfelt replies. I will reply to each later when I have more time

Quick question though–My son asked if we could go to a Latin mass? I wonder if there are any in the Tampa Bay area?

Do any of you have children…mine are 12 and soon to be 16 y.o…will they understand such a mass? I think it would reverent,at least! :o
 
I’m curious to know what you mean by “showtune” type songs.

Mozart’s masses and liturgical music were written in the same identical idiom as his symphonies and operas. So, for that matter, were Salieri’s and other composers of the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras.

That silly movie SISTER ACT showed how traditional hymns, such as “Hail, Holy Queen” could be rendered in a gospel or pop style.
 
Sure kids can understand a Latin Mass. All the little kids when I was kid did!

But what you’re looking for is a reverent, orthodox Liturgy, be it Latin, English or any other language in between.

You know what I did when I had to listen to the homilies about those famous Catholic, canonized “saints”, Philip Berrigan and Ghandi, not to mention constant references to race cars.

My parents are facing something similar. My mother has been in her parish since she moved where she is, some 22+ years, and it was where we went in the summer. My father is a revert of some 8-10 years. My nieces and nephews made their First Holy Communions in this pairsh, were confirmed there, and several were baptized there. My mother ran bingo for years, and worked in the school.

But the new priest is just young enough to be left where he is for 12 years, and he’s got 9 years to go. He is constantly hitting people up for money in this small, blue collar town, even though people are giving and35% of them are retired. He doesn’t bother about the kids in the school or in rel. ed. He hired a music director that keeps trying to “enliven” the music in the usual not-so-good methods, to the point where people call it “Sing Along With (name of director).”
 
bpbasilphx said:
I’m curious to know what you mean by “showtune” type songs.

Mozart’s masses and liturgical music were written in the same identical idiom as his symphonies and operas. So, for that matter, were Salieri’s and other composers of the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras.

That silly movie SISTER ACT showed how traditional hymns, such as “Hail, Holy Queen” could be rendered in a gospel or pop style.
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It’s funny now that I said showtunes.😛 Let’s see… More like…Elton John kicking away the piano bench, and banging on the keys in a concert…as if we are at mass to watch a show, be it the music minister impress us with his singing and piano abilities. I have actually gone up to him after mass and complimented him…he is wildly talented. But, it almost looks like people are sitting back watching a show, instead of being reverent, if that makes sense. It’s way too loud…sing everything, and sing over the congregation. When there are drums and bongos, and the electric guitar, it feels like I’m at a Christian rock band show, and not a mass. That to me is show-tuneish. lol 😃

I love Baroque music, and unfortunately, the music that is played at many of these masses, is far from traditional…far from classical…I mean, to each’s own. But, it doesn’t fit with Communion, with prayer–hearing drums and guitar blaring away…and the piano sounds like Billy Joel’s piano man…if you’re familiar with it. My son will pretend he’s playing air drums, and I say…’‘stop that.’ He doesn’t mean any harm, but it’s just not appropriate in my eyes. It’s way over the top.:o
 
whatevergirl said:
Quick question though–My son asked if we could go to a Latin mass? I wonder if there are any in the Tampa Bay area?
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Ok… now, I totally know what kind of music you are talking about. My in-laws live in the Tampa Bay area as well. They’ve lived there for about 5 years and have had the same problem as you have had at their parish. All that they are looking for is a reverent mass with none of that “show-tune” music, as you have called it - and as they have called it. I wouldn’t call my in-laws conservative or traditional in their ways or faith, but they have been totally turned off by the liturgies at their parish - they weren’t the kind to complain about things like that, and they’ve lived in about 9 different places all around the country over the past 30 years from the East Coast, to the Midwest and to the West Coast. It’s their first time in the Southeast.

Actually, I wonder if you belong to the same parish, because just last night they called us and they happened to bring up the liturgy at their parish saying that the priest was singing during the consecration which sounded like a really cheesy, poor attempt at Broadway-like music. The mass experience in Florida hasn’t been a good one for them.

We finally found a mass at Sacred Heart parish in Tampa last Christmas, which didn’t have all the above that you described in your first parish. They did that meet and greet at the beginning of mass, which we’re not too fond of, but we could live through it as the rest of the mass was fine, although we’ve found that the people in the pews can be a little talkative during the mass. BUT that can be endured since it’s whispering and not all in your face like really loud, amplified music and can be easily zoned out.

sacredheartfla.org/

Regarding Latin masses for your kids, I don’t think it should be a problem for them to understand, especially if they are actually expressing a desire to attend them. Usually, the ones I’ve attended, will have a book for everyone to follow with English and in Latin.

I found this on-line. They do a Tridentine mass at the 12:30
cathedralofstjude.org/Worship_Group/worship_page.aspx
 
whatevergirl said:
We recently discovered another area, about 5 miles up the road from us, if that–it’s near where my dd’s music school is…and I think I’m going to see if there are any traditional parishes up that way.

What would you do? Does not having a traditional mass bother you…would it bother you enough to explore other churches in your area? SO NOT USED TO THIS. We were parishioners up in our Pittsburgh parish for YEARS, without a thought to searching. The one thing I’ll say however, is confession at this parish is wonderful–and they have a lot of thriving ministries. That’s definitely a plus.
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Hello,

I know what you mean. Our parish is not how I´d like it at all, for many reasons. My wife and I were thinking of giving up and going elsewhere on Sundays (there´s no weekday service there, so that´s not an issue).

However, a while ago I heard a powerful lecture by a Spanish bishop on the liturgy, and in the question time he was asked about leaving a parish where liturgical abuses were committed or taking children elsewhere to do their first communion. He replied that it´s our duty to report abuses, but abandoning our parish is not an option. He went as far as to compare someone who takes their children out of a catequism group because the atmosphere is not spiritual enough with racist parents who get their children out of schools with too many foreigners. His point was that we do not CHOOSE our parish; our parish is simply where we live.

I respect this bishop; he is a totally orthodox, holy man of God. He made me question my attitude towards my very imperfect parish and our also very imperfect priest. Isn´t it more catholic, more christ-like, to pray for all our parishioners and for our priest and to continue worshipping in our parish, even though we don´t like what´s going on?

I don´t know all the answers; I just thought this might be helpful. :rolleyes:
 
santodomingo said:
Hello,

I know what you mean. Our parish is not how I´d like it at all, for many reasons. My wife and I were thinking of giving up and going elsewhere on Sundays (there´s no weekday service there, so that´s not an issue).

However, a while ago I heard a powerful lecture by a Spanish bishop on the liturgy, and in the question time he was asked about leaving a parish where liturgical abuses were committed or taking children elsewhere to do their first communion. He replied that it´s our duty to report abuses, but abandoning our parish is not an option. He went as far as to compare someone who takes their children out of a catequism group because the atmosphere is not spiritual enough with racist parents who get their children out of schools with too many foreigners. His point was that we do not CHOOSE our parish; our parish is simply where we live.

I respect this bishop; he is a totally orthodox, holy man of God. He made me question my attitude towards my very imperfect parish and our also very imperfect priest. Isn´t it more catholic, more christ-like, to pray for all our parishioners and for our priest and to continue worshipping in our parish, even though we don´t like what´s going on?

I don´t know all the answers; I just thought this might be helpful. :rolleyes:
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Actually, at least here in the United States, we are not bound to our geographic parishes. If that were the case, I would have gone bonkers years ago. The parish near my house is charismatic and is not known for its fidelity to the rubrics and norms of the liturgy. My father had the foresight to take our family to another parish that was more grounded in the sensus fidei. Unfortunately, as the years went by, things went downhill. Even though we buried my mother from the parish, my dad and I came to the sad realization that at some point, we had to shake the dust from our feet and move.

He is now at the Cathedral (where I once served) and I am at another parish. The Cathedral went through some major liturgical upheavals when the sound and orthodox rector was replaced by someone who wans’t faithful to what the Church requires. In fact, he undid a lot fo the liturgical reforms that the original rector initiated and moved the parish back to the experimental days of the 1970s. But, things are slowly improving.
 
When I used to go to Baptist Church (to keep family together while son was young) that church became more and more into loud loud rock music and people jumping up and down and BLUES rock sound – I just longed for the days of “The Old Rugged Cross” and “Faith of our Fathers” I used to call that place “HAPPY CLAPPY CHURCH”.

The parish where I attend is very reverent. It gives me peace. People do clap at the end (but I don’t). My days of clapping in church are over.

Musicians (and I know what I speak, I have been a church pianist) should BLEND. Their musicianship and music should always add to worship and always point to Christ, not to themselves. (I hope I have never been guilty of this – I know I had a sharp disagreement with a music minister once who always wanted to introduce me as if I were part of the entertainment.)

Everything inside the Church, everything said, sung, worn, everything that is there and done should be for worship and to the Glory of God and that alone.

Well, that’s my 2 cents.
 
santodomingo said:
Hello,

I know what you mean. Our parish is not how I´d like it at all, for many reasons. My wife and I were thinking of giving up and going elsewhere on Sundays (there´s no weekday service there, so that´s not an issue).

However, a while ago I heard a powerful lecture by a Spanish bishop on the liturgy, and in the question time he was asked about leaving a parish where liturgical abuses were committed or taking children elsewhere to do their first communion. He replied that it´s our duty to report abuses, but abandoning our parish is not an option. He went as far as to compare someone who takes their children out of a catequism group because the atmosphere is not spiritual enough with racist parents who get their children out of schools with too many foreigners. His point was that we do not CHOOSE our parish; our parish is simply where we live.

I respect this bishop; he is a totally orthodox, holy man of God. He made me question my attitude towards my very imperfect parish and our also very imperfect priest. Isn´t it more catholic, more christ-like, to pray for all our parishioners and for our priest and to continue worshipping in our parish, even though we don´t like what´s going on?

I don´t know all the answers; I just thought this might be helpful. :rolleyes:
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I can’t say I haven’t thought of this. But, if people stay complacent, mass will continue to be watered down into something it was never intended to be, on the flip side–you know? No easy answers…I just thought though that your point of view was interesting. I had thought that myself.😦
 
The priest are reverant at all our Masses, but the music is different at each one of them. The 8:00 and10:00 am. are more traditional, and the 11:45 has a little of modern and traditional. I also noticed at the Saturday Mass at 5:00pm. and the Sunday 6:00pm. mass, those are geared toward the youth, and those are more modern perky type of songs.

I would try to talk to someone there at your parish and see if it is possible that one Mass there have more traditional music for those that like it. You may find others want it too.

Hang in there.
 
JPUSC said:
I posted this in another thread, but thought I’d share it here too.

Here’s what teens take away from the so very “hip” lifeteen masses:

youtube.com/watch?v=hy0gOElxXSw

youtube.com/watch?v=Hb5jS4tzPm8

Haha, they make good underage drinking songs, I suppose.
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Wow…so singable they take it outside of mass and sing it too.

By the way, “We are one body” was the theme song to WYD 93…it was JPII’s fav song.

I don’t think the videos show what point you are trying to make.
 
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