Well, that makes things a lot easier, rather than worrying if someone isn’t singing because they don’t like the music or because you think people might not like your voice or think that you’re showing off, etc.
That would make me feel sad!!The problem is time. On Sundays we have 10 Masses and they last for an hour without hymns. If we had hymns we could not have so many Masses. Our parish is 14,000 parishioners and we have an 80% Mass attendance so we need the 10 Masses to accommodate everyone.
Interesting.
Now, that’s a “problem” I would love to have at so many parishes. It’s wonderful to hear.
“HE WHO SINGS, PRAYS TWICE.” St. Augustine.My whole family sang in the church choir, except Mom, who couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. However, she had the most beautiful speaking voice, with a lovely Midlands English accent that she never lost even years after emigrating. She lectored! When she lectored, the whole parish of thousands of people fell silent and were captivated by the beauty of the Scriptures being proclaimed to them. You could hear a pin drop.
She found another way to serve without singing. Follow your gifts.
I’m always grateful the Psalm says to make a ‘joyful’ noise, not a ‘tuneful’ one
And I worked with a priest who was equally grateful for this wording (especially as the other 2 priests in that parish made very tuneful noises).Sounds similar to ours, although we spread them over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Rosary is also said before every Mass. The very early ones have no music and last just over half an hour; later in the day and in the evening they are 1 hour, but we do sing at those. Often while there is Mass in one language in the main church, it is also being offered in the chapel and/or one of the halls in other languages. (Just checked my calendar, up to 24 “Sunday Masses” available between Friday morning and Sunday evening.)
One Mass I attended sung by a Filipino choir had about 10 minutes of “It’s a Small World,” where about 10 people walked out before the Mass even started.…from what I’ve experienced, Filipinos (at least hear in the States) LOVE to sing and they are pretty good Catholics in terms of mass attendance, at least. Until their kids become “Americanized”.
You learn something new every day. I’ve heard that for years.
I must add, that I was taught the more one participates in the Mass, the more grace one gets from it. I always sing and I always give the proper responses. I figure if I go to the trouble to go to Mass I must get all I can out of it. It so easy to do, and yet many people attend Mass and just stand there with not a word for the entire service.
Well, there is this little thing called an obligation to attend. But you know that.
That’s a given! However, those standing in Church like zombies are there, I would assume, for that very reason. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s great they are there, but it would be more interesting and meaningful for them if they participated.
That’s pretty bad. I would have walked out as well. The last Filipino mass I attended had a choir that sang some beautiful motets, as well as traditional tagalog hymns and mass parts. All depends on where you go.
In the Spanish Mass, clapping to the music could be considered participation as well. Just saying.
Generally here throughout the Philippines its a similar Mass attendance. Of course its a Catholic country and most people here are cradle Catholics.