Songs in mass

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coleraine

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Hi:)

im worried that my church may be drifting. Well, the songs are very irreverent if you ask me. for example, we never sing “Christ has died, christ is risen, christ will come again”, or “Hossana in the highest”. which saddens me because i love these solemn songs. I just love solemnity in mass in general. however, that is going away. there are more guitars, and other more “happy” types of music. For example, we were singing this one song that was a little to giddy for mass but would have been ok for the one time. at least thats what i thought till the end. It got alot fast, and at the end the guy said, real loud and enthusiastic(like at a baptist church or something) “give it to the lord!!!”.

i really dont like this and frankly i want it changed. i dont care about changing opinions, there is a way things should be done. Unless prompted other wise, i will confront my priest. What do you guys think about all this?
 
coleraine said:
Hi:)

im worried that my church may be drifting. Well, the songs are very irreverent if you ask me. for example, we never sing “Christ has died, christ is risen, christ will come again”,
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Do you sing “Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life, Lord Jesus come in glory”?
or “Hossana in the highest”. which saddens me because i love these solemn songs.
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Hmm, now that’s kind of troubling. That’s part of the “Holy, Holy” which is definitely part of the Mass.
I just love solemnity in mass in general. however, that is going away. there are more guitars, and other more “happy” types of music. For example, we were singing this one song that was a little to giddy for mass but would have been ok for the one time. at least thats what i thought till the end. It got alot fast, and at the end the guy said, real loud and enthusiastic(like at a baptist church or something) “give it to the lord!!!”.
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Well, Mass is a celebration of Christ’s resurrection so a little happiness is in order, IMO. Sounds like you’ve got yourself a rather charismatic song leader. :rolleyes: Did you stumble into a LifeTeen Mass by accident?
i really dont like this and frankly i want it changed. i dont care about changing opinions, there is a way things should be done. Unless prompted other wise, i will confront my priest. What do you guys think about all this?
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I would talk to your song leader first and ask what happened to the “Holy, Holy” and charitably explain your feelings. Likely your priest has nothing to do with the music selections.
 
Maybe you should discuss the issue with the priest and the music director. At my parish they wanted to use drums, however since I went to the music director they limited it to two Masses.
 
Ok. Ill listen for the glory glory. sometimes i wish i lived in italy or something…😦
 
coleraine said:
Ok. Ill listen for the glory glory. sometimes i wish i lived in italy or something…😦
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Each Parish has its advantages and disadvantages. In Europe, generally the Churches there are more conservative but not that many people talk to eachother. I suppose Europe needs to adopt our sense of Community while we need to adopt their coservativeness.
🙂
 
bpcatholic said:
Each Parish has its advantages and disadvantages. In Europe, generally the Churches there are more conservative but not that many people talk to eachother. I suppose Europe needs to adopt our sense of Community while we need to adopt their coservativeness.
🙂
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that makes sense. i think i prefer conservativeness though. oh well. if the glory glory isnt missing i guess i cant do anything. oh well im 16 next year and ill be able to go to whatever parish i want.
oh im just wandering if anyone knows what anima christi means?
 
coleraine said:
that makes sense. i think i prefer conservativeness though. oh well. if the glory glory isnt missing i guess i cant do anything. oh well im 16 next year and ill be able to go to whatever parish i want.
oh im just wandering if anyone knows what anima christi means?
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Anima Christi means Soul of Christ.
With conservativeness, it depends on the person. If you like interaction with others, then it would be harder to be in Europe. When I was in Germany, I LOVED the conservativeness, however there was no interaction so I had difficulties.
 
coleraine said:
that makes sense. i think i prefer conservativeness though. oh well. if the glory glory isnt missing i guess i cant do anything. oh well im 16 next year and ill be able to go to whatever parish i want.
oh im just wandering if anyone knows what anima christi means?
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How do your parents feel about this parish and the change in music? Do they dislike the changes, too? Has there been a change in music director or pastor, or do you mean to say that the drift has been slow? If your tastes in music run to something jazzier when the music isn’t for worship, your parents may not realize that you don’t like the more up-tempo selections. They may be very relieved to find you’d like to look for something more solemn.

It isn’t unusual for a parish to have the “contemporary” music at one or two particular Masses each weekend, with the “traditional” choir leading at one or two other Masses, depending on the “music demographic” of the parish. You may find that the music is totally different, and more conducive to your prayerful participation, at a later or earlier Mass, without even changing parishes.

The music your parish is “drifting” to doesn’t even need to be wrong to be wrong for you, in any event. If you and your parents would rather have something more traditional, or if they are willing to go where the music and liturgy suits you (considering that your reasons are good!) there may be no reason to wait until you can drive yourself before things can improve.

I like music that is more up-beat than my parent’s parish had when I was growing up–one man’s solemn is another man’s morose–but if my kids wanted to go traditional all the way to Gregorian chant in Latin, I’d do it in a heartbeat. (OK, I’d pray that the tempo was not dragging. Chant CAN be done badly.) As long as their goal was the place where they can be the most prayerful, I’d be willing to adapt. Ask your parents. They might surprise you!
 
Contemporary, upbeat songs are not necessarily wrong. What makes them wrong is the lyrics. Are the lyrics supporting the Mass, and adhering to Catholic teaching? If not, then it’s a problem.

Changing the words of the ordinary of the Mass is absolutely not allowed. For example, I’ve heard “Bread of Life” used in place of the “Lamb of God”. If that’s happening, then it’s wrong and needs to be stopped.
 
Could it be that just that mass time at your church as a more modern feel to the music? One church in my hometown has mostly conservative masses and music, except for the Sunday evening mass. It’s mostly guitar and more contemporary music. Maybe you could just switch mass times at the same church?
 
That Greek Orthodox you tube link was very beautiful. I bought a cassette (yes- a cassette, they did not have a cd) of The Saturday Service of Great Vespers chanted in the Thrid tone by a group called Eikona. Its very nice.
 
bkovacs said:
Eikona produces some very beautiful Byzantine music.
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Yes, I reccomend it highly. In fact, you just got me motivated to pick up the other one I was thinking about buying. They make one on the Orthros Service of Holy Pascha and its titled Come Receive the Light.
I want to get it now.
 
I listened to the suggested Greek chant because I have been married to a native Greek girl from Ithica for 32 years and I met her while playing my guitar at retreat mass in the early 70’S.
My Greek Orthodox wife converted to Catholic when we married in 1976.
If you like this greek chant, I bet you would not like music from OCP. But each style of music is to glorify God. If a rock song from Spirit and Song brings a teen closer to God…Praise the Lord. If a Chant brings another to Christ…AMEN.
If you drive away people from Christ because you think your music is the only worthy music at mass, then it is better for you to be silent and find your own private path than to lead any one of God’s children away from Christ because you are limited. God has no limits and Jesus can make lemonade from lemons and so can we!!!

God Bless
 
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