Sunday Mass without music / singing

[exnihilo]

One would naturally remember the hymns as they are repeated over and over again. We learn through repetition.

I like music and play several instruments. But I enjoy quiet daily Mass more than Sunday Mass. It isn’t because I hate music. It isn’t because I don’t appreciate and experience how music moves a man. It is because I find particular music and its placement during the Mass is distracting, cloying and banal.

 

[Gertabelle]

One would naturally remember the hymns as they are repeated over and over again. We learn through repetition.

Sorry to be a bit off topic, but the reason we remember the words to hymns is because of the way our brains map information when melody and rhythm are involved.

Repetition is essential to remembering, of course. But if you take two people and ask them to memorize a lengthy passage of text – and one person learns the text through song, and one learns the text through repeated reading and reciting – the person learning through music will remember faster and for a longer period of time.

I can still sing the dumb little song I made up in 1987 to help a friend memorize a passage of text for a test! And I guarantee you I haven’t repeated that passage over and over again in those 30 years.

Incidentally, this is exactly why music has been used to teach the truths of the Catholic Church for centuries upon centuries. Most people were illiterate, but they could remember the texts of the songs, and in that way they knew more about their faith.

Brain research is amazing!

And now back to topic.

 

[DarkLight]

I am not sure treating silence as the default is quite fair here. For one, Catholic services have had music for centuries. Two, unlike smoking, it’s not like exposure to music is going to cause anyone actual harm. Three, while some people may find it harder to concentrate, some of us find the variety makes it easier to stay alert. Unfortunately many parishes are likely not able to offer a bunch of Masses that do everything everyone wants with music.

 

[JButky]

Just so you know - music in Mass is a topic of endless arguments among Catholics, and really none of it actually affects anything that important. It’s still Mass no matter what you sing or don’t sing.

Have we as Catholics become so self absorbed that the music and every thing about liturgy has to cater to us? Unimportant??? Have we also become that ignorant of the proper role of music? Let me remind you how important music is in liturgy…

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s1c2a1.htm
Singing and music

1156 "The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art. The main reason for this pre-eminence is that, as a combination of sacred music and words, it forms a necessary or integral part of solemn liturgy."20 The composition and singing of inspired psalms, often accompanied by musical instruments, were already closely linked to the liturgical celebrations of the Old Covenant. The Church continues and develops this tradition: “Address . . . one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart.” "He who sings prays twice."21

1157 Song and music fulfill their function as signs in a manner all the more significant when they are "more closely connected . . . with the liturgical action,"22 according to three principal criteria: beauty expressive of prayer, the unanimous participation of the assembly at the designated moments, and the solemn character of the celebration. In this way they participate in the purpose of the liturgical words and actions: the glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful:23

How I wept, deeply moved by your hymns, songs, and the voices that echoed through your Church! What emotion I experienced in them! Those sounds flowed into my ears distilling the truth in my heart. A feeling of devotion surged within me, and tears streamed down my face - tears that did me good.24
1158 The harmony of signs (song, music, words, and actions) is all the more expressive and fruitful when expressed in the cultural richness of the People of God who celebrate.25 Hence “religious singing by the faithful is to be intelligently fostered so that in devotions and sacred exercises as well as in liturgical services,” in conformity with the Church’s norms, “the voices of the faithful may be heard.” But "the texts intended to be sung must always be in conformity with Catholic doctrine. Indeed they should be drawn chiefly from the Sacred Scripture and from liturgical sources."26

There are those of us who take this quite seriously. So many comments here are also insulting to everyone serving this purpose, DESPITE THEIR ABILITY.
So for one, there is a fundamental misunderstanding of the ROLE of music for liturgy and secondly, in light of the Church TEACHING this, people go on about, musicians: …please go away, keep your time, talent, and treasure to yourself.

 

[JButky]

Part 2 Forum wouldn’t make it one post…
The comments I’ve read here are so injurious to people, the liturgy and so many things.

Too many people are arm chair quarterbacks just passing off their opinions without regard for the people these types of comments disparage. We are called to lift up our fellow Catholics in Faith. You should be doing the same with your musicians. Talk TO them instead of ABOUT them.

And lastly…I was traveling this last Dec 8 and found a church for the holy day Mass. The music selections were not to my liking, and the choir was typical. Did I complain? No. Like you said, it’s still the Mass, and I sang my heart out and thanked the choir and music director afterwards for their contribution. A few people stopped me right after Mass to comment to me on my beautiful voice (happens to be one of my talents). But the best comment was from one woman in particular who thanked me because she said, “The power of your voice made my Mass so much more prayerful…Thank you”

And that is what we musicians are called to do. So go thank your musicians for giving their time, talent, and treasure. Would I have preferred a silent Mass given the quality and selections of music? Absolutely not. They shared all of their ability. Who am I to complain? You do the exact opposite. Thank them. They’re people just like you and me. [/rant]

 

[DarkLight]

Have we as Catholics become so self absorbed that the music and every thing about liturgy has to cater to us? Unimportant??? Have we also become that ignorant of the proper role of music? Let me remind you how important music is in liturgy…

I think some of that’s just the internet. Behind the anonymity of the internet, we feel more free to talk about everything that bothers us. It also means that since we are in contact with so many peope

Personally, musicless masses remind me of my ex, who insisted on them so he didn’t have to be bothered by anyone being off key. My ex was also a jerk.

 

[Gorgias]

the obvious answer to the problem is to provide the option to attend a Mass without liturgical music

That really isn’t the answer. Taken to its logical extreme, it means that you’re asserting an obligation on the priest(s) of your parish to provide at least one Mass with every permutation of ‘environmental impact’:

• no music / style ‘X’ of music / style ‘Y’ of music
• incense / no incense / (particular brands of incense)
• EP I / EP II / EP III / EP IV / (each of the possible EPs)
• reception of communion solely on the tongue / allow reception in the hand
• require silence in the building before and after Mass / allow fellowship
• all vernacular / Latin / Greek / other languages

Clearly, you’ve created a standard that is unachievable. (And yes, I get it: your response is going to be “I’m not asking for all those things – just this one thing!” The problem is, that represents only the one “environmental preference” that you care about deeply. If you assert this ‘right’, then it must hold for all “environmental preferences.” )

And that, my friend, runs counter to the Catholic understanding of liturgy: it’s not a smorgasbord, from which we each pick and choose what we like and avoid what we do not.

 

[pianistclare]

So, you think it’s ok to push your preference on others?
That’s kind of an ineffective argument, don’t you think?
Mass is Mass.
Tahat is your right as a Catholic and your obligation as a Catholic.
Nothing more, nothing less.

Liturgy means “work of the people”. Let others do their work. We’d appreciate it

 

[BartholomewB]

How I wept, deeply moved by your hymns, songs, and the voices that echoed through your Church! What emotion I experienced in them! Those sounds flowed into my ears distilling the truth in my heart. A feeling of devotion surged within me, and tears streamed down my face - tears that did me good.24

Augustine is here recalling the moment of his baptism by Ambrose, in Milan, at Easter in 387. No doubt there are many parishes around the world today where he would have the satisfaction of hearing singing that was equally inspiring. Not in all parishes, however. In one parish where I lived a few years ago, the music at the main Sunday morning Mass was provided by a group of young people, usually about five in number. Not all of them sang off key, but too many of them did. The guitar accompaniment was, to put it politely, less than professional. If Augustine had been there to hear them he might very well have been moved to shed tears once again, but they wouldn’t have been tears of joy.

 

[JButky]

Not all of them sang off key, but too many of them did. The guitar accompaniment was, to put it politely, less than professional. If Augustine had been there to hear them he might very well have been moved to shed tears once again, but they wouldn’t have been tears of joy.

You obviously either did not read or missed the point of my post… or both…

 

[BartholomewB]

You obviously either did not read or missed the point of my post… or both…

On the contrary, I read every word of your posts Nos. 45 and 46. You made your point very plainly and very emphatically.

 

[bonifacy]

Please refrain from being abusive in your comments (i.e. IN YOUR OPINION, your husband was a jerk / your husband disapproved of the imposition of liturgical music during Mass; I disapprove of the ubiquitous imposition of liturgical music during Mass / therefore I must also be a jerk IN YOUR OPINION, OF COURSE). You should be aware that the way a person expresses himself/herself about another reflects primarily not upon the one spoken about, but rather upon the one speaking. Moreover, I’m sure you realize that there are two sides to every story - your ex-husband probably has his own opinion too!

 

[bonifacy]

Briefly, I don’t think that anyone has any intention of being injurious or disparaging to anyone else, and if some comments have been perceived as such, then they have been misinterpreted. The issue before us is simple: Should a person or group of people impose an environmental impact (the sounds of unwelcome playing and singing) upon unwilling recipients, or should the option be made available to those who prefer silence to enjoy worshiping in their own way? As we are ALL required by Canon Law to attend Sunday Mass, we should at least be provided that latter consideration. No one is saying that ALL Masses need to be without liturgical music, and yet the opposite is currently being done with the result that silent, prayerful worship is being denied to those who would desire it! CK

 

[TheHolyTrinity]

I used to be able to sing well until about four years ago my singing voice went downhill. I love singing and have the desire to sing but for the sake of those around I don’t anymore. There are times when I too desire no singing, as I can not participate in the way I want too.

The only song I can sing well and do still sing is Oh Lord, Hear My Prayer Hymnal

 

[DarkLight]

Meh. He was a jerk, and I don’t particularly like music-free masses because it reminds me of dealing with him (and his treatment of me was bad enough that I got PTSD from it, although that wasn’t really about the music thing). But yes, in his case it was a jerk move, because his complaint was that the music wasn’t “good enough” for him ever, and he shouldn’t have to be forced to listen to someone who wasn’t musically perfect.

The problem, like someone said upthread, is that if you try to push everyone to have this or that to worship in their own way, you’re going to end up having to hold a separate mass for every parishoner! I’ve been to plenty of Masses where I didn’t like the music, or found the priest hard to understand, or thought the decorations were ugly, or something. I’ve also spent enough time doing shiftwork and having poor transportation to be grateful that I can get to a Mass.

 

[JButky]

Briefly, I don’t think that anyone has any intention of being injurious or disparaging to anyone else, and if some comments have been perceived as such, then they have been misinterpreted.

Intention, understood. Misinterpreted? not really. The result of the words whether or not intentional is disparaging of those who try their best with whatever talent given them to serve as the Church instructs. It is better to encourage rather than complain. You should bring yourself to the liturgy rather than try to make it into your own preferential event. The liturgy calls for music and it also calls for silence. Sacrificing one for the other is not in the character of the liturgy.

That being said. If there is no one capable with talent for this purpose, then by all means pray for someone to fill that role and accept what you have. But one with some talent, even if it’s not up to someone’s else expectations does not disqualify their duty to share their time, talent, and treasure. If they are sincerely trying their best, encourage, and don’t complain. They’re people too

And just about any scenario you can come up with is no excuse to not encourage them to be better rather than eliminate them or put them in a box. I’ve seen way too much of this over the years and it has been destructive in every case.

 

[bonifacy]

Thank you for your comments. Please note, however, that I have not made reference to any aspect of the Mass other than to the imposition of music upon the unwilling recipient. Clearly, the traditions incorporated into the Mass have evolved over time, and are generally congruent with socially acceptable practices. None of the other aspects that you have mentioned have the same potential to aggravate the participant as does the imposition of unwelcome music (especially if that music is poorly performed and amplified to an unreasonable volume). I have already alluded to the hypothetical introduction of other styles of music (eg. rap, disco, heavy metal, etc.) that could all be adapted to carry the appropriate message to the congregation, however, has not been to date (with the exception of the folk-style youth Masses). How many of the supporters of mandatory liturgical music would feel the same way if they were compelled to participate in a Mass featuring one of those other musical styles? Would that not cause some discomfort, thereby decreasing the individual’s ability to concentrate upon the REAL purpose of his/her attendance at Mass - which, of course, is to worship the Lord. I repeat - I am not advocating that we abolish the use of liturgical music during EVERY Mass, but rather that we provide THE OPTION to not be subjected to the distraction of unwelcome music by at least having ONE of the week-end Masses music-free. CK

 

[DarkLight]

None of the other aspects that you have mentioned have the same potential to aggravate the participant as does the imposition of unwelcome music (especially if that music is poorly performed and amplified to an unreasonable volume).

I seriously doubt that those who support the other things would agree with you. This seems much more like yet another personal presence.

(Other than incense - some of us really can’t breathe with incense around.)

 

[Reuben_J]

You would not have any luck in our archdiocese. It is inconcievable to think that there is no music in Sunday mass here. Sunday mass is a big deal, a huge celebration. And as any celebration, it will come with songs and music.

I think you can get a group of like minded parishioners and petition for a low Sunday mass and see if you can get enough support.

Good luck to that.

 

[Gorgias]

Gorgias:

yes, I get it: your response is going to be “I’m not asking for all those things – just this one thing!”

Please note, however, that I have not made reference to any aspect of the Mass other than to the imposition of music upon the unwilling recipient.

Check.

None of the other aspects that you have mentioned have the same potential to aggravate the participant as does the imposition of unwelcome music

Tell that to someone who suffers from a breathing disorder, and for whom incense is a quite unwelcome addition to Mass…

I repeat - I am not advocating that we abolish the use of liturgical music during EVERY Mass, but rather that we provide THE OPTION to not be subjected to the distraction of unwelcome music by at least having ONE of the week-end Masses music-free.

And again, I repeat – if we make one accommodation, mustn’t we make all? And once we do, aren’t we in the situation of really requiring 20 special-request Masses each week?