The "I'm fed up with bad church music" thread

[Gertabelle]

I’m unable to most of those, but I do compliment the song leader (don’t know what else to call him) when he’s chosen something I really like. Doesn’t seem to affect later choices.

But those who don’t like us oldsters carping about the music don’t have to take it for long. We’ll be gone in 10-20 years & they’ll be the oldsters carping about the music their kids & grandkids like.

At my parish, the “oldsters” who sing at the 9:00 am mass do all the “Glory and Praise” songs, and the “Taize” songs, and everything else they can find from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Occasionally they through in a “spiritual” song from the African American tradition. In 10 years, I’d guess half of them will be gone.

At the 11:00 am mass, our little choir is made up of “children” who are between the ages of 13 and 24. We sing Latin chants and hymns, we sing traditional hymns in English, and I, the organist, will be gone long before any of them! The director of the group is only 23.

I can’t stand most of the music the 9:00 am choir sings – but who cares? Those lovely oldsters are The Most Faithful members of the parish I have ever known! They show up for any and every mass at which they are asked to sing, and they sing from the heart. I pray I can live up to their example for the rest of my life!

 

[Brassring]

As much as it pains me to use anything from the USCCB, they are at least laying down some pretty sensible ground rules, in this area:

usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/the-mass/frequently-asked-questions/guidelines-for-altar-servers.cfm

There’s literally nothing there about shoes. There’s nothing there about appearances at all except,

“6.Acolytes, altar servers, readers, and other lay ministers may wear the alb or other suitable vesture or other appropriate or dignified clothing. (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no.339) All servers should wear the same liturgical vesture.”

This language is so vague that no one could consider this a rule. The document is even titled “guidelines”.

Also, the contempt you demonstrate for the USCCB, (which, in case you weren’t aware is comprised of Bishops, you know, the successors of the apostles?) is repugnant and indicative of a lack of submission to appointed Church authority.

I now feel free to completely discount anything you say on matters of the faith.

 

[friardchips]

There’s literally nothing there about shoes. There’s nothing there about appearances at all except,

“6.Acolytes, altar servers, readers, and other lay ministers may wear the alb or other suitable vesture or other appropriate or dignified clothing. (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no.339) All servers should wear the same liturgical vesture.”

This language is so vague that no one could consider this a rule. The document is even titled “guidelines”.

Also, the contempt you demonstrate for the USCCB, (which, in case you weren’t aware is comprised of Bishops, you know, the successors of the apostles?) is repugnant and indicative of a lack of submission to appointed Church authority.

I now feel free to completely discount anything you say on matters of the faith.

‘Acolytes, altar servers, readers, and other lay ministers may wear the alb or other suitable vesture or other appropriate or dignified clothing. (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no.339) All servers should wear the same liturgical vesture.’

So, do shoes not come under ‘dignified clothing’ then?

If one looks at the deterioration of Scriptural translations then yes, those who care, might have something to feel a bit miffed. I avoid buying translations that are too far away from the true translation. It is I suppose, again, how much one cares about something as to how one feels about it. However, I was not protesting against them, in this thread, but actually pointing out something positive. Obviously, you don’t agree either, with something they have clearly laid out, so are you going to ignore yourself too?

 

[oldgraymare2]

I understand what you are saying…

Yesterday, I attended Mass at another parish close to my house and my Pentecost was ruined until I attended Bible Study.

No matter how much I prayed for patience, I could not focus on the Mass because the Music director had people playing the drums and was rocking out during mass with his Billy Joel like piano playing and all the electric guitars.

I noticed some people with a look of disgust on their faces while others were taping their feet or nodding their heads with the rhythm.

Regardless if you liked that kind of music (and I don’t) it was obviously a distraction on both ends of the spectrum and the music was taking center stage over the Mass. People like me were disgusted with the music, while people who liked it appeared to be more fixated on the beat than praying the hymns.

The only time I was actually able to pray was when the music director did a Latin solo before the rest of the band broke out into their concert again.

Needless to say, I refrained from communion because I was not in the right frame of mind.

There is a reason why Church documents have historically said that percussion instruments (which includes the piano) were not approved for Church use. Percussion instruments have a way of taking center stage over, which is way many secular artists use them – they how a person focus on the music, beat and rhythm. Which is great for art, but not good for worship.

God Bless

A piano is a string instrument, where strings are struck with a small hammer.

It is not a percussion instrument, like a drum would be, for example.

Where I live, a piano is an acceptable instrument for use in Mass.

 

[Brassring]

‘Acolytes, altar servers, readers, and other lay ministers may wear the alb or other suitable vesture or other appropriate or dignified clothing. (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no.339) All servers should wear the same liturgical vesture.’

So, do shoes not come under clothing then?

One is not bound to like an organisation that belong to the Church.

If one looks at the deterioration of Scriptural translations then yes, those who care, might have something to feel a bit miffed about. It is I suppose, again, how much one cares about something as to how one feels about it.

Likewise. Your attempt at arguing around a point is noted for future reference.

“Dignified” is a subjective term. You want to guess who gets to decide what’s “dignified” at a particular parish?

Hint: It isn’t the laity.

 

[friardchips]

“Dignified” is a subjective term. You want to guess who gets to decide what’s “dignified” at a particular parish?

Hint: It isn’t the laity.

It is a common sense term. Objectivity is a known fact.

 

[pianistclare]

Oh man,
Why not just start a "WHAT I HATE ABOUT MY PARISH " thread and everyone can just have a big ol time. :banghead:

Does everyone at Mass always have to be the liturgy police all.the.time?

Never mind.

 

[Brassring]

It is a common sense term. Objectivity is a known fact.

I’ll tell you what: Why don’t you go kneel before the Blessed Sacrament and ask God if He’s as scandalized and tied up in knots about the altar server’s shoes as you are. Stay there til you get an answer that satisfies you.

The rest of us will just have Mass, love our brothers and sisters, and do our best to be Christ’s love on earth.

You won’t have to look at our shoes.

 

[Brassring]

Oh man,
Why not just start a "WHAT I HATE ABOUT MY PARISH " thread and everyone can just have a big ol time. :banghead:

Does everyone at Mass always have to be the liturgy police all.the.time?

Never mind.

Why don’t we go one better and start a thread called “What I hate about the Catholic Church”

Then, all the malcontents can identify one another, join together, and start a new reformation. They can form a BETTER church, with bars on the windows, and a bouncer to keep out anyone holding a guitar or not wearing the right shoes.

 

[Bonnie]

At my parish, the “oldsters” who sing at the 9:00 am mass do all the “Glory and Praise” songs, and the “Taize” songs, and everything else they can find from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Occasionally they through in a “spiritual” song from the African American tradition. In 10 years, I’d guess half of them will be gone.

I know - I was being a bit silly. In our parish cluster, the choir of #1 is made up mostly of people my age (60s) & older. They have several guitars, including electric, & sing the same type your 9:00 choir sings. The parish I usually attend, the choir is small - 2-5 people - with 1 acoustic guitar & sometimes piano, & most are under 40. More than half the songs are lovely hymns, very few of the “modern” ones from the old OCP missal. The leader leads us in the Latin chants for the the Sanctus, Mysterium fidei, & Agnus Dei.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

Don’t even get me started. At this point no music is the best Mass I can hope for.its one of the reasons daily Mass is a nicer experience for me.

 

[victrolatim]

Jesus wore sandals.

Not to derail, but this brought up a rather odd memory. Years ago we had a very dear priest who celebrated the extraordinary form. He was a great, holy man who happened to wear sandals. He also had a rather severe case of foot fungus that was…er…evident when you were kneeling mouth open waiting for the Eucharist. We so wanted to say something (everyone noticed) but nobody wanted to offend or embarrass the dear old fellow.

 

[EqualinHim]

So, being a charismatic Protestant, we have a rather unpleasant problem where worship leaders tend to repeat bridges and choruses over and over again, sometimes for twenty minutes or more. Not kidding. I think I posted this on another thread, but I just love this babylon bee article:

babylonbee.com/news/new-technology-delivers-50000-volts-whenever-worship-leader-deviates-song-arrangements/

Perhaps it can be modified?

Anyways, I now want to experience a daily mass so that I can see what a mass without music is like.

 

[boomerang]

You complained about the alter server’s shoes?

Yes, I did. But I did it as diplomatically as possible.

What did the shoes look like? I can imagine if they were sports trainers or something obviously out of place how this could be a distraction. Male altar servers are meant to wear shoes that are preferably black though some would get away with brown. I think that to have said something about this would have taken great trust.

They wear sneakers. Every color except black. Our priest wears black sneakers but because they are black, it looks fine. This whole topic came up because our priest is new to our parish and he is a REALLY spiffy dresser. His vestments are a sight to behold! He has beautiful embroidered Roman chasubles complete with maniple over an impeccably starched pleated lacey alb. I can’t stop staring at his vestments, and then I glance over at the altar servers and see the shoes…

My priest said that they might not be able to afford “dress shoes” but perhaps we could take up a collection for altar server’s shoes. I wasn’t even thinking dress shoes. I was just hoping they’d wear black sneakers, like the priest.

If you altar serve and are not wearing respectful attire in appropriate response to the surroundings that one is in, then it is likely, in the parish or wherever the Service is held, that if altar serving is becoming a regular occurrence, that one will eventually be asked to wear shoes that are black. Or at least dark shoes. Somewhere near that mark.

That’s what I think. I’m not insensitive to other people’s financial situations. I’m not exactly flush with cash myself, but I do manage to wear nice clothing and shoes to Church, much of which I got in thrift stores. You can get a pair of pants, a dress shirt and shoes in a thrift store for about $10. You wouldn’t believe how BAD people dress at Mass. They look like they just got done cleaning the garage and immediately zip over to the Church looking like a bum.

So yeah, I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE ALTAR SERVER’S SHOES! Someone needed to say it. I told our priest how I felt about the way people dress at Mass, too. It’s just ridiculous.