Too critical of my parish

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corsair said:
I have finally “weened” myself from the guitar crowd at our local parish. I attend the EF every weekend.😃
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I’m still trying to “ween” myself from the St. Vincent de Paul Society crowd, the Loaves and Fishes mob, the grief ministry throng, the Guadalupana Society herd, and the Knights volunteer horde at our local parish. Any pointers appreciated.
 
robertericleech said:
What’s a ‘Whipper Snipper?’
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Us professional grasscutters call it a weed-wacker. Although, it may be also referred to as a line-trimmer or weed-eater. Basically a power tool that trims the edges of a grass area. And, when properly operated, has a tonal quality of a middle “C”.
 
Stylites said:
I’m still trying to “ween” myself from the St. Vincent de Paul Society crowd, the Loaves and Fishes mob, the grief ministry throng, the Guadalupana Society herd, and the Knights volunteer horde at our local parish. Any pointers appreciated.
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Whoa! The St. Vincent de Paul Society? I’m unfamiliar with why you would object to them. Please elaborate so that I can understand. And I do get being unhappy with things that occur at Mass. My own personal pet peeve is people talking at conversational volume in the worship area (I’m not sure what this space is called -nave?). I’m trying to pray, am easily distracted, maybe have a conversation in the vestibule(?)!
 
grasscutter said:
Us professional grasscutters call it a weed-wacker. Although, it may be also referred to as a line-trimmer or weed-eater. Basically a power tool that trims the edges of a grass area. And, when properly operated, has a tonal quality of a middle “C”.
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Ahhh, a weed-whacker, thanks. I didn’t know they played a middle ‘C.’ I’m a piano tuner…i’ll have to check one with my ‘C’ tuning fork.

On a completely useless but somewhat related note, the dial tone on a landline phone is an ‘F.’
 
"If good music does not always save the soul, bad music never does. When the electric guitar sounds during the Sacrifice of the Mass, the cherubim weep. "
-Michael Knox Beran
National Review (Dec. 24, 2007)
 
Windmill said:
"If good music does not always save the soul, bad music never does. When the electric guitar sounds during the Sacrifice of the Mass, the cherubim weep. "
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They generally weep tears of joy over ‘The Gates of Delirium,’ though. 😉
 
signumcrux said:
Hello all,

Both of the churches I attend regularly have guitars, clarinets, or other instruments accompany the singers. Am I being irrational for finding this irritating? I feel like this is an abuse and is making our churches more protestant. Does anyone else have problems with this?
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using other instruments than the organ is not abuse and in fact I enjoy guitar masses. When our regular organist is away, we have a guitarist step in. He is very gentle with the guitar and actually is more reverent and prayerful than the organ. Are you bothered that other instruments are use or the quality of the music? Maybe it is just taste but when I have seen other instruments used, the music is enhanced and more complete. It would be nice to see more people who have a musical gift be able to use it to, step forward and be used. Flutes, harps, clarinets and even brass instruments can very much enhance the worship experience. The hymn Silent Night, perhaps one of the most gentle and beloved Christmas carols of all time was writen for a guitar because the organ was broken. When we become so critical of church music and rigid about what we think should or shouldn’t be used, we end up with masses that have to go acapella because no one wants to come forward and be critized for trying.
 
robwar said:
using other instruments than the organ is not abuse and in fact I enjoy guitar masses. When our regular organist is away, we have a guitarist step in. He is very gentle with the guitar and actually is more reverent and prayerful than the organ. Are you bothered that other instruments are use or the quality of the music? Maybe it is just taste but when I have seen other instruments used, the music is enhanced and more complete. It would be nice to see more people who have a musical gift be able to use it to, step forward and be used. Flutes, harps, clarinets and even brass instruments can very much enhance the worship experience. The hymn Silent Night, perhaps one of the most gentle and beloved Christmas carols of all time was writen for a guitar because the organ was broken. When we become so critical of church music and rigid about what we think should or shouldn’t be used, we end up with masses that have to go acapella because no one wants to come forward and be critized for trying.
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Thank you for your post!

When I was a teenager my parents encouraged me to participate in the music ministry. (While I cannot sing with any talent, I can play guitar - mainly classical). One evening, while we were practicing, two older people walked into the room and one said to the other in a disparaging tone, “oh, they’re the folk mass”. When I fell away (for a time) from the Church that played a minor but very real part of my personal alienation from the faith. Foolishly, I thought I was offering something to God. :rolleyes:

So, let’s appreciate the efforts of others as their contribution and if we can do better let us step forward and offer our talents.
 
I think the problem might be more about the music than the instruments. I love guitar masses and have played at them myself. The music we played was very reverent and beautiful. Also, we had our school band play for masses, but we always made sure we played very reverent music. Of course, I have been to masses where the guitar music was too new for me. Anyway, I think if you get the right music, you can use any instrument. Heck, didn’t Mozart and Haydn write masses and such. Surely they used other instruments besides organ and voice didn’t they?
 
robwar said:
using other instruments than the organ is not abuse and in fact I enjoy guitar masses. When our regular organist is away, we have a guitarist step in. He is very gentle with the guitar and actually is more reverent and prayerful than the organ. Are you bothered that other instruments are use or the quality of the music? Maybe it is just taste but when I have seen other instruments used, the music is enhanced and more complete. It would be nice to see more people who have a musical gift be able to use it to, step forward and be used. Flutes, harps, clarinets and even brass instruments can very much enhance the worship experience. The hymn Silent Night, perhaps one of the most gentle and beloved Christmas carols of all time was writen for a guitar because the organ was broken. When we become so critical of church music and rigid about what we think should or shouldn’t be used, we end up with masses that have to go acapella because no one wants to come forward and be critized for trying.
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Since the organ emulates other instruments I’m never sure why those “other instruments” are seen as being less fitting for the mass!

Instruments like the flute, clarinet, trumpet, french horn, violin, viola etc etc are copied (sometimes badly) by the traditional pipe organ.

So the pipe organ is basically a “wannbe” instrument!😛
 
]The church where I did my RCIA had a " band " at mass. I did not like it very much at all. So now I go to mass at a different church with a organ. I think it is good that the music is not the same in all parishes. It gives people a choice as to what they would like to hear.
 
The organ has become a distinct instrument in itself. On a synthesizer, it’s listed as a instrument. It may have started as an emulator, but now ‘Church organ’ is a distinct recognised sound associated with holiness.

The guitar, due to popular music, doesn’t have those connotations.

Another criterion is how dated the latest thing quickly becomes. A church I went to recently had nice sung harmonies with guitar. I didn’t know the hymns, but the whole sound said ‘1960-70s / Mama And The Papas’.

When you get these evocations at mass, it’s distracting. The connations are wrong.
 
I almost always leave Mass at any of the parishes in my deanery and wonder why I don’t like the music, why I always yearn for something else. I don’t like the chosen songs, I don’t like the talking before Mass. Everyone else seems fine and I don’t voice complaints. I just go away sad and wonder what is wrong with me that I don’t like any of it. It is what I have and I try to accept it…but I don’t like it. I am only saying this because you asked and it was on my mind anyway. For a long time I have been asking St. Cecelia to intercede on behalf of the music in my parish, but she must like it the way it is, too, because it has not changed one bit! LOL
 
A softly played guitar, flute, clarinet, or similar instruments may lend themselves to appropriate use in Mass. Solemnity and respect are important in Catholic services. However, drums belong with Ringo Starr on stage, in my humble opinion.
 
My son is a classical guitarist. I cannot imagine that God would find the talent He has given him to play a guitar so beautifully honors God less than an organ or piano.

Does God reject the talents of others or finds it less worthy when a non-traditional instrument is played with a devout heart and intent?
I personally don’t think so. In my parish one young man includes the trumpet at the Easter vigil as a triumphant, glorious sound to herald the Lord’s resurrection.

Why do we have to believe that only a couple of instruments are worthy of honoring God?
Who’s to say some organists are not playing automatically and without a sincere and devout heart, concentrating on performing well but not really on God…at least sometimes? On what criteria do we base proper worship of God? What does Jesus?

Someone else with effort and training may be playing another supposedly unfit instrument with all the worship and love in their heart. Does that displease God? Jesus proclaimed that the humility of the tax collector in worshiping God is more pleasing to God than the self aware attempt of the publicly accepted and powerful Jewish leader.

I think we place restrictions on God that God Himself does not desire, but according to our own tastes. And while we are occupied in being critical, like the Pharisee just mentioned, what claim have we to say we are worshiping God well? Is it not the case that we are too occupied by our personal tastes and our mental criticism of others?
 
jeanannemarie said:
I almost always leave Mass at any of the parishes in my deanery and wonder why I don’t like the music, why I always yearn for something else. I don’t like the chosen songs, I don’t like the talking before Mass. Everyone else seems fine and I don’t voice complaints. I just go away sad and wonder what is wrong with me that I don’t like any of it. It is what I have and I try to accept it…but I don’t like it. I am only saying this because you asked and it was on my mind anyway. For a long time I have been asking St. Cecelia to intercede on behalf of the music in my parish, but she must like it the way it is, too, because it has not changed one bit! LOL
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I think you are very wise to examine your own attitude and heart.

Sometimes humans get into a bad habit of being critical, but instead of labeling it as “critical spirit,” they call it “discernment” or “holding up strict standards” or some other names that makes their sin sound holy.

Certainly there is nothing wrong with longing for perfection, but to be constantly sad because it isn’t achieved is just a bad way to live and a poor testimony.

And I think you’re very wise to ask the saints to intercede. What you need to do is trust that God will make changes in His good timing, and if He chooses not to intervene, then we need to trust that He knows what He is doing even if we can’t understand His timing.
 
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