Using pop songs at Mass?

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rob10111971

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Hello All,

I was wondering if I could get some opinions or even some official teachings on the use of pop songs at Mass.

My wife was asked to sing at a funeral Mass and the closing song that was chosen was “You Are My Inspiration” by Chicago. My wife is refusing to sing this song because of a gut feeling that it is not appropriate. I am hoping to get some good feedback on the matter so that we can rely on something more then just a gut feeling.

Any thoughts?

Thanks
 
Well what did the priest who is conducting the mass say, did he allow this lovely selection:rolleyes: ?
 
The priest, deacon, or whoever speaks to the family should explain that such songs are not appropriate for the liturgy.

They are, however, quite appropriate for a reception following the funeral/internment.
 
rob10111971 said:
The mass hasn’t happened yet and we havn’t spoken to Priest yet.
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well somebody spoke to him (preist) if the family has already picked the music out and passed the music list on to your wife so she can sing the songs…
 
Sacred music is integral to the funeral rites. (Cf. OCF, No. 30) The music at the Funeral Mass is to be truly sacred. Sometimes, family members or friends desire that some secular song or music, which was favorite to the deceased, be sung or performed. The appropriate time for the singing or playing of any favorite secular music is the wake. It may not be introduced into the Funeral Mass, not even during the carrying of the body from the church at the end of the Mass.
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catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=3448
 
It may not be introduced into the Funeral Mass, not even during the carrying of the body from the church at the end of the Mass.
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During Harry Carry’s funeral at the cathedral they played “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” as they carried out his casket.

Then, of course, there is “A Dying Cub Fan’s Last Request”:

baseball-almanac.com/poetry/cubs.ram
 
In Church we sang hymns at my father’s requiem.

After the coffin was lowered into the ground we played his favourite song.

Render to Caeser the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.
 
I was asked to sing at my aunt’s memorial Mass by other family members. They picked the songs, and 2/3rds of it were popular secular songs. I managed to convince them to select more liturgically-appropriate songs, but there was still a couple of songs they wanted to broadcast over the speakers.

On the day of the Mass, the family organizers of the Mass neglected to inform the bereavement committee at the church that they wanted to pipe in music, and no cd player was hooked up. So the Mass ended up having all liturgical music!
 
During Mass, only Sacred music is permitted. Before Mass, or after Mass, other songs are permissible, as long as they do not violate our faith.
 
At my funeral I want the Dies irae and the In paradisum sung in Latin, I want the full funeral rites in Latin with lots of incense, and I want the Final from Symphony No. 1 of Louis Vierne as my recessional, accompanied by the tolling of the largest bell. If I hear any pop music at all, may the Lord grant me the grace to leap out of my casket and smash the CD player.
 
I don’t know about singing but a few folks have said they would like to dance at my funeral 🙂
 
During Mass, it’s supposed to be liturgical only. The wake and the reception/ luncheon after are all together something else. Personally, I think it ruins pop tunes to play them at a funeral. They haunt the mourners for years, such as Theme from Beaches does to me in grocery stores.

As the resident practicing Catholic, I have managed to keep my extended family on the straight-and-narrow liturgically by regulating the Opening Theme From Star Wars, Pink Floyd’s Learning to Fly, Mickey Mouse Club song, and several others to the wake, held in a funeral home. Beaches was played at my beloved uncle’s non-Cahtolic funeral at the funeral home, and has been popping up unexpectedly for years; unlike the one song we chose for my father-in-law’s Mass, Now Thank We All Our God.
 
Since that song was played after the Mass had ended, even though it would annoy me, it’s still okay to do.
 
fantrl said:
Since that song was played after the Mass had ended, even though it would annoy me, it’s still okay to do.
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I don’t understand how you could say that even outside of Mass, a pop, secular tune is OK to do in a church.

Church documents specify that the nature of the church is such that allows for Sacred music only. Mass is for liturgical music and other sacred music only, but even outside of that specific function it is documented that music, when performed in church, must respect the dignity of the place.
From “Concerts in Churches”
Protocol number 1251/87
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November 5, 1987
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Code: 
(The following declaration of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments was sent to the presidents of the national conferences of bishops and through them to commissions on Liturgy and sacred art.)
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(copy found in full at)
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adoremus.org/concerts.html
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III. PRACTICAL DIRECTIVES
8. The regulation of the use of churches is stipulated by canon 1210 of the Code of Canon Law:
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Code: 
"In a sacred place only those things are to be permitted which serve to exercise or promote worship, piety and religion. Anything out of harmony with the holiness the place is forbidden. The Ordinary may, however, for individual cases, permit other uses, provided they are not contrary to the sacred character of the place."
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The principle that the use of the church must not offend the sacredness of the place determines the criteria by which the doors of a church may be opened to a concert of sacred or religious music, as also the concomitant exclusion of every other type of music. The most beautiful symphonic music, for example, is not in itself of religious character. The definition of sacred or religious music depends explicitly on the original intended use of the musical pieces or songs, and likewise on their content. It is not legitimate to provide for the execution in the church of music which is not of religious inspiration and which was composed with a view to performance in a certain precise secular context, irrespective of whether the music would be judged classical or contemporary, of high quality or of a popular nature. On the one hand, such performances would not respect the sacred character of the church, and on the other, would result in the music being performed in an unfitting context. (emphais mine)
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Joe B
 
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