What happened to my Church? What happened to the music?

[Cat]

I actually love this type of music.

Me, too.

In fact, it’s my theory that the majority of Catholics love it, too. Those Catholics aren’t here on CAF, so if we base our analysis of Catholic music preference on CAF, we would get the incorrect impression that most Catholics are longing to return to the days of pipe organ and chant. But I don’t think that’s true. When 20,000 people visit Willowcreek every Sunday, some of them have to be Catholic!

I live in a city where both the Latin Mass and the OF Mass with contemporary music are available every Sunday. Without question, the Latin Mass attracts a small but faithful crowd, while the OF Masses with contemporary music attract large crowds who seem to greatly enjoy the music. I don’t get the impression that the people attending Masses with contemporary music are “enduring it.” Just the opposite.

I know it’s anecdotal, but it seems to me to be a fairly accurate “lab setting” in which to study the music preferences of Catholics.

It will be interesting to see what happens at the Matt Maher concert in our city next week . I realize that this is a concert, not a Mass, and many Catholics may enjoy Matt Maher in non-Mass settings but not in a Mass.

 

[JakeWI]

Me, too.

In fact, it’s my theory that the majority of Catholics love it, too. Those Catholics aren’t here on CAF, so if we base our analysis of Catholic music preference on CAF, we would get the incorrect impression that most Catholics are longing to return to the days of pipe organ and chant. But I don’t think that’s true. When 20,000 people visit Willowcreek every Sunday, some of them have to be Catholic!

I live in a city where both the Latin Mass and the OF Mass with contemporary music are available every Sunday. Without question, the Latin Mass attracts a small but faithful crowd, while the OF Masses with contemporary music attract large crowds who seem to greatly enjoy the music. I don’t get the impression that the people attending Masses with contemporary music are “enduring it.” Just the opposite.

I know it’s anecdotal, but it seems to me to be a fairly accurate “lab setting” in which to study the music preferences of Catholics.

It will be interesting to see what happens at the Matt Maher concert in our city next week . I realize that this is a concert, not a Mass, and many Catholics may enjoy Matt Maher in non-Mass settings but not in a Mass.

You are just directly south of us . We have a comparible church to Willowcreek called Elmbrook Church, that attracts 7,000 people per week.

I feel like it is a regional thing, and I have to disagree with you saying the majority want the other way. A good example is what I am about to say…

My Parish that I go to has about 1,500 families that attend. Not people, but families. A good majority are in their 20s/30s and have very young children/babies. This is part of the reason my wife and I like to go there, as we are young ourselves and are looking to have kids in the near future. It is packed every week, at every Mass (and our pews hold 800 people). The music, I would say, errs on the traditional side of things. We have some contemporary parts, being that David Haas’ Mass of Light Gloria is, though our Angus Dei is sang in Latin now… just started not too long ago. We use piano, organ and cello/viola. There is quite a large group of young adults/teens in the choir that sings at our church as well.

There is also another Parish about 5 minutes to the west of ours that holds contemporary Masses, and is closer to Elmbrook church. They have about 2,000 families in their Parish, and supposedly really active like ours. Then in that general area, there is a much smaller Parish to the southwest that uses a guitar for Mass, and one to the northeast in the same town, that is also traditional.

After my research on this all, and looking at many different Parishes around many different areas in our Archdiocese, I feel that it may end up being about half and half, not majority one way or majority the other way. It seems more urban areas may have more Contemporary Masses, but then again probably have more Traditional Masses too, being that there are more people in the general area. Of course, there is no way of knowing for sure unless all of us check each and every church out throughout the entire world… as we only know what we know in our limited scope. I do feel it is similar to the split between Republicans and Democrats here in the states though, where it is almost 50/50 down the line every election. Weird analogy, I know… but the best I can come up with.

 

[Sarcelle]

If it were, there probably would be no obligation to attend Mass at all. Look at what happened to Ascension Thursday, for example. You think the bishops would have transferred it to Sunday had there been overwhelming attendance on the Thursday itself? Just sayin…

Ascension Thursday is still a day of obligation in the diocese I’m in.

Speaking as someone who once attended a non- instrumental Church of Christ, the presence of instruments at mass was quite jarring to me.

 

[Friedlander79]

My church in Cali plays Matt Maher songs at mass. I’m new catholic I
Used to go saddleback rick warrens church and vineyard so I’m used to that music then I went RCIA. Ive been to other Catholic Churches where they play old people music. I am 34 so I prefer more modern. I still love Christian music

 

[ProVobis]

Speaking as someone who once attended a non- instrumental Church of Christ, the presence of instruments at mass was quite jarring to me.

Much of Gregorian chant and Palestrina is done without instruments. It still has appeal.

… with contemporary music attract large crowds who seem to greatly enjoy the music. I don’t get the impression that the people attending Masses with contemporary music are “enduring it.” Just the opposite.

50 years from now they won’t remember most of the stuff. So keep writing.

 

[JakeWI]

Me, too.

In fact, it’s my theory that the majority of Catholics love it, too. Those Catholics aren’t here on CAF, so if we base our analysis of Catholic music preference on CAF, we would get the incorrect impression that most Catholics are longing to return to the days of pipe organ and chant. But I don’t think that’s true. When 20,000 people visit Willowcreek every Sunday, some of them have to be Catholic!

I live in a city where both the Latin Mass and the OF Mass with contemporary music are available every Sunday. Without question, the Latin Mass attracts a small but faithful crowd, while the OF Masses with contemporary music attract large crowds who seem to greatly enjoy the music. I don’t get the impression that the people attending Masses with contemporary music are “enduring it.” Just the opposite.

I know it’s anecdotal, but it seems to me to be a fairly accurate “lab setting” in which to study the music preferences of Catholics.

It will be interesting to see what happens at the Matt Maher concert in our city next week . I realize that this is a concert, not a Mass, and many Catholics may enjoy Matt Maher in non-Mass settings but not in a Mass.

I could go into it more, with more of what I personally know and see… but it won’t matter.

My opinion is that things vary area to area, Diocese to Diocese, Parish to Parish. We are limited to only the scope of what we can see and are open to and believe. I am more partial to the more traditional things of the Church, including the music. I like hearing my Parish do the Angus Dei in Latin to give us a taste of the old days. We may have more contemporary songs played once and a while too (Our Gloria is from David Haas’ Mass of Light setting), but it is all done in a prayerful, beautiful, and respectful ways. No guitar, no drums, just an organ and piano with occasional cello. We have 1,500 families as members of our Parish, majority are young like my wife and I (in their 20s and 30s with children). Our church is full every week any time of the year (in pews that have the capacity of 800 people), and is during each of the 3 Sunday Masses and 1 Saturday eve Mass… I have been to all of them. I also see other Parishes that are more contemporary also have tons of people attend.

The more I have learned, the more I have come to appreciate what my Parish offers… and to help them continue what they offer in any way I can (including volunteering my time and talents). The other Parishes can do whatever they feel, but I feel strongly in my heart that this is the way I believe the Church should be… so I will attend where I feel this… and help their cause.

I won’t say it is a majority either way, to be honest. I don’t have the numbers to back that up. I just see what I see locally, and know that whatever my Parish is doing, must be doing something right…

 

[Cat]

Much of Gregorian chant and Palestrina is done without instruments. It still has appeal.

50 years from now they won’t remember most of the stuff. So keep writing.

That’s what they all said about the music of Ralph Carmichael, Larry Norman, etc. They were wrong.

Of course, it’s only been a little over 40 years. So maybe I should wait another 6 or 7 years for people to forget songs like “He’s Everything To Me,” and “Sweet Sweet Song of Salvation,” etc.

Boy, those are two really good songs! When songs are GOOD, they’re GOOD, regardless of style.

 

[ProVobis]

That’s what they all said about the music of Ralph Carmichael, Larry Norman, etc. They were wrong.

But then that music is not so contemporary any more.

 

[adawgj]

For me as a traditional I tend to want more reverence in motion at Mass. For example in the Latin Mass the altar servers take their time and genuflect almost every single time they do something. In the Novus Ordo the altar servers serve as if they work at McDonalds. I know this after watching many NO and Latin Masses and altar serving at NO Masses.

As for music I know many musicians who play at Mass and they are very faithful. In my parish the cantor is traditional and has brought back many of the old Latin hymns. She even wears a veil now.