Why don't most Catholics sing?

[mk8080]

I noticed this at Mass last night (well, I’ve always sort of noticed this, but it particularly annoyed me last night). When I go to my wife’s Lutheran service, the congregation sings all the hymns…even the closing one. AND, the congregation actually waits until the final hymn is over before leaving.

During Catholic Mass, not only do most parishoners not sing, but many leave before the hymn is even over. I find this completely rude and irreverant. I think people that do this are a just non-believing Pharisees. If you don’t want to be at Mass, DON’T GO! You can say that you are obligated to go to Mass; however, if you don’t participate, it doesn’t really count anyway.

 

[Priscilla_Ann]

This is something I always noticed when I was a Catholic; and on the occasions when we attend mass for a family event, I still notice it. My husband, who was raised Protestant, commented that the singing in the Catholic church is “really bad”.

Seriously, why don’t most Catholics sing? And why do so many leave mass early? It seems to indicate a lack of reverence and respect, or perhaps just attending mass out of habit or ritutal rather than any real desire to worship. It sets a very poor example for young children; it certainly had that impact on my son when he was young.

 

[CatholicZ09]

I notice this all the time. I think sometimes that Catholics are more off-tune or tone deaf than Protestants. I’m practically the only one in my family that can carry out a tune, and we’re all Catholic. While the organist was leading us into the last song, every week you can hear people rustling, moving, and trying to talk over the music. Seriously, the song is only like 1-3 minutes long, and usually you only sing 2 verses anyways because it stops when the ministers are done processing down the aisle. I mean, would those 1-3 minutes really make your day less short? Not really. Another thing that I kind of don’t like is everyone has to socialize after Mass is over in the church. It’s very loud, and we have to remember we are on holy ground. We can easily go outside and socialize or have a social time in the hall or something after Mass. I mean, I know you didn’t talk for almost an hour, but can you hold it in and go outside? It seems more like a social hall than a church after Mass.

 

[izoid]

I find this an interesting thread. I happen to belong to a parish that sings very well. My wife and I are recent reverts, after 20 years of protestantism, and just today my wife commented on how much she likes the music and how the congregation sings along. Peter Kreeft gave a lecture here a while back and he even commented on how well our church sings!

I think that the issue may be that many younger people do not know how to sing properly. Hymns can be very challenging and if you are not comfortable with them you may tend to sing quieter.

I know that when I was a pastor we had to turn the sound up very loudly before people would sing loud. As long as they couldn’t hear those around them they felt that they could not be heard either. They were then free to sing out loud.

 

[Canto]

Singing the Mass not singing at Mass

When we sing the Mass (Latin Gregorian Chant) it is lovely

When we sing at Mass (English Modern Hymns) not much singing from the congregation at my Parish.

The simpler chants we use are much easier to sing whereas many modern hmyns are too hard for your ordinary person to sing if my parish is anything to go by. I noticed one song one week had a quaver (quater) rest. Crikey

The ruberics do not call for a final hymn. When the Priest says go the Mass is ended we can go, though one should wait for the Priest to leave first. We do not have to stay until the end of the song is finished.

 

[DihydrogenOxide]

I find this an interesting thread. I happen to belong to a parish that sings very well. My wife and I are recent reverts, after 20 years of protestantism, and just today my wife commented on how much she likes the music and how the congregation sings along. Peter Kreeft gave a lecture here a while back and he even commented on how well our church sings!

xD Yeah, my church does a beautiful job singing at Mass. I can’t even hear myself sing and I have a trained operatic voice. I think it depends on the church, the music director/cantor, etc.

 

[choy]

part of the reason i think is most people are unfamiliar with the tunes

when i was growing up in a Catholic school, i know all the hymns as we are taught in religion class and music class. but after school, when the hymn changed you don’t know the new hymns anymore. most people are like me who are not musically inclined. we can’t just open a song book with notes in it and sing in-tune

 

[peary1]

I noticed this at Mass last night (well, I’ve always sort of noticed this, but it particularly annoyed me last night). When I go to my wife’s Lutheran service, the congregation sings all the hymns…even the closing one. AND, the congregation actually waits until the final hymn is over before leaving.

During Catholic Mass, not only do most parishoners not sing, but many leave before the hymn is even over. I find this completely rude and irreverant. I think people that do this are a just non-believing Pharisees. If you don’t want to be at Mass, DON’T GO! You can say that you are obligated to go to Mass; however, if you don’t participate, it doesn’t really count anyway.

First, it has a lot to do on how the parish is instructed by the priest. The pastor is the head teacher and it rests squarely on his shoulders. If the pastor tolerates rude and irreverant, then that is what people are going to be, and that is what he is going to get. Period.

But the people ARE at Mass and thus continue to fulfill the commandment of keeping the Lord’s Day holy. If they didn’t want to be at Mass, THYE WOULDN’T BE THERE. You are really convoluted in your thinking about this. You are judging people that they do NOT want to be at Mass by their nonparticipation in singing. That’s is really stretching it, and it’s also wrong to make that assumption.

Many people are self-conscious when it comes to singing in Church? Why? Very poor music direction. If a music minister cannot get the people to participate in the singing aspect of the Mass, then it isn’t the people who should not be there - IT’S THE MUSIC MINISTER WHO SHOULD TAKE A HIKE!

 

[KathleenGee]

I don’t know.

 

[tundramom]

yes. I’m a cantor and I sure wish the congregation would join in!!!

 

[Chiara80]

having people stampede out of the church while the last song is being sung is a pet peeve of mine. I find it extremely rude - my father in law is one of the worst offenders here. He will just about cause WWIII in the pew if he can’t leave as soon as the priest says “The Mass is ended…”

Yes the mass is technically ended and we’re “free to go” (like we’ve been somewhere unpleasant against our will), but we should have the appropriate manners - it is rude to leave before the song is over, and it’s not like it’s more than just a couple of minutes longer - even for a long song.

We don’t process in with the priest, so why do we think we can walk right on out with him as well?

We might be “free” to do it, or “allowed”, but that doesn’t mean it’s the polite thing to do.

 

[puzzleannie]

I sing when I can, but that is not often, the reasons I don’t sing include:

songs are unfamiliar, hymn number is not announced, or is announced in another language. I could follow along in Spanish if I could find the number. This is especially true of service music. Parishes tend to sing the same Mass settings that everyone knows, but if you are a visitor you are left clueless.

Hymn is one I have never heard, I don’t read music, and even if you listen to the melody it does not seem to follow any tonal logic whereby you could try to fake it. esp with “contemporary” hymns (which were dated musically and lyrically a month after they were published 30 years ago) they are so full of musical whimsy of meter and melody if you don’t know the trick you can’t follow (there at at least 8 ways of singing and playing City of God for instance, with added or omitted phrases, no 2 parishes do it the same way).

cantor and choir is doing and “arrangement” with their own little quirks of timing and make it clear they don’t welcome anyone breaking in on their act.

song is too high or too low for my range (basic old lady used-to-be-soprano)

My bet (my sisters sings in a Lutheran choir) is that they sing traditional hymns and anthems to melodies recognizable to every Christian over 40 years old.

but reason number one, even when there are traditional hymns, is that the organist or other musical accompaniment is so slow you have to breathe 3 times in one line.

amazing how many traditional melodies are annotated 3/4 time, which is supposed to be a waltz, not a dirge, but played like funeral music.

On Christmas I gave up because there were 7 people in the choir and not one of them was singing in the same key, and 2-3 voices dominated totally, in a time completly out of sync with the organ.

 

[johns58w]

This is something I always noticed when I was a Catholic; and on the occasions when we attend mass for a family event, I still notice it. My husband, who was raised Protestant, commented that the singing in the Catholic church is “really bad”.

Seriously, why don’t most Catholics sing? And why do so many leave mass early? It seems to indicate a lack of reverence and respect, or perhaps just attending mass out of habit or ritutal rather than any real desire to worship. It sets a very poor example for young children; it certainly had that impact on my son when he was young.

I notice variances in different parishes. CATECHESIS (education of Catholic faith) or lack of catechesis has an impact on the congregants involved. Congregants that are more catechized and rooted in their faith will contribute more in Mass participation(singing included). I witness a greater participation for small numbers this usually at weekday Masses. The parish I go to has no music ministry during weekday Masses. I commend your husband’s response on “really bad” singing. I left the Church in 1982 and returned in 2001. In 2003 I almost left to go Southern Baptist, noticing fellowship, prayer, singing, tihing in greater form among other aspects. I did not know my faith like I should have. I had to educate myself. (RCIA classes,books,CD’s, EWTN etc.)
Up to around the 60’s Mass participation was pretty strong. Then Second Vatican Council entered in. The problem never was Second Vatican Council, but Catholic religious and layity that had "rebelled’ against the Council and the Church. Too much to detail in this thread.
I’m 45 years old. I noticed congregants in ages about 50-70 that are very lax in their faith (not singing, excessive chattering, irreverence at Holy Communion, leaving early) show this poor example to the younger generations. Not to single them out, the situation worsens to my age group to the 30’s group. The attitude becomes, “Yeah I gotta be here on Sunday. Hey Father, hurry up with the homily 'cause my old lady has to be at the mall, and I gotta go get my beer to watch football on tv”. Nothing wrong with mall, beer, football,tv etc. What’s wrong is that Mass is on our Sunday day planner instead of the Mass being the priority and root center of our lives on Sunday and all else secondary.
Many Catholics who migrated in early 1900’s to the U.S. brought their strong faith base with them. Since the 60’s Catholic “baby boomers” with hippie new age, atheist,pagan and, commie attitudes, Mass has become this “social hall mess”.I help assist a deacon at RCIA classes and notice the converts are very strong and many of them participate in ministries in certain parishes/dioceses. Our new bishop in Diocese of Venice, FL has been cleaning house in certain parishes. Stopping yoga classes in one parish and a new-age style retreat center(Mother of God House of Prayer Alva,FL) run by a heretic nun and also by a certain parishoner of St. Vincent DePaul Parish Ft. Myers,FL who supports so-called women priests. Please understand, the pastor and the priests below him of St. Vincent are obdeient to their Bishop and to Rome. The problem is with certain parishioners who supported this so-called retreat center. Bishop has declared Mother of God House of prayer off limits to all.
These heresies create scandal to the religious and lay faithful and participation suffers with this.My call in my parish/diocese is to help assist our lay faithful and religious toward the proper mission and meaning of the sixteen documents of the Second Vatican Coucil

 

[horselvr]

It is really too bad that some are not singing. I can honestly say that at my Church we all sing and quite loudly too! :

This morning I sat behind a mother with her brood of 6, all girls except for one lonely boy and all had red hair. At first I thought maybe I should move to a more grown up section as I also had three others to the left of me. Boy was I wrong. One of the red headed girls kept all the others in line and at one point I heard her tell the others, “Knock it off, your in God’s house now”. These kids (especially the 6 yr old red headed girl) belted out those hymns like Eartha Kitt. These kids were wonderful and the rest of the participants were also giving it all they had.

Nope, no problem singing at my Church.

 

[Bob_Crowley]

xD Yeah, my church does a beautiful job singing at Mass. I can’t even hear myself sing and I have a trained operatic voice. I think it depends on the church, the music director/cantor, etc.

Jealousy, jealousy. Me, I mean. I’m hard of hearing, and have very little confidence in my singing voice. I play the guitar, but only because it’s a tempered instrument (I’d be hopeless on the violin for example), but I need the music to feel comfortable. I’d love to feel confident about singing.

That aside, I think the Protestants generally put a lot more effort into their music. They usually have set practice times, they often have a range of instruments, lead singers (which helps a lot - people will join in more confidently if they’ve got a lead), video projectors so people can hold their heads up while singing etc. In fact, music is encouraged in Protestant Churches. I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of Christians got their first impulse to play a music instrument or take up singing through their church.

Even in my own case, I had a very negative opinion of my musical ability, due to my father’s constant criticism of my speaking voice, and also a rather negative music teacher at high school. But when I was involved in teaching Sunday School, it always seemed something was missing when the main teacher was away, who was a gifted guitarist and banjo player. So I decided to learn the basics to fill the gap. I was also given some encouragement. But if it hadn’t been for the church, I would never even had tried to learn the guitar.

There are Catholic Churches which do a good job, but I also think the Catholic Church is very set in its ways. There is no reason why there cannot be experiemtation with music, increasing the power of the sermon or homily (usually not very impressive in my opinion) and so on. Granted there needs to be consistency with format, with the eucharist, with overall reverence, but there are areas where the Catholic Church could do a lot more in its worship.

And I’m sure that there are just as many gifted singers and budding musicians in Catholic circles as there are Protestant.

 

[peary1]

I notice variances in different parishes. CATECHESIS (education of Catholic faith) or lack of catechesis has an impact on the congregants involved. Congregants that are more catechized and rooted in their faith will contribute more in Mass participation(singing included). I witness a greater participation for small numbers this usually at weekday Masses. The parish I go to has no music ministry during weekday Masses. I commend your husband’s response on “really bad” singing. I left the Church in 1982 and returned in 2001. In 2003 I almost left to go Southern Baptist, noticing fellowship, prayer, singing, tihing in greater form among other aspects. I did not know my faith like I should have. I had to educate myself. (RCIA classes,books,CD’s, EWTN etc.)
Up to around the 60’s Mass participation was pretty strong. Then Second Vatican Council entered in. The problem never was Second Vatican Council, but Catholic religious and layity that had "rebelled’ against the Council and the Church. Too much to detail in this thread.
I’m 45 years old. I noticed congregants in ages about 50-70 that are very lax in their faith (not singing, excessive chattering, irreverence at Holy Communion, leaving early) show this poor example to the younger generations. Not to single them out, the situation worsens to my age group to the 30’s group. The attitude becomes, “Yeah I gotta be here on Sunday. Hey Father, hurry up with the homily 'cause my old lady has to be at the mall, and I gotta go get my beer to watch football on tv”. Nothing wrong with mall, beer, football,tv etc. What’s wrong is that Mass is on our Sunday day planner instead of the Mass being the priority and root center of our lives on Sunday and all else secondary.
Many Catholics who migrated in early 1900’s to the U.S. brought their strong faith base with them. Since the 60’s Catholic “baby boomers” with hippie new age, atheist,pagan and, commie attitudes, Mass has become this “social hall mess”.I help assist a deacon at RCIA classes and notice the converts are very strong and many of them participate in ministries in certain parishes/dioceses. Our new bishop in Diocese of Venice, FL has been cleaning house in certain parishes. Stopping yoga classes in one parish and a new-age style retreat center(Mother of God House of Prayer Alva,FL) run by a heretic nun and also by a certain parishoner of St. Vincent DePaul Parish Ft. Myers,FL who supports so-called women priests. Please understand, the pastor and the priests below him of St. Vincent are obdeient to their Bishop and to Rome. The problem is with certain parishioners who supported this so-called retreat center. Bishop has declared Mother of God House of prayer off limits to all.
These heresies create scandal to the religious and lay faithful and participation suffers with this.My call in my parish/diocese is to help assist our lay faithful and religious toward the proper mission and meaning of the sixteen documents of the Second Vatican Coucil

Yep, those old 60s hippie nuns just won’t give it up. What a waste or resources.

 

[cecilia97]

I noticed this at Mass last night (well, I’ve always sort of noticed this, but it particularly annoyed me last night). When I go to my wife’s Lutheran service, the congregation sings all the hymns…even the closing one. AND, the congregation actually waits until the final hymn is over before leaving.

During Catholic Mass, not only do most parishoners not sing, but many leave before the hymn is even over. I find this completely rude and irreverant. I think people that do this are a just non-believing Pharisees. If you don’t want to be at Mass, DON’T GO! You can say that you are obligated to go to Mass; however, if you don’t participate, it doesn’t really count anyway.

I don’t know why we’re not big singers, but it just seems to be a “cultural” thing with us. And while singing is nice, it’s not necessary for worship. I’m just sayin!

Our pastor nipped the leaving early thing in the bud…we kneel and say a Hail Mary for vocations after the exit hymn every Sunday. So, my parish doesn’t have that problem. When I visit family, though…oh my gosh!

I notice that more folks sing, and everyone sings more loudly, when good old hymns are chosen. Some of the hymns written in the last 30 years, whether you care for their style or not, are just not easy to sing. The older stuff, sung in a lot of Lutheran and Episcopalian churches, is easier on the untrained voice.

 

[johns58w]

I notice variances in different parishes. CATECHESIS (education of Catholic faith) or lack of catechesis has an impact on the congregants involved. Congregants that are more catechized and rooted in their faith will contribute more in Mass participation(singing included). I witness a greater participation for small numbers this usually at weekday Masses. The parish I go to has no music ministry during weekday Masses. I commend your husband’s response on “really bad” singing. I left the Church in 1982 and returned in 2001. In 2003 I almost left to go Southern Baptist, noticing fellowship, prayer, singing, tihing in greater form among other aspects. I did not know my faith like I should have. I had to educate myself. (RCIA classes,books,CD’s, EWTN etc.)
Up to around the 60’s Mass participation was pretty strong. Then Second Vatican Council entered in. The problem never was Second Vatican Council, but Catholic religious and layity that had "rebelled’ against the Council and the Church. Too much to detail in this thread.
I’m 45 years old. I noticed congregants in ages about 50-70 that are very lax in their faith (not singing, excessive chattering, irreverence at Holy Communion, leaving early) show this poor example to the younger generations. Not to single them out, the situation worsens to my age group to the 30’s group. The attitude becomes, “Yeah I gotta be here on Sunday. Hey Father, hurry up with the homily 'cause my old lady has to be at the mall, and I gotta go get my beer to watch football on tv”. Nothing wrong with mall, beer, football,tv etc. What’s wrong is that Mass is on our Sunday day planner instead of the Mass being the priority and root center of our lives on Sunday and all else secondary.
Many Catholics who migrated in early 1900’s to the U.S. brought their strong faith base with them. Since the 60’s Catholic “baby boomers” with hippie new age, atheist,pagan and, commie attitudes, Mass has become this “social hall mess”.I help assist a deacon at RCIA classes and notice the converts are very strong and many of them participate in ministries in certain parishes/dioceses. Our new bishop in Diocese of Venice, FL has been cleaning house in certain parishes. Stopping yoga classes in one parish and a new-age style retreat center(Mother of God House of Prayer Alva,FL) run by a heretic nun and also by a certain parishoner of St. Vincent DePaul Parish Ft. Myers,FL who supports so-called women priests. Please understand, the pastor and the priests below him of St. Vincent are obdeient to their Bishop and to Rome. The problem is with certain parishioners who supported this so-called retreat center. Bishop has declared Mother of God House of prayer off limits to all.
These heresies create scandal to the religious and lay faithful and participation suffers with this.My call in my parish/diocese is to help assist our lay faithful and religious toward the proper mission and meaning of the sixteen documents of the Second Vatican Coucil

My apologies for long responses. We as Catholics are not “know it alls” or “graduates of the faith”. All of us as well as myself must learn our faith not only on Sunday but every day included. Singing at Mass is also prayer. Some of us sing well and some don’t. I never intended to seek well orchestrated music ministries at Mass. Good catechesis in parishes/dioceses contribute greatly toward good Mass participation.Getting parishoners, children and ADULTS more involved in catechetical programs/classes is one way hopefully toward progress.

 

[adelore]

I notice that more folks sing, and everyone sings more loudly, when good old hymns are chosen. Some of the hymns written in the last 30 years, whether you care for their style or not, are just not easy to sing. The older stuff, sung in a lot of Lutheran and Episcopalian churches, is easier on the untrained voice.

Bingo! This is it in a nutshell. For those of us who do like to sing, singing to music with out the “notes” being in front of you, and just words, is a little tuff. I mean you have no idea what’s going to come next. Since you don’t know the song…umm…it’s sing softly, as you have no idea it the song is going to speed up or slow down…and I don’t want to be a solo singer.

When our Church sings a “older song” that most Catholics would know, without a doubt you can hear us outside the walls, bring in a new song…a well, you’d almost think we were singing a prayer, it’s so quiet.

 

[musicality]

Participation is very poor at my home parish as well as the Masses held on my college campus. Part of it can have to do with the music being sung–when our children’s choir sings, the congregation is very quiet because the songs are both unfamiliar and frankly out of tune.

I honestly believe that for a parish to participate, they must be familiar with the majority of the songs sung on a weekly basis. It doesn’t mean that new songs cannot be used, it just means that people need to get used to singing the stuff they know before they’ll be willing to new stuff on the spot.

Also, without a strong lead cantor (aka not just a children’s choir), people hear themselves too much and are afraid that everyone else hears them too!

I also think it would benefit if more parishes sang the Our Father–Why? People who are attending Mass for the correct reasons ALWAYS say the Our Father and will sing it too. This gets them used to singing in general, which leads to more singing.
Just my :twocents: