A slap-in-the-face reminder of the importance of the primacy of Gregorian Chant

[PatrickTorsell]

I recently headed out to Santa Monica, CA for my little cousin's baptism.  I attended Mass (NO...) with the family at St. Monica's church.  To sum it up succinctly, I've never prayed so fervently at Mass in my life.  But unfortunately, it was only because I wouldn't have made it through that rock concert without constant prayer!

Standing on the altar, blocking the Tabernacle from sight, was a 30 piece "choir," complete with drum kit, electric bass and guitars, and digital piano.  All the while, a gorgeous pipe organ sat, unused, in the choir loft.  They danced, they sang, they soloed into the array of microphones on the altar, they encouraged hand-clapping and swaying.  I think my immediate family were the only ones in the church who knelt during the consecration.  I'll have to stop now before I become "re-infuriated."  I left church that day truly questioning the validity of that particular Mass.

However, it was a perfectly timed reminder of how important it is to stick to the traditions of the church.  I am a music director at a local Catholic church here in VT, so my zeal was doubled by my awful experience in CA.  Gregorian Chant must be restored to its proper position of pride throughout the church, even in the NO.

[Stephanos]

I know the feeling (probably many on the forum do too).  I cringe whenever I remember the horrid mandatory school "Masses" that I had to endure while at a shabby Catholic school.

I would almost never receive Communion because either (a) I could not understand how there was validity, or more commonly (b) because there was no way I was in a prayerful enough state to receive Communion reverently.

[Padre_Ricardo]

In my first parish assignment (I was a lowly assistant), I found myself scheduled, on occasion, for the Sunday evening "Youth Mass", which was something like the Mass you described, except with a smaller ensemble.  However, the guitars, bass, drums, and electric keyboard were all there.  On a couple of occasions (that I know of), people actually criticized me for not clapping my hands and singing dumb songs like "Awesome God".  It was as if the fact that I had offered the Holy Sacrifice by which we are redeemed was not enough.  I did my best to maintain a sense of reverence and solemnity in the midst of that circus. 

The whole thing was the very liberal pastor's idea, but he expected me to go along with it.  Isn't "liberalism" wonderful?

[PatrickTorsell]

Isn't "liberalism" wonderful?

Oh, yes 

I think one of the best definitions for "liberalism" is "intolerant tolerance."  The liberal agenda would demand tolerance of everything except that which it deems intolerant, such as reverence, piety, and tradition at Mass!

[BrevisVir55]

In my first parish assignment (I was a lowly assistant), I found myself scheduled, on occasion, for the Sunday evening "Youth Mass", which was something like the Mass you described, except with a smaller ensemble.  However, the guitars, bass, drums, and electric keyboard were all there.  On a couple of occasions (that I know of), people actually criticized me for not clapping my hands and singing dumb songs like "Awesome God".  It was as if the fact that I had offered the Holy Sacrifice by which we are redeemed was not enough.  I did my best to maintain a sense of reverence and solemnity in the midst of that circus. 

The whole thing was the very liberal pastor's idea, but he expected me to go along with it.  Isn't "liberalism" wonderful?

I remember those...I got a harsh talking to by the youth minister for not clapping during the electric guitar solo or hugging folks I knew across the aisle. I was setting a terrible example for the younger teens I know. 

[glgas]

I agree with your feelings that it is hard to endure a rock Mass, by someone who grew up in different environment, I myself were really suffering from this a while ago.

But later I started to think, and remembered the lament of some people a generation older that me. They grown up in the time of the polyphony (think of Beethoven Missa Solemnis, Mozart Requiem etc); and when St Pius X reintroduced the chant into the secular churches, their feeling was also negative, considered it 'Jewish' instead of European.

The point is, that God 'wills' only one single world out of the zillion of possible or even virtual worlds, and that only 'willed' wold is the existing one, with the rock.

And we should ask: why does He 'will' it? and the only answer is that something good will come out of that.

 I am not prophet but may be the hand clapping and swaying will keep 100 million Africans in the Church, and they will be the future. We have to face the problem of survival, and the survival is more important than our liking.

 

I recently headed out to Santa Monica, CA for my little cousin's baptism.  I attended Mass (NO...) with the family at St. Monica's church.  To sum it up succinctly, I've never prayed so fervently at Mass in my life.  But unfortunately, it was only because I wouldn't have made it through that rock concert without constant prayer!

Standing on the altar, blocking the Tabernacle from sight, was a 30 piece "choir," complete with drum kit, electric bass and guitars, and digital piano.  All the while, a gorgeous pipe organ sat, unused, in the choir loft.  They danced, they sang, they soloed into the array of microphones on the altar, they encouraged hand-clapping and swaying.  I think my immediate family were the only ones in the church who knelt during the consecration.  I'll have to stop now before I become "re-infuriated."  I left church that day truly questioning the validity of that particular Mass.

However, it was a perfectly timed reminder of how important it is to stick to the traditions of the church.  I am a music director at a local Catholic church here in VT, so my zeal was doubled by my awful experience in CA.  Gregorian Chant must be restored to its proper position of pride throughout the church, even in the NO.

[Padre_Ricardo]

You may be right about Africa, glgas, but the use of rock music in the United States is a different matter.  A lot of people have told me that "Youth Masses" (Masses with rock and roll music) are a good way to get the young people to Mass.  If that's what you have to do, then something is very wrong.  The Mass, as I said earlier, is the Holy Sacrifice by which we are redeemed.  Young people need to learn to appreciate the Mass for what it is.  Making it "fun" is, in my opinion, a very misguided idea.

The fact that I was criticized for not joining in the singing and clapping is very revealing.  To some people, at least, it wasn't about the Mass; it was about the music.

I don't know whether anyone has any statistics about this, but I've always wondered: how many vocations have LifeTeen programs produced?  If LifeTeen (a youth program that includes "contemporary worship" music) is such a great way to bring young people to Christ, then it should be producing large numbers of vocations, right?  I may be wrong, but I suspect that it's not happening.

[PatrickTorsell]

Making it "fun" is, in my opinion, a very misguided idea.

This is an incredibly important point, Padre, and you hit the nail on the head.  If the reason people come to Mass is for any sort of novelty (such as secular music), or for any reason other than to be present at the unbloody renewal of the sacrifice on Calvary, then indeed there is a grave and fundamental problem with their faith.  We must be drawn to the Blessed Sacrament, not to the music or any other novelty.  Gregorian Chant does not fall under "novelty," because it is part of the tradition of the church.  It is a musical form that transcends all things earthly, and lifts up the mind and the spirit to the Holy Trinity, and helps to bring about the spirit of piety and reverence which is absolutely required when one is in the True and Substantial Presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

And to address what glgas said, I have to disagree.  Survival is not our primary cause.  We have been assured that the Church will survive, even if it is just a remnant.  We were never promised that the church would be attractive to 100MM Africans because of clapping and swaying.  The fact is, when you are in a Catholic church, you are in the true presence of Jesus Christ Himself.  Frankly, we ought prostrate ourselves before him!  Rock music, hand-clapping, instruments suited to the secular and not the sacred, theatrical soloists, etc. are all distracting novelties, and the Church has expressed, through its history (until recently), a great distaste for novelty.  To do anything to distract attention from the reality of the True Presence and transubstantiation would, I believe, constitute a great offense in the eyes of the Lord.  I would never dare to speak for Him, but if you study doctrine and tradition of the church, you will find ample basis for my statement.

[glgas]

Frankly, we ought prostrate ourselves before him!  Rock music, hand-clapping, instruments suited to the secular and not the sacred, theatrical soloists, etc. are all distracting novelties, and the Church has expressed, through its history (until recently), a great distaste for novelty.  To do anything to distract attention from the reality of the True Presence and transubstantiation would, I believe, constitute a great offense in the eyes of the Lord.  I would never dare to speak for Him, but if you study doctrine and tradition of the church, you will find ample basis for my statement.

So the Masses of polyphonic music with orchestra and soloist which ruled the Solemn Masses from the 15th to the 19th Century were great offense in the eyes of the Lord?

My problem is that I do not see any difference between the classical poliphonic Masses and the rock masses, both is entertainment over the Mystery of the Mass. I can not reject the Missa Solemnis or Mozart requiem as great offense in the eyes of the Lord, so according the Golden Rule I should not reject the rock simply because I do not like it.

It is true that the Apostolic See in the 18th Century rejected the Jesuit practices to apply the religion to the Indian - Chineese cultures, but in retrospect we know that together with that the Catholic Church lost India and China, so we should question the prudence of that decision.

Today the adaptation is in progress in Africa, and since they are the most dynamically growing segment of the Catholic Church we should pray for the success of this adaptation. Naturally the decision belongs to the Apostolic See, but we should not prevent positive decision lead by our liking instead of our intellect.

As for the number of vocations since to be a priest is not a revered profession with strong job security providing above average income, the number of the vocations shrank to one third or less of that of the sixties.  Here is the CARA report about the310 out of 465 potential ordinands of 2009.

http://usccb.org/vocations/classof2009/class_of_2009_report.pdf

If you check page 17,  85% of the ordinands were encouraged by a priest for vocation, and according to page 20 36 percent participated in parish youth ministry. Not decisive, but does not also proves, that the youth masses would not promote vocations.

[NonSumDignus]

The funniest part about Lifeteen Masses is that the median age is somewhere in the mid 50's.

Lifeteen does not appeal to the young because it presents Catholicism as something no bigger than themselves. It also devalues the Mass into a community ritual, particularly when teens are asked to stand around the altar during the Consecration. If it was readily apparent that the Mass was the sacrifice of Christ offered to God in atonement for our sins, then I think teens would pay more attention.

On a side note, the elaborate "Mozart Masses" tend to awe and inspire in one the majesty of God, but it also tends to exalt the music above the Mass. Only Gregorian chant is the perfect balance.

[PatrickTorsell]

On a side note, the elaborate "Mozart Masses" tend to awe and inspire in one the majesty of God, but it also tends to exalt the music above the Mass. Only Gregorian chant is the perfect balance.

Agreed.  My feeling is that there is a place for sacred polyphony within the Mass, but it must never take the place of Gregorian Chant, and it must not be done in an operatic or theatrical manner which takes the focus off of the sacrifice.  Chant must be maintained for the Mass settings, and should be held in highest esteem for such parts of the Mass as during Communion.

[Padre_Ricardo]

NonSumDignus, you are right about the median age at LifeTeen Masses. 

glgas, I was asking specifically about LifeTeen.  I do not doubt that parish youth programs, as a whole, can be effective in promoting vocations; I simply wonder how effective LifeTeen is.  I know that LifeTeen is present in lots of parishes all over the country, but I haven't heard about any upswing in vocations because of it.

[glgas]

glgas, I was asking specifically about LifeTeen.  I do not doubt that parish youth programs, as a whole, can be effective in promoting vocations; I simply wonder how effective LifeTeen is.  I know that LifeTeen is present in lots of parishes all over the country, but I haven't heard about any upswing in vocations because of it.

Pdre,

I am sorry., I have no idea what is the LifeTeen. Since three years I attend the St John Cantius Canons' masses, either New Mass or Tridentine, on that masses Gergorian propers are chanted even on the New Masses.

http://www.stpetervolo.org/

Just as a principle I do not believe that my personal dislike (or any individuals personal dislike) against the modern makes it intrinsically wrong. Jesus advised us

Matthew 13:52 He said unto them: Therefore every scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven, is like to a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure new things and old.

Later the Church adapted herself to the Greco-Roman culture, again later especially for music for Centuries adapted the polyphony, so I see no reason to reject  the recent musical forms. I do not believe that this will save us, Western people,  we had to give up the space for people with more energy, but this kind of hand-clapping, swaying may be the vehicle for the Christian Africa.

The Church is universal, with uniform rules everywhere If we do not reject the hand clapping in Africa, we shall not reject neither here. I hope for you that no one will force you to celebrate guitar masses, but it should be Christianized and not by rejection but by adaptation.

[Padre_Ricardo]

glgas,

LifeTeen is a program that developed out of Phoenix about twenty-five years ago, and it has caught on like wildfire.  It's very close (in style and character, if not in origin) to the Charismatic movement.  A parish can implement LifeTeen by something like a "subscription".  If I understand correctly, you have to pay an annual fee to be able to call your parish-based program "LifeTeen".

Anyway, I'm a pastor now, and have been for several years, so the chances of my having to celebrate a LifeTeen Mass are pretty slim!

Thank you for sending the link to your parish.  You are blessed to be able to attend Mass there!

[glgas]

I checked their website, it is evident that their creed is : money moves the word. There are not yet in Illinois.

As for the charismatics, I attended one such meeting, they sang hymns demanding the Holy Spirit to come and help them, otherwise they seemed to be harmless.Now, this is Midwest, things are really different here than in the coasts, or even as in Texas. Things here are hibernated, do not change. (I lived in Texas for three years and liked it, for the freedom, my son was not able to stay there)

glgas,

LifeTeen is a program that developed out of Phoenix about twenty-five years ago, and it has caught on like wildfire.  It's very close (in style and character, if not in origin) to the Charismatic movement.  A parish can implement LifeTeen by something like a "subscription".  If I understand correctly, you have to pay an annual fee to be able to call your parish-based program "LifeTeen".

Anyway, I'm a pastor now, and have been for several years, so the chances of my having to celebrate a LifeTeen Mass are pretty slim!

Thank you for sending the link to your parish.  You are blessed to be able to attend Mass there!