Hi Everybody:

Here I am again asking a bunch of questions!

What is a Folk Mass? What is a Contemporary Mass? Is there such a thing? I picked up that lingo somewhere.

My parish seems to have a Mass conducted with an organ and the parishioners seem to be the older folk (5 p.m. Sat), and a Mass with guitar and piano, and it seems the parishioners are younger (Sun. Mass). Would these be traditional and contemporary masses?

Just Asking,

Gail

-- Gail (Rothfarms@socket.net), June 27, 2002

Answers

What is a Folk Mass? What is a Contemporary Mass? Is there such a thing? I picked up that lingo somewhere.

Not in a strict sense. I suppose you could attend Mass where different types of music is offered, but that doesn't (or shouldn't, make it a different type of Mass.

Personally, that term "Folk Mass" makes me cringe a little. It evokes images of Saturday evening Mass at my old parish featuring 3 well- meaning but awful-sounding people with guitars, a Casio keyboard, and the occasional tambourine (*shudder*). The music was truly horrible. Worldly, profane, cutesy, touchy-feely type stuff; absolutely incompatable with real Catholic worship and spirituality.

I'm all for contemporary Catholic music, just not in the framework of liturgical prayer.

-- jake (jake__@msn.com), June 27, 2002.

Folk Mass usually refers to a period around the '60s and 70's when you had more guitar music than organ music. Right after Vatican II, I believe.

Bear in mind, however, that guitars are cheaper than either pianos or organs (and during the 60's and 70's electronic keyboards were both unwieldy and expensive, unlike today).

You can have bad organ players too (I know, I've heard them), and I figure you can't complain about bad music too much unless they're being paid to play. I used to lead singing, for free, at my old parish--I figure, I'm there anyway, why not?

What makes me cringe are hymns/songs obviously written for organ played on guitar(speeded up to boot), and vice versa. Also new lyrics set to old (as in a century or two) music. Why ruin perfectly good hymns that people know and love by substituting other lyrics for them?

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), June 28, 2002.

Gail,
I just wanted you to know that no secular adjective you may see before the word "Mass" (e.g., contemporary, folk, guitar, polka, clown, etc.) comes from the Church herself.
The Church refers to a solemn Mass or to the Holy Mass. Other descriptive words you may hear are informal, unofficial, and temporary (i.e., will disappear as the culture changes).
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), June 28, 2002.

For further reading, click here.

-- jake (jake__@msn.com), June 28, 2002.

Thanks John, you're right, of course.

Gail, I should have said the term is used to describe the type of music only, and not the Mass per se. At one parish I belonged to, the term "traditional" was used to describe a Mass that predominantly featured older hymns played on the organ.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), June 29, 2002.

You know, I think we need to be very careful in labelling the mass. I lead worship (I prefer that to "lead choir") with guitar at the Sunday AM mass, and we are turning as fast as we can toward contemporary music, with the blessing of all. I think is more than a little spirtually dangerous to assume that if a song doesn't come from the Gather of the Glory and Praise that it is not "worthy" for use in the mass. I CRINGE at the thought of close-minded Catholics. Quite frankly, the main problem we have is the lack of enough "touchy- feelie ness". Simple, easily-taught praise and worship songs with scripturally correct easily understood lyrics are a big plus in most cases. The people listen and then they enter in. God is worshiped. End of statement.

God understands I LOVE YOU sung in contemporary tones just as well as any other.

In short Gail - you just find a mass that makes your heart sing - and then join in. Learn to cry at communion.

Tom McRae St Bartholomew The Apostle Catholic Church Katy, Texas

are afrai

-- Tom McRae (fremnant@msn.com), September 23, 2003.

Hi Tom:

Thanks for posting. A lot has happened since I posted this question. I am assistant music leader at my parish now and have been for over half a year now. We do all kinds of music, from traditional to contemporary, gospel to "soul". We are successfully including the songs from Robin Mark's Revival in Belfast into our mass. The folks love it . . . young AND old, and I think the older folk love it MORE!

Communion is the sweetest time of all. We are always very careful to pick meditative worship tunes for this special time.

Thanks for your input!!

Love,

Gail

-- Gail (rothfarms@socket.net), September 23, 2003.

Tom, it's not really accurate to say that, as a guitarist, you "lead worship" or "lead choir."
Instead, you "accompany the singing" on your instrument.
In celebrating Mass, the priest "leads the worship" of all present.

I like the fact that you have almost perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at your parish.
God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), September 23, 2003.