Music @ Mass

[hispreciouswounds]

Hello :)
I am very passionate about my faith and without doubt little by little I realize i'm in the true church of Jesus. I have a little concern: is it O.K. to use songs that are non-Catholic at mass that can get the youth in our youth mass more involved through lively music? I ask because I hold the position we have great artists we can use instead of let's say "Here I am to Worship" and if we have the fullness of truth, we don't need an alternative. I'm just a bit concerned that if we play some of the same songs as a non-Catholic church, there's the possibility they may be indifferent about it or not formed well enough to know the difference. in no way am I criticizing anyone or want to feel the bias of "I'm right and you're wrong". I don't know how to feel about the issue. if it's all gonna lead us to Christ, it's fine? I think this is where I should be

[CatherineM]

Okay, I know I'm going to get lots of nasty PM's from my answer, but here goes.  There are lots of songs in our missal that aren't written by Catholics.  It's not who writes the song, but rather what message the song contains.  I love Contemporary Christian Music, but that doesn't mean that I'd be comfortable singing a lot of it during mass.  There are those who believe that mass should only contain Gregorian chant, and others who want nothing but 60's folk masses.  I sang in a church choir for the first time when I was 8 years old.  At one time I was soloist for an Archbishop.  I've sung pretty much everything you can imagine in the last 43 years.  Some I liked, some I tolerated, and some I truly hated.  Every one of those masses, not matter what music was used, were valid masses. 

 

I understand the desire to use music to keep young people interested in the mass.  In the late 60's we had a hip young priest who played guitar at mass.  The pews were flooded with teenagers.  The problem is that they came for the music, not the mass.  When the priest left, so did the kids.  I firmly believe in the adage that singing is praying twice.  No matter what music we choose, it should be done for the right reason, and done well, or as well as possible.  Some churches don't have the finances to pay an organist, and just use volunteers.  Other parishes can afford to pay their choir.  I've been in both situations.  I don't think God minds a senior choir who are mostly tone deaf but singing their hearts out, even if my ears don't agree.  I also don't think God is more present in a mass where the soloist is a Julliard graduate.  If you want to get kids more interested in the mass, you can use newer music, but you could also have them serving the mass, have them sing in the choir, have them help make banners, or learn to be sacristans. 

 

Having the mass come alive has more to do with education than music, but non-Catholic music is okay as long as it has appropriate content.  After all Amazing Grace wasn't written by a Catholic, but we sing that.