Lifeteen Fosters Vocations

[dells_of_bittersweet]

Not for nothing but the 90's and 2000's music of lifeteen is really no better than the 60's-70's and 80's music in 99% of Catholic churches.  "I will raise you up on Eagles wings?" and "kingdom of glory"?  Really?  Atleast "Shout to the Lord" is clear about things.

 

Worship music has gotten a lot better recently. I direct a worship band at my church (we mostly play for retreats and other parish functions; very rarely for Mass). I wouldn't play most of the music associated with the Lifeteen movement from 90s-early 2000s. Also, much of that music isnt what I would consider real praise and worship. A lot of it is big three Catholic publishers trying their hand at a genre they dont understand, and stinking. 

[NotreDame]

Question:  Do kids really like the more poppy, folky music at mass or do adults just think they do? 

[Tab'le De'Bah-Rye]

I think it's less about the charismatic movement in itself and more about the common ideas that are had by a lot of the more...iffy...charismatics.  You know, like fluffy spirituality.  Like two results of the same problem, if you get what I'm saying.  People who are attracted to the fancy and emotional parts of charismatic spirituality are also attracted to stuff like rock band masses and teaching people that "Jesus loves you!" but that's it. 

 

Bad Vatican II theology, basically... says the dirty Vatican II lover.  :hehe2:

 

 

Fluffy charismatics? I hope your talking of a few and not a whole without having great experience in the charismatic renewal. And there are fluffy spiritual people in the latin rites too and the novus ordo from my experience, and i won't say all. And whats wrong with a band at holy mass, are you addicted to valium? I hear that causes people to be paranoid of loud noises.

Edited November 22, 2013 by Tab'le De'Bah-Rye

[Nihil Obstat]

Question:  Do kids really like the more poppy, folky music at mass or do adults just think they do?

Request for Clarification: Are we assuming that the kids care about their faith, or are they just sort of going along with their friends and/or parents?

[Tab'le De'Bah-Rye]

My point is true peace comes from Jesus in Faith, hope and love, and it doesn't really matter whether there is a band,an organ and choir or chanters at holy mass as long as the lyrics are christian. Surely? And there not on the alter.

Edited November 22, 2013 by Tab'le De'Bah-Rye

[blazeingstar]

Request for Clarification: Are we assuming that the kids care about their faith, or are they just sort of going along with their friends and/or parents?

 

 

Wouldn't the 30% of vocations being lifeteen influenced prove that they are interested in faith and not just going along with their parents?

[dells_of_bittersweet]

Question:  Do kids really like the more poppy, folky music at mass or do adults just think they do? 

 

Wrong way of framing the question. This describes music from the 60s - 80s quite well and ever teenager on earth hates that style. 

 

There was a major style shift in the 90s, but Catholic publishers ignored it and kept turning out the same junk. The new praise and worship style, distinct from, and in many ways in revolution from, folk music, developed then, but a lot of what was produced was of amateur quality and lacked lyrical depth and/or good musical organization. 

 

A lot of effort has been put into making worship music good, and the fruits have been seen in the last 5 years with the work of Chris Tomlin, Matt Maher, and Hillsong United. 

 

So to answer the question, "what do kids that care about their faith really like?" I am blessed to play for a group of teens that is on fire for their faith. Here is what they like:

1. Songs they can easily sing along to. 

2. Songs that sound youthful. 

3. Songs that express a sense of mystery about God. Songs that leave you in awe of God when you sing them. 

4. Songs that allow you to connect emotionally with God.

5. Songs with lyrical depth. 

 

They also like a mix. Old hymns and chant are always well received. 

 

I stay away from pop and I stay away from folk. The KLOVE songs that people use to streotype praise and worship as being shallow are unfair comparisons, because most of those songs are for entertainment purposes only. I don't ever play them for worship. 

 

Here are some examples of songs I have found to be popular:

Lord I Need You by Matt Maher http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=1836138

Our God by Chris Tomlin http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=1794626

Mighty to Save by Hillsong United http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=1035140

 

Basically, the style that worshiptogether.com promotes works. The stuff that Catholic publishers print does not. I flee OCP likes its the black death. 

[NotreDame]

Thanks, I will look at this.  One thing I know is that there are catholic churches where EVERYBODY sings every sunday, everywhere.  They are the Eastern Rite churches.  They do this because they have no instruments, rarely have sound systems, they sing the same songs all the time and they've been doing it this way for 1000 years. 

 

On the other hand, it seems like since Vatican II roman catholics are constantly trying to reinvent the wheel in this regard. 

 

Anyway, I will check out those links.  Thanks!

[Nihil Obstat]

Wouldn't the 30% of vocations being lifeteen influenced prove that they are interested in faith and not just going along with their parents?

Context is key.

[CrossCuT]

Late in high school I participated in Saturday evening masses through a program called NET Ministries.

It was all completely charismatic; christian rock band playing, mass held in a gymnasium, people clapping and dancing etc.

 

I went because I was interested in meeting boys and the high energy was of the mass was fun. 

Although the whole time I knew that all my emotion was not coming from the mass, it was from the music. But I didnt care.

 

I also went to a weekend summer retreat with them as well and THIS was when I got irritated. During adoration, they were playing all the sobby, sad music to  help you "focus" on Jesus and then even invited everyone up to touch the monstrance. I felt this was very inappropriate so I didnt go.

 

Ive also gone to a few of the Steubenville North conferences and I noticed the same thing. All the sad, sobby music playing during adoration and people falling over crying, "speaking in tongues" and blah blah. If you put the same group of people in a quiet chapel for adoration, I have a suspicion that you would get a very different result.

 

 

But I dont want to bash all the teen, rock masses...my brother volunteered with NET Ministries for a year and he has grown to really appreciate what they do.

I know its good for people who dont have a deep rooted faith; it can serve to inspire them.

Its just not for me.

 

:|

 

Again, I dont want to bash this type of mass, I just wanted to share my experience. Maybe I wasnt open enough I dunno. I grew up in a very traditional church that had high latin masses and full orchestral choirs. So it was different for me.

 

 

 

 

 

EDIT: Maybe my whole post doesnt belong...so Ill add that this atmosphere did not inspire a vocation for me to become a nun or anything....maybe it inspired me to have a married vocation? lol i dunno

Edited November 22, 2013 by CrossCuT

[Nihil Obstat]

Context is key.

I typed this on my phone, so I was not able to go into greater detail.

What I was getting at is that my question was a response to the question "do they like the crummy music?" Well I think that how much they like the crummy music may be related in some way (though not causally) to whether or not they take the faith seriously.

Edited November 22, 2013 by Nihil Obstat

[NotreDame]

People sobbing and throwing themselves on the ground?  Wow.

 

More stories, please, everyone.  Here, I'll add mine:

 

I went to some sort of youth adoration/prayer service in mexico once - my host family took me.  I spoke barely any spanish at the time.  I don't remember how it started, but it ended with everyone was jumping around, even the priest on the altar.  I wasn't jumping around, - I had zero idea what was going on.  I just read my book.  I don't remember if there was a band.   Some kid came over and told me I wouldn't find Jesus in a book.  I just said "no hablo espanol."  The whole thing was very unpleasant for me.

 

 

[CrossCuT]

I believe they called it "Sleeping with the spirit". Thats when people would just fall over during adoration and you wouldnt be able to wake them up.

The other one was "speaking in tongues" where people would start spewing latin phrases without control; my friend Jen said that happens to her (but only during the charismatic teen adoration)

The last one was just that people cried a lot. 

[dells_of_bittersweet]

I typed this on my phone, so I was not able to go into greater detail.

What I was getting at is that my question was a response to the question "do they like the crummy music?" Well I think that how much they like the crummy music may be related in some way (though not causally) to whether or not they take the faith seriously.

 

I don't like the association of being a good Catholic with whether or not you like a certain style of music. Style is a very personal thing. The music director at my church has the strangest music taste (he loves OCP), but I know he takes his faith VERY seriously. 

 

I'm 21 years old and I absolutely LOVE worship music. Sometimes I will seek out masses in my Diocese that have it. I pray much better with it. This has no bearing on whether or not I take my faith seriously. 

 

People like what they like. 

 

Associating taste with faith seems very dangerous. It leads to "Pope Francis must not take his faith very seriously because he wears what I consider to be ugly vestments."

[dells_of_bittersweet]

I don't like the association of being a good Catholic with whether or not you like a certain style of music. Style is a very personal thing. The music director at my church has the strangest music taste (he loves OCP), but I know he takes his faith VERY seriously. 

 

I'm 21 years old and I absolutely LOVE worship music. Sometimes I will seek out masses in my Diocese that have it. I pray much better with it. This has no bearing on whether or not I take my faith seriously. 

 

People like what they like. 

 

Associating taste with faith seems very dangerous. It leads to "Pope Francis must not take his faith very seriously because he wears what I consider to be ugly vestments."

 

What there is a strong association is between age and musical taste. 

 

Baby boomers like the St. Louis Jesuits. Teens and young adults today like Matt Maher. 

 

If you asked someone in their 50s what the most influential song in their faith life was, you would likely hear "Be Not Afraid" or "Here I am Lord"

 

If you asked a young person, they would probably name some Matt Maher or Audrey Assad song. For my college Newman group, playing Restless by Audrey Assad (http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=1796251) really helped some people. The high school students I play for were influenced a lot by You Were On The Cross (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCPsZ-Vi6Ck)