dUSt Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 Our (silent) Mass at 5pm on Sundays is the next best thing to our 4pm (chant) Mass on Saturday (which takes only a very slight lead on our 11am (polyphonic) Mass on Sunday). Which is to say: I love a silent Mass... even if it's usually just attended by people who want to get in and out as quickly as possible... :| Yes, haha. It's always a fun game to guess who is there for the silence, and who is there because it's the shortest mass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dUSt Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 My parish has a music-less (but not silent - I mean, the priest talks and the people respond) Mass every Sunday - the early one, 6, 6:30, 7 a.m. - depends on how many priests we have at the moment, the season of the year, and so forth. Yes, this is what I mean by silent mass. Priest still talks, readings still read, there is just no music and no musical responses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrysostom Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 I forgot to mention that my Low Mass isn't entirely quiet. Instead of guitar Masses we have wailing baby Masses. :| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franciscanheart Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 I forgot to mention that my Low Mass isn't entirely quiet. Instead of guitar Masses we have wailing baby Masses. :| Must be doing something right... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superblue Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 I forgot to mention that my Low Mass isn't entirely quiet. Instead of guitar Masses we have wailing baby Masses. :| Those wailing babies are hopefully future catholics, I'd prefer crying babies to any of the music at the cathedral an other parish I attend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrysostom Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Must be doing something right... Wait, really? I was just about to write the Bishop about the slobbering, pudgy, too-cute-for-Mass liturgical abuse. [spoiler]jk[/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthfinder Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 We once had a just about entirely silent Low Mass - priest had lost his voice so everything was whispered and they don't use a mic. Only heard the homily. Probably one of the nicest Masses, not for every Sunday, but a nice respite after Easter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superblue Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 At my Cathedral I attend on occasion, we had for one year, a really great choir, young an old mixed in, and it was amazing, everyone sounded so professional, it was great, then some scholar had the idea to start a " contemporary choir " electric guitars, electric drums, and players who felt it necessary to hold a rift of a note for an extended period of time after each song, on the flip side of that, that contemporary choir some how got the word out where they were playing, and the cathedral saw a temporary spike in attendance during their " performance ", not to mention everyone sticks around now to give a round of applause to the choir once the Priest has proceeded out of the church. I try to give people the benefit of the doubt that they are trying to do good for the mass but when the singing is so off key, or there are songs like " our God is an Awesome God " I am like, I don't remember that being a psalm to be sung at any point in the mass either after communion or before. And if a bishop is only giving a suggestion about a silent mass, an no one takes him up on that suggestion it says a lot about those parishes who ignore the suggestion and about the bishop as well ( now if that is a negative connotation on either I don't know but I think it says something ) I personally wont complain to anyone about such things in my parish or at the Cathedral as, I cant do any better, so I don't feel that since I cant bring a better solution to the table or at least sing, then why bother, but venting online is always some relief. I wouldn't mind a real silent mass at my Cathedral or my usual Parish, where people are actually quiet ( not whispering , which for the elderly, they have a tendency to whisper like a 5 yr old, they think it is a soft whisper but it is really a loud one. ) Before, During, and After mass, to allow people the opportunity to actually pray. So while the music is a good topic for debate, it is the least of my complaints, the only time I really get to pray in silence any more is in adoration. I am starting to see the need for a bigger visible banner that reads, either something sarcastic, or something like, others are trying to pray , go out side to have a conversation. We literally have small placards at the entrances ( a bit hard to see if you are not looking for it ) it reads, Quiet please , to no avail. Now to be fair I haven't tried all the parishes in my town, and I have no idea if there is a latin mass in my area, which I have heard are a lot more reverent , but in the end, I guess the main goal is to pack people in the pews, any way possible, so if it means a contemporary choir with electric everything and songs that have nothing to do with the mass, or a really horrible clique version of the Gloria to be sung, to allowing people to have social conversations before during and after mass, phones included, then so be it, I guess it is becoming more of pack em in, get the money, and hope that you reach a few in the long run. Reverence takes a back seat, while the last bit remaining is in the clergy at the alter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandelynmarie Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 The weekday Masses in my parish are usually "silent". Love them :love:. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Therese Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Pretty sure the GIRM requires the mass parts to be sung at minimum. So while it's ok not to have additional hymns, the mass parts should be sung, and I'd be surprised to hear of a bishop implementing anything at odds with the GIRM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franciscanheart Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Pretty sure the GIRM requires the mass parts to be sung at minimum. So while it's ok not to have additional hymns, the mass parts should be sung, and I'd be surprised to hear of a bishop implementing anything at odds with the GIRM. There are a few parts that are chanted, but there's no music and no proper chant. I think we sing two or three things, tops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maximillion Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Early morning. Silent. Slowly spoken. Long thanksgiving. Mass. Best thing since sliced bread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marigold Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Can someone explain this whole deal of optional bits, hymns vs no hymns, personal preference etc.? Genuine question. If some bits aren't Necessary then why have them at all? In my wandering teens I went to a very early Mass which sounds like one of these silent ones. It was a really ... good experience, and I did come away with a sense of reverence and appreciation. I also read a book, I think it was called The Meaning of the Mass, that explained the different parts of the liturgy and I think also talked about what parts are absolutely necessary for the Mass to be valid. It's a different mindset which is why I'm interested to know what you guys know and can explain to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cappie Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Those wailing babies are hopefully future catholics, I'd prefer crying babies to any of the music at the cathedral an other parish I attend. If those wailing babies are baptised they are Catholics now :hehe2: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cappie Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 There are some people in the world who would die to attend Mass, we should be thankful for Mass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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