Why Doesn't Church Music Speak to ME?



This video showed up on my Youtube suggestions.

It's one of the many reasons why I have not been in support of contemporary music in the Catholic liturgy. I'm not even talking about the sappy "Catholic" stuff from the 70's that somehow is still "popular" in our modern Catholic Masses. I'm talking about the stuff they play for "teen Masses". The main reason is that the music is NOT supposed to be for ME, but for God, and only indirectly is it for me. Even for those that support contemporary Christian music in the Catholic Mass, would have to admit, they always have to keep up with what's on the radio otherwise it loses its impact. What better way to get the Catholics to sing, than to ensure what they sing at Mass, is what they can hear on the local Christian radio stations. Don't get me wrong, I do like listening to contemporary Christian music, in my car, at home, while I'm working... just not at Mass. If your goal is for music at liturgy to meet my needs, and not God's, then you will inevitably run into the problems of the video above. The music doesn't always convey the message that really needs to be heard.

The obvious difference in what you would hear in traditional liturgy versus contemporary liturgy is that the music in the traditional liturgy is "timeless". While of course, they were always a product of their time, they have stood the test of time, centuries later. Whereas, the music that was played in teen Masses in the early 2000s (when I was involved in teen ministry), would not have the same impact now as it did then, other than to bring a sense of sentimentality for me, hearkening back to my earlier "church career".

Judge for yourself. Listen to the music below.

If you don't agree. Well, that's fine too.

De gustibus non disputandum est.

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