“There was some Catholic toe tapping to the strains of banjo and fiddle” as the first bluegrass Mass was celebrated recently “exactly where it belonged: the ‘birthplace of country music,’ Bristol, Virginia,” according to a story written by Jean Denton in The Catholic Virginian, newspaper of the Diocese of Richmond, Va.
We learn how Father Edward Richard, a bluegrass musician and a professor and vice rector of Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis, brought bluegrass musicians together at St. Anne’s Catholic Church to help him lead worship through the music he composed for the “Saint Anne Rhythm and Roots Heritage Mass.”
The Mass was the brainchild of St. Anne’s pastor, Father Timothy Keeney. [reference]
Personally I am waiting for the Alternative Metal Mass. Well not really, but if I am going to have to suffer through a non-sacred music genre it might as well be one I like. Hey how about a Death Metal Mass with the patented Cookie Monster voice? Or is that Life after Death Metal. Of course people will just say it is a matter of subjective taste. So what sacred means something dedicated to God and set apart. We will use just any genre. After all the Mass is only the eternal presentation of Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary so we will use any soundtrack we like for this.
Try this experiment, watch the Passion of the Christ from the scourging on with Bluegrass music playing and see how that fits.
38 comments
Here in Colorado Springs several parishes subject people to the “Mass of Glory” during parts of the year.
It’s like a cross between a Baptist revival, Gene Autry and a dull metal spike in the head.
Hey, this is my diocese! Not surprised. Sigh.
Do I like bluegrass music? Absolutely. My collection includes Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, Tony Rice, Doyle Lawson, and Alison Krauss, among others.
Do I think bluegrass music is appropriate for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass? Absolutely not.
It couldn’t be much worse than the happy-clappy music we suffer now, could it?
Okay, maybe it could.
The article has a curious line:
“At the seminary, he laughs as he imagines his students hearing about the Bluegrass Mass and saying, ‘Really? Father Richard, the guy who celebrates the Tridentine Mass everyday?'”
Obviously, bluegrass music is inappropriate for the liturgy, so I won’t defend it here. It is also not traditional American music in the strict sense, but a mid-20th century “modern” derivative of old-time mountain music. I would have thought that, being from that part of the country, they would be aware enough of the older form. Such would be more appropriate (if that’s possible), and frankly, less obnoxious.
“Try this experiment, watch the Passion of the Christ from the scourging on with Bluegrass music playing and see how that fits” and no doubt some poor soul is going to do just that.
Regarding the kind of music used at Mass, I might be mistaken but I don’t think any of the disciples played an organ at the Last Supper.
Here in London over the years, I’ve had to endure some truly dreadful music at Mass, everything from what I call Christian jingles to dreary hymns. Most of it – even at the big Masses at Westminster Cathedral – is so bad that it crushes rather than raises the spirits.
Music comes in many varieties and it can all can be used in the liturgy. Father Stan Fortuna of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal uses rap. And Some years ago, I interviewed an Anglican priest who had his own rock band.
The Jesuits Pray-as-you-go project has the right approach, It uses plain chant, classical, Christian pop, and Taize to accompany the daily scripture reading.
Regarding the kind of music used at Mass, I might be mistaken but I don’t think any of the disciples played an organ at the Last Supper.
They didn’t have chant either. But the Church has laid out what types of music are appropriate, so the “they didn’t have organs in olden times” argument is a dog that won’t hunt, especially not in favor of liturgical chaos.
What also is so interesting about this is that he is using the liturgy as a platform to show off his accomplishment!! People are complaining about the type of music-and I agree-but the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is not a performance hour or talent show. That’s the real crime here-and more irreverent than the music itself-that someone is USING the Mass, Christ’s sacrifice as a platform for their pride. Abhorrent.
Also, I say that all the time about the Passion of the Christ!! So funny to see you write here. Great minds must think alike. Love your blog by the way.
So how does the church decide what “appropriate” music is?
Ok this post was amazing. This is precisely my point to people who often complain about liturgical music being boring. I love the quip abou the passion. Great stuff
What is the budget and head count of the office of accountability?
I’m not a fan of Liturgical Dance, yet one of my favorite images of worship came from the Catholic channel, of Kenyan people dancing to Communion. Re: Subjective taste (see Matt 11:16-17)
Why does everyone perform these “innovations” at Mass? I have no problem with people participating in any type of devotional they like so long as it doesn’t contradict the faith. Why not have an hour of bluegrass worship music outside of Mass? Methinks a lot of it has to do with the presence of a captive audience at Mass whereas some optional devotional would draw much smaller numbers.
I wish that the mass had more reverent music — even the Latin Mass! Sometimes I go out of my way just to attend a more traditional mass, insteady of the happy-clappy mass at my own paris. I want to feel awe and wonder. The modern masses just don’t seem to have that effect.
Just my opinion.
I wish that the mass had more reverent music — even the Latin Mass! Sometimes I go out of my way just to attend a more traditional mass, insteady of the happy-clappy mass at my own paris. I want to feel awe and wonder. The modern masses just don’t seem to have that effect.
Just my opinion.
Regarding the kind of music used at Mass, I might be mistaken but I don’t think any of the disciples played an organ at the Last Supper.
See entry for archeologism.
“Music comes in many varieties and it can all can be used in the liturgy.”
If you say so, it must be true! 🙂
Actually, the Church has been working on this one for about 20 centuries now and has come up with some conclusions . . . and this isn’t one of them.
Questions of appropriateness aside, I wouldn’t be able to keep a straight face. Whenever I hear Bluegrass, a voice whispers in my head, “Boy, you have a purty mouth.”
At a Ukrainian Catholic Church there are no instruments except the human voice. Chant melodies come from a variety of Slavic and even Jewish sources. Whether sung in English or Ukrainian (or Slavonic, their original liturgical language), the liturgies are breathtakingly beautiful.
Though I am Roman-rite and not even Ukrainian (that I know of), I am blessed to have one close enough to attend regularly.
I invite anyone who has the chance, to check out an Eastern Catholic Church of any kind. Their liturgical traditions are all but unknown among us Romans, but I’ve come to believe that exposure to them is crucial for an understanding of music’s place in liturgy.
bluegrass — a man, his farm, his girlfriend, his dog, loses his girl, the dog dies, loses the farm,,,,oh yeah, worship God (?)
Try this experiment, watch the Passion of the Christ from the scourging on with Bluegrass music playing and see how that fits
Unfortunately, I could think of some heavy metal and rock music approaching the demonic that just might fit at some points.
Reminds me of when my parents sold the house we lived in for 20+ years after we all grew up, and my brother and I were going through the junk accumulated to clean it out. We came across some old rock albums and their cover art – we sort of chuckled at each other “Maybe dad was right about the demonic influence.”
A couple of years ago, I was visiting a parish in Virginia Beach for Mass. The music was led by a country music singer. The recessional consisted of the leader singing a refrain along the lines of “Ain’t Jesus great”. Then the right side of the congregation was supposed to jump up and shout “Yee” and sit down. This was immediately followed by the left side of the congregation jumping up and shouting “haw” then sitting down. We did about three rounds of this as the priest left down the center aisle. It was dreadful.
I wonder what your thougths are on Polka Masses. In certain places in the US where there is a strong Czech heritage, the Polka Mass has a 150ish year tradition. Not 2000 years, I admit, but certainly long-standing. Does that make it liturgically correct? If not, then why has it been allowed for so long? By the way, I am not speaking from personal preference here… I literally cannot make it through a Polka Mass. But GOOD ORTHODOX PRIESTS who would never allow liturgical innovation have defended the Polka Mass. I wonder if they wouldn’t have the same reasoning on the blue-grass mass.
The Church teaches that the TEXT of the Mass is primary. What we are saying to God, and what th liturgy reveals about what God is saying to us is the primary concern. So music that draws attention to itself by definition makes the music more prominent than the words. Music can amplify, clarify or make more penetrating the nature of the text by reinforcing it or engaging the affect. It can also distract. I think that is clearly the case with the “bluegrass mass”. Chant is the preferred option for liturgy precisely because it is composed only after the words are written and the process by which the notes and intervals are selected grows directly from the text. This is the real issue– less so questions of taste and preference.
Give a listen to P.D.Q. Bach’s album “Black Forest Bluegrass” to get a sense of how this must play out in real life.
Life After Death Metal had me laughing so hard I nearly moistened my chair. My son listens to that stuff, and – I know this is not their intention – it always sounds *hilarious* to me. I can’t stop laughing when he plays it, which kind of ruins the effect…
Regarding the kind of music used at Mass, I might be mistaken but I don’t think any of the disciples played an organ at the Last Supper.
They didn’t have chant either.
They probably did chant. Liturgical chant goes way back, much further back than Pope Gregory, who did provide us with the revolution of actually writing it down. Liturgical chant goes back to Jewish worship.
Indeed, the psalms have been sung for thousands of years.
As for bluegrass or death metal or hip-hop gangsta rap, there is a time and place for everything, and the Mass is neither that time nor that place. There is no reason that the good father could not have a separate bluegrass prayer service. But then again, maybe no one would show up if it were a stand-alone service. By incorporating it into the Mass, you get the benefit of a ready-made and captive audience.
Wow… and this priest is a professor at Kenrick!? Well so much for things changing for the better in St. Louis…
The Church teaches that the TEXT of the Mass is primary. What we are saying to God, and what th liturgy reveals about what God is saying to us is the primary concern. So music that draws attention to itself by definition makes the music more prominent than the words. Music can amplify, clarify or make more penetrating the nature of the text by reinforcing it or engaging the affect.
Amen! This is why people mistakenly assume that because I don’t want pedestrian music like pop, bluegrass, polka, etc. that it must mean I want highbrow classic music. Not so, because it is an error in the other direction. Whereas popular music styles have a trivilizing effect on worship, ornate classical music competes too much for the dignity.
Your wish has come true.See:
http://myheartwasrestless.blogspot.com/2009/10/heavy-metal-worship-service.html
“Watch the Passion of the Christ from the scourging on with Bluegrass music playing and see how that fits.”
Is it anything like watching “The Wizard of Oz” with Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” album playing?
Thanks, joe w., for that clear delineation of what should and shouldn’t be. We have a wonderful Phil-Am community at our parish, and it grieves me that their music director’s chosen music at the 10AM Mass is pounding piano and drums, blaring trombone and nightclub-style song styling. It’s unbearable and wouldn’t be tolerated if the Church’s view was being followed. It unquestionably draws more attention to itself than to the texts.
By elliot on October 31, 2009 6:04 AM
Wow… and this priest is a professor at Kenrick!? Well so much for things changing for the better in St. Louis…
I know this priest well, and he is far far far away from either being heterodox or liberal. Watch those broad generalizations there.
OK Fr. Bill, then tell me why is he playing bluegrass music at mass?
Like I said, so much for things changing for the better in St. Louis…
Fr. Richard celebrates the Extraordinary Form more often than the Ordinary form and uses a manual from 1919 and Papal Documents for his classes, so anyone who would question his orthodoxy or devotion to the sacred liturgy simply does not know of what they are talking. Shame on anyone who take it upon themselves to slander a priest whom they do not know.
I’m not much of one for fadish music in the mass, but bluegrass has been used as gospel music since it was created. There are lots of churches (mostly non-Catholic) in this country where you can’t attend a service without hearing bluegrass music. The are many wonderful and moving bluegrass hymns, even some you could play over the scourging scene from “The Passion”.
A lot of the comments here seem to be based on little or no knowledge of bluegrass. Also, I think it is important not exclude authentic religious expression based on our own subjective tastes.
Here’s a bluegrass hymn I find incredibly beautiful:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mx3ej4ewkKw
I think many of you might be equating country music and bluegrass. Although Country is rooted in bluegrass, it is quite different. I have heard Fr. Richard’s music on our Catholic radio station. I am not normally a fan of bluegrass, but it can be quite beautiful. I am sure there are many bluegrass pieces that would beat “Gather Us In” or “Sing a New Church” (yech!) anyday!
I like bluegrass but when I hear it I think of Old Yeller dying, the coal mine collasping, Wanda Sue running off with that dude from town and roaring down the back roads with the guys. I don’t think of the holy sacrifice. Sorry.