More liturgical singing in this vein would be nice
Or must we also sing along? According to Fr Z, it's fine to just listen. I look upon it as a penance.
I agree with Fr Z that it would be even better if there were no hymns at all, but only antiphons. That's what the clerics above are probably singing.
Particularly distracting, I think, are communion hymns. I never cared for them even in my Episcopalian days; you can't sing and contemplate or meditate at the same time, at least I can't.
ReplyDeleteAt Holy Innocents, however, we often will sing a hymn at the recessional. As a number of us are converts, frequently they are good old Anglican hymns, many of which are truly stirring.
Communion hymns are bad. At the local parish, even Agnus Dei is horrid, since they pad it with improvisations to provide musical cover as the mob of Eucharistic ministers assemble and communicate. As for recessionals, we tend to file out after the final blessing unless the final hymn is unobjectionable, which is rare.
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