FaithT

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I was raised Catholic, left in the early 80’s, returned about 14 years ago then left again. I became a LCMS Lutheran for the past year but due to their teaching of a young earth, have been thinking on leaving this church now. The things I loved about Catholicism is their attitude toward science and the Sacraments. The things I didn’t love was the music and lack of personal, relatable homilies.
The Lutheran church I’ve been going to has lively music and relatable sermons. I feel like the pastor is talking directly to me.
How do you Catholics who feel as I do get that personal feeling during Mass?
 

Gnarwhal

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I was raised Catholic, left in the early 80’s, returned about 14 years ago then left again. I became a LCMS Lutheran for the past year but due to their teaching of a young earth, have been thinking on leaving this church now. The things I loved about Catholicism is their attitude toward science and the Sacraments. The things I didn’t love was the music and lack of personal, relatable homilies.
The Lutheran church I’ve been going to has lively music and relatable sermons. I feel like the pastor is talking directly to me.
How do you Catholics who feel as I do get that personal feeling during Mass?

I'm curious if you think the problem is the modern Marty Haugen type stuff used in the Novus Ordo Mass or proper Catholic polyphony, chant, or other sacred choral music that was ubiquitous in the Church for centuries until the 1970s?

I mean, I converted from evangelicalism, but I sure as hell didn't cross the Tiber because the music sounds like Peter, Paul & Mary and the Mass was 'barely' distinguishable from my former evangelical services. I converted for the extravagant beauty for the worship of the one true God of the universe. The interplay of visual, audible and olfactory beauty. It doesn't get any more personal for me than when I feel like I'm kneeling at the throne of God, whom is owed my worship.
 
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FaithT

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I'm curious if you think the problem is the modern Marty Haugen type stuff used in the Novus Ordo Mass or proper Catholic polyphony, chant, or other sacred choral music that was ubiquitous in the Church for centuries until the 1970s?

I mean, I converted from evangelicalism, but I sure as hell didn't cross the Tiber because the music sounds like Peter, Paul & Mary and the Mass was 'barely' distinguishable from my former evangelical services. I converted for the extravagant beauty for the worship of the one true God of the universe. The interplay of visual, audible and olfactory beauty. It doesn't get any more personal for me than when I feel like I'm kneeling at the throne of God, whom is owed my worship.
I don’t really understand your first paragraph. But the music is so boring to me and some of the songs are songs we sang when I was a kid.
 
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Gnarwhal

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I don’t really understand your first paragraph. But the music is so boring to me and some of the songs are songs we sang when I was a kid.

Okay put it this way, do you like it when music at Mass is just the choir and the pipe organ? Or do you prefer guitars and pianos and tambourines?
 
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FaithT

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Okay put it this way, do you like it when music at Mass is just the choir and the pipe organ? Or do you prefer guitars and pianos and tambourines?
Neither. I prefer contemporary worship music.... electric guitars, drums, keyboard etc. but that’s not in the a Catholic Church.
 
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Gnarwhal

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but that’s not in the a Catholic Church.

Unfortunately it is to some degree, it just depends on where you go. Luckily us younger folks are keen on seeing the Church and the Mass restored to the way it was for over 1,960 years.
 
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eastcoast_bsc

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I'm curious if you think the problem is the modern Marty Haugen type stuff used in the Novus Ordo Mass or proper Catholic polyphony, chant, or other sacred choral music that was ubiquitous in the Church for centuries until the 1970s?

I mean, I converted from evangelicalism, but I sure as hell didn't cross the Tiber because the music sounds like Peter, Paul & Mary and the Mass was 'barely' distinguishable from my former evangelical services. I converted for the extravagant beauty for the worship of the one true God of the universe. The interplay of visual, audible and olfactory beauty. It doesn't get any more personal for me than when I feel like I'm kneeling at the throne of God, whom is owed my worship.



I remember as a kid finding mass boring but was fascinated by the high traditional Latin mass. I loved the priest singing in Latin and the smoke and bells.
 
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Gnarwhal

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I remember as a kid finding mass boring but was fascinated by the high traditional Latin mass. I loved the priest singing in Latin and the smoke and bells.

Same! I mean, 'same' for the last part, I didn't grow up Catholic but I nevertheless love the Latin, incense and bell ringing. All five senses are engaged and it's glorious.
 
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Porpoise

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I was raised Catholic, left in the early 80’s, returned about 14 years ago then left again. I became a LCMS Lutheran for the past year but due to their teaching of a young earth, have been thinking on leaving this church now. The things I loved about Catholicism is their attitude toward science and the Sacraments. The things I didn’t love was the music and lack of personal, relatable homilies.
The Lutheran church I’ve been going to has lively music and relatable sermons. I feel like the pastor is talking directly to me.
How do you Catholics who feel as I do get that personal feeling during Mass?

I feel like the real treasure of the Catholic Church isn't found in things like music and homilies (not that that those aren't treasures). Those things are like ornaments on the tree. The real treasure is that it's a living tree. This is the church founded by Jesus Christ. In Matthew 16, Jesus said to the apostle Peter: "And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Peter was the first pope of the Catholic Church. Do you see what that means?
 
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FaithT

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I feel like the real treasure of the Catholic Church isn't found in things like music and homilies (not that that those aren't treasures). Those things are like ornaments on the tree. The real treasure is that it's a living tree. This is the church founded by Jesus Christ. In Matthew 16, Jesus said to the apostle Peter: "And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Peter was the first pope of the Catholic Church. Do you see what that means?
Yes I do. It’s just that with the exception of Communion, I just sort of zone out.....can’t pay attention. Hence, I get very little out of the Mass.
 
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Gnarwhal

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Hence, I get very little out of the Mass.

Mass is not about you. Mass is about God. God is owed worship and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is how we do that. Not with the profane popculture of the world, but with the majesty and beauty befitting of the King of the universe.

So perhaps the adjustment that's needed is on your part. Perhaps you need to put down what you think is best and conform to Christ and his Church. He laid it all out for us 2,000 years ago. Who are we to think that we can do it better here in 2020?
 
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FaithT

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Mass is not about you. Mass is about God. God is owed worship and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is how we do that. Not with the profane popculture of the world, but with the majesty and beauty befitting of the King of the universe.

So perhaps the adjustment that's needed is on your part. Perhaps you need to put down what you think is best and conform to Christ and his Church. He laid it all out for us 2,000 years ago. Who are we to think that we can do it better here in 2020?
I already know all that, but you didn’t answer my question.
 
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Porpoise

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I already know all that, but you didn’t answer my question.

There's a sense in which every mass is the same, in the sense that every mass is the Holy Sacrifice of Jesus in the Eucharist to the Father. And so we all have a duty to participate in this Holy Sacrifice and worship in the mass, not just for ourselves but for the whole world.

But there's also a sense in which every mass is different. The music is different, the homilies are different, the priests are different. I've been to several churches and each one is different, there were some where I felt like everything was just right and I loved the music and/or homilies, and there were others where I didn't like the music so much or even couldn't hear or understand the homily due to accent. So I think maybe I get what you're saying, maybe the Catholic church where you live isn't really giving you much in the way of music and homilies.

But leaving isn't the answer. Especially if you know that the Catholic Church is the church founded by Jesus Christ, and that you have a duty to participate in the mass, and you also need the Eucharist. What you could do is go to mass every Sunday, knowing how important it is, and supplement with spiritual resources such as EWTN, listening to music, and reading books such as the Diary of St. Faustina, Introduction to the Devout Life, or others. There are so many resources available. This could actually be an opportunity for you to find things that you might never have looked for if you thought mass was giving you everything you wanted.
 
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Julian of Norwich

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I already know all that, but you didn’t answer my question.

I've been a convert (due to the rising secularism of the protestant churches) for 20 years, however I also lapsed, for about 1 1/2 years. During that time I did a lot of study of the early church history, Apostolic Fathers, etc. and the Catholic Church comes the closest to the Christian religion from very early on. Yes, there were a few changes the closer relationship we had with the Roman Empire, after it's fall and the East-West Schism, however the Faith has kept going from those early years.

I also started going to an LCMS church (and to others) as it seemed the closest to what Jesus wanted and the sermons fit along with my liking the music better, however Biblical interpretation also was one of the things that really didn't go along with what I had learned.

I returned for the Faith of the Church. I personally agree that the Novus Ordo mass doesn't have the majesty/grandeur that worship of Him should have. I, personally believe that had you been raised with awesome worship of Him at mass, that you wouldn't be looking for music that entertains or for good homilies (although, I really agree with you that, as the Novus Ordo mass is what we generally have available, that more stress needs to be devoted to homilies in seminary and the music is all too often insipid which doesn't add to our worship of Him at all). Mass tho', is about His people getting together to worship Him and not for us to feel good -although it is helpful to our spiritual growth to have a really good homily!
 
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