St. Augustine once said that to sing is to pray twice. So by that logic, an energy-filled bluegrass jam must be like praying three or four times.
At least that is what parishioners at a Virginia parish must be thinking after attending what was billed as the first ever “Bluegrass Mass.” Written by Catholic priest/bluegrass musician Father Edward Richard, the Mass incorporated the authentic bluegrass sound into the traditional liturgy. And according to an article in the Richmond Diocese’s Catholic Virginian, the Mass was a big success.
Considering the wide array of musical tastes held by people in society, it would seem that we should have more variations on traditional church hymns. Father Richard admits that it was no easy task to write bluegrass music that was faithful to the liturgy, but as he points out in the story, music is a very powerful tool in helping people connect with God. So wouldn’t it stand to reason that more varied musical styles could help people who may not like traditional worship songs become more connected to the Mass?
Not that I think the bluegrass Mass should become the norm – nor do I think we should jettison our traditional liturgical music in favor of the latest fad in the music industry – but a little change can be a good thing every now and then. Sure, some people might not like hearing a different style of music, but for others, it might help them achieve a sense of spirituality in the Mass that they’ve never felt before.
A little bit country…
Filed under: Catholic news, Commentary |
St. Augustine once said that to sing is to pray twice. So by that logic, an energy-filled bluegrass jam must be like praying three or four times.
At least that is what parishioners at a Virginia parish must be thinking after attending what was billed as the first ever “Bluegrass Mass.” Written by Catholic priest/bluegrass musician Father Edward Richard, the Mass incorporated the authentic bluegrass sound into the traditional liturgy. And according to an article in the Richmond Diocese’s Catholic Virginian, the Mass was a big success.
Considering the wide array of musical tastes held by people in society, it would seem that we should have more variations on traditional church hymns. Father Richard admits that it was no easy task to write bluegrass music that was faithful to the liturgy, but as he points out in the story, music is a very powerful tool in helping people connect with God. So wouldn’t it stand to reason that more varied musical styles could help people who may not like traditional worship songs become more connected to the Mass?
Not that I think the bluegrass Mass should become the norm – nor do I think we should jettison our traditional liturgical music in favor of the latest fad in the music industry – but a little change can be a good thing every now and then. Sure, some people might not like hearing a different style of music, but for others, it might help them achieve a sense of spirituality in the Mass that they’ve never felt before.