Drawing Young People Into Music and Liturgy
Many times people think the way to draw our youth to participate in liturgical music is to make it upbeat, add guitar, bass and drums, and to use popular or contemporary Christian praise music they hear on the radio. While there is some appeal to that type of music, I truly believe teenagers are much more sophisticated. The music we use for liturgy is much more than entertainment, much more than engagement, much more than praise, much more than making someone feel comfortable. Our liturgical music is an expression of what we live and believe.

Young people do not all like a particular style of music—they just dislike poor music. Music often moves us because human relationships give it meaning. I once heard a young person say his favorite song was Precious Lord Take My Hand because that was his grandmother’s favorite, and she would often sing it with him.

Praying Twice
A plaque I saw recently proclaimed that music is an outburst of the soul. It brought to mind the well know quote from St. Augustine, “Singing is praying twice.” We as human persons sometimes need to express what is beyond words. Music, like other forms of art, touch us in ways that words can not. It speaks to the affective side of our being. We should express the emotion in our prayer that we express in other areas of our lives. It is for that one reason I, as a pastoral musician, often wish more of the assembly participated in singing the liturgy. If one only participates in spoken sections of the liturgy, then there is not much participation happening. We sing our prayer as a community—the choir or other song leaders are not there to sing for us, but to draw the entire assembly into song.

In Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship (STL), the United States bishops write, “The primary role of music in the Liturgy is to help the members of the gathered assembly to join themselves with the action of Christ and give voice to the gift of faith.” (#125) It is everyone’s responsibility to participate; young and old.

Our pastor recently said singing during the communion procession, “draws us together and we provide the music for our community’s dance of life.” This poetic description is more than sentiment. We constantly hear how we as community affect one another. It is there in Scripture readings, in homilies, in Catholic social teaching, in our belief in God as Trinity. If it is true that liturgy forms us, think of how liturgical music can form us.

David Haas sometimes asks this question in his workshops, “Who knows the words to psalm ninety-one?” Few hands raise, but when he says. “Who knows the words to On Eagle’s Wings?” many hands go up. On Eagles Wings is based on psalm ninety-one. The music we sing in our liturgy is forming us in our Scripture, doctrine, and theology.

We Are an Ancient Church
Our story has been passed down through the ages, there are ancient texts and music to draw from for our celebrations of liturgy and prayer. We are also a living, growing church that builds and moves forward. We are intergenerational; people of all ages come together to worship God. We are diverse; many cultures gather together and share their customs and traditions. As a worshiping assembly we need to reflect all aspects of the community in the context of our faith.

In order to appreciate liturgical music and it’s meaning, we need to begin with our community. Much of what we know and experience of our faith comes from our community. In order to celebrate our encounters with God, we need to have encounters with God! Our primary setting for this is in our families, and in our parish family. That is where we not only learn about God but also meet God. When we truly experience that relationship with God, then we have a reason to celebrate, a reason to sing.

Which Music to Use for Liturgy?
The music we use in liturgy expresses our ritual, Scripture, and doctrine—it forms us. We keep old music and also learn new. Choosing music for the liturgy is an awesome responsibility. The choices we make put the word of our faith on the lips of the people. The choices are dependent on the liturgical season, feast days, types of celebrations, Scripture readings and the community itself.

Evaluating musical choices for liturgy is more than someone’s likes and dislikes or even what is familiar or popular. A wide variety of styles—chant, hymns, classical, contemporary, are all acceptable. STL discusses the three musical judgments that are used in evaluating music for liturgy: liturgical, pastoral, and musical.

• Liturgical: Is this composition capable of meeting the structural and textual requirements set forth by the liturgical books for this particular rite? (#127)
• Pastoral: Does this music promote the sanctification of the assembly and draw them closer to the mysteries being celebrated? (#133)
• Musical: Is this composition technically, aesthetically and expressively worthy? (#134)

The point is to choose music that fits the three judgments—that fits our worship and theology, draws the community into prayer and worship, and is well played/sung.

Liturgical Music and Young People
Invite the youth of your parish to participate in music ministry. There are many fine young musicians out there who will participate if we only ask. Adults can mentor them, and the young people can encourage their peers to join them in the ministry. Part of being a community is sharing our gifts and talents with one another for the glory of God.

Collaborate with your parish music director. It is okay to suggest music that speaks to young people, but know your music director will be evaluating by these judgments. Encourage your parish to be good role models for the youth. Adults should be singing. The assembly is the main music minister at liturgy. Encourage your parish to involve youth in liturgical ministries. Train them to be responsible, faith-filled leaders in your worshipping community. And, especially encourage your parish youth to sing—it really is praying twice!