Those who sing pray twice

You’ve seen those “bulletin bloopers.” I enjoy them. Here’s one: “The topic for next week’s sermon will be ‘What will hell be like? Come early and listen to the choir.'”

Thank God that can’t be said about most of the choirs I’m grateful to hear at Sunday Masses here in the archdiocese. Ours at St. Patrick’s Cathedral is acclaimed.

One of the multiple blessings of the last six decades since the close of the providential Second Vatican Council has been an emphasis on congregational singing and the development of excellent parish choirs. I, for one, highly admire and appreciate the devotion and skill of our musicians, choir members, directors and leaders in song.

Of course, we hear criticism. Yet, our choirs, musicians and cantors are the first to acknowledge that much still needs to improve, and that we Catholics are, sadly, not too well known for our singing, as are, for instance, the Evangelical churches.

One complaint I do hear is that, at times, the choir can dominate, or “put on a show.” Choirs are at their best, these critics observe, when they enhance, not replace, congregational music. I would agree.

Some also cringe at a choir that seems to draw too much attention to themselves, and even expect applause at times. We of course sing to praise God, not ourselves, as our musicians will remind us. We thank God for the talents he has given us, not the voices who use them beautifully to glorify him.

At times the choir is so good that the Mass seems to take second place. It’s almost like the Mass occurs to fill in the pauses as the choir prepares for its next “number.”

Well, do I remember the first time I entered a Baptist church, as our parish youth group was invited to a youth revival. What struck me was that the center of attention was, not the altar, the tabernacle, or the crucifix, but the choir! That, of course, was not my experience as a Catholic. The choir, we believed, sang with the people, not at them.

We, of course, do not go to Mass for the music, although we sure love it when the music helps our worship. Nor do we even attend Mass for the sermon, as important as that is. No, we go to unite ourselves with Jesus in his sublimely infinite and eternal sacrifice of praise, supplication, a contrition on the Cross.
Music, singing, the choir, the sermon are all very significant means to that but never the end in themselves.

This all comes to mind with the feast of St. Augustine, Aug. 28, who taught, “Those who sing pray twice!”

Thanks to all who help us do that!

This column is written by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, the archbishop of New York.