Congregational Singing at Funerals
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,471
    In a recent post at ccWatershed, Ministry of Consolation, Richard J Clark says
    when it comes to funerals, asking for the congregation to sing is a tall, if impossible order.
    That is not my experience here in the centre of the British Isles (aka Atlantic Archipelago). Here all funerals have hymns, usually 4-hymn sandwich, and even those where the family is entirely lapsed and unchurched there will be enough parishoners to make a reasonable volume of noisesong. Generally I find that the volume at a funeral is, with fewer people, louder than an average Sunday. Is Boston so very different?
    Thanked by 1melofluent
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,415
    ...louder than average...

    I've experienced this, also. Grief is a powerful emotion which may be expressed with more heartfelt song than normal. Too, singing in times of grief can be powerfully cathartic. This is not universally true, but is not at all uncommon. Too, it depends on the denominational and cultural heritage of the persons involved. It was said that Napoleon's presence on the battle field was worth ten-thousand men, and that one French soldier was worth ten of any other kind. I would say that, when it comes to congregational singing one Lutheran is worth at least ten of any other kind. Within the Catholic Church I would say that, generally, one Ordinarian is worth at least ten normal Romans. Regardless of such generalities, it is well to remember that the emotional state of people at times of strife or of ecstasy may alter, for better or worse, the normal calibre of music making. My personal recollection is that congregational singing at weddings is the worst of all. Why this is I don't know, but I suspect that it has something to do with the distractions and dazzlements of bride worship.
  • ContinuousbassContinuousbass
    Posts: 357
    The problem or situation I find is that funeral attendees find themselves in an unfamiliar place (church). We're lucky if we can get them to say "Amen" at the right places.
    Thanked by 1bdh
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    Is Boston so very different?

    I'm afraid so.
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    Ah hah! Now I know why it's been so hard to get the assembly folks to join me in chanting the Dies irae ! Shoulda coulda woulda.

    Richard (Clark) is a very hospitable gentleman.
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,093
    Richard Clark is not only that, but an immensely talented musician and minister who is gifted in the skills to offer those talents in a way that both serves the liturgy and engages the faithful to increase their sanctification.

    (.)

    Boston Catholicism in general does still suffer from the residue of Irish-American liturgical minimalism. Richard Clark's parish does not, but funerals at any parish in a highly mobile area typically draw less from the parish and more from farther afield than the typical Sunday liturgy.

    Thanked by 2melofluent CHGiffen
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,981
    For funerals in our place, family members who have left the church show up, remembering little or nothing about the liturgy. They don't seem to remember music, either. I haven't heard of hymns at weddings unless they were at communion time. Those are the only ones we do.
  • JulieCollJulieColl
    Posts: 2,465
    The most beautiful demonstration of a traditional requiem and burial service I've ever seen is this video of the funeral for a French FSSPX priest, L'Abbe Langneau. A diocesan bishop gave permission for his requiem and burial in a diocesan church:

    It's amazing to see an entire congregation singing the propers at a traditional Solemn Latin Requiem Mass and at the grave site:

    http://laportelatine.org/mediatheque/videotheque/laus_lagneau_130512/funerailles_abbe_lagneau_dcd_130517.php

    One doesn't normally associate "joy" with funeral liturgies, but there is a subdued kind of joy exhibited here; the Church's ancient chants provide catharsis and healing.
    Thanked by 2M. Jackson Osborn CHGiffen
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    A church secretary explained this problem quite simply as, "They are not sitting where they usually sit, standing, kneeling, sitting and responding as people in front and around them do. Now they are up front and bewildered, without leadership."

    And as CharlesW said, too.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    Yes. Servers and cantors particularly need to give a good example of correct lay posture to offset the tendency toward confusion.

    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,415
    Yes. Servers and cantors...need...

    I can't resist getting this in yet again............
    Choirs, too, should give the perfect example of comportment for all.
    Another reason that they belong up front... in choir.... not in galleries or shunted to the side where they can (and do) forget where they are and what they are there for.
    (Now, back to funerial song....)
    Thanked by 3CHGiffen a_f_hawkins melofluent
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