Media/Arts

Oct. 5, 2006

Life Teen musicians help teens tune in to Mass

By Ambria Hammel
The Catholic Sun

From the gathering hymn to the closing song, the weekend liturgy is filled with music. At Life Teen Masses, it is the equipment and youthful spirits that often amplify the worship experience.

Yet many parish musicians are wary that the vibrant sounds aren’t the only things young followers gain from going to church. Musicians and priests from Life Teen parishes across the world gathered in Phoenix for a three-day conference addressing how their roles support each other when offering a teen liturgy.

“We’re not imposing anything on priests. We’re collaborating with them. We’re partnering with them,” said Curtis Stephan, music director of St. Ann Parish in Texas and presenter at the Sept. 17-19 conference.

He discussed the role musicians play at Mass during his “Liturgize It” workshop. Stephan and other speakers agreed the best way to reach any congregation, especially teens, is to reach out to them in their language.

“Evangelization is to renew the culture,” said Robert Feduccia, general manager of spiritandsong.com, a Web site focused on contemporary Catholic music.

“That’s why we bring the culture to the Mass,” he added.

Feduccia led the “Dynamic Orthodoxy” workshop that focused on ways to promote proper worship and draw teens into the faith community. He advised Life Teen choir members play “music that sounds like their music.”

“If it’s similar music to what they hear Monday through Saturday, it helps them to not leave God at church,” said Matt Ficarra, music director at St. Rose Philippine Duchesne in Anthem.

According to Lifeteen.com, teenagers listen to six hours of music each day and are used to high-quality music.

The choir at a Life Teen Mass often plays to the same standard and sounds more like a band. Drums, an electric guitar, bass and sometimes woodwind, string and brass instruments add richness to the youth-focused celebration.

“That doesn’t destroy the sacredness of the liturgy. It allows people to fully participate,” said Randy Raus, Life Teen president. It can bring greater awareness and meaning to every part of the Mass, he said.

“The music is always serving the pastor,” said Matt Maher, associate music minister at St. Timothy Parish in Mesa. “Your end goal is full, conscious and active participation.”

Maher shared his message with other musicians as he led various sessions and workshops at the conference.

Several speakers advised the musicians to work with their pastors to select songs that complement the readings. This helps musicians ensure that when they play the song, the prayer behind it is clear to the teens.

“I don’t want to perform at Mass. I want to pray,” Maher said. “And I want the parishioners to pray with me.”

Stephan called the music ministers “vessels” that speak to the people present for worship. He encouraged the music ministers to imagine a teen in the congregation who is considering suicide and another suffering abuse.

“All of those prayers are gathered into one and we are here as musicians to try to bring God’s grace into those places in their lives,” Stephan said.

Parish musicians regularly get e-mails and personal feedback from teens after Mass about how a particular song helped them or reached out to them.

“My prayer is that people just walk away going, ‘Gosh, that Mass was everything it was supposed to be. I don’t even remember who was singing, I just remember that God was reaching out to me at the moment,’” Maher said.

Ambria Hammel/CATHOLIC SUN

Dennis Keller leads prayer during a conference for Life Teen ministers. The St. Timothy Parish musician said it’s important to pray, not play the music.