Father Joseph Illo, pastor of Star of the Sea parish in San Francisco, gave an 11-minute homily on Sunday, March 22.
When I came in, you were singing “Forty Days and Forty Nights,” but most of you were not singing, Catholics don’t sing. We don’t have to sing the hymns, but it’s so good for us. At least pick up the hymnal and follow along.
All the statues in the church are covered with purple. The readings from now through Easter are of Jesus on the run. Passion-tide. So as Jesus is in hiding, we cover the statues until he is out in open on Easter.
Lazarus is in fourth day after death, putrid. Death conceals life, but also reveals life. I have been to people’s deathbeds where people come back to life to receive the last sacraments. Martha tries to tell Jesus what to do. Jesus weeps. Lazarus became powerful witness of God’s power over death.
Give us some actual hymns to sing.
I think it is especially sad, when Catholic children grow up never learning beautiful, traditional, theologically-correct, authentic Catholic hymns, like “Immaculate Mary,” “Hail Holy Queen Enthroned Above,” “Holy God, We Praise Thy Name,” “O Sacrament Most Holy,” “Come, Holy Ghost,” the “Pange Lingua,” or Marian antiphons like the “Salve Regina.” Etc. A great, holy, beautiful treasure is nearly lost– and must hopefully be revived.
Might I offer the good padre a clarifier? Did he mean Roman Catholics? In most Eastern Catholic Churches, we have no organs or any other musical instruments. The entire liturgy (with the exception of the homily and one prayer) is sung or chanted. Almost all in our congregations participate. If they didn’t, it’d be, well, it wouldn’t be what a Divine Liturgy should be. The Second Vatican Council calls for the “full, active participation” of the lay faithful. Our people have been singing (even when Slavonic was the vernacular a thousand years ago) since the beginning. And, frankly, I’m confident Roman Catholics can sing. I’ve experienced it. When well led, I believe most of God’s faithful people want to sing in praise of our God.
Your church is blessed with holy Byzantine Chant— composed by devout, holy monks in ancient times, purely for the Divine Liturgy. It is holy church music– not secular and worldly in character. It is oriented to worship of God– not centered on modern man and his personal feelings and experiences, sung in a personal, secular style, similar to secular entertainments. The Holy Mass and Divine Liturgy are official Church liturgies, requiring sacred music that is very holy and theologically suited to it. Ancient liturgies were always sung or chanted by the priest or prelate, in the Latin Rite Church. Spoken words were considered too vulgar and crass for liturgical use in church. In the Mass, most of the Canon of the Mass was done in a quiet whisper, and the Consecration of the bread and wine was done in a very quiet, inaudible whisper– extrenely holy, before God–creating a veil of sacred reverence at this holy moment. A choir would typically sing their parts separately, while the priest was at the altar.
I have been playing at Mass since 1978, and in that time have noticed that many compositions in the OCP hymnal are too hard for most people to sing. There is one parish, however, that solved the “Catholics don’t sing” problem. Once or twice a month I play in San Dimas on Saturday night with Trevor Thompson, Steven Gunther and choir. That parish sings! Trevor repeats songs enough so that the congregation gets to know them. That repetition limits the number of new songs sung and in exchange the ones chosen are better known. Words are projected onto the walls next to the sanctuary and any new songs are rehearsed before hand. Trevor’s leadership, it must be said, makes the difference. He is affable, engaging and genunely spiritual and relates beautifully with the assembly and with the priests of the parish. It is an uplifting experience for this tired 75 year old musician–I so look forward to the trip out to San Dimas.
I know which parish you’re talking about. It’s a fake Catholic parish. They have “celebrations of life” instead of funeral Masses. Trevor’s music is terrible, and he’s not a good musician. If guess if you like a lounge act instead of Mass that’s the parish for you.
So they sing like an Evangelical protestant community would sing praise and worship music. That’s not the music that should be sung at Mass.
The point is not to get Catholics to sing, the point is to have music suitable for the Mass sung at Mass, and Vatican 2 taught that music is Gregorian Chant. Every Catholic parish should be singing mostly Gregorian Chant at Mass, not the OCP music that your post lauds.
“I know,” well, you certainly are certain about your judgements. So, who made you the guy to determine which Catholic parishes are “fake?” Can you admit to a mistake or do you think yourself infallible? The Second Vatican Council teaches that Gregorian chant has “pride of place,” not that it is the exclusive music for Mass. Did you know that? Your opinion of music is acceptable (I too dislike OCP music), but your arrogance and judgmentalism are a problem. Do you want to persuade others or just spout off your supposed superior knowledge and piety?
Judge for yourself, Yuno: check out some of the parish’s videos of Masses and funerals, and pay close attention to the music and the music director:
https://www.youtube.com/@HNMParish/streams
For a specific example, look at this video of their Good Friday liturgy last year: they changed the order of service, which they are not allowed to do, putting Communion before the adoration of the Cross so that people could leave individually after adoring the Cross:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNV7jCGViF0
It’s the sort of parish that distributes ashes at the same time as Communion on Ash Wednesday for the sake of efficiency rather than doing them separate, as the Roman Missal specifies. It’s the sort of parish that toys with the liturgy, adding experimental things for therapeutic and emotional effect rather than celebrating the mysteries of faith properly and with dignity according to the rubrics.
Fake Catholic parish. It’s high time that we started calling things what they are. Being timid has led to a pope who bowed down to pachamama and a RECongress that has gay colored banners at Mass. Stop tolerating fake Catholicism.
Best to avoid unnecessary, rude public personal comments– and focus on concerns regarding a priest, prelate or Church employee or volunteer, who has done something immoral, or very cruel to others, or totally against Church teachings. You want to always protect your family and children at church– and warn others about any wrongdoings or dangers. But try to understand, the post-Conciliar Church and its Novus Ordo Masses, have much confusion, can vary widely in each church, and are often very secular in character. There is nothing you can do about that. Just go to the parish of your choice– and be at peace. I watched part of the “Stations of the Cross” video which you provided the link for– and thought it was beautifully and professionally done– with the traditional text (my favorite) written by St. Alphonsus Liguori.
Catholics do sing. I’ve heard them.
If so, it was probably “Eagle’s Wings”!
Southcoast, my 96-year-old mother wanted On Eagle’s Wings at her funeral Mass. So, it was. It’s not my preferred choice, but it’s not a matter of dogma. It beats “Danny Boy.” (That said, while Danny Boy would be a bad choice, it’s better than the popular Sinatra song “My Way,” often sung at funerals. “My Way” is the geezer version of “Highway to Hell.”)
The few people who sing in my church are very good singers, as good or better than the choir. I this may discourage others. I can’t sing ‘Happy Birthday,’ so I am not going to sing a hymn. And how many people can read music? I can’t. Music is cool, but get a bigger choir or get better microphones for the existing choir to have singing more of a thing.
In the early 1970s, I had a friend who said her father, a Colonel in the Army, had become very disgusted with Vatican II, because the priest asked his congregation to burst into singing “Happy Birthday, Baby Jesus” at the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass, accompanied by a very poor “hippie-style” guitar. No proper respect in church, anymore. He ended up being a disgusted, lapsed Catholic. Made me laugh! I also had several uncles, their sons (my cousins) and other men in my family— who all felt Vatican II and its Mass to be “emasculating,” insulting, humiliating and awful– a religious faith fallen way too disgustingly low. They, too, became lapsed Catholics, no longer proud of their Church. I knew of others, who felt their family money should no longer go to church tithes, to support a fallen Church, liberal and “wild,” disgusting beyond belief. They became lapsed Catholics, too. Tragic– but amusing, too.
A priest, who is acting in Christ’s place as our “alter Christus” at the altar of God– should be holy– and be a normal, “manly” man– in his work for God. Not an unconventional sort of “freak,” doing foolish and “freakish” things– repelling normal Catholic boys and men, causing them to lose interest.
Some of the foolish, freakish liturgical abuses of 1970s Novus Ordo Masses, included the Clown Mass, the Puppet Mass, the Gay Mass, the Folk Mass with inappropriate secular “pop music” from the Beatles, etc., as well as OCP “pop” religious songs, liturgical dance with scantily-clad college girls, and near-obscene dance moves of college-age girls and boys, the Charismatic or “Pentecostal” Mass with glossolalia gibberring– or “speaking in tongues”– of the priest and parishioners, and wild emotional displays and healings; ad libbing of the priest during the Canon of the Mass, use of inappropriate matter for the bread and wine— and a bunch of other horrible stuff. This kind of garbage turns away serious, devout Catholic men and boys, and totally discourages vocations to the priesthood.
If I started singing in Church, everyone would leave the Church.
But you want the immodestly dressed women to leave, so maybe you should start singing.
Sinner, no worries. First, real Catholics wouldn’t leave the Church. They’d probably just go to another Mass or not sit near you. Second, you should sing during Lent. It would help create a penitential atmosphere. And, you do make a point. Maybe you should just think the words in your head. You’re not under obligation sing. Or, you could join the choir or even cantor. I’ve heard some of them who can’t sing either.
“It’s a fake Catholic parish…Trevor’s music is terrible…” I consider the post by Yuno Itall March 24, 2026 at 7:24 pm as an adequate response. May I add: I have played with Trevor for a good 15 years and have seen the very positive impact he and his music have had in parishes. He is a most remarkable man of God, and a good friend.
The parish website home page has the banner slogan “All Are Welcome” as the first thing you read. Everyone knows what that means. The parish proudly describes itself as “progressive”. Everyone knows what that means too.
The parish ministries page includes as expected “LGBTQ+ Ministry” complete with the gay/transgender flag. The description of the ministry includes assertions such as, “God loves us all, just the way He made us, just the way we are.” and “You created us, in Your image, special, unique and perfect in every way.” and “No judgment, advice-giving, or persuasion.”
All facts, not made up. Verify for yourself:
https://www.hnmparish.org/
https://www.hnmparish.org/pride
Maybe you can’t judge a book by its cover but you can judge a parish by its liturgy and by its website.
So they sing there. Great. Wonderful. Wow. Look more closely. Not every parish that calls itself Catholic really is Catholic. There are fakes.
“There are fakes.” When I attend that parish I come to play music for Catholics who are alive, who love their priests and each other, and who are committed to prayer. I benefit from the beautiful inner life of the parish and I leave spiritually refreshed. As I said before, a lot of that has to do with Trevor’s leadership. So is this a fake parish? By no means. Is it a perfect parish? No it isn’t. Make of that what you will– I remain grateful every oportunity I have to play there.
It’s the kind of parish that would ordain women to the priesthood and host gay weddings if it could get away with it.
There is a difference between a Catholic parish of true faith and a social club.
The standards are so low in the post-conciliar church.
For any still on this thread: the parish I attend in San Dimas is having 44 baptisms this Easter Vigil. Fake parish? A tree is known by its fruits.
Every parish in the country is experiencing a surge in OCIA converts this year. Big whoop. The well-known fake gay parish in New York, St. Paul, that has a very prominent LGBTQ affirming ministry is initiating over 100 people this year. Fake fruit isn’t real fruit.
https://myemail.constantcontact.com/A-Busy-Lent-for-our-OCIA-Ministry.html?soid=1103685264260&aid=9GmdJKkDKfk
That’s the parish at which Fr. James Martin assisted with the Confirmation of a gay-married ABC news host several months ago, and the man’s sponsor was his civil husband. Very clearly a scandal.
Yessir, fake fruit there and in other places too.
There is a difference between quantity and quality, you know. Christ’s admonition is not about quantity, it’s about quality. Better to have a tree bearing a little good fruit than one bearing a lot of bad apples. Father Josef Ratzinger said towards the end of the 1950s that the Church was mostly baptized pagans, that there was very little genuine Catholic faith in the Church among the Church’s members.
I recall lots of comments on past articles about so-called Catholic colleges, universities, high schools being fake in their Catholic identity. Nobody objected. Why now when someone calls a parish fake are there objections? Maybe hits close to home this time whereas nobody has an attachment to the universities and schools that have been judged. I think we all need to realize that in the current age, the Church’s center does not hold and it’s anything goes in Catholicism. That means that claims to be Catholic and official Catholic affiliations don’t automatically mean genuine Catholicism. It’s like buyer beware: faithful beware.
There have always been a few liturgical problems in the 2,000+ years-old Church. But the Holy Mass used to be viewed very seriously, and performed with reverence. When the beautiful, holy old Latin Mass ended, our Pastor irritated me a little, by saying he was very happy, because now, he would no longer have to sing Gregorian Chant. He did not have a good singing voice. I heard a few other priests say the same thing. And I even heard then-Bishop Sheen say that, on TV. Plus, Sheen mispronounced some of his Church Latin– similar to bright military officers who couldn’t correctly say the English word, “nuclear”– they mispronounced it, saying “nuculer.” Anyway– love the holy Latin Tridentine Mass. If the priest can’t sing well– and if it bothers you– go to a nice Low Mass. It’s truly worth it.
Vatican II introduced significant shifts from traditional Catholic teaching– primarily in liturgy, religious freedom, basic ecclesiology and Church mission, and interfaith relations. Take a close and honest look at “Dignitatis Humanae,” “Nostra Aetate,” and “Lumen Gentium.” Then there is “Sacrosanctum Concilium,” the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy– which was traditional in its ideas — but this document was never put into practice. Look closely at the first three documents that I mentioned, and compare to the traditional teachings of the Catechism. There really are some serious inconsistencies, that might bother you… For me, it all started with concepts of “religious freedom” (of “Dignitatis Humanae”) and the ways it was actually implemented– “No,” I told our Vatican II-excited Pastor (in 1968)–we are NOT “free to choose according to our so-called “individual consciences.” We are called to be faithful to Christ. This is all wrong.”
You don’t have to “agree” with every little thing in Vatican II. Let Church leaders mess with all of that. Decide for yourself. If you truly believe in the teachings of the Catholic Faith in the Catechism– and practice it sincerely– nothing else matters. You’re doing better than some of the top Cardinals, then! And you can keep your thoughts to yourself. More Councils will be held, in the future. Plus–in 2028, we’ll have the final phase and implementation of the Synod on Synodality, in all parishes, worldwide– for a new, “Synodal Church.” We are also soon getting a new Catholic Bible and a new Lectionary and Liturgy of the Hours.
There were inconsistencies even when the Traditional Latin Mass was being used in the past. I was told by a Catholic priest before 1960 that I could not go to a cousin’s marriage in a Protestant service because his future bride was Catholic and not getting married in the Catholic Church. At the same event, a Catholic friend of my cousin was told by his Catholic priest that he could not only go to the wedding in the Protestant service but could also be the best man. That couple later got a divorce after having one daughter, and my cousin remarried. Such inconsistencies are confusing, especially to any children involved.
Can we all agree that Catholics should not be singing music at Mass composed by gay musicians?
I should not be singing at Mass.
Or liberals, or music for guitars, or music that sounds like Disney songs. That leaves very, very, very few worthy composers and songs. Stick to chant, which has been around for centuries and is the church’s real music for Mass.
No guitars at Mass.
:Can we all agree that Catholics should not be singing music at Mass composed by gay musicians?” I for one do not agree, I would rather judge the song on its merits, not those of its composer, unless the composer has engaged in felonious conduct. If the song is spiritually deep in the sense that it evokes a deeper love of our Lord, then I am for that song played on any instrument, guitar included, that aids in delivering that song to the congregation. My current favorite instrument is a 1969 Martin 12 string (D-35) which I play next to Trevor playing piano. After that the viola. If the music purely inspires, I would rather not know the sexual preference of the author.
I don’t think there’s anything all Cal Catholic readers would agree to agree upon.
Let’s try this: good is better than bad.
Let’s wait and see.
I’d wager someone will disagree and thumbs down that.
There are substantial claims that a very popular OCP composer who used to be a Jesuit priest is living in a homosexual relationship with another man and has done so for many years. My music director has blacklisted all of his songs. OCP is silent about his personal life, but assuredly they know. I think it has a bearing on whether his music should be sung at Mass. If a man is living a gravely immoral life contrary to Church teaching, to sing his music at Mass is tantamount to blasphemy. When the truth is made widely known — probably after he dies, especially if his “partner” eulogizes him — expect a sudden purge of all his music from Catholic hymnals like what happened to David Haas’ music.
This discussion about whether Catholics should sing the music of certain composers at Mass is one that needs to be had. I know some parishes still use the music of Audrey Assad even though she has become an atheist. I don’t think that’s right. Other composers have objectionable political or spiritual views. Why are we supporting them by buying their music for use at Mass? The artwork of Marko Rupnik has been taken down in churches. Music should follow the same principle.
Pray for Ms. Assad, her husband (from whom she is divorced) and their children. She has publicly acknowledged her mental health issues and pornography addiction. It’s tragic when anyone no longer follows Christ. And, yes, it seems to me as well that her songs should no longer be played in Catholic (or any Christian) churches. Pray that this lost daughter comes home and finds peace and reconciliation. And, may her children find the healing they need.
As for Rupnik, he should no longer be able to serve as a priest and he should face canonical punishment and criminal trial. Taking down his artwork is a very small first step. Pray for the women he abused. And, pray that Pope Leo deals with him swiftly.
While both of their stories are tragic, a wounded lost sinner is not as evil as a predator priest. And, neither are beyond redemption.
Why does it seem that so many gays want to make their living in the church? Why can’t they leave us alone?
It’s a soft feminine environment, dominated by women and not particularly masculine men. Not much masculinity, even of the healthy type.
There is a guy at a neighboring parish who gets lead around by his wife like he is a puppy.
No guitars? Well that leaves out “Silent Night” written by a Catholic Priest for guitar when his organ broke down before Christmas Eve. It also leaves out some much loved hymns and carols in the Ignatius Pew Missal, such as “What Child Is This” which was originally a English fold tune called “Greensleeves”, and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and “Love Divine All Love Excelling” by Charles Wesley, a lifetime Methodist. There is also at least one hymn in that missal by Martin Luther, perhaps written before he left the Church. I agree that some hymns are heretical and written by very shady characters and should be ridden, but be careful or we will have nothing left to sing.
Correction to the third line in my last post:” English folk tune” not “English fold tune”.
Regarding RCIA corversions, boy do I have a story. I was a teacher at Archbishop Mitty High School. One of the religion teachers wasn’t Catholic but she became Catholic through RCIA while working there as a teacher. Well, that teacher subsequently left the Church, got divorced and remarried, and is now a professional sex worker who publishes and blogs about sex work besides actually doing the deed. So much for RCIA fruit. Maybe fruitcake.
We had a female RE teacher where I worked who told anyone within earshot that she wanted to be a priest, and that God is most likely female. She would sit at the conference table during staff meetings and rant about how much she hated Pope Benedict. She was reprimanded by the pastor but that was that. I’m sure her RE students were turned inside out by her.
The Church is such a mess. Being or self-labeling as “Catholic” doesn’t mean anything identifiable anymore. It’s the church of anything goes. Which also means it’s the church of nothing. If anything and anyone can be Catholic without true conversion or standards, then the faith and the church don’t mean anything.