Q: I am a cantor at a local church. They regularly play military anthems on the PA before Mass and applaud them. This week they plan to play and sing patriotic songs during Mass. Is it ok for cantors to lead the congregation in this way during Mass? I pray for our troops, just not sure if this is right.
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A: The playing of pre-recorded music is not approved, except for Masses with Children, as I point out in Let Us Pray.
As I showed in a recent post, https://paulturner.org/music-at-a-funeral/, music at Mass should be “sacred music.” Having said that, some patriotic songs are hymns to God, giving thanks for the blessing of the country and praying for it. Those are fine. But hymns that praise the country in place of praising God are outside the proper vision of music for the Catholic Mass.