Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
From Worship Leader to Liturgical Reformer: Why I Stopped Singing at Mass
Support the channel by visiting: brianholdsworth.ca/help
For years, I led what we called a “choir” at Mass—though in reality, it was a band, and I was its frontman. In this video, I reflect on my time as a music leader and why I stepped away after discovering what the Church actually teaches about sacred music, the liturgy, and worship.
🎵 It’s not about performance… or is it?
🙏 The Mass isn’t our playground for musical creativity. It’s a unified act of worship owed to God, and tampering with that—no matter how well-intentioned—has serious consequences.
00:00 – My history as a “worship leader”
01:02 – How stepping back revealed something jarring
01:23 – Replacing the mass parts with songs
03:40 – A powerful warfront clip: Mass under artillery fire
04:25 – The unity and dignity of the liturgy
07:03 – Misplaced applause and the problem of “worship leaders”
09:47 – A call for reform: restore focus on the altar, not the musicians
Music written and generously provided by Paul Jernberg. Find out more about his work as a composer here: pauljernberg.com
Podcast Version: brianholdsworth.libsyn.com
From Worship Leader to Liturgical Reformer: Why I Stopped Singing at Mass
Support the channel by visiting: brianholdsworth.ca/help
For years, I led what we called a “choir” at Mass—though in reality, it was a band, and I was its frontman. In this video, I reflect on my time as a music leader and why I stepped away after discovering what the Church actually teaches about sacred music, the liturgy, and worship.
🎵 It’s not about performance… or is it?
🙏 The Mass isn’t our playground for musical creativity. It’s a unified act of worship owed to God, and tampering with that—no matter how well-intentioned—has serious consequences.
00:00 – My history as a “worship leader”
01:02 – How stepping back revealed something jarring
01:23 – Replacing the mass parts with songs
03:40 – A powerful warfront clip: Mass under artillery fire
04:25 – The unity and dignity of the liturgy
07:03 – Misplaced applause and the problem of “worship leaders”
09:47 – A call for reform: restore focus on the altar, not the musicians
Music written and generously provided by Paul Jernberg. Find out more about his work as a composer here: pauljernberg.com
Podcast Version: brianholdsworth.libsyn.com
