Tim Gillett (Letters, 20 May) provokes a weary sigh of recognition, as he describes an all-too-common experience of congregations no longer singing. Some would say Catholics lost their voices quite some time ago. However, he is not being very fair on the parish he criticises. The church may well have been packed, but First Communicants bring along family and friends who are not regular church-goers and may not be Catholics at all, so are unlikely to know many of the hymns.

There is a deeper problem, however, and a few questions suggest themselves. What was the congregation called upon to sing on this occasion: just a four-hymn sandwich, or the Ordinary of the Mass? Were the hymn choices inspiring for adults to sing (i.e. not “If I were a butterfly” )? Was there a competent organist/keyboard player/instrumental group to lead the music confidently? Did anyone attempt to rehearse the congregation briefly before Mass and explain what they should sing?