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<\/a><\/div>\nAs I\u2019ve written previously<\/a>, Saturday morning men\u2019s group can be a trial, especially when we argue dogma. But this week, Jonathan, the smartest, best-read person in the group, talked about Catholic hymnody, and I got answers to some questions\u2014like why our hymnals are not written in four-part harmony and why Catholics don\u2019t end hymns with \u201cAmen.\u201d <\/p>\n These questions have plagued me since becoming a Catholic because if there\u2019s one thing I remember from Episcopal church-going circa age 13, it\u2019s singing the Protestant hymnal alongside my dad<\/a>, and if there\u2019s one thing I miss since converting, it\u2019s singing the Protestant hymmal (though singing alongside Dad is no longer an option).<\/p>\n Especially I remember learning to read music and taking a stab at the bass line on Protestant power hymns like \u201cA Mighty Fortress is Our God\u201d and \u201cO God, Our Help in Ages Past.\u201d When I got lost\u2014usually because I could not split my attention between the harmony and the relatively unknown verses 3-4-5-6\u2014I always knew that I could really slam the old Amen at the end.<\/p>\n