We call it "The Church of the Living Choir" because, as you said, they'll sing at the drop of a hat! And they act so dramatic, like they're in a production of "Phantom of the Opera"! It's like the whole mass is about them....Father can't talk till they cease.....so, if the song has 7 verses, and the organgrinder likes it.....!
The thing that finally convinced me I was in the wrong church was when I noticed that Christ is not in our church anymore. Yes, there is a cross. But, instead of a statue of Jesus, there is now a piece of fabric draped. There is a statue of a saint in the lobby (yes, I know the entrance to a church is a vestibule, but if the church looks like a conference room at the local Holiday Inn, the entrance is a lobby), and one stained glass window. At Christmas, the creche scene is parked in the back of the church....almost like they don't want to offend anyone with the blantant religiousness of a manger scene. I don't know, maybe they think one of the parishoners will call the ACLU??
I think all these changes are to make the church more catholic (small c, indicates inclusiveness) and thus get Protestants to join. Gotta be the money....
As for me, I figure God doesn't like it when I go to mass and spend the whole time kevchting about the whole thing. So I don't.
If you're Catholic, I'd think you'd want to be there to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus, and just ignore the silliness.
Before we had kids, we went to a 7:30 evening Mass at our parish. After a long time away from that Mass, we went again recently. Never again. The choir is nothing but competing singers trying to be louder than the others. And they "practice" before Mass while parishoners are trying to pray. Their practice sessions include a drummer even. Very disturbing.