Posted on 03/08/2007 6:17:55 AM PST by NYer
The Pope tried to stop Bob Dylan playing for the late John Paul II because he feared the musician was a "prophet" whose beliefs were at odds with the Roman Catholic Church.
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In a new book of memoirs about his predecessor, Pope Benedict recalls the events of the World Eucharist Congress at Bologna in 1997, a gathering of 300,000 young Catholic pilgrims who were to be exposed to the singer's iconoclastic songs and their "completely different" message.
Pope Benedict wrote: "The Pope appeared tired, exhausted. At that very moment the stars arrived, Bob Dylan and others whose names I do not remember.
''They had a completely different message from the one which the Pope had.
"There was reason to be sceptical - I was, and in some ways I still am - over whether it was really right to allow this type of 'prophet' to appear."
Pope Benedict is known to have a strong dislike of popular music.
Last year, he cancelled the Vatican's Christmas fundraising concert and banned guitars from Mass.
Six years ago he labelled rock and pop music "anti-Christian".
At the event in Bologna, Dylan performed four songs, including Knockin' on Heaven's Door, A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall and Blowin' in the Wind.
A visibly frail John Paul gave a long sermon based on Blowin' in the Wind.
He told the young Catholics: "On the road of music this evening, Jesus met you. A representative of yours said on your behalf that the answer is blowing in the wind.
"Yes, it is true. On the wind there is the voice and breath of the Holy Spirit."
He added: "You asked me: how many roads must a man walk down before you can call him a man? I answer you: just one. One only. It is the road of a man. And this is Jesus Christ, who said 'I am the way'."
After his performance Dylan went to greet John Paul on the podium to roars from the crowd. The conference proved a great success and John Paul's popularity with young people rocketed.
Dylan became a born-again Christian in 1979 and released two albums of religious songs.
Pope Benedict's new book, John Paul II, my loved predecessor, is published by Edizione San Paulo and will be sold with Famiglia Cristiana, the Catholic newspaper, next week.
Another example of lame reporting by the media, but with some insight into JPII. One has to wonder who came up with the idea to invite Bob Dylan to perform at this Congress, in the first place.
>> and banned guitars from Mass.
Oh, thank God. I'd rather have tuba or a kazoo for that matter.
Yeah, it's not like Dylan has a lot of sway with younger people today. I remember when this happened, I was a freshman in college, and I thought, "Huh, Mom might be interested."
Really?
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan a mere 56 in 1997
If this is all true, I think it's kind of unfortunate that Benedict has lumped all popular music into the same "anti-Christian" boat. I don't think that serves him, or his point about that portion of popular music that is negative and harmful, well.
And, I know this is heresy here at FR, I actually think popular-sounding music at Mass for younger people enhances the experience if it is done well. (Meaning, basically, if it is NOT "Here I Am, Lord" which I could do without hearing ever again).
And, I know this is heresy here at FR, I actually think popular-sounding music at Mass for younger people enhances the experience if it is done well. (Meaning, basically, if it is NOT "Here I Am, Lord" which I could do without hearing ever again).
Lol ... you will find yourself at odds with many posters but I do understand your point. When a Mass is done right, without liturgical abuses, it will bear fruit. Thank you for the post and ping.
True, but I'd like to see a direct quote.
OTOH, it would be pretty easy to say off-hand that rap is bad, given the possibility that there is some rap out there that is inoffensive.
There is a group that does the Sunday evening Mass at a neighboring parish that does all that 70's music. It's like having a flashback whenever they're singing. LOL! SirKit and I met at a Liturgical Music workshop back in 1973, and that was the music we sang then.
I must agree with you, though. The guitar music, when done well, can enhance worship for young people, as much as a well done Gregorian Chant can do for some others. I like all kinds, from the LifeTeen rock to the gorgeous organ accompanied music from the Oxford Hymnal, to a contemplative chant.
The only music of which I've grown really tired is the St. Louis Jesuits and the Monks of Weston Priory, probably because they, as groups and individuals, seemed to have gone off the deep end and lost their Faith, in some instances. I can't listen to their music in the same way anymore. We noticed it in the late 80's with the Monks of Weston Priory. We were camping in VT with an old friend, and went to the Priory for Mass. It didn't 'feel' right, for some reason, and when Communion came, and they invited everyone to come to the Table, we knew things weren't right. Then, after Communion, during what should have been meditative time, the Monks got up and did what could only be described as a whirling dervish! After Mass, we wandered in the public area of the Priory and saw that they'd joined the philosohical ranks of Pax Christi; very anti-nuke, and in some cases with their posters and pamphlets, if not PRO-choice, then ambivalent, on abortion. Too bad, really, because I enjoyed some of their music.
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