Posted on 07/24/2005 12:14:02 PM PDT by NYer
Working Paper Suggests Return to More Prayerful Hymns
VATICAN CITY, JULY 22, 2005 (Zenit.org).- The working paper of the next Synod of Bishops suggests that "songs used at present" in the liturgy should "be reconsidered."
The proposal appears in No. 60 of the working document for the assembly of bishops from all over the world, which will be held Oct. 2-23 in Rome, on the theme "The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church."
Based on responses from dioceses, religious and the laity to a questionnaire, the text acknowledges in No. 61 that "to enter into sacred or religious usage, instrumental or vocal music is to have a sense of prayer, dignity and beauty."
In the liturgy, music must have "integrity of form, expressing true artistry, corresponding to the various rites and capable of adaptation to the legitimate demands of inculturation, … without detracting from the idea of universality," the document states.
The working paper, published July 7, outlines the topics that the bishops will discuss during the assembly.
In connection with the question of liturgical singing, the paper states that "musicians and poets should be encouraged to compose new hymns, according to liturgical standards, which contain authentic catechetical teaching on the paschal mystery, Sunday and the Eucharist."
Gregorian chant
In particular, the document suggests the rediscovery of Gregorian chant, as it "fulfills these needs" and, therefore, can "serve as a model," quoting Pope John Paul II.
In No. 61, the text states that in the responses to the questionnaire with which they concluded the synod's first preparatory text, "some lamented the poor quality of translations of liturgical texts and many musical texts in current languages, maintaining that they lacked beauty and were sometimes theologically unclear, thereby contributing to a weakening of Church teaching and to a misunderstanding of prayer."
The paper refers in particular to youth Masses, stressing the need "to avoid musical forms which, because of their profane use, are not conducive to prayer."
"Some responses," it adds, "note a certain eagerness in composing new songs, to the point of almost yielding to a consumer mentality, showing little concern for the quality of the music and text, and easily overlooking the artistic patrimony which has been theologically and musically effective in the Church's liturgy."
But it wouldn't necessarily be a harmful thing. I heard somewhere that John Rutter is not a believer, but he writes fine church music nonetheless. (Of course, he's in the Anglican/Episcopal loop, so I suppose nobody CARES if he believes or not . . . )
One of the ECUSA priests in my former parish was an ex-Jesuit. He's a nut, but AFAIK he's not gay and married a woman after he left the church.
ping
As to:-
"If we are going to agonize about the "right" music, then I want no part of this church."
If you're prepared to abondon your faith over such an isssue, perhaps you should have a re-think as to why you are Catholic at all.
The text is straight out of scripture, so that must not be the objection. Actually, as a solo piece without singing it's not too bad. But the intervals are rather hard to reach for most people to sing.
That would mean new hymnals. Yea!
Yesterday, the recessional was "To Jesus Christ Our Sovereign King" and we found out that it's not in our hymnal. That's pathetic.
Chants are a lot easier to sing than the other stuff and they sound more heavenly, too. 25+ years of participation in choirs and choruses and there hasn't been anything outside of Mozart's "Ave Verus Corpus" as deeply spiritually moving as a cappella Gregorian chant.
Now if we could just get rid of it here in St. Louis. During some seasons we get beautiful stuff and then poof! it's gone.
If it sounds like Brittany Spears, girls are going to come dressed like Brittany Spears...
On what planet? Aside from the Requiem, the rest of it sounds really Broadway.
And I haven't seen a guitar in church since 1974! LOL!
Okay, I'll switch.
I'll grant you, "For the Beauty of the Earth" is pure Broadway. I think he's gotten careless about publishing less than his best work, since he got popular.
"To Jesus Christ Our Sovereign King" was our recessional hymn yesterday, too.
At least you HAVE hymnals. We're stuck with that missalette with the melody line only. Bah! (Of course, when you are singing old standards like that, I know the alto line by heart anyhow, or can improvise a German-sounding one.)
Maybe the St. Louis Jesuits cast a spell before they ran off to marry their boyfriends.
It is very uneven everywhere, though. Sometimes it's two steps forward and one step backwards, and sometimes the reverse.
Abandon the "folk music" mass!!
ROTFLMAO!!! I am laughing so hard I have to wipe away the tears! =)
Can Lutherans join this Society? I like "Gather Us In," but most of the arrangements are sappy.
In retrospect, I think the reason we didn't leave the loony lib Episcopal Church for years and years was the extremely high quality of music in our parish. . . . coupled with the reputation of the Catholics for having lousy music. As it turns out, after we bit the bullet and made the change, our new parish got a new music director who is a genius and has put in VERY high quality music - lots of chant and Renaissance polyphony - good stuff.
They could have saved a couple of bucks and just checked in with us!
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