Silence modern music in church, says Pope

The (London) Telegraph ^ | June 27, 2006 | Malcolm Moore

[Ebenezer]

"Cardinal Carlo Furno, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, said it was 'better to have guitars on the altar and rock and roll Masses than empty churches'. The use of modern music was a 'sign of the vitality of the faith'."

I beg to differ with His Eminence. Churches that restore tradition to their liturgy and sacred music are the ones that attract faithful and show much vitality.

[Ebenezer]

ping

[ConorMacNessa]

The moore I see of this Pope, the more I like him.

[ConorMacNessa]

The moore I see of this Pope, the more I like him.

[Ebenezer]

"The argument is part of a wider debate about the Latin Mass, restricted in the Vatican II reforms of the 1960s because it was seen to be putting worshippers off going to Church."

If the Council Fathers thought translating the Mass to vernacular tongues would bring more people to church, their well-intentioned efforts backfired, at least in the United States.

[mikemach5]

I will have to respectively disagree with His Holiness on this one. We have a "youth orented" mass on Sunday afternoons that uses guitars, drums, piano/keyboards, and singing. It is vibrant, uplifting, and inspirational (not to mention packed). Contrast with the traditional mass I went to this past week-end (which was still rather full) which played 3 of the 4 songs from my Father's funeral from this past March and my Mother's funeral from 3 and a half years ago. I was bawling my eyes out by the presentation of the gifts and had to leave at the recessional. Call me weak, but I would rather not relive the funerals of my parents every Sunday.

Not only that, but my girlfriend and I really look forward to the youth Mass, partially because of the music, partially because the priest is really good.

[Convert from ECUSA]

"The Pope has demanded an end to electric guitars and modern music in church and a return to traditional choirs. "

Amen, right on and yeeeeeeeeeeeeee-haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Ping!

[livius]

Sheese. The good Cardinal has just provided the very recipe for empty churches: "guitars on the altar and rock and roll Masses." Or maybe he hasn't noticed what has happened over the last 40 years.

[Ebenezer]

The latest issue of the newsletter of the Latin Liturgy Association (http://www.latinliturgy.com) features two book reviews which were originally published in "Extension" magazine back in the 1960s when the modernization of church music began. One of these books discusses a Bossa Nova Mass!

I guess that would make sense if Sergio Mendes were your parish's music director (or is it music minister?).

[NYer]

Catholic Ping - Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[Aquinasfan]

and in the United States the Electric Prunes produced a "psychedelic" album called Mass in F Minor.

What, in 1969? What the?

[the invisib1e hand]

you know, you can listen to electric guitars anywhere. That's not what Mass is about. And there really is no such thing as "Youth Mass." There is only Mass.

[DJ MacWoW]

and that medieval church music, with the liturgy, creates the correct ambience for perceiving God's mystery.

1Ch 15:16 David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers to sing joyful songs, accompanied by musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.

Psalm 100:1 & 2 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness: come before him with joyful songs.

[TheCrusader]

"The moore I see of this Pope, the more I like him."

Same here, he seems very traditional. The way he's going he just might bring back the "Catholic" into the Catholic Church. Gob bless him.

[Brad C.]

I am not Catholic, but I occasionally attend mass with my wife. Nor do I understand much Latin, but I have a collection of Gregorian Chants that I love to listen to.

Hearing the Local Priest attempt to sing the English versions during mass makes me wish I had stayed home. I like the fact that in Latin, they sound so powerful, like the God they praise.

[mikemach5]

you know, you can listen to electric guitars anywhere. That's not what Mass is about. And there really is no such thing as "Youth Mass." There is only Mass.

Well excuse me. I guess I'm just not good enough for your Church.

[TheCrusader]

"1Ch 15:16 David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers to sing joyful songs, accompanied by musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals"

Different times, different religion. David wasn't "proclaiming the death of the Lord until He comes again". (I Corinthians 11:26) The Mass is a solemn sacrifice, and so the Psalms are chanted sweetly and piously.

Guitars and drums are not only inappropriate to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, they are an insult to it.

[bornacatholic]

But Cardinal Carlo Furno, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, said it was "better to have guitars on the altar and rock and roll Masses than empty churches". The use of modern music was a "sign of the vitality of the faith".

*The Pope should do to his guitar what John Belushi did to the folk singer's guitar in Animal House.

[Desdemona]

My prediction: His Holiness will be ignored as usual.