Bishops to Vote on Norms for Hymns at Mass

USCCB ^ | October 18, 2006

[NYer]

WASHINGTON (October 18, 2006) — The U.S. bishops will vote to establish norms for hymns at Mass during their annual November meeting in Baltimore, November 13-16.

The new norms, which will require a two-thirds vote by the bishops and subsequent recognitio by the Holy See, are to ensure that liturgical songs will be doctrinally correct, based in the scriptural and liturgical texts and relatively fixed.

The norms are part of a new “Directory for Music and the Liturgy for Use in the Dioceses in the United States of America.” The directory responds to a recommendation of Liturgiam authenticam, the fifth Vatican instruction on correct implementation of liturgical renewal called for by the Second Vatican Council.

Specific norms state that

1. The approval of liturgical songs is reserved to the Diocesan Bishop in whose diocese an individual song is published. He is supported in his work by this directory and by the USCCB Secretariat on the Liturgy.

2. The Diocesan Bishop is assisted in his review of individual texts through the formation of a committee for the review of liturgical songs consisting of theologians, liturgists, and musicians. The committee shall assure that each text is suitable for liturgical use based on the principles articulated in this directory.

3. Within three years, the Committee on the Liturgy will formulate a Common Repertoire of Liturgical Songs for use in all places where the Roman liturgy is celebrated in the United States of America. While songs outside the core repertoire may also be used in the Liturgy, this core repertoire will be included in all worship aids used in the dioceses of the United States of America.

The directory is to serve not so much as a list of approved and unapproved songs as a process by which bishops might regulate the quality of the text of songs composed for use in the liturgy.

According to the proposed directory, theological adequacy may be judged in two ways:

• Individual songs should be consonant with Catholic teaching and free from doctrinal error

• The repertoire of liturgical songs in any given place should reflect a balanced approach to Catholic theological elements.

The directory warns of doctrinal compromise. For example, it notes:

• Liturgical songs must never be permitted to make statements about the faith which are untrue

• The doctrine of the Trinity should never be compromised through the consistent replacement of masculine pronominal references to the three Divine persons

• Any emphasis on the work of the members of the Church should always be balanced by an appreciation of the doctrine of grace and our complete dependence of the grace of God to accomplish anything

• The elimination of archaic language should never alter the meaning and essential theological structure of a venerable liturgical song.

The document also emphasizes that care should be taken that hymns and songs should take their inspiration and vocabulary chiefly from the Scripture and Liturgy.

The document said that the large number of liturgical songs that exist in the United States have benefited the liturgy, but also said that “a certain stable core of liturgical songs might well serve as exemplary and stabilizing factor.”

More information on the November meeting can be found at www.usccb.org.

[SoothingDave]

Disdained. To treat with contempt.

[rogator]

"The OCP is humongous and its reach deep into the Novus Ordo."

You can bet that OCP "experts" will be there to "help" the bishops establish their new norms.

[mockingbyrd]

BARF

[Bigg Red]

One more: how about nixing the "let's hold hands during the Lord's Prayer?" What's so Christian about holding hands with a runny-nosed kid, and no access to the washroom for another 20 minutes?

&&
I hear ya'! I was discussing this with another poster on another thread. I NEVER hold anyone's had during the Our Father. I just keep my hands together in prayer, and they get the message.

[Bigg Red]

I was not familiar with that bit of history. Thank you.

I have no confidence, however, that, given today's climate in the Church that such reverence could be accomplished.

[bornacatholic]

That saved a wretch..

*That, obviously, refers to Geraldine Ferraro and we shouldn't be engaged in politics at Mass

[It's me]

How about "All are Welcome"


Barf....

[Mrs. Don-o]

I'm not sure it was based on Calvinism, especially since the author, John Newton, was ultimately ordained an Anglican priest (the Church of England rejects Calvin's doctrine of "total depravity.").

It could have been based on St. Paul:

Romans 7:24
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?

[Jeff Chandler]

I could sing ... while banging pots and pans together...

Oh, so you've been to St. Mary's in Chandler, AZ?

[samiam1972]

"All are Welcome"


We sing this at least once a month at my parish. We had an Eastern Rite priest for awhile whom I loved and the choir rarely tried to sing songs like that. Unfortunately, he was replaced, and although I really do like the new priest, the choir gets away with singing this hippy-dippy garbage more often. I just don't sing and won't let the kids sing it either. I'm trying to get on the Liturgical committee in hopes of putting a stop to this stuff.

[Maeve]

That mp3 file is one of the most excreble recordings I have ever heard! Oh to wash out my ears!!!!!!!!!!

[Remole]

I've gotten so sick of modern hymns (e.g., the execrable "We Are the People of God") that I just hum my own words to the melody. Usually I put to the melody the phrase, "This song sucks, this song sucks, this song really, really sucks."

[Remole]

"All are Welcome." That's a good example of my practice of making up my own lyrics to the melody: "This song su-u-u-ucks, this song su-u-u-ucks, this song really, really sucks."

[samiam1972]

Oh that it so wonderful!!! I never thought of doing that! I'll be smiling every time they sing that song now. I sit on the front row so maybe one of them will be able to read my lips. :o)

[AlaninSA]

Good grief, that is my least favorite "hymn." It smacks of Mormon theology (IMHO). It has no place in a Catholic church.

[Cicero]

I'm with you. Martin Luther differed with the Catholic Church with his "sola fide."

But the Council of Trent clearly states that nothing can be accomplished by fallen humanity without prevenient grace. The idea that you can earn anything by merit that is not informed by grace falls into the Pelagian Heresy. There are certainly differences between Protestants and Catholics on matters of faith and grace, but I don't believe there is anything actually contrary to the faith in "Amazing Grace."

The same cannot be said of numerous 60s style Catholic hymns, unfortunately.