Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Pope to purge the Vatican of modern music
The Telegraph ^ | 21/11/2007 | Malcolm Moore

Posted on 11/23/2007 4:01:21 AM PST by Gamecock

The Pope is considering a dramatic overhaul of the Vatican in order to force a return to traditional sacred music.

After reintroducing the Latin Tridentine Mass, the Pope wants to widen the use of Gregorian chant and baroque sacred music.

In an address to the bishops and priests of St Peter's Basilica, he said that there needed to be "continuity with tradition" in their prayers and music.

He referred pointedly to "the time of St Gregory the Great", the pope who gave his name to Gregorian chant.

Gregorian chant has been reinstituted as the primary form of singing by the new choir director of St Peter's, Father Pierre Paul.

He has also broken with the tradition set up by John Paul II of having a rotating choir, drawn from churches all over the world, to sing Mass in St Peter's.

The Pope has recently replaced the director of pontifical liturgical celebrations, Archbishop Piero Marini, with a man closer to his heart, Mgr Guido Marini. It is now thought he may replace the head of the Sistine Chapel choir, Giuseppe Liberto.

The International Church Music Review recently criticised the choir, saying: "The singers wanted to overshout each other, they were frequently out of tune, the sound uneven, the conducting without any artistic power, the organ and organ playing like in a second-rank country parish church."

Mgr Valentin Miserachs Grau, the director of the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, which trains church musicians, said that there had been serious "deviations" in the performance of sacred music.

"How far we are from the true spirit of sacred music. How can we stand it that such a wave of inconsistent, arrogant and ridiculous profanities have so easily gained a stamp of approval in our celebrations?" he said.

He added that a pontifical office could correct the abuses, and would be "opportune". He said: "Due to general ignorance, especially in sectors of the clergy, there exists music which is devoid of sanctity, true art and universality."

Mgr Grau said that Gregorian chant was the "cardinal point" of liturgical music and that traditional music "should become again the living soul of the assembly".

The Pope favoured the idea of a watchdog for church music when he was the cardinal in charge of safeguarding Catholic doctrine.

He is known to be a strong supporter of Mgr Grau, who is also in charge of the Cappella Liberiana of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Theology; Worship
KEYWORDS: duplicate; gregorianchant; pope; vatican
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-49 next last
To: xzins
if he wants to play a Chicken Dance at a Calvinist Wedding

I don't know what happens at Methodist weddings, but the Chicken Dance is not part of the regulative principle.

21 posted on 11/23/2007 9:24:01 AM PST by Gamecock (Gamecock: Declared anathema by the Council of Trent!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock

There’s no alcohol at Methodist weddings.

Methodists are among those groups that really have no idea how to party.

It’s usually food, cake, presents, garter, good-bye.


22 posted on 11/23/2007 9:34:03 AM PST by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain. True Supporters of the Troops will pray for US to Win!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock; xzins
I don't know what happens at Methodist weddings, but the Chicken Dance is not part of the regulative principle

LOL. Nothing's perfect except Christ.

""When you believe in God, you've got to believe in the all-powerful God. He's not just God, He's the all-powerful God and He has total control over everyone's life...nothing else speaks to my heart. This doesn't speak to my intellect, it doesn't speak to my logic -- it speaks right to my heart and right to my soul, deeper than anything I've ever thought of. And I totally believe it." -- Alice Cooper

23 posted on 11/23/2007 9:52:25 AM PST by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock; xzins
The Pope favoured the idea of a watchdog for church music when he was the cardinal in charge of safeguarding Catholic doctrine.

No doubt a German Shepperd.

24 posted on 11/23/2007 9:55:04 AM PST by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock
Morten Lauridsen, O Magnum Mysterium
25 posted on 11/23/2007 9:55:10 AM PST by onedoug
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: xzins; Gamecock
There's no alcohol at Methodist weddings.

I didn't know that. Not even a glass of wine to toast the happy couple?

26 posted on 11/23/2007 9:56:34 AM PST by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Eckleburg
Psalm 40 suggests a time in which grace will replace karma, and replace the very strict laws of Moses (i.e. fulfill them). I love that thought. David, who committed some of the most selfish as well as selfless acts, was depending on it. That the scriptures are brim full of hustlers, murderers, cowards, adulterers and mercenaries used to shock me; now it is a source of great comfort."
The Reformed Theologian Bono

27 posted on 11/23/2007 9:58:38 AM PST by Gamecock (Gamecock: Declared anathema by the Council of Trent!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock

LOL. I’m not crazy about Bono’s music, but his reformed Northern Irish Protestant leanings are on target. (I bet he probably reads Ian Paisley.)


28 posted on 11/23/2007 10:02:12 AM PST by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Eckleburg
Like his music or not, these lyrics are right on:

One man come in the name of love
One man come and go
One man come here to justify

/cut/

One man betrayed with a kiss


29 posted on 11/23/2007 10:09:48 AM PST by Gamecock (Gamecock: Declared anathema by the Council of Trent!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Eckleburg; Gamecock

Not if they use the church social room.

The Methodists were the original temperance movement. While many of our people don’t subscribe to teetotaling anymore, they still don’t permit alcohol anywhere near the premises, and it still isn’t mentioned fondly.

Our communion liturgy goes out of its way to say, “the unfermented juice of the vine.”

(I said that once during church, and my now grown kids still laugh hysterically at me over it. They’ll mimic: “unfermented juice of the bwahhahahahhahahhah!” They’re merciless. :>)


30 posted on 11/23/2007 10:27:11 AM PST by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain. True Supporters of the Troops will pray for US to Win!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock
Let’s not forget about the 80% of American Catholics who disagree with the Pope on birth control.

And that 80% is still wrong. The Church never was a democracy (and if it were we would be Arians).

31 posted on 11/23/2007 11:31:41 AM PST by GCC Catholic (Sour grapes make terrible whine.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Greg F
When you freeze music for 100’s of years though, in my opinion, it becomes at best an acquired taste and at worst a form of worship that no longer leads to actual worship but just rote repetition . . .

Music during Mass is suppose to bring you outside the world not place you at a "bar" or "social dance." That being said I think there is a place for praise and worship music but it ought not to be during Mass. Lots of so called modern songs (motets), have been written that are worthy for Mass and in English if that is the Language of your choice.

The reality, sadly, is that you should have no problem finding a Mass to suit your musical and language tastes while those who search for a better musical liturgy i.e., more than IV, V, I chords, will most likely have to travel great distances. It's about substance; hot dogs as opposed to prime rib. Nothing wrong with hot dogs at the ball game. Nothing wrong with praise and worship music (as long as the words are not heretical), and this music is a part of Benediction, prayer service, etc. It is popular piety and there is nothing wrong with popular piety in its place.

At Mass we should be offering to God our best. Praise and worship may be nice to listen to but it isn't the best. For instance, you could offer God Andy Warhol over Raphael, but why?

32 posted on 11/23/2007 12:12:31 PM PST by Diva
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Diva

Only Latin I still remember: De gustibus non est disputandum.


33 posted on 11/23/2007 12:28:05 PM PST by Greg F (Duncan Hunter is a good man.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock

Is Bono Christian?


34 posted on 11/23/2007 12:29:44 PM PST by Greg F (Duncan Hunter is a good man.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock

Amen.


35 posted on 11/23/2007 12:29:56 PM PST by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Greg F; Gamecock; xzins

Bono was raised in Northern Ireland in a Protestant household by a Protestant mother and an ex-Catholic father. He attended a local “ecumenical” school. I’ve read he considers himself to be a Protestant Christian.


36 posted on 11/23/2007 2:08:55 PM PST by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: Greg F

Protestants do not have a sacramental worship. Christ sung in a manner akin to the Gregorian Chant. It is sacred music appropriate ot the sacraments, for those who embark upon a sacramental worship. V’s wife.


37 posted on 11/23/2007 5:44:49 PM PST by ventana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Diva

I don’t really know what we’re referring to when we reference “praise music”. But I think Sing of Mary is a beautiful song. Is this to say that we shouldn’t sing O Come Emmanuel at Advent?


38 posted on 11/23/2007 9:01:53 PM PST by virgil
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: Diva; Petrosius

I’m afraid you’re not getting through, and perhaps you never will.

It’s as if someone brought a soccer ball to a basketball game. You try to explain that you enjoy soccer, but that a soccer ball is not appropriate to use in a basketball game. A basketball is appropriate for a basketball game, and a soccer ball is appropriate for a soccer game

Yet the person who brought the soccer ball keeps insisting that soccer balls are cooler and more fun than basketballs, and besides, they really don’t like or even understand basketball, so why don’t we kick the soccer ball around the basketball court and through the basket?


39 posted on 11/23/2007 10:22:56 PM PST by Jeff Chandler ("Liberals want to save the world for the children they aren't having." -Mark Steyn)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock
Let’s not forget about the 80% of American Catholics who disagree with the Pope on birth control.

Source?

40 posted on 11/24/2007 2:30:50 AM PST by A.A. Cunningham
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-49 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson