I recently went to Mass at a parish (not in Alabama) and had an experience that brought some of my usual areas of focus into…sharper focus.
It was a large, growing, vibrant (as we say) parish. A strong counter-example to the claim that Oh, you know Novus Ordo parishes are shrinking, the only growing parishes are those that celebrate the TLM! Which anyone with any experience outside of their own bubble knows is not true, anyway.
Mass was in a temporary space–I assume a permanent church building is coming at some point—and held several hundred people. The priest celebrant was young and his approach more than hinted at a formation that emphasized respect for the liturgy as a given and not imposing one’s personality or preferences upon it–and the congregation. He was dignified and reserved, but not cold, he chanted. He prayed the Roman Canon.
But then…the music.
It was jarring, both stylistically and on a deeper level, which is the point of this post.
I’m not here to ding on contemporary liturgical musicians, who are mostly well-intentioned people of faith who are giving of themselves, formed in a particular style and approach that is presented to them as a given. As optimal, even. Looking to begin the Mass, what else would one do but sing “You are Welcome Here”? Well?
Here’s what struck me during and after this Mass, in a way that I’d never really thought about before. I thought about how the experience and understanding of faith is potentially affected by the replacement of the deep tradition of Catholic sacred music with contemporary material.
It’s not about “reverence” as it is about an experience of faith that reflects, not the deep Tradition that is expressed in Catholic sacred music, but the ideas of some guy who happen to write a piece that some company liked, bought and then sold this parish the rights to sing.
I’ve had this experience in other contexts: a context, for example, in which Catholics have gathered for a serious purpose and the prayer binding and forming us is coming out of the “heart” of the leader–who of course is going on–and I’m sitting there thinking, Why does the movement of the Spirit or whatever in this guy’s heart the framework for our experience here–why can’t we just pray the Liturgy of the Hours?
As I have written before, it is one more expression of the determination to see the Church’s deep tradition as a barrier, not a door or window. As an example of the conviction that our call is to express the unique Spirit in the present moment in our unique community–which almost always ends up being the expressions designed and controlled by a few. A liturgy that “reflects the local community,” for example, is going to be little more than a liturgy that really “reflects the tastes of the people in charge.”
By which the rest of us, then, are imprisoned. Personally, I’d rather have my liturgical formation consistently shaped by that deep, sprawling thing called Tradition than by that guy over there.
That is not to say that what we have in the tradition of Catholic sacred music was sent to us by God, unmediated by human uniqueness or historical contingencies. Of course it was. But over centuries, all of that was shaped and honed and directed–and pruned when necessary–to communicate the faith in powerful and beautiful ways.
Again, this is not to cast shade on anyone’s intentions–from the songwriters to the musicians. It’s also not to suggest that people in the pews don’t like this–they seem to and for sure would rebel at a change.
It’s not to say that praise-and-worship music doesn’t have a place in the Catholic musical universe. It does. (I guess.)
But simply to say, that as I sat there and considered, for example, all the children in the congregation–as well as the rest of us who are always and ever in formation, no matter how old we are–I thought–what a shame. Not because there’s some ideal of “Catholic sacred music” that’s not being heard or “Catholic identity”–but because of what is communicated through that tradition of Catholic sacred music–both the faith-related content itself and the experience of continuity with the Body of Christ through time and space–is just missing here.
Hidden. Denied, even, replaced by…what?
Again. What a shame.
(Editor’s note: This essay was posted originally, in slightly different form, at “Charlotte was Both” and is reposted here with kind permission of the author.)
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About “You are welcome here,” and “…the ideas of some guy [!] who happen to write a piece that some company liked…” Today, is the guy the Fernandez Factor with his mainstreaming of “irregular unions”?
Ran across the following piece about “irregular” stuff, from Cardinal Newman mimicking the false gurus over every age:
“We need not alarm ourselves,–that God is a merciful God,–that amendment is quite sufficient to atone for our offenses,–that though we have been irregular [!!!] in our youth, yet that is a thing gone by,–that we forget it, and therefore God forgets it,–that the world is, on the whole, very well disposed towards religion,–that we should avoid enthusiasm,–that we should not be over serious,–that we should have large views on the subject of human nature,–and that we should love all men. This indeed is the creed of shallow men in EVERY [italics] age” (John Henry Newman, “Parochial and Plain Sermons,” I, sermon 24; Ignatius Press, 1997, p. 204).
Another wonderful reflection by Amy Welborn.
I’m hoping that the Dark Vatican’s emphasis on Synodolatry will help solve this problem by taking suggestions for worship music from the congregation.
My request would be for vintage tunes of mega-spiritual impact, such as:
***
Some Enchanted Evening
They Call The Wind Mariah
I Can’t Help Myself
A Change Is Gonna Come
Everyone’s Gone To The Moon
I Couldn’t Live Without Your Love
City In The Sky
I’ve Got To Be Me
Try To Remember
The Windmills Of Your Mind
***
Really heavy and profound songs like that.
And I’m confident that my suggestions would be greeted enthusiastically because the Vatican is all about listening and accompanying and not judging.
Right?
I have to admit, since the first time I saw “Sister Act,” I love hearing “I Will Follow Him” on the radio and can only think of it as a devotional to Christ.
Actually, I enjoyed their rendition of “Hail Holy Queen”. I do think it is possible to somewhat modernize songs and have them still within the bounds of being respectful. Then get the opinion of the congregation about them. However I am not any fan of folk music, although I came of age in that era. It has nothing spiritual to offer me.
From what I’ve read about the composers of contemporary hymns they might not have all been well intentioned.
Sometimes bad art reveals bad character. At least great art and great music give us something valuable even if the creator is a terrible sinner. But our contemporary hymns can’t offer that.
Again, this is not to cast shade on anyone’s intentions–from the songwriters to the musicians.
I think casting a bit of shade now and then is necessary. The “local community” types are often more interested in a club than a parish, and you aren’t going to remove them from power without breaking some glass. In the end, it comes down to the fortitude of the pastor and how much glass he’s willing to break.
I’ve been learning about Tradition, and how it is passed on through the Monuments. A bit of an oversimplification, but Tradition is the actual Divine Revelation that God gave the Apostles, and the Monuments are those things which contain and reveal to us that Divine Revelation, seeing as the Apostles aren’t around to do it directly.
Included in the Monuments are the writings of the Church Fathers, the liturgical Rites of the Church, and the art and music and architecture of the Church. Some of that music counts twice, both as music AND as the writings of the Fathers.
When’s the last time you heard a hymn from one of the Church Fathers? How can we physically remove the sources of Tradition from the Church and expect to remain faithful to it in Faith and morals?
Regarding the comment by the author, “Praise and worship has its place…I guess,” I am reading tbe incredibly deep “Dynamics of the Liturgy,” on Ratzinger’s liturgical theology (Ignatius Press), and…although it is “nice” and “kind” to say to our fellow church-goers “Yes, your likes are important…” Ratzinger’s fatherly, gentle, yet almost fathomless, credible grasp of the applicable matters, said “…Through rythym and melody themselves…[some] music endeavors to elicit an ecstasy of the senses but without elevating the senses into the spirit; on the contrary, it attempts to swallow up the spirit in the senses as a means of [mere sensual] release,” (p. 87); this quote begins by him stating that (real) litugical music must be a taking up into The Spirit, implying a death and resurrection…
To follow Our Lord “into the depths,” we need to follow His chosen instruments, credible instruments. Ratzinger’s depths and credibility and trustworthiness are unparalleled.
He sees into the shallowness of the present-day practices and (almost non-) understandings, even of those of episcopal rank, and…ever points to The Lord, only to Him.
May our young shepherds-to-be follow his great saintly example.
To finish, I too have thought, at times, that “praise and worship might have it’s place.” But, reading more and more of a credible, authentic, bona-fide blessed guide and teacher, I do not believe this is the case.
I love almost every sort of music but I guess it comes down to the appropriate time & place.
We solved that problem by getting the Ignatius Press missalette. They hang on to a few non-offensive boomer favorites but most of the music is good. Do it. Kill the OCP. Problem solved.
Briney & Amy,
I’ve pondered this topic for decades now. And I must say that I was appalled when I first learned that our parishes are paying for the privilege of us singing this “SPIRIT OF Vatican II” music. My conclusion – no one should be making money off the words of praise we sing to God! All songs used in all worship to God should not include paying recurring fees for the purveyors of this stuff. If everyone’s individual contribution to liturgical worship (beyond just sitting in a pew an hour a week) such as the ditties of the St. Louis Jesuits (or once-Jesuits I should say since numerous of them left the priesthood, etc) – then I think I deserve “reparations” too for my 7 years serving Mass as an altar boy decades ago.
There is absolutely a place for this music, however, and I support it 100%. And that is in the marketplace as the Christian Music genre for us Christians to support with our individual money as we choose and to listen to in lieu of all the truly horrendous popular “music” out there in today’s world.
Years ago when Apple Music sold songs for our pads I purchased many which I still listen to on occasion – even though I can now listen to them free on Youtube. And as much as I love Johnny Cash singing Town Of Cana, Marie Bellet’s Late Have I Loved You, Andy Griffith doing Wayfaring Stranger and numerous other Gospel Songs – I would never push for them to be used in the Mass!
This topic is one of the reasons I invented Rule 167(111) on the topic of the Mass which I will explain in another post sometime.
When I was flat out with a covid pneumonia in a hospital bed, was glad to have EWTN available on their TV service (esp since had just missed Christmas ’21). I always turned down any program I had on when a nurse or resp therapist came in the room so we could hear each other. One time after I turned the EWTN volume down, the double masked nurse turned to me and said,”That is some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard.”
Re Kate Sciacca above – Kill the OCP. Yes.
Thank you, Author Ms. Amy W, for this article. Music must transcend communicants’ souls deeper into the Mystery of the sacredness of the Heavenly Banquet. Traditional Mass’ Gregorian Chant offers the purest adoration/worship for Our Lord’s Body. “Jesus Te Amore” chanted by our choir in our loft elevates we Trads after humble reception upon on our tongues while on our knees for Holy Communion into peaceful Heavenly prayer (ie its intended purpose). Our Creator’s gift of Gregorian Chant takes much study and practice; it rocks! Pews are bursting with smiling, vivacious couples and happy families. . . Come and see!
The Most Rev. Bishop Athanasius Schneider’s book Dominus Est (Newman House Press, 2008, p. 47) quotes: “Pope Ben. XVI in his post-synodal apostolic exhortation “Sacramentum Caritatis”, emphasized the sacrality of Holy Communion: “Receiving Holy Communion means adoring him whom we receive” (no. 66).”
I concur with sacred music lovers’ replies herein (Amanda, Mrs. Cracker, T law).
Interesting; but always examine our own motivation in our opinions and remember it is our OPINION.
Nothing will improve until bishops begin to model and enforce quality sacred music from Catholic tradition at Mass. For a current example of what the author describes as the shame of replacing traditional Catholic music with contemporary songs by “that guy”, listen to the just-released theme song for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ 2024 Religious Education Congress, which is the archdiocese’s annual, nationally promoted premiere catechetical and liturgical formation event. It sounds like a B-side 1970’s soft rock ballad:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftsDas6zbn0
Until music like that is banned by bishops, until bishops model the kind of music at Mass that the Catholic Church has instructed be sung at Mass, nothing will improve, and many Mass-goers will continue being assaulted with mediocre imitations of pop music at Mass, if they even bother to attend Mass anymore, that is. Yes, indeed, what a shame.