The following comes from a Jan. 25 story in the Catholic Sentinel (Portland).
Archbishop Alexander Sample on Jan. 25 released a pastoral letter to the Archdiocese of Portland on sacred music for Mass, seeking to highlight “perennial truths”: sanctity, beauty and universality.
“Only music which possesses all three of these qualities is worthy of Holy Mass,” Archbishop Sample writes, explaining that ancient or modern music can qualify but that Gregorian chant is the preferred music for Roman Catholic worship.
“Sing to the Lord a New Song,” a 21-page letter, seeks more chant at Masses and urges all parishes to try to get a pipe organ.
“The beauty, dignity and prayerfulness of the Mass depend to a large extent on the music that accompanies the liturgical action,” the archbishop writes.
He cites many popes, including Pope Francis, who warned of “mediocrity, superficiality and banality” in liturgy.
When it comes to choosing music for Mass, the archbishop holds that there are objective principles, not simply taste.
Sacred music’s purpose is the glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful, he writes, explaining that sanctity, beauty and universality are the essential qualities that flow from that dual purpose.
Not every form or style of music is capable of being rendered suitable for the Mass, he writes. As examples, he says that the Gloria of the Mass in a polka beat or in rock style is not sacred.
The archbishop explains that Gregorian chant has long held “pride of place” in Roman Catholic liturgical music, a statement reiterated during Vatican II. Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI and the U.S. Catholic bishops restated this teaching….
It appears Archbishop Sample is part of the reform the reform crowd. I am old enough to remember the Traditional Latin Mass and the Gregorian chants. Thanks but no thanks. The music at a Latin Mass can be just as banal as the music at a Mass celebrated in the vernacular.
Fred I will take the TLM over the N.O any day of the week. Thank God for men like Bp. Sample.
It can be, but it doesn’t have to be. The difference is that whereas Gregorian chant is suitable for Catholic Mass, the secular style of music that one most often hears at Mass isn’t suitable, whether played skillfully or poorly.
Carolyn, I love Gregorian chant, which, and I’m only half joking, means it is inappropriate for luring people to the church. That said, I agree that most secular style music used at mass is horrible, because most parishes don’t hire music directors with Masters Degrees in sacred music, choral directing, or other musical skills. I sometimes attend another denomination, horrors, where well-done music is appreciated and an integral part of worship. Even if they use some of the modern songs, they are done professionally and raise the worship experience to a new level; a level the Oregon Press can’t imagine for its own music. Its not the music, its the musicians.
It’s both in most Catholic parishes.
This article hit a pet peeve of mine. I find the Gloria to be a powerful and transcendent prayer. Yet, it seems that most liturgical musicians feel that such words are best set to a sauntering melody of fake joy. Kills me every time.
Fred, give us an example of “banal Gregorian chant”, please.
Somehow I believe God knows what is in our hearts even if the music doesn’t meet the Archbishop’s definition of ‘ideal’.
Ah another tolerant liberal, who thinks secular music is just perfect for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass…can I honestly ask , what is it with those that must de-construct everything in existence and destroy any semblance of tradition?
What the bishop makes clear is that rock music and any other type of music that is secular in style is not appropriate for Mass. That means most of the sacro-pop liturgical music published by OCP and GIA that is used in about 95% of America’s parishes shouldn’t be used at Mass. It’s really hard to find a parish whose priests and lay staff are committed to the excellence and truth and beauty of Catholic worship. What most people have to suffer through are 70s and 80s style pop ballads with God and Jesus words in them, often sung and played by people who don’t have adequate skill. Lord save us!
Its too later,,,only God’s justice will fix this mess not His mercy
“Pride of place” is an interesting phrase, isn’t it. It’s like that crystal punch bowl you only bring out for special occasions, which is basically, never except maybe somebody’s wedding reception or Christmas eve.
No. It is having your diploma hung on the wall over your desk. Or having your crucifix over your bed. Or having a Sacred Heart enthronement as the first thing people see when they enter your house.
Did you know that the Pastor of a minor basilica (such as Mission Dolores in San Francisco) has pride of place over the bishop in ceremonial occasions? Because his bishop is technically the Pope, not the local ordinary? Does that change anything of significance? No. The local Bishop is still the Bishop and appoints the pastors of the basilica regardless of Pride of place. Pride of place is a placeholder for saying that lip service is more important than actual service. It’s a wonderful honorific, but yields nothing of import.
You’re equivocating. Pride of place in reference to Gregorian chant in the liturgy means that Gregorian chant is to be preferred to all other types of music because Gregorian chant alone is the music proper to the Roman Rite. You can’t argue it any other way. All the Church’s documents on liturgical music say so. If a parish can’t sing Gregorian chant, then some other type of music is allowed as a lesser substitute as long as it is suitably sacred in character. But Gregorian chant is to be considered the norm, the ideal, and that which all Catholics should strive to implement in the Mass. It’s not just lip service. It’s a directive.
We need more masses without the noise associated with music. A mass without music is/can be beautiful.
The Council emphasized “participation” in the Mass. What does that mean? Originally many that doing the readings in the vernacular would do the jobs saving much of the traditional Mass. Now this term is read as a lessened degree of formality all around and music in the “style of the time”. So Latin is out – so is talk of sin – so is serious analysis of Gospels. What is lost is a feeling of the sacred – bad liturgical music and bad hymns will sink the ship quickly. I go to a parish that does Ad orientem Mass – this is still in English, but the atmosphere is thick with tradition. And if your parish wants Ad orientem, it will want serious liturgical music to accompany it. It works.
Amazing how as the post Vatican II church emphasized participation fewer and fewer Catholics came to Mass to participate!