In September 2020, the USCCB Committee on Doctrine published Catholic Hymnody at the Service of the Church: An Aid for Evaluating Hymn Lyrics. Initial promise notwithstanding, there has not appeared to be too public a follow-up to the document. Coming out in September last year, its impact was likely limited, as the big pew missalette publishers, many of whom have shifted to annual missalettes and/or semi-permanent hymnals, were already probably fairly far along in their printing production schedules for Advent 2020 release.
Whether we get more relief from theologically shallow, if not outright heretical hymnody this year remains to be seen.
One principle missing from the Committee’s “Aid” that deserves inclusion is the problem of speaking in God’s name. Thomas Day flagged this phenomenon in his Why Catholics Can’t Sing. A number of contemporary composers, wanting to exploit biblical texts (especially from the prophets) for the liturgy, put God’s words on the tongues of choir and/or congregation.
Dan Schutte’s “Here I Am, Lord,” is a moderate illustration of what is, arguably, an abuse. The verses all involve God speaking: “I, the Lord of sea and sky…” “I, the Lord of snow and rain…” “I, the Lord of wind and flame….” The refrain is the human response: “Here I am, Lord!”
Such interplay is inevitably leveling: God is reduced to the needy, human level, while man is raised up. While this interplay can be narrowly interpreted in a theologically orthodox way, its practical consequence blurs the lines between God and the human person. God is not bereft of means to come to our assistance; nor is the human agent — whose vocation is itself God’s gift and inspiration — “doing God a favor.”
While a choral alternation between the words of God and man might help hinder this confusion between God and man, most Sunday hymn singing is not choral. A singer, organist, and/or choir do not usually take the verses while the congregation swells in on the refrain. Typical Sunday singing has the cantor, choir, and congregation singing in unison. That, however, just compounds the problem, as the “God part” and the “human part” are all conflated.
A more egregious example is David Haas’ “Blest Are They.” Even worse than “Here I Am, Lord,” the Divine text is the refrain, so it normally is sung by everyone. Indeed, “Blest Are They” seems to feature a God who seems confused about to whom He is speaking.
In the verses, God recapitulates the Beatitudes in the third person: “Blest are they, the poor in spirit,” “Blest are they, the lowly ones,” “Blessed are they who show mercy,” etc. But, in the refrain, God suddenly shifts to the second person: “Blessed are you, holy are you…Yours is the kingdom of God.”
The reason for this pronoun shift is probably due to the structure of the refrain. “Rejoice and be glad!” is a second-person command. Imperatives work in the first person plural and second person; the third person, not so much. A first-person plural would be bizarre: “let’s rejoice and be glad?”
Having us encourage ourselves to “rejoice” poses the question: who empowered you? To maintain the third person in the refrain would be awkward, linguistically and logically: how would you even express it, and to or about whom would these people today in church be singing? So, one almost has to adopt the second person and appropriate God’s voice.
The above comes from an Oct. 20 story in Crisis Magazine.
Got a new pastor almost 3 years ago…haven’t heard one of these since!
Roman Catholic Church music absolutely the worst noise I have ever heard, off key singers, screeching women, pianos, ghastly lyrics, drums, guitars, cringe worthy as you listen to it, once again this is not Roman Catholic music. You did away with it over 50 years ago when the Council destroyed the Mass and with it Gregorian chant and Latin hymns.
The author doesn’t even know that David Haas’ songs aren’t sung anymore in Catholic churches? Hard to take him seriously when he’s that far out of the loop.
On this very website, jon has constantly warned many people about their divisive attitudes but they would not listen to jon. The situation has gotten so bad that the Pope had to intervene and ban the Mass that these divisive keyboard commandos attend. They are now compounding their errors by using Church music to foment division in the Church. They are now claiming that some Church music is more reverent and sacred than others. Their divisive comments are now causing battle lines to form in the Church based upon music. There is just nothing these people will not use to foment division in the Church! They just will not listen to and respect jon. The Pope must intervene again to stop a cancer from spreading in the Church. Whatever Masses that they attend should be banned. Listen to jon. Respect the Pope.
The Church has officially taught that Gregorian chant should be given pride of place at Mass. Look at Vatican II. Gregorian chant is better than all other music for Mass. That’s the Church teaching.
“Listen to jon. Respect the Pope.”
Wait! I am confused. Aren’t jon and the Pope really one and the same? In all his posts, jon speaks so authoritatively–and definitively binds the whole Church to his interpretation of things–that he MUST be the Pope.
Either that, “you people”, or he’s a pompous windbag.
Either way, he provides many chuckles, though unintentionally.
Are you a Christian or not?
Any singing should be encouraged, not discouraged.
“Listen to jon. Respect the Pope.”
Wait! I’m confused. Aren’t jon and the Pope one and the same? In all his posts, jon writes so definitively and would bind the whole Church to accept without question only his interpretation of things—he MUST be the Pope.
Or he’s nothing more than a pompous, delusional windbag.
Either way his posts provide many a chuckle, albeit unintentionally.
Oh no, a jon apologist wanting the pope to rubber stamp bad music as though it’s binding. Please.
And then there’s Bernadette Farrell’s contribution to neo-Gnosticism, “In our living and our dying we are bringing you to birth”. I’m in the choir. I sit that nightmare out.
I understand the problem. But, it’s not quite clear to me exactly what’s being proposed. Worse than putting the words of God into the songs, the mouths of the congregation, is changing them from third to second person, which is not what the Scriptures say. Example: “I will raise you up on the last day” is not what Jesus in John 6:40 says. Yet, the words of God have long been in the mouths of believers. The Psalms are songs/prayers that our Lord, our Lady, Jews, early Christians and Christians today still chant/sing. And, sometimes they are God speaking in the first Person, which are prayed in the first person. And, our ancient Byzantine Liturgy at times has us chanting the Beatitudes which are in third person, but do switch to second person in Matthew 5:11-12. And, they, of course, are the words of Jesus that we chant. Would a contemporary song, also from the Beatitudes, “Seek ye first,” Matt. 6:33, be problematic because they are the words of Christ our God sung on our lips? If so, even the Our Father is the words of Christ our God recorded in the Scriptures. There is a need for theologically better and accurate hymns, better catechesis and a better understanding of Scripture and our tradition(s) of hymns, as well as, often, simply better music and lyrics. (Our Eastern Catholic chants are prayers that are highly catechetical and theological, yet they’re from the Church over centuries, even millennia. We don’t compose new ones.) But, it’s an oversimplification of the problem to say, as the subheadline does, that the issue is “God’s words on the tongues of the congregation.” I don’t think that is the major cause of confusion and poor and problematic singing in many churches.
I used to just let the choir sing the verses of “Here I am Lord” and I would just sing along with the refrain.
Blessed are They was a problem because it was a communion song so pretty much nobody sang along.
Sorry to complain but I really like news stories better than editorials or gossip from the Pillar or Crisis. It is your website though.
I also like the interviews with converts.
One of the worst “offenders,” is “I Am the Bread of Life,” by Sr. Suzanne Toolan, RSM, of Burlingame, CA. These are not authentic Catholic hymns, they are pop-style songs with religious lyrics, many of them theologically incorrect, wrong for Mass. Professionalism has been badly lacking in the Vatican II Church, in many areas, including proper Catholic liturgical music for the New Mass of 1969.
This is one of the stupidest articles I’ve ever seen on this site. The critique of those two hymns, beloved by congregations everywhere, with such ridiculous mind gyrations to prove outlandish points that are far from the minds of Catholic singers everywhere shows the heights of music snobbery. What a disgrace to call these lyrics heresy. St. Augustine says that when we sing we pray twice. If the few Catholics attending Mass anymore enjoy those songs and profit spiritually from them, what’s your problem? No one sings “Here I Am, Lord” and feels like God is needy and man is the life-saving hero; they’re thinking about the response of Samuel and the Apostles when they were called, and how we ourselves are called to be followers of Christ. Just because your taste in music is different doesn’t mean yours is better. What a holier-than-thou, pharisaical article!
Sandy, your post uses phrases like “stupidest articles”, “ridiculous mind gyrations”, “outlandish points” and “heights of musical snobbery”.
You end your judgmental tirade with the words “What a holier-than-thou, pharisaical article!”
It’s not the article that’s “pharisaical”. Look in the mirror.
Could all singing stop during the reception of Communion? The noise is so distracting when one is trying to unite with Jesus. A low volume organ music selection, like “adoro te devote” ,would help lift the heart.
Peggy I understand and appreciate your comment. I was a frequent attendee at daily mass before I ever became a catholic and the presence of the Lord during communion in silence was quite profound, and was probably one of the things that drew me to become a Catholic. On the other hand, hearing the congregation sing songs on Sundays during Communion, sustaining and reinforcing what was going on, also drew me deeper in to the Catholic Church, and sustains me to this day. I think the bottom line answer is that there are many ways to appreciate the great gifts of the Church, but recognizing Christ’s presence is the only non-negotiable.
Neither gentile nor jew, neither woman nor man, one in the Lord, Jesus, of all. God’s love is for everyone, regardless of how we encounter the Presence.
One thing I still do not understand is that Vatican II encouraged congregational singing by the faithful yet so many talk about chant as being the highest form of liturgical music. How is an illiterate (at least musically speaking) congregation supposed to sing something as complex as chant with all of its subtleties and nuances? Most choirs and choir directors don’t even understand it. Also, chant works great in buildings that can accommodate it acoustically. How does one do chant in a building with acoustic ceiling tiles, dead space and sound? If there is no element of space, chant dies on the vine. I live close to an Abbey of monks that sing chant but yet the chapel is a converted barn and no matter how well they sing it, it falls flat in that small, acoustically dry space.
Part of the problem with modern liturgical music is the need for commercial enterprises to sell music to stay afloat.
Joseph, that’s a good question. And, there’s an answer. Chant isn’t actually that difficult for people who get used to it, especially if they’re raised with it. Even musically illiterate members of the congregations and clergy “catch on,” so to speak, by repeatedly hearing it. Admittedly, my parish uses Byzantine plain chant, which is relatively simple, yet, even without music, virtually everyone sings/chants. With the exception of the prayer before Holy Communion, our entire Divine Liturgy (Mass) is sung/chanted. Here’s a 20-second example/sample, if you’re interested:
http://www.metropolitancantorinstitute.org/recordings/DivineLiturgies/005SecondAntiphonSunday.mp3
And, all of it was written so long ago, there aren’t copyrights to be concerned about and no one needs to get paid to make a living. Those who composed them have already passed on to their eternal reward, at least those who are saints, like the Emperor Saint Justinian, who clearly didn’t need any more money, and to whom is attributed the often used Hymn of the Incarnation:
http://www.metropolitancantorinstitute.org/recordings/DivineLiturgies/012HymnoftheIncarnationGalician.mp3
Come join us and chant along sometime!
I grew up sing Gregorian chant and learned it as a child. If children can learn, everyone can do so.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jubilate_Deo
Oh man! What a great discussion. I am strongly in the group that finds congregational singing at mass sorely lacking in the USA. There is a real disconnect in 500 hymns in the hymnal but only perhaps five people know the tune to. In the Philippines I have wept at the strong singing of even pop tunes, that easily transfered meaning to adoration, at mass. I propose “A mighty Fortress is Our God”, by Martin Luther ( yes he is forgiven ), as one rocking tune that everyone can get the knack of.
Another key in Filipino mass? Using a projection screen for the lyrics.
Lastly, sing alot of Karaoke, to practice singing LOUD. Thank you!
There has been a trenendous lack of religious training, in today’s Vatican II Church. A tragic lack of awareness of the profound holiness of God, and a lack of respect due to Him. Many today, do not believe in the Real Presence, are very “casual” and disrespectful towards God, highly secularized and worldly, “do as they please,” and also may casually commit lots of terrible sins– with no conscience, no repentance– like Rep. Pelosi and Pres. Biden. Laymen have sometimes been mistakenly led to believe, that “anything goes,” and their uneducated “knowledge,” is somehow as good as our priests and prelates– a huge mistake! “Pop” songs with religious lyrics, are fine on the secular radio, TV, and in Broadway musicals and films– and for casual religious “get-togethers,” outside of Mass. But the Catholic Mass is extremely holy! Christ actually comes to the Altar– a miracle! The Holy Mass requires a distinct kind of special Sacred Liturgical Music. One must appreciate what highly-trained Catholic clerics as well as lay experts in religious fields (music, art, architecture, Biblical scholarship, etc.) bring to our Church– their sacred gifts are certainly not “snobbery!”
Sorry– the “moniker” of the post of 10/22/21, at 7:01pm should read, “Respect Necessary For the Real Presence and Sacred Liturgical Muisc.”
People can’t teach what they don’t know. There are Gregorian Chant camps. (If you google chant camps, you get an eastern religion so be sure to add the Gregorian.) The interest is there. CDs of monks and nuns singing chant are best sellers.
I am not sure where you live but it sounds like you are being called and maybe you have already answered the call. Some times people give from their excess and sometimes people give from their want.
For an example of beautiful Church singing, may I offer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JPd7Lyfyuw ?