Contemporary Music in Liturgy

[New Jack Swinger]

"Music is such a powerful tool and I want teenagers and children to be excited and filled with joy when they sing and worship God," he says.

But currently, Gary says, music within the Catholic Church is dated and not the sort of music to which young people can relate. The rhythms and sounds do not reflect the music to which they are listening to on radio or DVD, he says.

"I want all to encourage any of our songwriters to start writing great contemporary songs for the Church," he says.

Full article: http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2010/2010712_881.shtml


I don't mind having contemporary religious songs with a Catholic message in the secular world, or new hymns that are fitting for the liturgy that are released in light of the tradition and the teaching of the Church on liturgical music. I just hope he doesn't mean contemporary hymns as how society sees it in general - new rhythms and tunes so we can bust a move in the pews.

In my narrow mind, I'd like to see a restoration of gregorian chant and Eastern Churches return to singing their own liturgical hymns in their liturgies. There is beauty to be found in all the Catholic Churches and in their liturgies. We should aim to preserve the richness which extends itself into the music.

I know there was a document on liturgical music. Anyone know what it is called?

[MelanieM]

No, sorry.

[Stephen Spiteri]

I'm unsure of a specific document relating to the topic of liturgical music or where I might find it, but I am aware of a book written by Pope Benedict XVI when he was a Cardinal that covers liturgy in a more complete approach.

The Spirit of the Liturgy, Ignatius Press, 2000 - http://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Liturgy-Joseph-Cardinal-Ratzinger/dp/0898707846

[DavidObeid]

You're probably thinking of Musicam Sacram.

Here's a link: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_instr_19670305_musicam-sacram_en.html

[cmnunis]

I'm alright if these songs are used for Catholic radio stations, for meditation/reflections, or for personal enjoyment. People may want to swap secular music for contemporary Catholic music, but please, for heaven's sake, leave the Mass alone!

However, I am treading on thin air when I say this so at the very least, can we at least encourage that the young ones discern the choice of songs sung during Mass? Mass is WORSHIP, so at the best, choose songs whose words reflect WORSHIP. Words mean a lot.

As for me and my house, I will stick to the ancient chants. They're far more livelier and more interesting than the 1-5-6-4 chord pattern overused by most contemporary Christian songs.

The Ukrainians, on the other hand, did a pretty good job contemporarising their chant. They did not stray away from chanting, but they added fresh new arrangements to the music, without compromising on the integrity of the words. Would you say thats "contemporary"?

[DavidObeid]

Raymond de Souza's children have no problems impressing people of all ages with their singing and music.

http://saintgabriel.com.au/sensus%20full.htm

[Matthew]

Pius X also wrote an instruction on Church music:

http://www.adoremus.org/TraLeSollecitudini.html

[GilWright]

I quite like the comments by Fr. Longnecker (Anglican Priest who became a Catholic Priest) on *good* Catholic music:

His four part series can be found at his blog (part 1 (http://gkupsidedown.blogspot.com/2010/07/what-makes-good-hymn.html), part 2 (http://gkupsidedown.blogspot.com/2010/07/church-music-2.html), part 3 (http://gkupsidedown.blogspot.com/2010/07/church-music-3.html), part 4 (http://gkupsidedown.blogspot.com/2010/07/church-music-3_06.html))

Tempting passage to catch your interest:

What people don't seem to realize is that there are actually some criteria for choosing good hymns. The fact that so many of the hymns in our Catholic hymnals are terrible musically, heterodox theologically, contain execrable poetry, maudlin sentiments and trashy pop psychology doesn't help. People need to learn that just because a hymn is published doesn't make it good. Furthermore, just because it's popular doesn't make it good.

So what are the criteria for decent hymns? I'm going to do several posts on this topic to cover the territory. I hope they help. First thing: we choose a hymn for what it contributes to the liturgy. A gospel song may be inspirational. It may be decent musically. It may be okay poetically. It may be very popular, but it may not be suitable for the liturgy. Everything in the liturgy is meant to complement and focus on the action of the Mass. The music needs to be appropriate for the particular part of the Mass in which it is used.

[cmnunis]

I'm unsure of a specific document relating to the topic of liturgical music or where I might find it, but I am aware of a book written by Pope Benedict XVI when he was a Cardinal that covers liturgy in a more complete approach.

The Spirit of the Liturgy, Ignatius Press, 2000 - http://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Liturgy-Joseph-Cardinal-Ratzinger/dp/0898707846

Brilliant book. I still have a copy. Love it heaps.

[danieljankovic]

Contemporary music is the Parish's way of trying to appeal to young people. This does not work in the slightest.

[Michael Sandrussi]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rJFdmmqj_s

Guys this video is from Cardinal Francis Arinze discussing Liturgical Dance and Secular music in Mass. Watch the whole thing.

He basically states that Music in the mass should be: a) theologically deep, b) litrugically rooted, and c)muscially acceptable

[DavidObeid]

I love Cardinal Arinze's style:

http://davidobeid.blogspot.com/2010/06/i-will-give-you-turkey.html

[Spanish Tulkas]

Members of choirs, directors of music, parish priest and common faithful people needn't have an explosive imagination or an over-developed creativity to choose liturgical music: it is so easy as reading the Roman Misal and obey what is writen.

"Read what is in black ink and keep and do what is in red ink". It could not be more simple.

The Liturgy of Holy Mass has some unvariable parts: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus-Benedictus and Agnus Dei. Together with which there are invocations, prayers, answer destined to the people etc. that can also be sung.
There are, besides, some parts which are variable every Sunday or even every single ferial or week-day: Introitus (or entrance antiphon, which in the Extraordinary Form is enriched with a verse from a Psalm and the little Doxology), Responsory Psalm (which in the Extraordinary Form, on the contrary, is reduced to a couple of verses: the Gradual, but sometimes accompanied by the Tract or even the Sequence), the Alleluia with its verse and the Communion Anthipon, which can be also supplemented with an additional Psalm.

Therefore, if we take the Liturgy seriously, there is a very reduced space to introduce devotional hymns, unless we systematically ignore everything the Roman Misal prescribes.

This said, the precise nature or music stile is not so important, but the text prescribed is not only advisable, but compulsory, substitutin those prescribed text for more or less appropriate songs or hymns is never optional, accompanying them by other songs may be optional but not advisable.

All the text of the Liturgy have a biblical root, or at least a direct biblical inspiration, and they configure a living organism: the Mass, which is a unity of sense and intention. In consequence, we should not pass over the Liturgical text as they appear in the Liturgical books only in view of an aesthetic end or a pretended better "active" participation in the Mass.

The common faithful, the priest and even the Pope participate in the Mass only in a way: obeying the rubrics.

[DavidObeid]

...a living organism: the Mass, which is a unity of sense and intention. In consequence, we should not pass over the Liturgical text as they appear in the Liturgical books only in view of an aesthetic end or a pretended better "active" participation in the Mass.

The common faithful, the priest and even the Pope participate in the Mass only in a way: obeying the rubrics.

Beautifully put.