Blessed is the Kingdom

Seeking The Kingdom In All Things

Sacred Music

Sacrosanctum Concilium proves its connection to true Catholic theology in how it addresses the issue of sacred music as falling into the category of “both/and”. Here are some words that struck me from the chapter of the document on sacred music.

The Church recognizes Gregorian chant as being specially suited to the Roman liturgy. Therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services.

Other kinds of sacred music, especially polyphony, are by no means excluded from liturgical celebrations…

and

The pipe organ is to be held in high esteem in the Latin Church, for it is the traditional musical instrument, the sound of which can add a wonderful splendor to the Church’s ceremonies and powerfully lift up men’s minds to God and higher things.

But other instruments also may be admitted for use in divine worship….This may be done, however, only on condition that the instruments are suitable, or can be made suitable, for sacred use: that they accord with the dignity of the temple, and that they truly contribute to the edification of the faithful.

One of the thing that saddens me is the fact that many Catholics have completely abandoned the practice of Gregorian chant. This type of music is proper to the Roman liturgy and need not be used to the exclusion of other beautiful types of music, but it is clear to me that there was never an intent among the council fathers to abandon it altogether, as so many parishes have done.

The organ is another traditional instrument that has recently fallen on hard times in many of our parishes. I do believe that often this is due to a parish’s lack of finances, but I think many times it is more than simple finances that keep organs out of newer churches. My own parish does not yet have an organ, but I know the original plans for the church called for one when we reached the second phase of building. Both financial considerations and lack of space made putting an organ in the current church nearly impossible. Many of our smaller, rural parishes may never have the resources for one, but that should not allow us to forget the fact that certain instruments are more suited for the type of music used in Catholic worship.

What are your thoughts on music in the Church today? How can we continue to improve our prayer and worship through song? What is happening in your parish?

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This entry was posted by on Thursday, September 16th, 2010 at 5:33 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

About The Author

Fr. Christian is the pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City, TN.

Comments

  • Kassie Rutherford

    It’s funny you posted this today, I’ve been researching liturgical music all this week. My home parish is a thriving, welcoming parish in almost every way – with a notable exception in the musical realm. Having always been an adoring fan of the classical Mass settings, I was really disappointed when I visited my first Mass and there was a harried choir mumbling a piano-only version of Marty Haugen’s Creation Mass.

    It’s always a surprise to me that the Church that gave the world some of the most beautiful musical works in history should be so lacking at the parish level. I am not opposed to well-written contemporary music. But I think it is a shame when the local non-denominational church has a significantly better choir than almost any of the diocesan choirs. Maybe more liturgical music education is the key? Better choir training? I don’t know. In the meantime, I’m going to listen to Vaughan Williams Credo from Mass in g Minor for the seventh time today.

  • http://practicinghuman.wordpress.com practicinghuman

    Can you elaborate a bit on instruments suitable for worship? I have been privy to conversations with Catholics about the creation of praise teams, complete with drum kits and electric guitars. I’ve even attended a Catholic Confirmation Mass where the drum kit over-powered the vocal instruction so significantly I couldn’t hear page numbers of the selections and they weren’t printed anywhere.

  • http://echoesandmemory.wordpress.com/ Eli Silva

    I am not opposed to contemporary music well done, but our society on the parish and just general Christian level seems to in many places have forgotten the sense of the “sacred” part of “sacred music.”

    I suspect that the first thing we have to do as churches, both Catholic and Protestant is reject the notion that worship that is “meaningful for me” is the same as “fit for sacred use.” I wish that Catholics would be Catholics, that they would search the traditions instead of protestant or generally Christian culture for musical normative features. The Novus Ordo should still be able to convey the full breadth and power of the ancient rite, and affirm continuity with the church.

    I suppose a logical solution to the problem would be to emphasize that certain parts of the mass, must by decree be in Latin for the Roman Rite of the mass. That’s one solution. The other is just to as the laity of the faithful, reaffirm to our priests and fellow parishioners that music has a sacred place in the Church, and that it has to be qualitatively and essentially a cut above.

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

  • http://www.fromthepulpitofmylife.blogspot.com/ Ruth Ann

    I miss “sacred” music at Mass. Some contemporary Mass music has beautiful lyrics that touch the heart, but the melodies are not particularly sacred sounds.

    When I attend Mass at the Carmelite Nuns Monastery nearby, their music is exemplary. Someone who knows music should study what the cloistered nuns and monks are doing with their Masses. Why couldn’t parishes imitate them?

  • David

    Nothing beats a really good choir. Of course it helps to have more Gomers than Barney Fifes. I’m really not much of a singer, but I still feel sad when I hear how mostly pitiful our singing is at Mass.

  • Fr. Christian Mathis

    Glad to hear that there are many here who can agree that it is the quality of music that matters most and not necessarily the particular style. Of course, above all, it should serve those gathered to pray so that they can enter more fully into the liturgy.

    As far as suitable instruments, LIndsey, I wouldn’t want to tell you I have a list somewhere of instruments that are not suitable. Perhaps that is why the council fathers were also vague. They were clear that the organ has a special place. I have seen many different kinds of musical instruments used well and the same ones used poorly, so I think much of it has to do with the person leading a choir to understand the liturgy and what will best serve it. If I had to pick a few instruments that could fit into the “not suitable” category, I would choose the kazoo and joos harp. ; )

  • Greg

    I think that we should stick to the examples in the Psalms and go with the lyre (10 string, of course)

  • Fr. Christian Mathis

    Greg,

    And perhaps the harp.

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