There is hysteria from some quarters about an unsubstantiated, perhaps fake news story, about Pope Francis devising an Ecumenical Mass.
But Pope Francis has already promulgated such an ecumenical Mass, which Pope Benedict encouraged!
You ask what is this ecumenical Missal? It is the Ordinariate's Divine Worship, The Missal and it is glorious!
It borrows heavily from the Anglican Book 📚 of Common Prayer (ancient one) and has Anglican patrimony incorporated into it, such as ad orientem, kneeling for Holy Communion and other Protestant elements like the season of Septuagesima, ember days, Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, double genuflection sat the consecration as well as Protestant Offertory prayers and the Last Gospel. Shocking Protestant inclusions! On top of that it has sacral Elizabethan English! Outrageous!
The next thing you know will be a Lutheran version that allows the Protestant ad orientem and shockingly enough kneeling for Holy Communion! Leave it to Pope Francis to do such a thing!
This is explicitly what the ecumenical Missal has as its ideology which will make your Catholic blood curdle !
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness
The Beauty of Holiness
Though the 20th century has seen an increasing trend towards "church as entertainment," we in the ACC share the view of Lancelot Andrews, Bishop of Winchester (1617-1626), who believed that there should be a sense of holy decency" in the worship of the Church. From the grandeur of the Solemn High Mass to the sturdy simplicity of the said Daily Office, Anglican worship is characterized by a sense of reverence. And while our worship is not always formal, we take care to ensure that is it carried out with a respect for "the beauty of holiness." (Ps. 96.9).
The Daily Office
The Anglican Daily Office has its origins in the earliest age of the church. We read, for example, in Acts 10 of Cornelius and his household praying together at specific times of the day. These prayer gatherings most likely followed the Jewish custom, during which psalms would be recited, canticles sung, and lessons read.
Later, with the rise of monasticism, this course of prayer became regularized, with members of the community coming together seven times over the course of the day. These services were named either to reflect their specific purpose, after the respective hours when they were to occur.
Mattins--from the Latin, matutinus, meaning "of the morning" Lauds--from laudare, meaning "to praise" Prime, Tierce, Sext, and Nones--from the time in which these services were to occur, i.e. the first, third, sixth, and ninth hours of the day Vespers--from the Latin, vespera, meaning "evening" Compline--from the Latin verb form completum, meaning" fulfilled, finished, or complete",
And this could indicate what horrible Protestant elements would be in a Lutheran version of the same!
On
Sundays and Major Feasts and Festivals, Holy Mass is held in the
Church. On Wednesdays and for other spoken Masses, Holy Mass is
celebrated in the Chapel of the Holy Incarnation (in the Rectory; please
use the Parish Office side door next to the church for access) as
listed in the daily liturgical calendar.
Sunday
10am
Wednesday
10am Wednesday Masses are at 9:30am & 7pm during Advent and Lent.
Major Feasts
As Announced
Matins
Matins,
the Church's morning prayer, is prayed every morning at 8:45am in the
Chapel of the Holy Incarnation, located in the Rectory. Matins is not
prayed on days when a morning Mass is held.
Vespers
Vespers,
the Church's evening prayer, is prayed on Thursdays at 6:30pm or 7:00pm
in the Church, and on alternating Tuesdays at 7:00pm. During Advent
and Lent, additional days are added to the Vespers schedule. A schedule
is available from the church office.
Liturgical
Files are in Portable Document Format (PDF) and require the Adobe
Acrobat Reader. If you do not have Acrobat Reader, you may download it free of charge from Adobe.
Preparation for Holy Mass
The Preparatory Prayers used
at Zion include vesting prayers, Psalm 84 (formatted for responsive
prayer), traditional suffrages, and appropriate collects.
The Ordinary of the Mass
Zion's Ordo is not currently available
in electronic form. A project underway will make Zion's Ordo, and a
complete set of Propers, available in the future. The Ordos available here were
used historically at Zion, but are not reflective of the best Lutheran
practice. Indeed in some cases they are quite contrary to what we teach
and confess. They are retained here because they are a part of Zion's
history, and the language and rubrics are of interest to those who study
the Holy Liturgy.
Propers of the Mass
In keeping with her observance of historic
Western use in the Ordinary of the Mass, Zion follows the historic
Western liturgy in her use of the propers of the Mass. Available here
are full propers for the entire liturgical year as used at Zion, as well
as files containing just the Cantors chants.
Included in the Sanctoral Calendar is the entire gamut of feasts, festivals, and commemorations observed liturgically at Zion throughout the year.
Hymn Resources
The hymn plan for Zion primarily uses The Lutheran Hymnal.
Occasionally hymns from other sources are used as well. Hymns are
chosen based on the appointed Scriptures in the liturgical year. The
Hymn Plan Liturgical Year 2013-14 can be downloaded by CLICKING HERE
Stations of the Cross
Since the legalization of Christianity in
the Fourth Century, the Stations of the Cross have been prayed.
Originally, Christians traveled to Jerusalem to walk the route which
they assumed Our Lord took from the Praetorium (Pilate's residence) to
the tomb. Along the way, they would stop at certain places to pray or
meditate. Each station commemorates an event along the way of Our Lord's
journey to death and the grave. This devotion affords time for
Scripture reading, silent meditation, prayer and hymnic reflection. The
artwork which adorns the church (not included here) is also utilized to
aid the devotion of the faithful. In order to guide this devotion,
excerpts from sermons by Blessed Martin Luther are included. The hope is
that such meditation will encourage increased appreciation for the
Sacramental gifts presented in and through the Incarnate and Crucified
One.
What I appreciated about Pope Benedict was his quiet non celebrity, non cult of the personality exercise of the papacy. Compared to Pope St. John Paul II, who Time Magazine called, JPII, SUPERSTAR, Pope Benedict was simply The Vicar of Christ as the Sucessor of St. Peter. He didn't desire the popularity of a populist.
But here is a progressive theologian's take on the buyer's remorse in the Vatican over the current pope's ideologies by some cardinals. This theologian is a darling of Praytell:
Although disappointment within the Roman Curia is getting more pronounced, Vatican watcher Massimo Faggioli thinks that moves to force Pope Francis into retirement are exaggerated. "It is true that some cardinals may regret their vote for him in the conclave, but I do not think they hope that he resigns," he said. "They know it would be very hard to find a popular pope like him," he added. DISCUSS!
I've been in my new parish now since the end of June. Like almost every other parish in the world 🌎 Catholics receive Holy Communion in a variety of ways, some very reverently and others in the most peculiar ways, not intending to be irreverent, but it looks it nonetheless.
While I continue to advocate for the longer tradition in the Latin Rite of kneeling for Holy Communion and receiving on the tongue (as these "appear in sign value" to be more reverent and thus enhances the recovery of reverence in the Ordinary Form) I realize that standing for Holy Communion and the option of receiving in the hand is written in the rubrics of the OF's Roman Missal's General Instruction. I have no authority to prevent anyone from receiving in the hand or on the tongue!
But this is what I have seen at my new parish and in fact it happens in every parish in terms of abuse of the manner in which Holy Communion is received in the hand and the horrible sacrilege that often occurs if only in a tiny minority of communicants who receive in the hand:
1. Grabbing the Host
2. The pinched figure over the other hand reception of the Host
3. Both hands extended side by side
4. The hands in motion as one receives on the run 🏃
5. The one handed reception of Holy Communion especially when carrying a child but often simply one handed, dropping the hand downward to move the host to the fingers in order to bring the Host to the mouth!
The sacrilege, whether intended or not (and seen recently in new parish and other parishes):
1. Walking off with the Host without consuming it!
2. (Two weeks ago in my parish as reported to me by an eyewitness after Mass): Taking the Host and walking off with it, taking a bite out of it and keeping the remaining!
3. Self-intinction
4. Spillage of the Precious Blood from the common chalice on the floor creating such a splatter that people walked over the Precious Blood unaware of the sacrilege
5. Particles of the Sacred Species remaining on the palms and fingers of communicants and nonchalantly discarded
What have you seen and why is the Magisterium so unconcerned about these happenings which never happens when Holy Communion is received kneeling and on the tongue??????
I am currently making plans to catechize my parish this Easter Season on the correct way to receive Holy Communion in the hand or on the tongue.
The EF Mass today is for an elite group of Catholics who seek it out, similar to those who prefer a charismatic Mass. Neither appeal to the "masses!"
Thus the refinement of the Ordinary Form of the Mass languishes when traditionalists demand something that will never replace the Ordinary Form. It is a pipe dream to believe that this would be possible.
The vast majority of the "masses" would not mind the EF Mass if properly catechized. But what they would mind is a completely Latin Mass (in either form!) Thus the vernacularization of the EF Mass might find the "masses" appreciating this form of the Mass.
The vast majority of the "masses" are not opposed to lectors and altar servers of either sex. To remove these options altogether in today's world is not adviseable. This only appeals to the traditionalists elite!
So the focus by far must be on the Ordinary Form of the Mass's refinement.
I find it interesting that liturgical progressives on hearing in person what Pope Francis said on Saturday about modern liturgical vernacular music believe that these words were placed in the mouth by a traditionalist ghost writter.
This is what Paul Inwood who wrote the banal, superficial, mediocre hymn for the Year of Mercy sung at every Vatican Mass, said on a PRAYTELL combox very recently about these words of the Holy Father, Pope Francis:
The Holy father went on to say, “Sometimes a certain mediocrity, superficiality and banality have prevailed, to the detriment of the beauty and intensity of liturgical celebrations.”
Paul Inwood's comment:
As someone who was present when Pope Francis gave his address, I can tell you that there was much speculation afterwards about who had drafted it for him…
We cannot rely upon the likes of Paul Inwood and Praytell to lead the way into the liturgical future, for it will mean more of the same mediocrity, superficiality and banality that has prevailed!
What is needed for the refinement of the Ordinary Form of the Mass and its refinement is not a discussion on the Holy Father's ghost writter, but actual implementation of the Ordinary Form's refinement.
And it is here that Mass at St. Peter's, inside or outside, are the template under this current pope. What is it that parishes should immolate?
1. The Propers in Latin as well as the Kyrie in Greek, the Gloria, Credo, Sanctus and Agnus Dei in Latin are always chanted and the congregation is encouraged to join and do because the Vatican offers slick program booklets in the thousands for the congregation to do so. The Holy Father, though, normally (but not always) uses Italian for His Holiness' parts of the Mass.
2. The Roman Missal of the Ordinary Form of the Latin Rite must be revised according to the template of the Ordinariate's Divine Worship, the Missal (a photo of a page of this missal which heads this post) which includes the EF's form of the Introit, Offertory and Communion Antiphons on the same page with the Collect, Prayer over the Offerings and Post Communion Prayer. The current OF Missal does not include the Offertory Antiphon or the traditional form of the Introit!
3. Clearly the Roman Missal's refinement must include also the Ordinariate's options for the Prayers at the Foot of the. Altar, reordering of the Introductiory Rite to mimic the EF's and allowance for the traditional form of the Offertory Rite, rubrics similar to the EF for the Roman Canon and other Eucharistic Prayers and the option of a silent Canon! Kneeling for Holy Communion and receiving on the tongue must be restored if authentic reverence for Holy Communion is to be recovered!
It is a pipe dream, though, to think the revised lectionary will be ditched and Latin used exclusively in the Ordinary Form's refinement!
Texan gives up beer for Lent, gets delivery from Clydesdales
HARLINGEN, Texas — A South Texas woman who says she gave up beer for Lent won a case of Budweiser delivered to her home by a team of Clydesdales.
Leandra Ruiz received the beer Thursday in a special drop-off, via the huge horses, at her neighborhood in Harlingen, The Valley Morning Star reported.
The 35-year-old said that several weeks ago she entered an online contest for a chance at home delivery of some beer. Ruiz, who said she was surprised to learn she won, was on hand with family and friends to watch the Clydesdales pull up to her home. The Budweiser carriage drivers also took Ruiz for a ride around the block.
The Clydesdales were in South Texas for the weekend’s BorderFest celebration in Hidalgo.
(This is not my former or current parish, although our Lifeteen Band sings this: Is this form of music alien and detrimental to our Liturgical heritage and is Pope Francis referring to this kind of music as at odds with the Church's liturgical tradition????)
Sandro Magister, that great Italian blogger, as all Italians are great, provides us with this bombshell evaluation on the 50th anniversary of Musicam Sacram of 1967. This is interesting especially coming on the heals of Pope Francis remarks yesterday on the banal state of music today in the vernacular liturgy. His Holiness' remarks were given a very prominent space by Vatican Radio on their website.
In the mixed bag that is the current papacy, the Sistine Choir has nonetheless been improved under the current pontificate.
Here is what Magister offers us in English this Sunday. Please note in particular the major section on the eight current problems which I offer some emphasis in darker or red print:
Today, March 5, marks the fiftieth anniversary of “Musicam Sacram,” the last great document on this subject, published in 1967 with the joint signature of Cardinal Giacomo Lercaro, archbishop of Bologna and president of the “Consilium” for the implementation of the conciliar constitution on the liturgy, and of Cardinal Arcadio Larraona, prefect of the sacred congregation of rites, with the approval of Paul VI.
And now the declaration presented below, published today all over the world, sketches an overview of the current state of sacred music in the Catholic Church half a century after that document, an overview that is inevitably critical, and follows this up with eight proposals for a change for the better.
The statement has been promoted by two famous musician-musicologists: the Italian Aurelio Porfiri, director of the international magazine “Altare Dei” published in Macao and Hong Kong and an author of books and essays on sacred music and liturgy, and the American Peter A. Kwasniewski, professor of theology and philosophy and choir director at Wyoming Catholic College.
They have been promptly joined by more than two hundred experts in the field of liturgical music, all over the world. The list of signers is on the website of the website directed by Porfiri, together with the text of the declaration in six languages:
A Statement on the Current Situation of Sacred Music
We, the under signed—musicians, pastors, teachers, scholars, and lovers of sacred music—humbly offer to the Catholic community around the world this statement, expressing our great love for the Church’s treasury of sacred music and our deep concerns about its current plight.
Introduction
"Cantate Domino canticum novum, cantate Domino omnis terra" (Psalm 96): this singing to God’s glory has resonated for the whole history of Christianity, from the very beginning to the present day. Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition alike bear witness to a great love for the beauty and power of music in the worship of Almighty God. The treasury of sacred music has always been cherished in the Catholic Church by her saints, theologians, popes, and laypeople.
Such love and practice of music is witnessed to throughout Christian literature and in the many documents that the Popes have devoted to sacred music, from John XXII’s "Docta Sanctorum Patrum" (1324) and Benedict XIV’s "Annus Qui" (1749) down to Saint Pius X’s Motu Proprio "Tra le Sollecitudini" (1903), Pius XII’s "Musicae Sacrae Disciplina" (1955), Saint John Paul II’s Chirograph on Sacred Music (2003), and so on. This vast amount of documentation impels us to take with utter seriousness the importance and the role of music in the liturgy. This importance is related to the deep connection between the liturgy and its music, a connection that goes two ways: a good liturgy allows for splendid music, but a low standard of liturgical music also tremendously affects the liturgy. Nor can the ecumenical importance of music be forgotten, when we know that other Christian traditions—such as Anglicans, Lutherans, and the Eastern Orthodox—have high esteem for the importance and dignity of sacred music, as witnessed by their own jealously-guarded “treasuries.”
We are observing an important milestone, the fiftieth anniversary of the promulgation of the Instruction on Music in the Liturgy, "Musicam Sacram", on March 5, 1967, under the pontificate of Blessed Paul VI. Re-reading the document today, we cannot avoid thinking of the "via dolorosa" of sacred music in the decades following "Sacrosanctum Concilium". Indeed, what was happening in some factions of the Church at that time (1967) was not at all in line with "Sacrosantum Concilium" or with "Musicam Sacram". Certain ideas that were never present in the Council’s documents were forced into practice, sometimes with a lack of vigilance from clergy and ecclesiastical hierarchy. In some countries the treasury of sacred music that the Council asked to be preserved was not only not preserved, but even opposed. And this quite against the Council, which clearly stated:
«The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art. The main reason for this pre-eminence is that, as sacred song united to the words, it forms a necessary or integral part of the solemn liturgy. Holy Scripture, indeed, has bestowed praise upon sacred song, and the same may be said of the fathers of the Church and of the Roman pontiffs who in recent times, led by St. Pius X, have explained more precisely the ministerial function supplied by sacred music in the service of the Lord. Therefore sacred music is to be considered the more holy in proportion as it is more closely connected with the liturgical action, whether it adds delight to prayer, fosters unity of minds, or confers greater solemnity upon the sacred rites. But the Church approves of all forms of true art having the needed qualities, and admits them into divine worship» (SC 112). The Current Situation
In light of the mind of the Church so frequently expressed, we cannot avoid being concerned about the current situation of sacred music, which is nothing short of desperate, with abuses in the area of sacred music now almost the norm rather than the exception. We shall summarize here some of the elements that contribute to the present deplorable situation of sacred music and of the liturgy.
1. There has been a loss of understanding of the “musical shape of the liturgy,” that is, that music is an inherent part of the very essence of liturgy as public, formal, solemn worship of God. We are not merely to sing at Mass, but to sing the Mass.Hence, as "Musicam Sacram" itself reminded us, the priest’s parts should be chanted to the tones given in the Missal, with the people making the responses; the singing of the Ordinary of the Mass in Gregorian chant or music inspired by it should be encouraged; and the Propers of the Mass, too, should be given the pride of place that befits their historical prominence, their liturgical function, and their theological depth. Similar points apply to the singing of the Divine Office. It is an exhibition of the vice of “liturgical sloth” to refuse to sing the liturgy, to use “utility music” rather than sacred music, to refuse to educate oneself or others about the Church’s tradition and wishes, and to put little or no effort and resources into the building up of a sacred music program.
2. This loss of liturgical and theological understanding goes hand-in-hand with an embrace of secularism. The secularism of popular musical styles has contributed to a desacralization of the liturgy, while the secularism of profit-based commercialism has reinforced the imposition of mediocre collections of music upon parishes. It has encouraged an anthropocentrism in the liturgy that undermines its very nature. In vast sectors of the Church nowadays there is an incorrect relationship with culture, which can be seen as a “web of connections.” With the actual situation of our liturgical music (and of the liturgy itself, because the two are intertwined), we have broken this web of connection with our past and tried to connect with a future that has no meaning without its past. Today, the Church is not actively using her cultural riches to evangelize, but is mostly used by a prevalent secular culture, born in opposition to Christianity, which destabilizes the sense of adoration that is at the heart of the Christian faith.
Pope Francis, in his homily for the feast of Corpus Christi on June 4, 2015, has spoken of “the Church’s amazement at this reality [of the Most Holy Eucharist]… An astonishment which always feeds contemplation, adoration, and memory.” In many of our Churches around the world, where is this sense of contemplation, this adoration, this astonishment for the mystery of the Eucharist? It is lost because we are living a sort of spiritual Alzheimer’s, a disease that is taking our spiritual, theological, artistic, musical and cultural memories away from us. It has been said that we need to bring the culture of every people into the liturgy. This may be right if correctly understood, but not in the sense that the liturgy (and the music) becomes the place where we have to exalt a secular culture. It is the place where the culture, every culture, is brought to another level and purified.
3. There are groups in the Church that push for a “renewal” that does not reflect Church teaching but rather serves their own agenda, worldview, and interests. These groups have members in key leadership positions from which they put into practice their plans, their idea of culture, and the way we have to deal with contemporary issues. In some countries powerful lobbies have contributed to the "de facto" replacement of liturgical repertoires faithful to the directives of Vatican II with low-quality repertoires. Thus, we end up with repertoires of new liturgical music of very low standards as regards both the text and the music. This is understandable when we reflect that nothing of lasting worth can come from a lack of training and expertise, especially when people neglect the wise precepts of Church tradition:
«On these grounds Gregorian Chant has always been regarded as the supreme model for sacred music, so that it is fully legitimate to lay down the following rule: the more closely a composition for church approaches in its movement, inspiration and savor the Gregorian form, the more sacred and liturgical it becomes; and the more out of harmony it is with that supreme model, the less worthy it is of the temple» (St. Pius X, Motu Proprio "Tra le Sollecitudini").
Today this “supreme model” is often discarded, if not despised. The entire Magisterium of the Church has reminded us of the importance of adhering to this important model, not as way of limiting creativity but as a foundation on which inspiration can flourish. If we desire that people look for Jesus, we need to prepare the house with the best that the Church can offer. We will not invite people to our house, the Church, to give them a by-product of music and art, when they can find a much better pop music style outside the Church. Liturgy is a limen, a threshold that allows us to step from our daily existence to the worship of the angels: "Et ídeo cum Angelis et Archángelis, cum Thronis et Dominatiónibus, cumque omni milítia cæléstis exércitus, hymnum glóriæ tuæ cánimus, sine fine dicéntes…".
4. This disdain for Gregorian chant and traditional repertoires is one sign of a much bigger problem, that of disdain for Tradition. "Sacrosanctum Concilium" teaches that the musical and artistic heritage of the Church should be respected and cherished, because it is the embodiment of centuries of worship and prayer, and an expression of the highest peak of human creativity and spirituality. There was a time when the Church did not run after the latest fashion, but was the maker and arbiter of culture. The lack of commitment to tradition has put the Church and her liturgy on an uncertain and meandering path. The attempted separation of the teaching of Vatican II from previous Church teachings is a dead end, and the only way forward is the hermeneutic of continuity endorsed by Pope Benedict XVI. Recovering the unity, integrity, and harmony of Catholic teaching is the condition for restoring both the liturgy and its music to a noble condition. As Pope Francis taught us in his first encyclical: “Self-knowledge is only possible when we share in a greater memory” ("Lumen Fidei" 38).
5. Another cause of the decadence of sacred music is clericalism, the abuse of clerical position and status. Clergy who are often poorly educated in the great tradition of sacred music continue to make decisions about personnel and policies that contravene the authentic spirit of the liturgy and the renewal of sacred music repeatedly called for in our times. Often they contradict Vatican II teachings in the name of a supposed “spirit of the Council.” Moreover, especially in countries of ancient Christian heritage, members of the clergy have access to positions that are not available to laity, when there are lay musicians fully capable of offering an equal or superior professional service to the Church.
6. We also see the problem of inadequate (at times, unjust) remuneration of lay musicians. The importance of sacred music in the Catholic liturgy requires that at least some members of the Church in every place be well-educated, well-equipped, and dedicated to serve the People of God in this capacity. Is it not true that we should give to God our best? No one would be surprised or disturbed knowing that doctors need a salary to survive, no one would accept medical treatment from untrained volunteers; priests have their salaries, because they cannot live if they do not eat, and if they do not eat, they will not be able to prepare themselves in theological sciences or to say the Mass with dignity. If we pay florists and cooks who help at parishes, why does it seem so strange that those performing musical activities for the Church would have a right to fair compensation (see Canon 231)? Positive Proposals
It may seem that what we have said is pessimistic, but we maintain the hope that there is a way out of this winter. The following proposals are offered "in spiritu humilitatis", with the intention of restoring the dignity of the liturgy and of its music in the Church.
1. As musicians, pastors, scholars, and Catholics who love Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony, so frequently praised and recommended by the Magisterium, we ask for a re-affirmation of this heritage alongside modern sacred compositions in Latin or vernacular languages that take their inspiration from this great tradition; and we ask for concrete steps to promote it everywhere, in every church across the globe, so that all Catholics can sing the praises of God with one voice, one mind and heart, one common culture that transcends all their differences. We also ask for a re-affirmation of the unique importance of the pipe organ for the sacred liturgy, because of its singular capacity to elevate hearts to the Lord and its perfect suitability for supporting the singing of choirs and congregations.
2. It is necessary that the education to good taste in music and liturgy start with children. Often educators without musical training believe that children cannot appreciate the beauty of true art. This is far from the truth. Using a pedagogy that will help them approach the beauty of the liturgy, children will be formed in a way that will fortify their strength, because they will be offered nourishing spiritual bread and not the apparently tasty but unhealthy food of industrial origin (as when “Masses for children” feature pop-inspired music). We notice through personal experience that when children are exposed to these repertoires they come to appreciate them and develop a deeper connection with the Church.
3. If children are to appreciate the beauty of music and art, if they are to understand the importance of the liturgy as "fons et culmen" of the life of the Church, we must have a strong laity who will follow the Magisterium. We need to give space to well-trained laity in areas that have to do with art and with music. To be able to serve as a competent liturgical musician or educator requires years of study. This “professional” status must be recognized, respected, and promoted in practical ways. In connection with this point, we sincerely hope that the Church will continue to work against obvious and subtle forms of clericalism, so that laity can make their full contribution in areas where ordination is not a requirement.
4. Higher standards for musical repertoire and skill should be insisted on for cathedrals and basilicas. Bishops in every diocese should hire at least a professional music director and/or an organist who would follow clear directions on how to foster excellent liturgical music in that cathedral or basilica and who would offer a shining example of combining works of the great tradition with appropriate new compositions. We think that a sound principle for this is contained in "Sacrosanctum Concilium" 23: “There must be no innovations unless the good of the Church genuinely and certainly requires them; and care must be taken that any new forms adopted should in some way grow organically from forms already existing” (SC 23).
5. We suggest that in every basilica and cathedral there be the encouragement of a weekly Mass celebrated in Latin (in either Form of the Roman Rite) so as to maintain the link we have with our liturgical, cultural, artistic, and theological heritage. The fact that many young people today are rediscovering the beauty of Latin in the liturgy is surely a sign of the times, and prompts us to bury the battles of the past and seek a more “catholic” approach that draws upon all the centuries of Catholic worship. With the easy availability of books, booklets, and online resources, it will not be difficult to facilitate the active participation of those who wish to attend liturgies in Latin. Moreover, each parish should be encouraged to have one fully-sung Mass each Sunday.
6. Liturgical and musical training of clergy should be a priority for the Bishops. Clergy have a responsibility to learn and practice their liturgical melodies, since, according to "Musicam Sacram" and other documents, they should be able to chant the prayers of the liturgy, not merely say the words. In seminaries and at the university, they should come to be familiar with and appreciate the great tradition of sacred music in the Church, in harmony with the Magisterium, and following the sound principle of Matthew 13:52: “Every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.”
7. In the past, Catholic publishers played a great role in spreading good examples of sacred music, old and new. Today, the same publishers, even if they belong to dioceses or religious institutions, often spread music that is not right for the liturgy, following only commercial considerations. Many faithful Catholics think that what mainstream publishers offer is in line with the doctrine of the Catholic Church regarding liturgy and music, when it is frequently not so. Catholic publishers should have as their first aim that of educating the faithful in the sane Catholic doctrine and good liturgical practices, not that of making money.
8. The formation of liturgists is also fundamental. Just as musicians need to understand the essentials of liturgical history and theology, so too must liturgists be educated in Gregorian chant, polyphony, and the entire musical tradition of the Church, so that they may discern between what is good and what is bad.
Conclusion
Pope Francis, in his encyclical "Lumen Fidei", has reminded us of the way faith binds together past and future:
«As a response to a word which preceded it, Abraham’s faith would always be an act of remembrance. Yet this remembrance is not fixed on past events but, as the memory of a promise, it becomes capable of opening up the future, shedding light on the path to be taken. We see how faith, as remembrance of the future, memoria futuri, is thus closely bound up with hope» (LF 9).
This remembrance, this memory, this treasure that is our Catholic tradition is not something of the past alone. It is still a vital force in the present, and will always be a gift of beauty to future generations. “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel” (Is 12:5–6).
If Pope Francis had worn the Mozzetta, lived in the papal palace, been more complimentary of tradition/Tradition, not been insulting of others, continued in continuity with Benedict, in other words if Pope Francis actually exhibited humility, the papacy would not be in crisis!
It is His Holiness own making, built on pride, arrogance and an unwillingness to win over His Holiness detractors with honey rather than vinegar .
In many ways Trump and Bergolio are twins, one secular, one religious with opposite ideologies!
Ask any priest and he will tell you that music 🎶 in the Mass can be the most contentious aspect of parish ministry because everyone has their own opinion about it, subjective and objective.
Here are some opinions I have heard 👂 in all my parishes like All My Children 👶 ":
The organ is too loud
The tempo is too slow
The piano sounds like a piano bar
Chant is boring
Worship and praise is the way to go
It sounds like a Broadway 🎭 melody
It's too Protestant
It's too Pentecostal
It isn't Catholic
I could go on and on.
I have inherited a conundrum in my new parish. Twice a month we have an extra "Lifeteen Mass" on Sunday afternoon with a lifeteen band. The music 🎶 is well done ✅ but completely different was what our parish sings each Sunday. On top of that we take teens away from the Mass they go to as a family. The music is worship and praise. Some of it is vapid. But the band is good and nice to listen earning applause at the end of Mass.
On top of that, out of a potential of about 320 9th through 12th graders, we get about 20 at this Mass with bout 40 people my age (baby boomers) who are trying in a nostalgic way to recapture the folk music mentality of their long gone youth!
So I welcome pope Francis remarks but wonder if his last paragraph just muddies the waters more?
Pope Francis calls for renewal of sacred music tradition
Sistine chapel choir - RV
04/03/2017 11:31
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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Saturday received the participants in a major international conference on sacred music, a half-century after the promulgation of the Conciliar document, Musicam sacram on music in the sacred liturgy.
Over 400 people taking part in the gathering organized by the Congregation for Catholic Education and the Pontifical Council for Culture around the theme: Music and the Church: cult and culture fifty years after Musicam sacram, met in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace to hear the Holy Father.
Click below to hear our report
“Certainly,” said Pope Francis, “the encounter with modernity and the introduction of [vernacular] tongues into the Liturgy stirred up many problems: of musical languages, forms and genres.”
The Holy father went on to say, “Sometimes a certain mediocrity, superficiality and banality have prevailed, to the detriment of the beauty and intensity of liturgical celebrations.”
The Pope encouraged the various actors in the field of liturgical music – from composers, conductors, musicians and choristers, to liturgical animators – to do their best to contribute to the renewal of sacred music and liturgical chant, especially as far as the quality of sacred music is concerned.
“To facilitate this process,” Pope Francis said, “we need to promote proper musical education, especially for those who are preparing to become priests – in dialogue with the musical trends of our time, with the demands of the different cultural areas, and with an ecumenical attitude.”
I copy this from The New Liturgical Movement. St. Pope John XXIII was from an Italian peasant family but wholeheartedly embraced the Kingship of the crucified and Risen Christ and the majestic regal accoutrements of the Vicar of Christ the King.
However the hooded Lay cofraternity of brothers scare the heck out of me as they resemble the KKK! Sure glad that's gone with the Vatican 🇻🇦 II winds!
But even more glorious are the Romans in their chaotic piety and posturing! That too has been sanitized today in the EU global union. The Italians are becoming as sterile and organized as the English. And these are mostly Italians before Rome was invaded and taken over by the casual tourist industry!
Another great discovery from the archives of British Pathé: unedited footage of Pope St John XXIII participating in the procession at the Roman station church for Ash Wednesday, Santa Sabina. Since the early decades of the 13th century, this church has been the home of the Generalate of the Order of Friars Preachers; early on in the video, we see a large crowd of young Dominicans, including a few in the (now abolished) habit of the lay brothers, with black scapular. Several of Friars also have clearly visible clerical tonsures, and at the very beginning, we also see members of a lay confraternity in habit and hood.
This is a portion of and interview by John Allen with Archbishop Charles Chaput in Crux:
Let me put on my Vaticanista hat and ask a couple of pope questions. First, in some press coverage you’re styled as one of the critics of Pope Francis. Yet in Strangers in a Strange Land, you quote Francis approvingly. What is your actual take on Pope Francis?
I think Pope Francis is an interesting man. He’s the pope, first of all, so my take on him is he’s succeeded to the role of Peter as the vicar of Christ, and it’s very important for those of us who are bishops to maintain enthusiastic unity for the Church and to be supportive of the Holy Father because of that.
At the same time, he’s being pope in a way that’s very different from his predecessors, and that has been confusing for people, and I think it’s important for us to help the Holy Father understand that but also to help people understand the Holy Father and to do what we can to help people through the confusion and disappointment I think some people are experiencing.
As bishops we can’t deal with that alone, we have to do it in conjunction with the Holy Father. He has to be aware of that confusion, and I think that he has a responsibility of responding to it as well as us responding to it.
One of the leitmotifs that runs through the book is your concern for marriage and the institution of marriage. Today’s debate over Amoris Laetitia pivots on that subject. What do you think is at stake?
St. Francis of Assisi encouraged the brothers, the Franciscan brothers, to accept the Gospel without gloss. And glosses were convoluted efforts to make the Gospel say something that it didn’t say, or Jesus didn’t really mean what he said. So it seems to me we ought to take Jesus at his word, and his words about divorce and remarriage, about it being adultery, are very clear. I mean, there’s just no doubt about what Jesus said in the Gospels.
It seems to me that it’s impossible for us to contradict the words of Jesus, and it’s also impossible for a teaching to be true 20 years ago not to be true today when it’s the teachings of the pope. The teachings of Pope Francis can’t contradict the teachings of John Paul II when it is a matter of official teaching.
So, it seems to me we have to interpret Amoris Laetitia in the light of what’s gone before it, primarily the words of Jesus, but secondarily the teachings of the pope, the Magisterium of the Church. And so how can it be true that people can receive Communion when they’re living in an adulterous union today. How is that possible, when the Church says it’s not possible?
Do you want the pope to answer the dubia? [Note: The term refers to questions put to Pope Francis by four cardinals, including American Cardinal Raymond Burke, about the meaning of Amoris.]
Yes. I think it’s always good to answer questions, clearly.
Even if the answer doesn’t go in the direction you might want?
Absolutely.
Do you think he will?
I don’t know. He certainly has opportunities to do that. [But] I don’t really know what he’ll do. He hasn’t told me.
My new parish in Richmond Hill, of which Savannah is a suburb, also has a brand new year old church building. It can seat comfortably 1,200 and was built this large in anticipation of our city's explosion 💥 of future growth.
Thus even when the Church is half full, that is about 600 people! My old parish in Macon only sat about 550 and thus it looked packed compared to my new church which only looks half full with about 550 people.
Because of the size of the Church we only needed two Ash Wednesday Masses, one at 9 am and the other at 7 pm.
We had about 450 at 9 am but almost 1,200 at 7 pm!!! And children 👶 galore!
Even our local weekly newspaper sent a photographer to our early Mass for a story next week.
WHY IS THERE SUCH FASCINATION WITH ASH WEDNESDAY FROM CATHOLICS AND THE WORLD? I ASK, YOU ANSWER!
O worship the Lord
Liturgical
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