"Be not afraid...
The Pope no longer wants your goofy music.
Come follow me...
It's time to give it a rest..."
I have to agree. Pop music, especially the insipid pieces that pass for sacred music stink.
It's just bad. Bad music. Bad lyrics that mangle the Psalms. Bad tempo. And my very pet peeve, the 1/2 key that the choirs are usually off.
...but this cannot happen unless it follows the tradition of Gregorian chants or sacred polyphony," the pontiff said...I know what polyphony is, but what is sacred polyphony?
Cordially,
Shouldn't this thread be in Religion?
Good he's right! : )
Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD. - Psalms 150:1-6
Ain't that the God's Honest Truth!
Amazing.
For the most part, I find it hard to stomach old church music.
To each his own.
I thought this was a two-part headline, informing us that the Pope hated soft drinks, and an announcement that the next service would have music in it.
Pope Against Pop. Music In Mass
What a difference a period makes.
Wow...that goes for far more than just the music.
Hopefully we'll soon say goodbye to the dancing girls, say goodbye to the clapping and hand-holding, say goodbye to the clowns and costumes, and say goodbye to the likes of Mahony.
"Be not afraid...
The Pope no longer wants your goofy music.
Come follow me...
It's time to give it a rest..."
Pinch me, I must be dreaming. Is this for real?
Next up: crappy missalette "art."
God bless Pope Benedict. Adios, Marty H.
Most Catholic churches here have a number of services beteen saturday night and sunday evening. As a catholic usually worshiping at a Methodist church with family, I miss the flexibility of times of service. We have one service on sunday, miss it and you're out of luck.
However, given that most churches here have at least 5 masses on the weekend, can't they attempt to offer a worship style that appeals to all? The children's mass is geared to families with youngsters, the homily is different and folks are more tolerant of restless kids. The "high" mass uses all sung responses and more classical music and is slightly longer. Saturday evening is more casual. Some churches offer a mass in a non-english language; Spanish around here. And one near-by does a Latin service.
As long as the standards are being adhered to, I don't see the harm in offering different worship and service styles to reflect the diversity of the backgrounds of the congregation. Mexican catholics have a different style from Indian catholics and Irish catholics and even catholic converts from the protestant denominations. Older folks have diffenent expectations from younger folks. Even exactly following the order and rituals I think there is room for some differences.
But Benedict XVI is on to them. On the Theology of Kneeling written before he was pope:
http://www.adoremus.org/1102TheologyKneel.html
Opening paragraph:
There are groups, of no small influence, who are trying to talk us out of kneeling. "It doesn't suit our culture", they say (which culture?) "It's not right for a grown man to do this -- he should face God on his feet". Or again: "It's not appropriate for redeemed man -- he has been set free by Christ and doesn't need to kneel any more".
Another good line:
It may well be that kneeling is alien to modern culture -- insofar as it is a culture, for this culture has turned away from the faith and no longer knows the one before whom kneeling is the right, indeed the intrinsically necessary gesture.
Click link above for more.
I would say we should be looking for some more comments or 'suggestions' on kneeling for those we are capable.
We should remember that Gregorian chant was once new and innovative. And no doubt in the early church, there were old people who disapproved of the Latin Mass, and longed for the good old traditional Greek or Aramaic version of their childhoods.
There are many young families that are put off by Gregorian chant and the Tridentine Mass, but there are many people, old and young, who prefer the old ways. Parishes and dioceses should adapt.
Unfortunately, there are still a few too many bishops who fear they won't get invited to the right liberal parties any more if they don't denigrate the Tridentine Mass in favor of the happy-clappy rock-guitar version. May the Holy Father begin a quiet purge of them.
-ccm
Speaking of church music........on vacation one summer, I found myself in an ELCA (liberal Lutheran Synod). I'm Missouri Synod (conservative).
Peace and dove-type banners graced the altar area. Other features were goofy such as gender-neutral readings.
After the sermon, the scraggy guitar soloist played and sang the Lord's Prayer IN CALYPSO.
At that point, I quietly left.
Gimme that old-time religion, please. I get enough politics during the week.
Leni