The Vatican recently published an Instrumentum Laboris for the upcoming Eleventh Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, entitled, "The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church", due to be held in the Vatican from October 2 to 23, 2005.
In the document, and through the Synod, it is the hope of Benedict XVI to encourage a correct understanding of the Eucharist in the life of the faithful, and to correct various liturgical abuses, which have yet to be properly addressed.
Readers of this blog may be interested in any number of points raised in the document. However, I wish to reproduce here, in full, paragraphs 60 and 61, dedicated to Liturgical Song.
60. The People of God, gathered in the Lord’s House, give thanks and praise through speaking, listening, singing and moments of silence.Various responses to the Lineamenta recommend that singing at Mass and Eucharistic Adoration be done in a dignified manner. The faithful need to know the standard Gregorian chants, which have been composed to meet the needs of people of all times and places, in virtue of their simplicity, refinement and agility in form and rhythm. As a result, the songs and hymns presently in use need to be reconsidered.87 To enter into sacred or religious usage, instrumental or vocal music is to have a sense of prayer, dignity and beauty. This requires an integrity of form, expressing true artistry, corresponding to the various rites and capable of adaptation to the legitimate demands of inculturation. This is to be done without detracting from the idea of universality. Gregorian chant fulfills these needs and can therefore serve as a model, according to Pope John Paul II.88 Musicians and poets should be encouraged to compose new hymns, according to liturgical standards, which contain authentic catechetical teaching on the paschal mystery, Sunday and the Eucharist.
61. Some responses particularly mentioned the use of musical instruments, referring to the general guidelines contained in the Constitution Sacrosanctum concilium.89 In this regard, a certain appreciation was often voiced in the Latin tradition for the organ, whose majestic sound adds solemnity to worship and is conducive to contemplation. Some responses also made reference to experiences associated with the use of other musical instruments in the liturgy. Positive results in this area were achieved with the consensus of competent ecclesiastical authority, who judged these instruments proper for sacred use, in keeping with the dignity of the place and the edification of the faithful.
In other responses some lamented the poor quality of translations of liturgical texts and many musical texts in current languages, maintaining that they lacked beauty and were sometimes theologically unclear, thereby contributing to a weakening of Church teaching and to a misunderstanding of prayer. A few responses made particular mention of music and singing at Youth Masses. In this regard, it is important to avoid musical forms which, because of their profane use, are not conducive to prayer. Some responses note a certain eagerness in composing new songs, to the point of almost yielding to a consumer mentality, showing little concern for the quality of the music and text, and easily overlooking the artistic patrimony which has been theologically and musically effective in the Church’s liturgy.
In keeping with the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum concilium,90 the suggestion was made that, at international gatherings, the liturgy be in Latin, at least the Eucharistic Prayer, to facilitate a proper participation of the concelebrants and those who are not familiar with the local vernacular language.
A certain satisfaction is drawn from the fact that some countries have a sound tradition of religious songs and hymns for special times in the liturgical year: Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter. These songs, known and sung by the people, promote recollection and assist the faithful to live in a particularly spiritual way the celebrations of the mystery of faith in each liturgical season. Many hope that this positive experience might spread to other nations and provide a certain tone to these significant seasons in the liturgical year, thereby allowing the faithful to perceive the season’s message through music and lyrics.
[Paragraphing in the Italian version: 61 & 62.]
Perhaps these working documents should not be released to the general public until the final document is prepared. There are a couple puzzling remarks which I hope will be cleared up. With the status of the document as it is, though, they are merely curiosities.
Musicians and poets should be encouraged to compose new hymns, according to liturgical standards, which contain authentic catechetical teaching on the paschal mystery, Sunday and the Eucharist.
...
Many hope that this positive experience [of a sound tradition of religious songs and hymns for special times in the liturgical year] might spread to other nations and provide a certain tone to these significant seasons in the liturgical year, thereby allowing the faithful to perceive the season’s message through music and lyrics.
Why are entirely new texts and hymns important? Is our psalmody, Scripture, and hymnody inadequate? In the minds of the commenters, are the propers of the Mass still bound by steel chains to Gregorian chant in Latin, so that they not have any place in the Novus ordo in the vernacular?
I do believe that the riches of the Church's Tradition may be exploited in new poems by saints and doctors of our time and settings of those texts, but I think there are more immediate concerns with what we do with the treasures that we already have ... in books that we have been given to use.
I share your concerns, Mr. Muller.
It is all well and good to present options, but when the ideal is not encouraged, in some cases not even made readily accessible, the "default" becomes that second or third or fourth option.
Eventually, the very concept of "normative" is obliterated.
In my area I think the average Catholic believes Gather Us In is the official introit for all Masses, and that some crackpot fanatics, at a sort of niche, or "boutique" Mass provide quaint medieval-sounding stuff as a once-in-a-while chnage of pace.
But I am curious.
I am not very learned for someone so opinionated -- what exactly is the "working document?"
A kind of agenda?
Concerns have been presented, topics for discussion formuatled, but they have in themselves no weight or authority, is that so?
Thank you for educating me.
God bless you all.
What exactly is the 'working document?' A kind of agenda?"
If you read the introduction to the lineamenta, you will see that "agenda" [ordo diei] is the exact word applied to the instrumentum laboris. It is not even available in Latin, unlike the preceding lineamenta.
The introduction to the instrumentum laboris explains its purpose by saying, "the Church’s practice must continually be placed alongside her perennial teachings, ... we are to see if the law of prayer [that would have been the lex orandi in a Latin original] corresponds to the law of faith [lex credendi]."
At this point we can see clearly what will be discussed and to what purpose, but we cannot draw any practical conclusions. The synod itself will make final recommendations on pastoral matters to the Pope along the lines of this document, and then it is up to His Holiness to accept or reject these recommendations and also decide how to present those accepted with what force of law.
I suppose the basic assumption is that Catholic liturgy is in the vernacular of the particular parish, not Latin. And even a liberal would argue that hymn texts in use leave a lot to be desired.
What is mystifying to me is the opposition to modern musical formulations of faith, assuming a high quality of both text and music.
"What is mystifying to me is the opposition to modern musical formulations of faith, assuming a high quality of both text and music."
Who opposed them?
Someone wondered why they were thought "important."
That is NOT opposition, by any logical reading.
Can someone please tell me what a liberal and what is a conservative Catholic? Either you are catholic and accept all her doctrine or you are not. It is Vatican II and the Hans Kungs, Karl Rahners, and Father Ratzingers who were the heretics of yesteryear and now in vogue and some 40 years later as the destruction of the church and her sacred tradition is almost complete, they see what has happened and want to put the breaks on and are considered "conservative" as they dont feel the next step (woman ordination, complete homosexual takeover, and complete sellout to the Protestants, Jews, and Hindus) is necessary, at least not yet.
Find the nearest traditional church where "Catholicism" is Catholic and sacred tradition and teachings are preserved
God bless