Contemporary Catholic liturgical music
Encyclopedia
Contemporary Catholic liturgical music encompasses a comprehensive number of styles of music for Catholic
liturgy that grew both before and after the reforms of Vatican II. The dominant style in English speaking Canada
and the United States
began as Gregorian chant
and folk
hymn
s, superseded after the 1970s by a folk-based musical genre, generally acoustic and often slow in tempo but that has evolved into a broad contemporary range of styles reflective of certain aspects of age, culture and language. There is a marked difference between this style and those that were both common and valued in Catholic churches before Vatican II.
was active in liturgical development in several movements leading toward Vatican II. In particular the new Gelineau psalmody
in French (1953) and English (1963) demonstrated the feasibility and welcome use of such vernacular language settings.
Contemporary Catholic liturgical music grew after the reforms that followed the Second Vatican Council
, which called for wider use of the vernacular
language in the Roman Catholic Mass. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal
states:
It adds:
The reforms sparked a wide movement in the English-speaking Roman Catholic church where an entire body of older Protestant hymnody and newly composed Contemporary Catholic Liturgical Music was introduced to the people through new hymnals such as World Library Publication's People's Mass Book, the Living Parish, We Celebrate and NALR's three volumes of Glory and Praise
.
A great deal of the early composed Contemporary Catholic liturgical Music of the 70s was inspired by popular music of the day, which used guitars and other instruments commonly associated with "folk" music, and included songwriters such as Ray Repp
, and Joe Wise
and later members of American groups such as the St. Louis Jesuits
, and the Dameans
. Of this group, the St. Louis Jesuits music spread widely and many compositions continue to be popular today.
By the 1990s, and into the early 21st century, this style of music drew less on its folk roots but rather on a number of different styles and influences from contemporary society. In many areas of the United States, and regions throughout the English-speaking world, most or all of the music played during Sunday Mass was taken from this late 20th century body of work. As a result, traditional forms of Catholic music (such as Gregorian chant) had become rare in many churches, and unknown in some. By the year 2000 most Catholic Songbooks preferred Contemporary Catholic Liturgical Music, some hymnody, and a very small collection of Chant (which, at one point was the sine qua non
of Catholic Church Music).
In addition to its spread within the American Roman Catholic community, a number of pieces from the body of late 20th century Catholic liturgical music had become commonplace among American mainline Protestants. This is true of Lutherans--particularly the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
--where both the more hymn-like assembly songs as well as portions of mass and psalm settings can be found among recent hymnals such as Evangelical Lutheran Worship
and With One Voice. Marty Haugen
, a Protestant Christian and one of the commonly known composers, creates both Roman Catholic and Lutheran versions of his mass settings, as well as writing pieces for specifically Lutheran rites.
Although musical mass settings are not as widely used in most mainline Protestant denominations, a number of the more well-known hymns / assembly songs have been added to the traditional hymn repertoire of these churches, and appear in many late 20th century denominational hymnals. These include compositions such as Dan Schutte
's "Here I Am, Lord
", Foley's "One Bread, One Body", Haas's "Blest Are They", and a number of Haugen's pieces, including "All Are Welcome", "Gather Us In", "Awake, Awake, and Greet the New Morn", and "Healer of Our Every Ill".
, therefore this music has generally been written for chorus with piano, guitar and/or percussion accompaniment. It should be noted that many classics including "One Bread, One Body" (Foley) and "Community Mass" (Proulx) were, respectively, arranged and composed to be accompanied by pipe organ. Although initially the late 20th century genre was "folk-sounding", it has matured over the last 30 years to a much more eclectic sound of its own.
Contemporary Catholic liturgical music makes heavy use of "responsorial" settings in which the congregation sings only a short refrain ("Glory to God in the highest") between verses entrusted to the cantor
or choir
. This differs from the "responsive" antiphony of Gregorian chant, in which alternate verses are divided between two bodies. Responsorial form is eminently practical in performing the psalmody of the Easter Vigil
, which occurs in darkness, as well as in the absence of pew hymnal
s or video projector
s. It has the disadvantage of excluding the congregation from full participation and some contemporary composers have preferred to through-compose their mass settings: a much anthologized "Gloria
" is that from Carroll T. Andrews' A New Mass for Congregations.
The vernacular mass texts have also drawn composers who stand outside the dominant folk–popular music tradition, such as Giancarlo Menotti.
along with the former and current members of the St. Louis Jesuits, namely:
Notable composers of contemporary Catholic liturgical music from outside the US include:
(OCP), Gregorian Institute of America (GIA), and World Library Publications (WLP, of J.S. Paluch Publishing).
Oregon Catholic Press (OCP) is a not-for-profit affiliation of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. In addition to Archbishop John George Vlazny of Portland, de facto head of OCP, Cardinal William Levada
, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in the Roman Curia
is a current member of the Board of Directors. In his former capacity of Archbishop of Portland, (1986–1995) Cardinal Levada led OCP during the company's expansive growth and this style of music became the principal style among many English-speaking communities. Francis George, prior to becoming Archbishop of Chicago and cardinal was also Archbishop of Portland and de facto head of OCP. Today, OCP represents approximately two-thirds of Catholic liturgical music market sales.
The most well known music books in Australian Catholic churches are the As One Voice Collections published by Willow Publishing Pty Ltd'.
Music for worship, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
, is to be judged by three sets of criteria: pastoral, liturgical, and musical, with the place of honor accorded to Gregorian chant and the organ. Coming from this foundation, it has been argued that the adoption of the more popular musical styles is alien to the Roman Rite
, and weakens the distinctiveness of Catholic worship.
Certain songs in this genre, for example, put the singer in the position of God, singing His part in the first person. Suzanne Toolan's "I Am the Bread of Life", was composed in this manner. Due to "inclusive language" becoming an issue by the 1980s, this was one of many songs that was edited in newer hymnals.
Dan Schutte's "Here I Am, Lord", (based on a Scripture text) was composed with the intent that the cantor would sing God's part but over time, people in the pews began to sing both parts."
This style contrasts with the traditional form where the congregation sings to God.
In 1990, Thomas Day wrote Why Catholics Can't Sing, assailing the then-current style of music in the American Church.
Catholic Worship Online is a site that's dedicated to encouraging music ministers to gain a better understanding o the USCCB's three criteria and how to appropriate Contemporary Catholic Music to other settings of worship in the Church such as Para-liturgy (Time in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament) and Private Devotion (small prayer groups).
Australian Women composers include: Amanda McKenna, Gina Ogilvie, Trisha Watts and Monica O'Brien
http://catholic-worship.com
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
liturgy that grew both before and after the reforms of Vatican II. The dominant style in English speaking Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
began as Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...
and folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
s, superseded after the 1970s by a folk-based musical genre, generally acoustic and often slow in tempo but that has evolved into a broad contemporary range of styles reflective of certain aspects of age, culture and language. There is a marked difference between this style and those that were both common and valued in Catholic churches before Vatican II.
History
In the early 1950s the Jesuit priest Joseph GelineauJoseph Gelineau
Joseph Gelineau was a French Catholic Jesuit priest and composer, mainly of modern Christian liturgical music....
was active in liturgical development in several movements leading toward Vatican II. In particular the new Gelineau psalmody
Gelineau psalmody
Gelineau psalmody is a method of singing the Psalms that was developed in France by Catholic Jesuit priest Joseph Gelineau around 1953, with English translations appearing some ten years later...
in French (1953) and English (1963) demonstrated the feasibility and welcome use of such vernacular language settings.
Contemporary Catholic liturgical music grew after the reforms that followed the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
, which called for wider use of the vernacular
Vernacular
A vernacular is the native language or native dialect of a specific population, as opposed to a language of wider communication that is not native to the population, such as a national language or lingua franca.- Etymology :The term is not a recent one...
language in the Roman Catholic Mass. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal
General Instruction of the Roman Missal
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal —in the Latin original, Institutio Generalis Missalis Romani —is the detailed document governing the celebration of Mass of the ordinary form of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church since 1969...
states:
- Great importance should ... be attached to the use of singing in the celebration of the Mass, with due consideration for the culture of the people and abilities of each liturgical assembly.
- Although it is not always necessary (e.g. in weekday Masses) to sing all the texts that are of themselves meant to be sung, every care should be taken that singing by the ministers and the people is not absent in celebrations that occur on Sundays and on holy days of obligation.
It adds:
- All other things being equal, Gregorian chant holds pride of place because it is proper to the Roman Liturgy. Other types of sacred music, in particular polyphony, are in no way excluded, provided that they correspond to the spirit of the liturgical action and that they foster the participation of all the faithful.
- Since the faithful from different countries come together ever more frequently, it is fitting that they know how to sing together at least some parts of the Ordinary of the Mass in Latin, especially the Creed and the Lord's Prayer, set to the simpler melodies.
The reforms sparked a wide movement in the English-speaking Roman Catholic church where an entire body of older Protestant hymnody and newly composed Contemporary Catholic Liturgical Music was introduced to the people through new hymnals such as World Library Publication's People's Mass Book, the Living Parish, We Celebrate and NALR's three volumes of Glory and Praise
Glory and Praise
Glory and Praise are post-Vatican II Hymnals from the United States Catholic Church, largely comprising the music of the St. Louis Jesuits. The book was published by North American Liturgy Resources and the contents were later purchased by the Oregon Catholic Press....
.
A great deal of the early composed Contemporary Catholic liturgical Music of the 70s was inspired by popular music of the day, which used guitars and other instruments commonly associated with "folk" music, and included songwriters such as Ray Repp
Ray Repp
Ray Repp is a Roman Catholic singer-songwriter credited with introducing folk music into Catholic masses with his 1965 album Mass for Young Americans that formed the earliest stirrings of Contemporary Christian music...
, and Joe Wise
Joe Wise
Joe Wise is a member of the U.S. Paralympic Swim Team and is a 16-time American Record Holder. He competed in the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games and is currently training for Paralympic Games in the 2012 London Summer Olympics....
and later members of American groups such as the St. Louis Jesuits
St. Louis Jesuits
The St. Louis Jesuits, a group of Catholic composers who popularized a contemporary style of church music through their compositions and recordings in the 1970s and 1980s. The group, made up of Jesuit seminarians at St...
, and the Dameans
The Dameans
The Dameans were a group of Catholic musicians who rose to prominence in the folk music era of the 1970s. They began as seminarians at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, Louisiana; formed in 1968, the group comprised Darryl Ducote, Mike Balhoff, Dave Baker, Buddy Ceaser, and Gary Ault. By the...
. Of this group, the St. Louis Jesuits music spread widely and many compositions continue to be popular today.
By the 1990s, and into the early 21st century, this style of music drew less on its folk roots but rather on a number of different styles and influences from contemporary society. In many areas of the United States, and regions throughout the English-speaking world, most or all of the music played during Sunday Mass was taken from this late 20th century body of work. As a result, traditional forms of Catholic music (such as Gregorian chant) had become rare in many churches, and unknown in some. By the year 2000 most Catholic Songbooks preferred Contemporary Catholic Liturgical Music, some hymnody, and a very small collection of Chant (which, at one point was the sine qua non
Sine qua non
Sine qua non or condicio sine qua non refers to an indispensable and essential action, condition, or ingredient...
of Catholic Church Music).
In addition to its spread within the American Roman Catholic community, a number of pieces from the body of late 20th century Catholic liturgical music had become commonplace among American mainline Protestants. This is true of Lutherans--particularly the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...
--where both the more hymn-like assembly songs as well as portions of mass and psalm settings can be found among recent hymnals such as Evangelical Lutheran Worship
Evangelical Lutheran Worship
Evangelical Lutheran Worship or ELW is the current, primary liturgical and worship guidebook and hymnal for use in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, replacing its three predecessors, the Lutheran Book of Worship , the Hymnal Supplemental , and...
and With One Voice. Marty Haugen
Marty Haugen
Marty Haugen, , is an American composer of liturgical music.-Biography:Marty Haugen was raised in the American Lutheran Church in Minnesota, and also writes contemporary hymns and liturgies for the Lutheran church despite being a member the United Church of Christ...
, a Protestant Christian and one of the commonly known composers, creates both Roman Catholic and Lutheran versions of his mass settings, as well as writing pieces for specifically Lutheran rites.
Although musical mass settings are not as widely used in most mainline Protestant denominations, a number of the more well-known hymns / assembly songs have been added to the traditional hymn repertoire of these churches, and appear in many late 20th century denominational hymnals. These include compositions such as Dan Schutte
Dan Schutte
Daniel L. Schutte is an American composer of Catholic liturgical music and a contemporary Christian songwriter best known for composing the hymn Here I Am, Lord .-Biography:...
's "Here I Am, Lord
Here I Am, Lord
Here I Am, Lord can refer to one of two hymnsThe first is composed by Dan Schutte in 1981 after Vatican Council II. Its words are based on Isaiah 6:8 and 1 Samuel 3...
", Foley's "One Bread, One Body", Haas's "Blest Are They", and a number of Haugen's pieces, including "All Are Welcome", "Gather Us In", "Awake, Awake, and Greet the New Morn", and "Healer of Our Every Ill".
Musical style
The musical style of 21st Century Catholic Music varies greatly. Much of it is composed so that choir and assembly can be accompanied by organ, piano or guitar. More recently, due to style preferences and cost, trends show more and more parishes do not use the traditional pipe organPipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
, therefore this music has generally been written for chorus with piano, guitar and/or percussion accompaniment. It should be noted that many classics including "One Bread, One Body" (Foley) and "Community Mass" (Proulx) were, respectively, arranged and composed to be accompanied by pipe organ. Although initially the late 20th century genre was "folk-sounding", it has matured over the last 30 years to a much more eclectic sound of its own.
Contemporary Catholic liturgical music makes heavy use of "responsorial" settings in which the congregation sings only a short refrain ("Glory to God in the highest") between verses entrusted to the cantor
Cantor (church)
A cantor is the chief singer employed in a church with responsibilities for the ecclesiastical choir; also called the precentor....
or choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
. This differs from the "responsive" antiphony of Gregorian chant, in which alternate verses are divided between two bodies. Responsorial form is eminently practical in performing the psalmody of the Easter Vigil
Easter Vigil
The Easter Vigil, also called the Paschal Vigil or the Great Vigil of Easter, is a service held in many Christian churches as the first official celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. Historically, it is during this service that people are baptized and that adult catechumens are received into...
, which occurs in darkness, as well as in the absence of pew hymnal
Hymnal
Hymnal or hymnary or hymnbook is a collection of hymns, i.e. religious songs, usually in the form of a book. The earliest hand-written hymnals are known since Middle Ages in the context of European Christianity...
s or video projector
Video projector
A video projector is an image projector that receives a video signal and projects the corresponding image on a projection screen using a lens system. All video projectors use a very bright light to project the image, and most modern ones can correct any curves, blurriness, and other...
s. It has the disadvantage of excluding the congregation from full participation and some contemporary composers have preferred to through-compose their mass settings: a much anthologized "Gloria
Gloria in Excelsis Deo
"Gloria in excelsis Deo" is the title and beginning of a hymn known also as the Greater Doxology and the Angelic Hymn. The name is often abbreviated to Gloria in Excelsis or simply Gloria.It is an example of the psalmi idiotici "Gloria in excelsis Deo" (Latin for "Glory to God in the highest")...
" is that from Carroll T. Andrews' A New Mass for Congregations.
The vernacular mass texts have also drawn composers who stand outside the dominant folk–popular music tradition, such as Giancarlo Menotti.
Popular composers
American composers of this music, with some of their most popular tunes, include:- Marty HaugenMarty HaugenMarty Haugen, , is an American composer of liturgical music.-Biography:Marty Haugen was raised in the American Lutheran Church in Minnesota, and also writes contemporary hymns and liturgies for the Lutheran church despite being a member the United Church of Christ...
, b. 1950 ("Gather Us In", "Canticle of the Sun", "We Are Many Parts", many psalm settings) - Michael JoncasMichael JoncasJan Michael Joncas is a priest, liturgical theologian, and composer of contemporary Catholic music. Joncas's most popular song is "On Eagles' Wings." He received an MA in liturgy from the University of Notre Dame in 1978 and went on to study at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute in Rome. He was...
, b. 1951 ("On Eagle's Wings", "We Come to Your Feast") - Rory Cooney, b. 1952 ("Bread of Life")
- David HaasDavid HaasDavid Edwin Haas, , is an American author and composer of Contemporary Catholic liturgical music. His most popular songs include "You Are Mine," "We Have Been Told," and "Now We Remain."...
, b. 1957 ("Blest Are They", "You Are Mine") - Carey LandryCarey LandryCarey Landry is an American composer of Catholic liturgical music. Among his better known compositions are "Abba, Father", "Hail Mary, Gentle Woman", "Only a Shadow", and a musical accompaniment to the traditional verses "Peace Is Flowing Like a River"...
, b. 1945 ("Abba, Father", "Hail Mary, Gentle Woman") - Suzanne Toolan, RSM, b. 1927 ("I Am the Bread of Life")
- Janèt Sullivan Whitaker, b. 1958 ("Here At This Table", "In Every Age")
- Marcy Weckler Barr, ("In the Arms of the Shepherd", "Lord, Send Out Your Spirit")
- The DameansThe DameansThe Dameans were a group of Catholic musicians who rose to prominence in the folk music era of the 1970s. They began as seminarians at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, Louisiana; formed in 1968, the group comprised Darryl Ducote, Mike Balhoff, Dave Baker, Buddy Ceaser, and Gary Ault. By the...
- Gary Ault, Mike Balhoff, Buddy Ceaser, Gary Daigle, Darryl Ducote ("Look Beyond", "All That We Have", Remember Your Love") - Rob Glover, b. 1950 ("Abundant Life","Peace Child")
- Bob MooreBob MooreBob Loyce Moore is an American session musician, orchestra leader, and bassist who was a member of the legendary Nashville A-Team during the 1950s and 60s.-Biography:...
b. 1962 ("All Who Hunger", "Sweet Refreshment")
along with the former and current members of the St. Louis Jesuits, namely:
- Dan SchutteDan SchutteDaniel L. Schutte is an American composer of Catholic liturgical music and a contemporary Christian songwriter best known for composing the hymn Here I Am, Lord .-Biography:...
, b. 1947 ("Here I Am, LordHere I Am, LordHere I Am, Lord can refer to one of two hymnsThe first is composed by Dan Schutte in 1981 after Vatican Council II. Its words are based on Isaiah 6:8 and 1 Samuel 3...
", "Sing a New Song", "You Are Near") - Bob Dufford, S.J.Bob DuffordRobert J. Dufford, S. J. is a Jesuit priest, a former member of the St. Louis Jesuits musical group, and a composer of Catholic liturgical music...
, b. 1943 ("Be Not Afraid", "All the Ends of the Earth") - John Foley, S.J.John Foley (musician)John Foley, S. J. is an American composer of Catholic liturgical music and and a professor of liturgy at St. Louis University. Among his better known compositions are "One Bread, One Body" , "Earthen Vessels" , "Come to the Water" , "The Cry of the Poor" , "For You Are My God" , and the album...
, b. 1939 ("One Bread, One Body") - Roc O'Connor, S.J., ("Lift Up Your Hearts")
- Tim Manion, ("I Lift Up My Soul")
Notable composers of contemporary Catholic liturgical music from outside the US include:
- Frenchman Joseph Gelineau, SJJoseph GelineauJoseph Gelineau was a French Catholic Jesuit priest and composer, mainly of modern Christian liturgical music....
, 1920-2008 ("The Lord Is My Shepherd") - Australian Richard ConnollyRichard ConnollyRichard Connolly is an Australian musician, composer and former broadcaster for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation . His published and performed works allow him to be counted as among Australia's most prolific composers of Roman Catholic church music particularly with regard to the hymns he...
, b.1927 ("Where there is charity and love" etc.) - Australian Chris Willcock, S.J. b.1947 ("Do not be afraid I am with you")
- English Bernadette FarrellBernadette FarrellBernadette Farrell is a British Catholic hymnwriter whose works have gained popularity among Christians of a variety of denominations...
, b. 1957 ("Unless a Grain of Wheat", "Christ Be Our Light") - English Christopher WalkerChristopher WalkerChristopher Walker may refer to :* Christopher Walker , a British mycologist* Christopher J. Walker , a British historian* Christopher "Kit" Walker, the real name of the comic book character The Phantom...
, b. 1947 ("Laudate Dominum") - English Paul Inwood, b. 1947 ("Center of my Life")
- Filipino Eduardo HontiverosEduardo HontiverosFr. Eduardo Pardo Hontiveros, S.J. , also known as "Fr. Honti", was a Filipino Jesuit composer and musician, best-known as an innovative creator of Philippine liturgical music....
, SJ, 1923–2008 - Filipino Manuel V. Francisco, SJ ("In My Heart", "Jesus On The Cross", "God Of Silence", "Something More", "In Him Alone", etc.)
- Filipino Arnel Aquino, SJ ("I Love The Lord")
- Filipino J.Nez Marcelo ("Touch Me Lord","The Seed")
- Australian [ Amanda McKenna] b. 1959 ("One Body In Christ", "Gather As One", "Light The Fire" etc). Published by Willow Publishing Pty Ltd
- Australian [ Trisha Watts] b.1958 ("Summoned By Love", "Canticle Of Creation", "A New Heart For A New World", "We Are Travellers" etc) Published by Willow Publishing Pty Ltd
- Australian [Gina Ogilvie] b.1967 ("Lifted Into Heaven", "Christ Be Near Us", Reach Out" etc). Published by Willow Publishing Pty Ltd.
Publishers of this music
A significant percentage of American contemporary liturgical music has been published under the names of three publishers: Oregon Catholic PressOregon Catholic Press
OCP is an American liturgical publisher based in Portland, Oregon. The not-for-profit company publishes liturgical music, books, choral collections, hymnals, missals, and support materials for the Catholic Church...
(OCP), Gregorian Institute of America (GIA), and World Library Publications (WLP, of J.S. Paluch Publishing).
Oregon Catholic Press (OCP) is a not-for-profit affiliation of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. In addition to Archbishop John George Vlazny of Portland, de facto head of OCP, Cardinal William Levada
William Levada
William Joseph Levada is an American Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Since 2005, he has served as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, making him the highest ranking American in the Roman Curia. He was previously the Archbishop of Portland from 1986 to 1995 and...
, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
is a current member of the Board of Directors. In his former capacity of Archbishop of Portland, (1986–1995) Cardinal Levada led OCP during the company's expansive growth and this style of music became the principal style among many English-speaking communities. Francis George, prior to becoming Archbishop of Chicago and cardinal was also Archbishop of Portland and de facto head of OCP. Today, OCP represents approximately two-thirds of Catholic liturgical music market sales.
The most well known music books in Australian Catholic churches are the As One Voice Collections published by Willow Publishing Pty Ltd'.
Controversies surrounding this music
Contemporary music aims to enable the entire congregation to take part in song, a goal its proponents claim agrees with the Second Vatican Council’s attempt to engender a more inclusive liturgy. What its advocates call a direct and accessible style of music places the participation of the gathered assembly higher in priority than the aesthetic values characterized by earlier sacred music, although many traditional Protestant congregations demonstrate that group singing and aesthetics can co-exist.Music for worship, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
, is to be judged by three sets of criteria: pastoral, liturgical, and musical, with the place of honor accorded to Gregorian chant and the organ. Coming from this foundation, it has been argued that the adoption of the more popular musical styles is alien to the Roman Rite
Roman Rite
The Roman Rite is the liturgical rite used in the Diocese of Rome in the Catholic Church. It is by far the most widespread of the Latin liturgical rites used within the Western or Latin autonomous particular Church, the particular Church that itself is also called the Latin Rite, and that is one of...
, and weakens the distinctiveness of Catholic worship.
Certain songs in this genre, for example, put the singer in the position of God, singing His part in the first person. Suzanne Toolan's "I Am the Bread of Life", was composed in this manner. Due to "inclusive language" becoming an issue by the 1980s, this was one of many songs that was edited in newer hymnals.
Dan Schutte's "Here I Am, Lord", (based on a Scripture text) was composed with the intent that the cantor would sing God's part but over time, people in the pews began to sing both parts."
This style contrasts with the traditional form where the congregation sings to God.
In 1990, Thomas Day wrote Why Catholics Can't Sing, assailing the then-current style of music in the American Church.
Catholic Worship Online is a site that's dedicated to encouraging music ministers to gain a better understanding o the USCCB's three criteria and how to appropriate Contemporary Catholic Music to other settings of worship in the Church such as Para-liturgy (Time in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament) and Private Devotion (small prayer groups).
See also
- Women composers of Catholic musicWomen composers of Catholic musicSince the Middle Ages, women including Hildegard of Bingen and Vittoria Aleotti have been composing music for the church.American, Australian and English Catholic hymn collections dating from the first half of the 20th century included hymns and service music by women religious living in convents...
Australian Women composers include: Amanda McKenna, Gina Ogilvie, Trisha Watts and Monica O'Brien
Catholic Worship Online
A blog community dedicated to rediscovering the heart of worship in the Church by encouraging Catholic musicians to learn more about Theology of worship in the Church and its various contexts: Liturgical, Para-liturgical, and Devotional; and how to appropriate various musical styles to these contexts.http://catholic-worship.com
Hymnals and song collections
- Batastini, Robert J., and Michael A. Cymbala, eds. Gather: Comprehensive. Chicago: GIA Publications (1994). ISBN 0-941050-62-9.
- Glory & Praise. Portland, OR: Oregon Catholic Press.
- Michael A. Cymbala, ed "Crossgeneration" http://giamusic.com/crossgeneration - Chicago: GIA Publications (2009).
- RitualSong by GIA Publications
- Yours Are The Words. (c) 2008, World Library Purlications. ISBN 978-1-58459-423-9.
Opinion pieces
- Martin, Maureen. "Celebrated Lyricist Pens Hymn During Drive-Through Wait." Crisis Magazine, January 10, 2006.
- McDermott, Jim. "Sing a New Song: Part 2, The St. Louis Jesuits: Earthen Vessels." AmericaAmerica (magazine)America is a national weekly magazine published by the American Jesuits that contains news and opinion about Catholicism and how it relates to American politics and cultural life....
, May 30, 2005. Online at http://www.americamagazine.org/gettext.cfm?textID=4216&issueID=533&letter=1. - Olbash, Michael. "A Church Musician's Lament." Catholic World Report, April 2003. Online at http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=21821.
- "Liturgy and Common Ground," by Archbishop Rembert Weakland, in America magazine, 20 Feb. 1999
- Weigel, GeorgeGeorge WeigelGeorge Weigel is an American author, and political and social activist. He currently serves as a Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Weigel was the Founding President of the James Madison Foundation...
. "Heretical Hymns?" The Catholic Difference, 2006. - The Snowbird Statement on Catholic Liturgical Music