Finally! Catholic music is being looked into!

Oh, this is excellent news, via Closed Cafeteria.

The working paper of the next Synod of Bishops suggests that “songs used at present” in the liturgy should “be reconsidered.”

What an understatement! We’ve been subjected to the most appalling, campfire/jingle music…

The working paper, published July 7, outlines the topics that the bishops will discuss during the assembly.

In connection with the question of liturgical singing, the paper states that “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.”

Gregorian chant

In particular, the document suggests the rediscovery of Gregorian chant, as it “fulfills these needs” and, therefore, can “serve as a model,” quoting Pope John Paul II.

In No. 61, the text states that in the responses to the questionnaire with which they concluded the synod’s first preparatory text, “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.”

Indeed! One comment I heard over and over after the staggeringly beautiful funeral of John Paul II was “why don’t you Catholics use that chanting stuff more?” I have no doubt that many of the people who were inspired to return to church, or who have begun looking into the church, since that event, have gone to Mass hoping to hear some of the quite, mysterious beauty that resides in the chant, and upon hearing the first few measures of the modern opening hymns have thought…whaaaa???? Where’s that beautiful music?

This is excellent news. The reactionary progressives may not like it…but I do think they’ll come around. Beauty is, finally irresistable.