Ah, yes...

Complaint about liturgical 'abuses' continues.

Cardinal Castrillo Hoyos decries liturgical abuses as he celebrates third pontifical

And complaints likely will continue until the Pope manages to get the Church right back to Trent. I wish some of these people would be more concerned about the other abuse scandal that the Church is dealing with...

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One person's opinion

Music-Minded Catholics Hope to Sing a New (Old) Song

Despite the fear of some more liberal Catholics, and the hopes of some more traditional Catholics, I don't think that the Pope's attempts to change the music done at Mass is an attempt to impose Gregorian Chant as the standard for all liturgies. I really do believe that the Pope is trying to take the Church to the place where it should have been after Vatican II, that is, to revise the Mass in a new way. It's not going back to the pre-Vatican II state, but will be revised in a different way. I think he believes, as do a lot of us, that the Mass was meant to be revised, not totally re-done, and it needs to be looked at with new eyes now to accomplish that. Neither the liberal nor the traditional camps are going to be satisfied, unfortunately. It's not going back to the way it was, but neither is it staying the same. The Spirit is a-movin'...

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Making a lot of choir directors

very unhappy, and a lot of traditionalists ecstatic!

Pope: Gregorian Chant is the Supreme Model of Sacred Music

Many choir directors would be the first to say that there is some terrible music considered 'liturgical' these days, but the idea of moving back to chant as the sole music of the liturgy would be a mistake as well, I think. We'd be back to performance music and the congregations could just sit there and listen. Despite what some people think, good Gregorian Chant takes learning and practice...

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Liturgy Needs Tradition and Progress, Says Pope: Notes Fruits as Well as Errors in 50 Years of Reform

Unlike a lot of reasonably 'liberal' (whatever that means) Catholics, I can see the wisdom of what the Pope says in this regard, and I'm one who really isn't opposed in any way to the liturgical changes that are coming about. Then again, I'm not a liturgist, most of whom are probably upset that the Pope didn't consult with them personally on the changes...

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Heh.




New iPad application won't replace liturgical books, creator says



Can you imagine having to stop Mass because your battery gives out?

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A very interesting article

Battle lines in the liturgy wars

I like this:

"Historian O’Malley referred to a canon law principle that essentially says, "An abuse doesn’t mean you change what you’re doing. You try to correct those who are abusing things.""

While this could be applied to the changes from what preceeded Vatican II, it is more appropriate to apply this to some of the aberrations that followed Vatican II. It doesn't provied ammunition for those who would like to see things returned to the pre-Vatican II state. While a more reverent attitude might be a valuable change, I'm not certain that a return to the Tridentine liturgy would fix anything. All it would do is make the 20 and 30-something traditionalist young folk (who have never experienced the aberrations of the pre-Vatican II liturgy) happy. A very small section of the Church, indeed!

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He seems

to be pretty balanced in his interpretation, though his language regarding what he considers liturgical abuses (or what he considers veering from the spirit of Vatican II) could be less dramatic...

Iowa bishop blasts ‘spirit of Vatican II,’ calls it ‘a ghost or demon that must be exorcised’

I agree with increasing the time available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Right now it's sometimes impossible to find a priest unless you make an appointment. The use of Latin and Gregorian Chant? Well, I certainly don't remember much chant in our parish in pre-Vatican II days anyway. There was a lot of singing of old classics like 'Immaculate Mary' and 'Tantum Ergo', but they weren't in chant...

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Some of these things

seem a little picky, and a bit too 'letter of the law rather than the spirit of the law' but then there are some that I agree with whole-heartedly.

The Ten Most Common Liturgical Abuses: And Why They're Wrong

I've looked in the Bible and I can't find Jesus saying 'do this exactly like this in rememberance of me'. Ah, well. At least they're spot on regarding 'liturgical' dance!

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Not surprisingly

almost all the suggestions are regarding music, and even less surprisingly, almost all the suggestions contain the words 'Latin' and 'chant'...


Fourteen Easy Ways to Improve the Liturgy

"Boredom during the liturgy is something all Catholics have felt from time to time, and it’s never justifiable."

In pre-Vatican II days my parish (which we still attend) did it's portion of Latin, but we didn't do any chant. It'll be hard to bring back something that didn't exist. I think a lot of the traditionalist youth are imagining a 'golden age' that didn't really exist...

Another one

Church tries Goth Liturgy

"Saturday night service at Nanticoke place of worship is an alternate approach."

Some time ago I blogged about another church doing this. I'm trying to imagine our pastor or assistant pastor doing this and failing...

Oh,no!

Will They Follow? U2-themed liturgies offer a sacred spin on the music of the world's biggest band

This takes me back to the days of 'hamburger masses' or 'puppet masses'. Don't ask. One hopes that there's never a return to anything like that (but one also hopes that there's never a return to the little old ladies - and others - praying their rosaries and prayers while the priest says Mass in Latin to himself in the front of the church)...

God as fashion designer?

It's not Prada but Christ that guides vestment choices, says paper

It's all about the look and where the inspiration comes from...

A U.S. bishop discusses

the new liturgical translations:

The Language of the Liturgy: The Value of the New Translations

He's not at all pleased

with the U.S. Bishops...

Catholic Bishops’ Remarks are Condescending to "Joe and Mary Catholic"

However, being the cynic I am, I fear the author of this article might be giving too much credit to "Joe and Mary Catholic"...

This is a surprise

Standing Up For Glory & Praise

A more traditional Catholic website posting a positive article about contemporary Catholic music. It's surprising, given the mood of conservative Catholics in light of the Pope's opinion regarding Gregorian Chant, etc.

Good for them!

Liturgical Language

Note to John and Mary Catholic: You're Stupid. Again.

Amy Welborn, a conservative, more traditional Catholic writer, has a good post on liturgical language in a discussion about an article in America magazine. I truly wish that some of these clergy would quit treating us like infants, not expecting us to understand words of more than one syllable, and realize that some of these words a) are known to laity as well as clergy, b) are able to be learned by laity as well as clergy if they're not known and, c) add to the solemnness and reverence of the sacrifice of the Mass. We're not two years old and we need more than 'Here it is. Take it and eat it.' *Sigh*

What a good interview

Very interesting.

From Convert to Church Leader: Interview With Auxiliary Bishop-Designate Elliott

(Following a short article and link from Ignatius Insight Scoop.)

Again?

Pope wants Gregorian chant comeback

They're reporting this again? We all know that Pope Benedict doesn't want the rich musical history of the Church forgotten, but I'm sure there's no way he can turn the clock back. Besides, there was very little Gregorian Chant before Vatican II, just a lot of traditional hymns, most in English (where I am) and some in Latin. The question would have to be 'turn it back to what?'...

Liturgical Revision

To quote one of the readers, Coco, who commented on this article "A most excellent article." While some work to modernize the liturgy is beneficial and proper, I've always felt that the Bishops are condescending in their attitude that 'the people can't possibly understand it this way' and then dumb it down until all the power and richness is gone.

By the Waters of Babylon