Day by Day or Agnus Dei?

As any rector and parish musician know, fervently expressed opinions about musical style and what should be done about it are part of the DNA of congregational life.  My mantra, when it comes to music in the liturgy, is "artistically skillful—spiritually sensitive."  At that point, whether it comes from the 12th century or the 21st, is irrelevant so long as it reflects the context of the gathered community, the shape of the liturgy, and the Biblical readings of the day. John Bell of the Iona Community has written: "Worship is not a consumer activity in which we listen to our favorite song but an engagement of all the people of God together in the presence of their Maker."  That preaches.

So it was a delight to read an article tucked back in the style section of the Washington Post on Wednesday about medieval and folk tensions within the musical practice of the Catholic Church. Among all the excellent articles regarding the Pope's visit to Washington, this one deserves a read.

"Catholics don't argue about abortion or the death penalty nearly as much as they argue about what music is sung (or not sung, or used to be sung) at their local Sunday Mass. It was ever thus—at least since the 1960s, when Sister first shortened her habit, strummed a G7 chord and, to hear some Catholics tell it, all heck broke loose."

Read it all here.

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