Evangelization Efforts

[zalzan]

oops...for got to add: (from Musicam Sacram)

62. Musical instruments either accompanying the singing or played alone can add a great deal to liturgical celebrations.

"The pipe organ is to be held in high esteem, for it is the traditional musical instrument that adds a wonderful splendor to the Church's ceremonies and powerfully lifts up the spirit to God and to higher things.

"But other instruments also may be admitted for use in divine worship, with the knowledge [i][b]and consent of the competent territorial authority[/b][/i] . . . This may be done, however, only on condition that the instruments are suitable, or can be made suitable, for sacred use, are in accord with the dignity of the place of worship, and truly contribute to the uplifting of the faithful." [43]

63. One criterion for accepting and using musical instruments is the genius and tradition of the particular peoples. At the same time, however, instruments that are generally associated and used only with worldly music are to be absolutely barred from liturgical services and religious devotions. [44] All musical instruments accepted for divine worship must be played in such a way as to meet the requirements of a liturgical service and to contribute to the beauty of worship and the building up of the faithful.


I love this quote, because for about 900 years, organs were considered "worldly" pagan toys and forbidden in Catholic worship. However, the Church gives us the principle of whether a given instrument can be rendered suitable for worship. Also, even if you look at electric guitars or drums, in the late 1900's these almost were exlusively identified with rock music and debauchery. Now, these instruments have a more widespread acceptance in a variety of musical styles.

Again, this all speaks to evangelism. The purpose of liturgical music is to bring people deeper into worship.

[Chamomile]

[quote name='zalzan' timestamp='1302721456' post='2228275']
We as Catholics at the grass roots level really need to be on board with the Pope and the Bishops in finding better w ays to evangelize.
[/quote]


Evangelization springs from personal sanctity and adherence to the Truth. It is rooted in quiet prayer. It is born and nurtured by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Source and Summit of our Catholic life.

The Mass itself does not need to be "evangelized" by music or anything outside itself (which is, at heart, what you are saying, even though you don't realize it), as it is the perfect sacrifice of Our Lord and Savior.

Music is something that should always, always lift our hearts and minds higher to God, especially during the Sacred Liturgy. If it doesn't do that, silence is better. If there is any doubt that the music may take away from the Real Presence of Our Lord - and thus place the focus on that rather than on the Pascal Mystery - silence is better.

I love music, but it can become a god. [b]Especially when you think that is a greater tool to bring one closer to God than the union of a soul with the Body, Blood, Soul, & Divinity of His Son Incarnate[/b]. I bold this because even the most subtle form of disbelief in the Real Presence can allow one to fall into heresy, and I pray that doesn't happen to you because of a disagreement about music.

Please, I kindly ask you to stop arguing about music in the Mass (Nihil, you too ), so that we can discuss what we were originally discussing.

[Chamomile]

[quote name='zalzan' timestamp='1302698155' post='2228131']
Today, music is a key means of evangelization. I firmly believe that as our liturgical music catches up to the present our efforts at evangelism will grow. I live in Florida, and I have about 5 evangelical christian radio stations available here (compared to zero when I lived in NH). The music is beautiful, theologically sound, and is leading people to Christ continually. Absent from this forum is Catholicism. Matt Maher is currently the only contemporary Catholic musician with "hits" on the Christian billboards, and he has been very well received.

The person above mentioned the Rosary...it is ironic to me that the only songs I have heard of the radio waves about Mary are on the evangelical stations and not written by Catholics. This should be a clarion call to us that we need to get moving.

I have been discussing with some freidns about doing some musical sttreetcorner outreach and evangelism..just us, a guitar or two and some hand drums.
[/quote]



I was raised a Protestant, so I do sometimes like to listen to "praise and worship music" outside Mass. Sometimes I like it, sometimes it annoys me because it can be really superficial. Matt Maher's songs are quite good and deeper than most of what's on Protestant stations.

I do agree that there can be a good amount of evangelization done in the area of music - have you listened to the Phatmass rap compilation? Really a.wesome lyrics and music on that!

I totally encourage you to do "streetcorner outreach" with music! [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/clap2.gif[/img]This is a totally legitimate and beautiful way to bring people to Jesus.

I don't understand why you brought up my talking about the Rosary and then started talking about songs... ? Although music does touch people in a certain way, prayer is infinitely more powerful (since it's God who is working), so that's why I think encouraging praying the Rosary is a great means of evangelization. Not to mention it contains the whole Gospel.

So.... I would suggest handing out Rosaries while you play music [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/pm.gif[/img] Also holy cards, tiny pamphlets on Catholicism, Miraculous Medals, etc!

[Nihil Obstat]

All the poorly-interpreted quotes in the world don't change the facts that were very clearly expressed by Tra Le Sollecitudini. First among these is that Gregorian Chant is to be normative in the Latin rite, and ALL other music is to be judged by its similarities to it.

3. These qualities are to be found, in the highest degree, in Gregorian Chant, which is, consequently the Chant proper to the Roman Church, the only chant she has inherited from the ancient fathers, which she has jealously guarded for centuries in her liturgical codices, which she directly proposes to the faithful as her own, which she prescribes exclusively for some parts of the liturgy, and which the most recent studies have so happily restored to their integrity and purity.

On these grounds Gregorian Chant has always been regarded as the suprememodel for sacred music, so that it is fully legitimate to lay down thefollowing rule: the more closely a composition for church approaches in its movement, inspiration and savor the Gregorian form, the more sacred and liturgical it becomes; and the more out of harmony it is with that supreme model, the less worthy it is of the temple.


This will not change no matter how many hundreds of years pass. Gregorian Chant is our sacred music, and it must always be preserved and celebrated. It is always to be given the very first place in all Masses in the Latin rite.

[Nihil Obstat]

By the way, the ICEL has zero magisterial authority as a body, and ditto for the USCCB.

[Lil Red]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' timestamp='1302726414' post='2228349']
By the way, the ICEL has zero magisterial authority as a body, and ditto for the USCCB.
[/quote]
i was just about to bring that up

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Lil Red' timestamp='1302742603' post='2228456']
i was just about to bring that up
[/quote]
I figured you were going to.

[zalzan]

[quote name='Chamomile' timestamp='1302725375' post='2228331']
Evangelization springs from personal sanctity and adherence to the Truth. It is rooted in quiet prayer. It is born and nurtured by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Source and Summit of our Catholic life.

The Mass itself does not need to be "evangelized" by music or anything outside itself (which is, at heart, what you are saying, even though you don't realize it), as it is the perfect sacrifice of Our Lord and Savior.

Music is something that should always, always lift our hearts and minds higher to God, especially during the Sacred Liturgy. If it doesn't do that, silence is better. If there is any doubt that the music may take away from the Real Presence of Our Lord - and thus place the focus on that rather than on the Pascal Mystery - silence is better.

I love music, but it can become a god. [b]Especially when you think that is a greater tool to bring one closer to God than the union of a soul with the Body, Blood, Soul, & Divinity of His Son Incarnate[/b]. I bold this because even the most subtle form of disbelief in the Real Presence can allow one to fall into heresy, and I pray that doesn't happen to you because of a disagreement about music.

Please, I kindly ask you to stop arguing about music in the Mass (Nihil, you too ), so that we can discuss what we were originally discussing.
[/quote]


No one is speaking about evangelizing the Mass...I specifically cited church teaching that indicates the Mass fortifies us to go out and proclaim the Gospel. What we receive at mass (Grace), is what we bring out into the world. This applies to the music as well. I agree with your statement that music can become a "god." This happens when people place music in the category of dogma, which is, as you say not its proper place. The real Presence is Dogma, Organs and Gregorian chant are not. However, you cannot seperate music from the paschal mystery. Remember, after the last supper, Jesus and the apostles sang hymns before going to the garden.

I would also point out Sacrosanctum Concilium # 8:
"8. In the earthly liturgy we take part in a foretaste of that heavenly liturgy which is celebrated in the holy city of Jerusalem toward which we journey as pilgrims, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God, a minister of the holies and of the true tabernacle [[url="http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19631204_sacrosanctum-concilium_en.html#_ftn22"]22[/url]]; [b]we sing a hymn[/b] to the Lord's glory with all the warriors of the heavenly army; venerating the memory of the saints, we hope for some part and fellowship with them; we eagerly await the Saviour, Our Lord Jesus Christ, until He, our life, shall appear and we too will appear with Him in glory [[url="http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19631204_sacrosanctum-concilium_en.html#_ftn23"]23[/url]].

9. The sacred liturgy does not exhaust the entire activity of the Church. Before men can come to the liturgy they must be called to faith and to conversion: "How then are they to call upon him in whom they have not yet believed? But how are they to believe him whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear if no one preaches? And how are men to preach unless they be sent?" (Rom. 10:14-15).

[b]Therefore the Church announces the good tidings of salvation to those who do not believe[/b], so that all men may know the true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent, and may be converted from their ways, doing penance [[url="http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19631204_sacrosanctum-concilium_en.html#_ftn24"]24[/url]]. To believers also the Church must ever preach faith and penance, she must prepare them for the sacraments, teach them to observe all that Christ has commanded [[url="http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19631204_sacrosanctum-concilium_en.html#_ftn25"]25[/url]], and invite them to all the works of charity, piety, and the apostolate. For all these works make it clear that Christ's faithful, though not of this world, are to be the light of the world and to glorify the Father before men."

If you believe (I do), as Sacrosanctum Concilium says, that the Book of Revelation gives us a depiction of heavenly worship, then you believe, with the Church, that music, and in fact raucous, exhuberant praise are a part of it. Sacred Music is not an adornment, it is essential. Worth mentioning is that in the Book of Revelation, to which the Church directs us in her Dogmatic teaching, the only instrument used to accompany singing in Heaven is the kithara, often translated harp, but more correctly it resembles a lyre or guitar. In fact the word guitar comes from "kithara." In heaven the angels and the elect "sing a new song."

Music, as integral part of our Sacred Worship, cannot be divorced from evangelism. if our music is not helping us proclaim the Gospel, then something is wrong. The hymns we learn and sing at Mass should be relevant in our proclamation to "unbelievers." A hymn, after all, is a song that communicates truth in musical form.

[zalzan]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' timestamp='1302726345' post='2228345']
All the poorly-interpreted quotes in the world don't change the facts that were very clearly expressed by Tra Le Sollecitudini. First among these is that Gregorian Chant is to be normative in the Latin rite, and ALL other music is to be judged by its similarities to it.

3. These qualities are to be found, in the highest degree, in Gregorian Chant, which is, consequently the Chant proper to the Roman Church, the only chant she has inherited from the ancient fathers, which she has jealously guarded for centuries in her liturgical codices, which she directly proposes to the faithful as her own, which she prescribes exclusively for some parts of the liturgy, and which the most recent studies have so happily restored to their integrity and purity.

On these grounds Gregorian Chant has always been regarded as the suprememodel for sacred music, so that it is fully legitimate to lay down thefollowing rule: the more closely a composition for church approaches in its movement, inspiration and savor the Gregorian form, the more sacred and liturgical it becomes; and the more out of harmony it is with that supreme model, the less worthy it is of the temple.


This will not change no matter how many hundreds of years pass. Gregorian Chant is our sacred music, and it must always be preserved and celebrated. It is always to be given the very first place in all Masses in the Latin rite.
[/quote]

First, you have not cited one example of how I have "misinterpreted" Church teaching. Second, as I have already stated, you completely ignore whole sections of Chiurch teaching that allow for local ordinaries to to establish parameters, and which encourage new forms of music beyond gregorian chant.

[zalzan]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' timestamp='1302726414' post='2228349']
By the way, the ICEL has zero magisterial authority as a body, and ditto for the USCCB.
[/quote]

I never stated it had 'Magisterial Authority." Rather it operates within the parameters established by Rome, which gives "competent territorial authorities" the responsibility for managing liturgical matters. You conveniently choose to ignore this key aspect of Church teaching, and this is your flawed hermeneutic.

[zalzan]

Regarding the UCCB, they do have the ability to establish norms for their region. They have the option to get these norms endorsed by Rome to make them binding from Rome, but in most cases this is not necessary...why? Because wiwthin his own territory, the bishop has full authority to establish norms, only needing permission if he seeks to modify the actual liturgical texts substantially. So again, we come back to our local ordinary. Within their territory, their liturgical norms, based on the pastoral liberty afforded them by Rome, are binding. <BR><BR><BR>

Edited April 14, 2011 by zalzan

[zalzan]

consider the following from Redemptionis Sacramentum, regarding the Bishop's role:

[b]1. The Diocesan Bishop, High Priest of His Flock

19.[/b] The diocesan Bishop, the first steward of the mysteries of God in the particular Church entrusted to him, is the moderator, promoter and guardian of her whole liturgical life.[sup]39[/sup] For “the Bishop, endowed with the fullness of the Sacrament of Order, is ‘the steward of the grace of the high Priesthood,’[sup]40[/sup] especially in the Eucharist which he either himself offers or causes to be offered,[sup]41[/sup] by which the Church continually lives and grows.”[sup]42[/sup]

[b]20.[/b] Indeed, the pre-eminent manifestation of the Church is found whenever the Rites of Mass are celebrated, especially in the cathedral church, “with the full and active participation of the entire holy People of God, joined in one act of prayer, at one altar at which the Bishop presides,” surrounded by his presbyterate with the Deacons and ministers.[sup]43[/sup] Furthermore, “every lawful celebration of the Eucharist is directed by the Bishop, to whom is entrusted the office of presenting the worship of the Christian religion to the Divine Majesty and ordering it according to the precepts of the Lord and the laws of the Church, further specified by his own particular judgment for the Diocese.”[sup]44[/sup]

[b]21.[/b] It pertains to the diocesan Bishop, then, “within the limits of his competence, to set forth liturgical norms in his Diocese, by which all are bound.”[sup]45[/sup] Still, the Bishop must take care not to allow the removal of that liberty foreseen by the norms of the liturgical books so that the celebration may be adapted in an intelligent manner to the church building, or to the group of the faithful who are present, or to particular pastoral circumstances in such a way that the universal sacred Rite is truly accommodated to human understanding.[sup]46[/sup]

[b]22.[/b] The Bishop governs the particular Church entrusted to him,[sup]47[/sup] and it is his task to regulate, to direct, to encourage, and sometimes also to reprove;[sup]48[/sup] this is a sacred task that he has received through episcopal Ordination,[sup]49[/sup] which he fulfills in order to build up his flock in truth and holiness.[sup]50[/sup] He should elucidate the inherent meaning of the Rites and the liturgical texts, and nourish the spirit of the Liturgy in the Priests, Deacons and lay faithful[sup]51[/sup] so that they are all led to the active and fruitful celebration of the Eucharist,[sup]52[/sup] and in like manner he should take care to ensure that the whole body of the Church is able to grow in the same understanding, in the unity of charity, in the diocese, in the nation and in the world.[sup]53[/sup]

[zalzan]

This is a productive discussion in my view, because it highlights why Catholic evangelism is virtually dead. Our congregations are aging. Rome herself, in the "New Evangelism" initiative, admits that we need a paradigm shift that moves beyond the idea of merely establishing a territory and building a Church. In my vieww, the Church has given sufficient pastoral authority to her bishops to make evangelism effective.

I liked the idea posted here about the rosary. I think the timing is pefect. There is a trend now among young people today to wear rosaries for fashion; I see many students in my school district wearing them. I always ask them why they wear them and they say "It looks cool." But I think they have some sense that it means something beyond decoration. Sadly, there are some street gangs that also use the rosary as a gang sign. We need to take it back. Our parish is bout to be looking at some evangelism initiatives, and I think we should consider the Rosary. if you ahve any more ideas about this please share.

[Nihil Obstat]

This is the reason our Masses are celebrated so poorly right now. This is the reason I can hardly even go to my home parish anymore. It absolutely infuriates me.

[Cherie]

[quote name='zalzan' timestamp='1302795732' post='2228650']
Our parish is bout to be looking at some evangelism initiatives, and I think we should consider the Rosary. if you ahve any more ideas about this please share.
[/quote]

I honestly think a simple thing like a rosary group is beautiful. Back where I'm from in PA, there is one in which families have gotten together and have done beautiful things, all from a simple "rosary group" that gets together to pray the rosary once a week, either at someone's house or at the church. Perhaps this could also be manifested in having those who would like to stay before/after Mass pray the rosary together. Maybe you could print out or purchase inexpensive rosary meditation booklets to put in the pew or keep in a handy place for those who would like to use them while they pray it. Perhaps a passage from Scripture pertaining to the next mystery could be read aloud before it's begun.


I must say, regarding music, I believe we have SUCH a rich, beautiful, traditional musical heritage in the Church, that it would do a [i]world[/i] of good to "bring it back," so-to-speak, and make it more accessible to young people. People are drawn to beauty, and these hymns have inspired and spiritually uplifted scores of Catholics throughout the centuries.

I came from a convent in which the musical heritage was PART of our apostolate of catechesis, so "evangelization with music" was a [i]huge, huge[/i] part of what we did. We used [b]all[/b] traditional hymns, and we had a HUGELY positive response from people. We used Latin hymns, too, and there was always a translation for the Congregation to at least know the meaning of what they were singing. That in itself, while seemingly simple, does so much good, and introduces people to the "language of the Church." What a beautiful way to bring Latin into more common usage: starting with the music! There are countless traditional, beautiful, incredible hymns that were composed in Latin (e.g. Mozart's "Ave Verum" is a perfect example!), and perhaps people wouldn't have such a problem with Latin responses in the Mass if it was already being used in the music.

People would leave our convent's Sunday Mass literally in [i]tears[/i] over the beauty of the Liturgy, and a huge part of that was the music. It was reverent, uplifting, beautiful; oftentimes we could sing [i]a capella[/i] so we wouldn't even need an instrument. The organ was the perfect compliment to our voices, however, when we did need an instrument. I'm a firm believer, as I said, in traditional hymns, including Gregorian chant. I've seen the good it has brought about in people time and time and time again. Sure, a nice choir helps (and by choir I mean just a handful of people; nothing major) but it's not necessary.

Anyway, I say all that to offer proof of the fact that traditional liturgical music IS catechetical. It [i]compliments[/i] the Liturgy and draws people to it. I don't believe any sort of Christian "rock" music belongs in the Liturgy; it's just completely unsuited to the intensely beautiful, awe-inspiring, and reverential mystery of the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar. People often told us they felt like they were worshiping amongst the angels singing -- that is the image the music we sang at Mass put in their minds, and that's the image that [i]should[/i] be put into our minds, because that's the reality of the Mass. I don't think the same could be said of "modern" Christian rock music.