The Catholic Church considers the Mass to be the most important form of worship. The Mass has many parts, and it has many sacramentals that can add, or detract from, the holiness of the Mass.
Church music has a long tradition in the Church, and basic guidelines have been in place regarding Church music for hundreds of years. There are three foundational concepts that should be part of every Church music program:
- The music should be sacred. It should be different than music heard on the radio, by street performers, etc. Catchy tunes are great for a car trip but not during Mass. There is a wealth of wonderful Church music that is yet to be discovered by many in the pews.
- Those performing Church music should be trained. The music should be nearly flawless and concert grade. It is better to have no music than bad music.
- The primary instrument of sacred music in the liturgy is a live human voice. Instruments should be unique to sacred music and church sanctuaries. This would include pipe organs and orchestral instruments. Examples of instruments that are inappropriate for liturgical functions include recorded music or voices, electric organs (as the sound is not coming from the natural movement of air onto wood or metal pipes), piano, and guitar. Pianos and guitars are great for home entertainment, saloons, campfires, etc., but they should not be used in sacred spaces such as churches.
Music is integral to proper worship in the Mass. The Church traces this back to its Jewish roots. Psalms sung in the synagogue were the inspiration and foundation for Gregorian chant, a form a music that Vatican II declared should take “pride of place” when it comes to liturgical music. This is foreign, if not completely unknown (or ignored), by the vast majority of those who provide music for the Mass or who attend Mass. The priest, who is responsible for competent music selection as well as overseeing those who are singing or playing, should have a strong working knowledge with regard to all of the major aspects of sacred music. Unfortunately, most of the priests in our Diocese have little to no training in any of the above facets of sacred music.
There are some bright spots with regard to sacred music in the Diocese. Christ the King in Acme, Holy Rosary in Cedar, and the Traditional Latin Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas in Elmira represent some of the parishes that are making inroads in developing and presenting appropriate sacred music for the Mass. Supporting good sacred music can go a long way to improve the quality of the Mass and may provide an opportunity for conversions and reversions to the Catholic faith.