This article is the first part of an article originally published in Liturgia y Canción in 2009, which reflects on the document “Singing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship” (USCCB, 2008), published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Due to the length and depth of both the document and the article written by Father Juan Sosa, the article was divided into two parts, to facilitate reading. We invite you to read the first part of the article below.
Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship was released in November 2007. It emerged from a review of the earlier documents Music in Catholic Worship (1972) and Liturgical Music Today (1982) by a subcommittee of the bishops’ Committee on Divine Worship. We may ask: why now? The new document is a response to the ongoing need to review and adapt the Second Vatican Council’s liturgical reform, mandated in 1963. From the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (1963) and Musicam Sacram (1967) to the many reflections provided by bishops’ conferences throughout the world, the topic of music in the liturgy continues to be addressed by the Church and to affect the worshipping experience of our Catholic congregations.
After the use of the vernacular and the position of the priest facing the people at Mass, the evolution of liturgical music is one of the biggest changes—and challenges— for our assemblies. Some communities rejected participation through music while others welcomed it with open arms. In the early decades after the Council, many of the faithful questioned the effects these changes had on their prayer life. They questioned the quality of the music and texts in the vernacular. They asked: Is hymnody the only style available? Are we stuck with guitar playing? What happened to organ music? Is Gregorian chant dead? These and many other issues indicate the need for direction, clarity, and catechesis, especially considering that the changes happened relatively quickly, leaving people little time to prepare for—or accept—them.
In Sing to the Lord, the U.S. bishops restate principles from the earlier documents, but they also provide us with a better sense of the relationship of liturgical music to musicians and the assembly, and particularly to the presider. They have given clear direction on other practical issues, such as the placement of musicians in the worship space, the need for good acoustics, the use of recorded music, and the role of liturgical music in the celebration of the sacraments and the Liturgy of the Hours.
Our Song as Praise and Discipleship
The document is divided into five major sections and a conclusion. The opening chapter deals with the reason why we, as Church, sing. It seems to cover every possible answer: from the scriptural foundations of song and praise, the use of signs and symbols at worship, and the spiritual components of liturgical music to the participation of the assembly, a well known principle since 1963. In a way, this section echoes the call of the liturgical reform to use external elements such as music to deepen our interior life as disciples of the Lord Jesus and missionaries in society today.
The document reiterates many of the well-known principles stated in Music in Catholic Worship and Liturgical Music Today: among others, the need for sound theology in musical texts; the importance of knowing how to select an adequate musical repertoire and what judgments to use in this selection; the choice of instruments and the overall quality of liturgical music in worship; and the role of silence.
Nonetheless, in Sing to the Lord the bishops explore other areas that were undeveloped in the two previous documents: among others, the importance of singing by the ordained minister (bishop, priest, or deacon) when leading worship, and his commitment to motivate others to do the same; the music minister as disciple; the use of music in other sacraments; the need for good acoustics; the placement of musicians in the church; and the impact of cultural music on the diverse assemblies of the Church in our country. More than the how-to, the document emphasizes both the why of music in worship and the spiritual impact of liturgical music, which enhances our personal and communal prayer life.
Let us explore some of these criteria as guiding principles in the following paragraphs and highlight the document’s new content without undermining the basic elements carried over from the previous documents.
This article has a second part.
Originally published in Liturgia y Canción© 2009 OCP. All rights reserved.
Father Juan J. Sosa is pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Miami, and has written many articles for Liturgia y Canción. He is currently president of the National Hispanic Institute for Liturgy and an advisor to the US bishops’ Committee on Divine Worship. Father Sosa is also an adjunct professor at both Florida seminaries.