I can't describe to you how much I love this homily. I nearly got whiplash from nodding my head, YES, YES, YES!!! The Catholic Church will grow when we have Holy Mass the Catholic way.
Absolutely love Chant, as it sounds so heavenly and reverant. I recently switched parishes, as I felt the one I had attended the last 8 years, had turned too much like a Protestant church. The songs mostly contemporary Christian. I called it quits when they had guitars and the organist playing in front of the altar on the same level, not on the main floor even, during a seminar on Mary. They could have remained in the choir area instead of being in front of the sacrificial altar. The feeling was overwhelming and I walked out. I enjoy the Tridentine Latin Mass as I did when I was a child. I especially enjoy the fact I don't have to greet everyone as soon as the priest comes up and makes the sign of the cross. Then the peace be with you, hand shaking. I much rather focus on God than the community. After Mass coffee and donuts are great for socializing. It seems there are a lot of youth who are preferring to attend TLM and are not bored by the music. They don't need to be entertained and they know it's not what they are there for. I pray there will be more chant at Masses and more TLM at ALL Catholic churches. It's time to take back our Church!
Absolutely brilliant homily. Great point of keeping the secular separate from the Mass not because of silly religiosity, but because of the truth that lies behind it.
Father Holloway--You are SUCH a blessing! I got so much out of this particular homily. I liked chant long before I converted to the Catholic faith. Now, when I have my private Rosary time, I play Gregorian chant softly in the background.. It bring me closer to the Divine..
In the early '90s, St Paul's of San Francisco was on the verge on closing up and so was the school. The nuns were surrounded by crime and moral filth. Then this nun showed up from a convent in Reno. Sister Mary Clarence - who completely revamped the spirits of everyone there. She had some trouble fitting in at first. But eventually she lead the choir. And the result was incredible. People started to walk back in to the church simply by hearing the music. And it saved the convent and neighborhood. There's a video on her efforts.
Nothing degrades a mass more than "happy clappy" music from the 70's or "balloon & banner" atmospheres. These are guaranteed to extinguish reverence and awe.
Speak for yourself! I'm a millenial. My parents played "guitar masses" even through my childhood. I learned the transcendent mercy and love of God that overcomes even my own weakness through the work of Bob Dufford, Dan Schutte, John Michael Talbot, and the like. The Iona Community and the likes of songs like "Here I Am, Lord" worked to call me to the work of God - of worship and charity. Say what you will about the quality of the work. I have been been told the aforementioned song has a melody that is similar to a TV show theme. The fact is, I came to know God and He spoke to me through those songs, and I responded to His Call to become a better Catholic because of those songs. I have nothing but contempt for anyone who tries to tell me those songs have no place in worship. They surely have a place in mine!
@@badgerlordpatrick6493 It is not okay for liturgical worship. But it is okay to worship with with guitars or rap. In fact that is good. Its just not for liturgy.
@@badgerlordpatrick6493 Thats the point, it has a place in you, but never in a liturgical setting. Chant is the ONLY, and SHOULD BE music used in the Mass, otherwise its inappropriate. You cant marry Babylon with Jerusalem. Even Vat. II said you CANT REMOVE LATIN in the Mass. Guitars, Drums, Bass Guitars etc is just total disgrace in the liturgy; and I apologize if it sounds mean, but its just the truth my friend. You can play these songs no problem, but not during Mass. There are proper things done in proper places, you cant just push everthing right through.
FR Hollowell, your sermon was eloquent. I’m a Benedictine Oblate. I’m also a convert to the faith, converted over 20-years ago. As you know, Benedictines chant a lot. There’s something about chanting that’s so holy, so lifting of the heart to God, one would rather experience it than explain it. I tell those who ask, go and experience it and you will know. Contemporary music has its place in society, which is an expression of society. But like you mentioned its origin is not of the Church. Church music, as I understand it, is to aid us in lifting our hearts and souls to God, which is an expression of the Church. I had a priest tell me once that he who sings well prays twice. I’m not a singer as anyone who knows me will attest to, but I suite up, show up and let her fly. With all that’s going on against and in the Church today, I try to keep in mind MT 16:18 “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” When you come from nothingness and finding something of value you hang on for dear life no matter what happens. I have no concerns or fears that the Catholic Church well be defeated, it will prevail though she may lose some members as the storms from hell crash against her. Maybe it’s God’s way of purging the Church of bad elements. As Father Michael Müller, C.S.S.R once wrote: There must be storms in nature to purify the air from dangerous elements. In like manner, God permits storms -- heresies to arise in his Church on earth in order that the erroneous and impious doctrines of heretics may by way of contrast, set forth in clearer light the true and holy doctrines of the Church. As light is in the midst of darkness, gold contrasted with lead, the sun among the planets, the wise among the foolish,-- so is the Roman Catholic Church among non-Catholics. If two things of different natures, says the Wise Man, be brought into opposition, the eye perceives their difference at once. God bless Fr.
I am now a little nervous..I thought I found a Priest I could lisyen too without getting the twitches..but here you made me twitch..and I could only watch the first few seconds...respect for Tobin..God save us from our Leaders..
Is this a real discussion in the RCC? Hiphop Mass Jazz Mass Heavy Metal Mass? I like all those types of music. They are okay for worship. But they are absolutely not okay to have in the liturgy. I can't imagine this discussion even taking place in the Orthodox Church. The Tridentine Mass is Beautiful. How can people even think of hip hop mass? I see protestants becoming more and more irrelevant the more they try to be relevant.
If I wanted to hear "popular music" at Mass, I wouldn't go to Mass. I want Mass to be different from the world - I absolutely do not want it to be entertainment. And, it just so happens that I enjoy the sound of Chant (and listen to it when I am not at Mass). As to singing - or trying to sing (for, as Father says of Bishop Tobin, no one would ever pay money to hear me sing) - most of the "hymns" that came out of the Spirit of Vatican 2" are impossible for me: the music is well beyond my capabilities, and the theology is questionable. Bottomline: bring back Chant!
+Peter Kizer … AMEN, brother! BRING BACK CHANT! I concur: The Mass is emphatically NOT entertainment and, too many times, it is treated as entertainment and much of it is end-of-the-pier crud. If we wanted entertainment, stay at home, play a CD/DVD/Karaoke and annoy the neighbours OR pay good money for a seat at a gig, clap your hands, stamp your feet and holler like a coyote with piles. Just don't do it at Mass, people!
Dear Father John, I am lost. I came to this channel 4 help. I have been into a lot of gore (as u can see on my profile pic on the left) and also Heavy metal and i am depressed a lot. I have NOT cut myself but i have thought of it i do not want to because i do not want to hurt my parents feelings or my own. 4 the past 3 weeks i have been a non believer in god and i think i found him again thanks to you. I sill look at the gore pics and stuff. I do not know why. most of my days are in my room alone. I like to be alone a lot. I have been bullied since preschool. I always cried in my room after school. (or in moms car) I just graduated from high school and on my way to college. I hope that your channel helps me on the right path through life and helps me get to god. I hope you see and read this. from RHB. to Father john.
This video is from 2015. Based on now (1-2-19), I wonder what his opinion is now on Cardinal Tobin? This is the man who had an Italian actor living with him and tweets out "Nighty night baby...I love you" in error and then said it was meant for his sister! Our Church is in such disarray and I can only hope that the faithful priests will open their eyes and demand more from their superiors.
I think it's kind of neat to bring in some new songs every once in a while just to change things up, at our church our awesome choir director has been occasionally bringing in some more contemporary choral arrangements of mostly Christian rock songs or things of that nature that we'll do maybe during communion or before mass and so far it has been received very well, while obviously our traditions are very important after a while of just playing the same hymns over and over I think they lose their ability to bring praise to God because they become so common place people just ignore them when they hear them, they don't stir the holy spirit anymore, so the occasional breath of fresh air brings people back to church and really stirs the holy spirit in people bringing more praise to God, at least that is thoughts on the matter for what they're worth lol
I appreciate this homily Father. The Orthodox church does not have this issue because her Liturgical music is chant. The words of the songs are just as important. The Catholic Mass has music that reflects scripture rather than just that emotional high you speak of. (At least it used to when I was Roman Catholic).
I think the answer lies there. I think you said it perfectly. Music that grows from the liturgical culture is liturgical music. Gregorian chant is appropriate to the Traditional Latin Mass. Znameny chant for the Russians. Armenian chant for the Armenians. Anglican chant and crusty old hymnody for the Ordinariate. And in the Novus Ordo, there are many choices, because frankly people want to worship God, but have not had an objective grounds from which to draw liturgical music. So, in the Novus Ordo, the Ordinary Form of the Mass, chant is legitimate (and because of pedigree, preferred). But the "folk style" which arose in seminaries in the 1960s and 70s is also legitimate because it was trying to be liturgical, and started a new liturgical tradition (of which I am a part, a witness, and not invested for the sake of sounding "cool" - believe me). And the 2000s also gave rise to a new liturgical tradition, too - the Matt Maher, Chris Tomlinson variety. Some of these songs, so I gather, were designed for liturgical use, and not merely for the radio. Some will say this muddies things up, and it does. But, again, in my own experience, the idea that I approve of "folk-style", "guitar" mass music because "I want to sound like secular music" doesn't hold up to scrutiny. John Michael Talbot and the Saint Louis Jesuits - say what you will about them - do not equal Peter, Paul, and Mary or The Pogues. They're different. Subtly. But one definitely is liturgical, Scriptural, and catechetical, and the other definitely not.
I love golf and my wife does not. If on her birthday I was to buy her a set of new golf clubs with my name on the golf bag. Did I by the clubs for her or did I use her as an excuse to get what I want for myself? The same is for worship. Are we going to Mass to worship God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit their way out of the Mass? Or are we using them to get what we want for ourselves?
When it comes to music, I believe it's about time and place. Prayer groups will often start out with more upbeat music, clapping and move into more peaceful worship songs. In my parish we had a wonderful "contemporary" music group with guitars, violin, flute great voices and even a drummer once in a while. All very gifted musicians. Did they just develop a talent or using their God given gifts? During mass they played only accepted and approved Catholic worship songs. Their reverence came from prayer, guidance from the Spirit and true devotion to our Catholic mass. Their goal was to draw the congregation into the mass. It was enjoyable and my children really loved it. The groups music followed the movement of the mass. The entrance hymn was sometimes like an exciting call to worship, depending on the liturgical season. At communion the music was always solemn and enhanced the worship. I never saw it as a performance. Music touches people in many different ways. The pastor "fired" this music ministry group (they were volunteers so not sure "fire" is the correct word) and many parishioners left as well. We have a remnant of a few dedicated cantors, choir for one mass that is slowly losing members and a pastor who will sing the "Hallelujah" on Easter only. He refuses to Chant. We live in a small town. In my own mind I have referred to us as the orphan end of our diocese. With many church consolidations throughout our diocese, we are now one of 2 Catholic Churches to attend in our rural area. The same pastor has presided for almost 25 years. It has been over 8 years since this music ceased. The parish pastor is still there, he's has moved up the to the role of Vicar, and still now the pastor of what used to be 3 churches, one closed, the other a "partner", has alienated many. However "The New Church of What's Happening Now" is filled with Christians who call themselves ex-Catholics. The dilemma is real Father. The work of The Holy Spirit? In my little corner of the world it does not feel like this way. It feels like death and no sign of a resurrection in sight. Was music the attraction, a foot in the door? Whatever it was it is no longer. Could it be that " When I was a child. I used to speak like a child, reason like a child; when I became a Ia man I did away with childish things" 1Cor13. It must all be done with love. If Contemporary worship music attracts the child (regardless of age), it is a starting place. Our faith is so rich and diverse. We have many traditions, devotions that enrich our faith experience. Shouldn't we use every opportunity to evangelize? With love shouldn't we attempt to meet everyone where they are at in their spiritual journey? Chant especially when lead by the Benedictine Monks while praying LOH,, contemplation, Lectio Divina, all avenues to a true encounter with Christ are the goals of true discipleship, and hopefully the fruit of a faithful follower. Am I your average Catholic? Maybe not, but as a deacon's wife (also now assigned to a new church by the Bishop. A definite gift). Previous assignment was hostile 😢 belonged there for 30+years. I miss my former parish). I may have been exposed to more than your those precious few who are diligently seated in the pews. Bells and whistles or could this be the work of the Spirit? What are we doing to help all to enter in? Fr. I love your message and will continue to follow you as you have much wisdom.
Cardinal Joseph Tobin, "I think that a person in good conscience could vote for Mr. Biden," said Tobin. "I, frankly, in my own way of thinking have a more difficult time with the other option."
...another aspect I hear all too often is when a tone-deaf Priest says "music is not for show", meaning "we only want dumbed down people-power music that doesn't cost us anything, run by untrained volunteers". It seems that Seminaries since the late 60s have trained their graduates to have a diabolical bias against more elevated music such as Bach or Palestrina, to instead favor the "common" or even banal. The theory, as you say, was that rock and broadway music was popular, so therefore we should incorporate that into our Church. The most hurtful injustice occurs, when you all use that mentality to tell us Composers and pipe organists, "We don't need your kind any more, this is the modern age, take a hike." ...then I learned that Seminaries nowadays no longer teach much Aquinas, nor follow their GIRM to instruct their own Priests in higher music. This area only gets the most rudimentary attention, as if Nehemiah 12, 13 doesn't matter. So when we invoke Aquinas' 'Fraternal Correction' to invite dialogue on a grave issue, it only gets violently suppressed, covered up. And you employ angry old ladies in HR to do that dirty work to drive us out of our own Church. When you talk of "walking down the middle", that neither the extreme left or extreme right (like SSPX? or sedevacantists?) is the way, of course there is some truth in that. However, there is no authorization from Christ to remain lukewarm on the subject of sacred music, nor to abrogate what Governor Nehemiah revealed to us in 12, 13 on that topic (allocating the Tithes for highest of high music). Any time you skimp on the music, and employ starry-eyed volunteers to "lead" the worship, as if that leads to more "active participation", you secularize the Mass, and disemploy the real Sons of Asaph, which violates the Commandments against stealing and coveting another's rightful goods. Aquinas talks of the "spiritual goods" of the Church, and when you deny basic livable wages belonging to authentic, trained sacred music ministers, you also deny the spiritual goods which belong to the faithful, who thirst for higher music in worship, which transcends. This is similar to the effects of USA selling out to "cheaper" outsourced slave labor overseas, creating job-loss, family strife and loss of Church revenue at home, which in turn has profound negative spiritual effects. Important is the question, "What constitutes authentic sacred music, and what constitutes the profane?" Authentic sacred music transcends human fads and trends, and comes from above. Profane music merely apes popular trends, in places where they do not fit, which is entirely unnatural to the Mass. The Father, Son and Holy Ghost transcend, and our worship is supposed to reflect in that image, not merely try to ape the material man. Is there really a place for "common" music for the masses? Sure. However, the reality is akin to what sin does: when a lesser replaces or destroys a greater. Satan works through mediocrity. Even the "new music" from the 70s is elevated when in the hands of a genuinely gifted person who can also handle Chants and polyphonic chorales by Bach or Mozart. But such persons cannot do their ministry without a living wage. Neither can you. The key is to realize that the rare Sons of Asaph are bona fide music ministers, annointed with a mysterious calling (St. Paul on the gifts of spirit, being a higher calling) which they cannot resist. This is similar to your own calling to become a Priest, something which you cannot resist. Somehow, we as a culture remembered to support our Seminarians, but entirely forgot to support our Sons of Asaph. When Satan succeeds in making God's people deaf to the clear pronouncements in Nehemiah 12, 13, he destroys that part of the Mass, and millions leave the Church. So yes, common music might, to a limited extent, have a place in our Church, but it should not dominate it, and strangle out the higher musicians in its path of destruction. Perhaps one might think of the Salvation Army: a protestant sect. We do not doubt they do amazing work which Catholics somehow forgot to do, such as reaching out to ex-drug addicts, and putting them through a rigorous 6-month detox and bible study program. We should not forget to reach out to those who were denied the rich education and resources some of us were fortunate to experience. And many of those same people seem to "relate" to common music. In that sense, there is a place. However, to assume that those same people do not "need" higher music such as Bach, as if it is only for rich people, is sacrilegious. Think of the Salvation Army--there is much we can learn from them, but we should also be keenly aware of their heresies. Perhaps God has placed them to help "beginners" find God. But for the real meat and potatoes of faith, they will eventually have to find Catholicism, which should be served in its fullest richness, not some watered-down version. I might cite a specific example: "The Lord Hears the Cry of the Poor". A beautiful, simple song, which I would personally approve, as it has helped my own spiritual ministry. Its construction is modern, yet somehow, mysteriously, draws upon ancient Chant traditions. However, 'Kumbaya', 'Sing to the Mountains', is indeed, somehow, mocked and considered trite by millions. Thus they do not meet the litmus tests for Universality. These latter titles do not meet the GIRM nor Built on Living Stone standards, being subjects for ridicule and contempt by both young and old who are keenly sensitive to quality music construction. You might claim that "Oh, if we got rid of those, we'd alienate our more liberal membership". No, because as you observed of your Bishop chanting at the prisons, authentic reverent music does the opposite; it converts rather than alienates. It is "more Universal" than common hip-hoppety secular-sounding music. Many SSPX and sedevacantists might disagree that I actually acknowledge "experimentation" as OK for every age and time. Without that, we would never have evolved from plainchant, to polyphonic chorales of Bach or Mozart. Technologically, our societies would not have advanced either (due to modern marvels such as computers, telephones and skyscrapers which originated from complex programmable pipe organ controls, harpsichords and tall Cathedral construction). God reveals not only spiritual matters, but technological, cosmological, medical, literacy and other healing powers through support of this higher music, which inspires mankind to "seek truth" on so many levels. Thus I would agree with you we should not remain "static" or "fettered to the past". At the same time, I would agree with SSPX that we should not let the mediocre and banal, destroy the "higher", nor the lesser supplant the greater. Christ did not authorize us to "change" the immutable Mass. Unfortunately, when you lower the ancient standards for sacred music, you have changed the Mass. God never intended the Mass to disrupt people's prayer with cacophonic mediocre sounds, or to make millions flee the Church from the hypocrisy that arises whenever people "worship lesser" instead of "worshiping higher". As Pope John Paul II said in 1998, we now can see in hindsight the disastrous results of "misinterpretation" of Vatican II. It did not authorize us to get rid of and suppress the sacred Chants and pipe organ as the main instrument. A deeper answer comes from God Himself. Christ did not authorize any of you to abrogate Nehemiah 12, 13, to dock our pay and drive us from our own worship tent. Again, the Parable of the Talents, and the Sower. When you support the (hidden genius) music ministers among you, whose spiritual goods are manifest in their obvious gifts, God will reward you all 1000-fold. When you don't, He will take from you what you have, and give it to someone else who will invest wiser. Let us work together to up our standards, and investments. Trust God: the world will be a better place!
Fr. John, please see my comment on your "One thing all those leaving the Church have in common" video. To that, I add: There is a natural hierarchy in Music itself...as you eventually learned, musical fads come and go, and some rap music offends country music fans, and vice versa. The Highest forms of music, are (like Michaelangelo's or Bach's, or Palestrina's works) truly Catholic, in that they are Universally non-offensive to people of all demographics, race, color and economic class. Millions of people are grossly repulsed by rap and hip hop, other millions offended at Country, perhaps billions are offended at Hymns lilke 'Kumbaya' or hip-hoppety 'Sing to the Mountains' (a 70s fad from the Jesuit Singers, which is not even based on Psalm 118?). These types of music are not universal, in that we have a directly observable manifestation of pure hatred and anger, and prayer disruption, that is aroused in millions of people subjected to them. Whereas, when blacks, whites, asians, rich, poor alike hear an 'Ave Maria by Bach, or 'Ave Verum Corpus' by Mozart, or 'O Vos Omnes' by Tomas Luis de Victoria, NO ONE IS OFFENDED, but everyone is visibly moved, externally and internally. Through this observation, we realize that there is indeed a natural spiritual Hierarchy of music, which becomes evident by its artistic beauty, as being a direct manifestation of the Holy Spirit working through certain rarely gifted individuals who somehow have the "invisible antennae" for this kind of higher music. This kind of gift is so rare, yet is also authoritative, as it comes from God Himself, somehow imbued or ordained into the "receptor musician", who becomes a medium or "transmitter" of what the Holy Spirit has revealed uniquely to that individual Composer. Great compositions do indeed come to a select few of us when we are in a meditative trance, or upon waking in the morning prayers, a vision of blinding beauty which brings tears to our eyes, which we must write down before we forget. You are correct in that we should not "limit" ourselves to sing "only Chants from 500 years ago". After all, Scripture itself does not declare that Chants should only be monophonic. It has somehow, mysteriously, allowed our music to evolve into ever higher heights of Polyphony, peaking, perhaps in the counterpoint of Bach (ironically, a Lutheran!). Yet our Catholic Church has shunned Bach music merely because he was Lutheran, even though he wrote St. Matthew's Passion for the Catholic Church. What Scripture did declare, however, was that its sacred music ministers be paid, each according to need. (Nehemiah 12, 13). If you think about God's infinite wisdom in this: if the Holy Spirit does indeed inspire great musical works, in much the same manner as the authors of the Biblical texts (or of the Psalms of Asaph), then anything you each do to suppress proper pay of the inspired Composer, in effect suppresses what the Holy Spirit is saying. It puts "God in a box". Then there is the issue of claimed "authority". The Keys did grant authority to forgive sins, and say the Mass, but nowhere did Christ say to abrogate Nehemiah 12, 13. In matters of inspired art, such as Brunushelli's dome, or Michaelangelo's Sistine Chapel, even the Popes at the time (namely, Julius II) had to recognize that Michaelangelo was correct, and the Pope himself wrong, about specifics in executing the Sistine Chapel. Julius II eventually recognized Michaelangelo's superior gifts (hence authority) in these mysterious matters, and went with Michaelangelo's new plan rather than Julius's original, plain 12 Apostles plan. In effect, Julius II recognized inspired genius when he saw it, and got out of the Holy Spirit's way. Perhaps this is akin to recognizing an artistic "order of Melchezidech". Michaelangelo may not have been ordained an actual Priest or Deacon, but by virtue of his hard-won gifts, a certain authority of artistic expression, which ended up converting millions for centuries to come, was manifest in him. The problem is too many of you are too tone deaf or stingy to even recognize inspired genius when it is right in front of you. Your collective refusal to obey Nehemiah 12, 13 and Parable of the Talents, has perhaps transformed into an insidious attitude of lording over genuine artists, who instead deserve your respect and cooperation. Satan works by making greater things, appear lesser, and utilizing the sinful nature of mobs to destroy their own gifted ones, out of envy, as Cain destroyed Abel, and Joseph's own brothers nearly murdered him. The consequences are global schisms and genocide, if this trend is not reversed. Yet in most parishes, too many priests hire artists or musicians merely if they "get along" rather than upon any fair measure of authentic gifts, or even authentic Communion with Tradition. Well, Michaelangelo, Bach, Mozart did not "get along", nor did Handel. Yet their works converted, and still continue to convert, billions. The thinking should be instead, "Well, maybe these geniuses didn't 'get along' because we collectively as a mob mal-treated and belittled them. Maybe they were right to castigate us for maltreating them so unjustly. We should be in fear of God for daring to suppress what is clearly a work of inspiration from the Holy Spirit" Thus, a challenge for you is: a) how to recognize and support genius when it is directly in front of you b) know the boundaries of "allowable change", and allow this change to "breathe" rather than be constricted by popular vote (by Lilliputians, to borrow from 'Gulliver's Travels'). If you follow Dr. Rene Girard (famous Stanford U on comparative literature, and convert to Catholicism), he has identified a theme across all Scripture, which is paralleled in great stories like 'Gulliver's Travels' or Plato's Cave. From Abel's murder, to Christ's Passion, the sinful nature of less-gifted mobs under the influence of Satan, will tend to murder the more gifted, and this is precisely what Christ made clear to all, in plain sight. His message, then, which Girard claims has remained suppressed for 2 eons, was not merely that He "died for our sins", but also that He expects us to stop Scapegoating and murdering those whom the Holy Spirit sends for your collective benefit. As I covered in the other post, denying their pay (in violation of Nehemiah 12, 13) is tantamount to slow-murdering them, as happened to poor Mozart. It is said that a path to rejection of God, is ingratitude. Well, whatsoever you do to the least of His brothers, you do unto Him. God is highly offended by the way you collectively have been destroying us Composers and artists, who deserve a just wage just like any of you all. But the wages of this sin of omission, is death for all. It is that serious, the global effects of collective neglect. All one has to do is reexamine a young Adolf Hitler, who once had a gift for painting, and who wanted to become a Priest, the monster he became when you all (under Woodrow Wilson's economic effects), denied him the chance to become an agent of good, you instead were co-responsible for unleashing a monster. Or the way we Christians mal-treated a young Freud merely because he was Jewish, unleashing a malestorm of false psychoanalysis which broke up families as his revenge. You are right to fear the powers of gifted Artists. Some of them are like Giants, who can wreak a lot of damage if alienated by their own Church members. But think also of the 1000-fold benefits, had you all obeyed the Parable of the Talents, to have great Artists on your side instead of working against you. I am aware this might sound monstrous to some of you. But remember your Catechism: "Sin causes others to sin". Protection of evil-doers is among the serious sins of a Priest. If a Priest in any parish or Diocese allows small-minded people to lord over or turn away their own gifted ones, to favor mediocrity instead, more often than not, that talent will become wasted, and will turn its guns upon you, to devastating effect. (Think of Marilyn Manson, and other punk rock artists, whose gifts could have been put to better use instead of rage rage rage). The key to Girard's view of the Passion, then, is to stop scapegoating gifted Artists for whatever rage they emit, but instead listen more carefully to what they are saying. If they say you are collectively acting as hypocrites, they might have history and Scripture itself agreeing. Among the most serious sins in the Catechism, is denying a person's rightful pay. The effects are lethal, and have caused revolutions like the Bolshevik and French. Then you accuse us of thinking of "money money money" only as if we were not concerned for our Church. Such accusations are the work of Satan, mobilizing the inner mob nature to point fingers. Hopefully by now, we realize the Passion was not about Penal Substitution, as if His death on the cross now lets us go to confession and get away with murder of God's artists every time. Instead, let us think of the historic consequences, the emptying of the worship tent, which has global consequences, which is what Scripture itself says. Forgive us if we artists have alarmed you. But I hope this leads to a deeper appreciation of God, and His artists. Let us try to atone for the piracy, and maltreatment we have "looked the other way" for too long. Let us have courage to stand up to the mob, and teach them to do as God wills, not what man wills. If we work together, support one another as taught, we can bring the world back to Christ.
We have Latin responces once a month...not sure where I was..I'm 60...n I dont know any latin...its frustrating...n catholic music is focused on God not entertaining us...that's the simple explanation I got
i cant believe what i just heard how music in the church could make us feel good and what type would be best for us catholic to share the faith better and make people want to be there because its cool they are there to find there love GOD they are looking for there beloved Christ not a cool feeling music brings what does Jesus want us to be happy cool music is there at mass or that those who want to honor the beloved son of GOD worship him in reverance that pleases GOD its us that need to please him we have hurt him enough we must please GOD at the mass we got millions of songs to hear in our private time
Music. I am sure some of the Angels don't talk but they sing instead. It looks like opera but they sing very fast. Heaven in spirit communication sings too. Demons can growl or sound like 🐐 or like 🐸
We Eastern Orthodox chant EVERYTHING in the Divine Liturgy ("mass"), except for the priest delivering the homily. So what's the great and fabulous thing of the neo-R.C., post-Vat II conciliar western church having one out of a thousand "masses" being chanted? And I guarantee you none of the post-conciliar R.C. chanting includes Gregorian or Palestrinian. As has been said by the priest on this video....he's mentioned "popular" and "cool" and "heavy metal" music which can and are being promoted in the neo-protestant R.C. church. How sad.
Isn't it interesting when the Church is presented in secular culture (ie., movies, television, commercials, etc.) the music that gets used is Gregorian chant, and not the St. Louis Jesuits or others of that ilk.
"Gregorian chant" is often used in horror just to be creepy, or to imply power, or to be powerfully creepy. Catholicism doesn't even have to be close at hand. And to be fair, the best secular movies about Catholicism from two decades past featured more Gospel and secular singing than they ever did of chant. They even pepped up the Hail, Holy Queen.
@@badgerlordpatrick6493 I am unfamiliar with any horror film that uses Gregorian chant. Please name a few that do. As for "Sister Act" I & II, there's always an outlier.
The American Psychiatric Association, wrote this way back in 1996 about one of the perceived causes of homophobia: "Research lends considerable credence to the psychoanalytic theory that repressed homosexual urges may be at the root of homophobic behavior by heterosexual men. Just thought I'd share this as I found it so very interesting :) God Bless !
I can't describe to you how much I love this homily. I nearly got whiplash from nodding my head, YES, YES, YES!!! The Catholic Church will grow when we have Holy Mass the Catholic way.
Absolutely love Chant, as it sounds so heavenly and reverant. I recently switched parishes, as I felt the one I had attended the last 8 years, had turned too much like a Protestant church. The songs mostly contemporary Christian. I called it quits when they had guitars and the organist playing in front of the altar on the same level, not on the main floor even, during a seminar on Mary. They could have remained in the choir area instead of being in front of the sacrificial altar. The feeling was overwhelming and I walked out. I enjoy the Tridentine Latin Mass as I did when I was a child. I especially enjoy the fact I don't have to greet everyone as soon as the priest comes up and makes the sign of the cross. Then the peace be with you, hand shaking. I much rather focus on God than the community. After Mass coffee and donuts are great for socializing.
It seems there are a lot of youth who are preferring to attend TLM and are not bored by the music. They don't need to be entertained and they know it's not what they are there for. I pray there will be more chant at Masses and more TLM at ALL Catholic churches. It's time to take back our Church!
I used to be in a Gregorian Chant group years ago. It was the only thing that could get me up to sing at a 7 am Mass.
Absolutely brilliant homily. Great point of keeping the secular separate from the Mass not because of silly religiosity, but because of the truth that lies behind it.
Father Holloway--You are SUCH a blessing! I got so much out of this particular homily. I liked chant long before I converted to the Catholic faith. Now, when I have my private Rosary time, I play Gregorian chant softly in the background.. It bring me closer to the Divine..
In the early '90s, St Paul's of San Francisco was on the verge on closing up and so was the school. The nuns were surrounded by crime and moral filth.
Then this nun showed up from a convent in Reno. Sister Mary Clarence - who completely revamped the spirits of everyone there. She had some trouble fitting in at first. But eventually she lead the choir. And the result was incredible. People started to walk back in to the church simply by hearing the music. And it saved the convent and neighborhood. There's a video on her efforts.
Gee, that sounds just like out of a Hollywood movie. Hey.....wait a minute..........
Nothing degrades a mass more than "happy clappy" music from the 70's or "balloon & banner" atmospheres. These are guaranteed to extinguish reverence and awe.
Speak for yourself! I'm a millenial. My parents played "guitar masses" even through my childhood. I learned the transcendent mercy and love of God that overcomes even my own weakness through the work of Bob Dufford, Dan Schutte, John Michael Talbot, and the like. The Iona Community and the likes of songs like "Here I Am, Lord" worked to call me to the work of God - of worship and charity.
Say what you will about the quality of the work. I have been been told the aforementioned song has a melody that is similar to a TV show theme. The fact is, I came to know God and He spoke to me through those songs, and I responded to His Call to become a better Catholic because of those songs. I have nothing but contempt for anyone who tries to tell me those songs have no place in worship. They surely have a place in mine!
@@badgerlordpatrick6493 It is not okay for liturgical worship. But it is okay to worship with with guitars or rap. In fact that is good. Its just not for liturgy.
@@badgerlordpatrick6493 Thats the point, it has a place in you, but never in a liturgical setting. Chant is the ONLY, and SHOULD BE music used in the Mass, otherwise its inappropriate. You cant marry Babylon with Jerusalem. Even Vat. II said you CANT REMOVE LATIN in the Mass. Guitars, Drums, Bass Guitars etc is just total disgrace in the liturgy; and I apologize if it sounds mean, but its just the truth my friend. You can play these songs no problem, but not during Mass. There are proper things done in proper places, you cant just push everthing right through.
Amen.
I will vote for chant!!!!
FR Hollowell, your sermon was eloquent. I’m a Benedictine Oblate. I’m also a convert to the faith, converted over 20-years ago. As you know, Benedictines chant a lot. There’s something about chanting that’s so holy, so lifting of the heart to God, one would rather experience it than explain it. I tell those who ask, go and experience it and you will know.
Contemporary music has its place in society, which is an expression of society. But like you mentioned its origin is not of the Church. Church music, as I understand it, is to aid us in lifting our hearts and souls to God, which is an expression of the Church. I had a priest tell me once that he who sings well prays twice. I’m not a singer as anyone who knows me will attest to, but I suite up, show up and let her fly.
With all that’s going on against and in the Church today, I try to keep in mind MT 16:18 “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”
When you come from nothingness and finding something of value you hang on for dear life no matter what happens. I have no concerns or fears that the Catholic Church well be defeated, it will prevail though she may lose some members as the storms from hell crash against her. Maybe it’s God’s way of purging the Church of bad elements.
As Father Michael Müller, C.S.S.R once wrote: There must be storms in nature to purify the air from dangerous elements. In like manner, God permits storms -- heresies to arise in his Church on earth in order that the erroneous and impious doctrines of heretics may by way of contrast, set forth in clearer light the true and holy doctrines of the Church. As light is in the midst of darkness, gold contrasted with lead, the sun among the planets, the wise among the foolish,-- so is the Roman Catholic Church among non-Catholics. If two things of different natures, says the Wise Man, be brought into opposition, the eye perceives their difference at once.
God bless Fr.
Thanks Padre. Truth with love. We are craving it out here.
Sacred Music absolutely
On that note, "Credo in Unum Deum":)
Well done Father. Truth is beautiful.
Let’s go back to the traditional ways of our faith.
I am now a little nervous..I thought I found a Priest I could lisyen too without getting the twitches..but here you made me twitch..and I could only watch the first few seconds...respect for Tobin..God save us from our Leaders..
Is this a real discussion in the RCC? Hiphop Mass Jazz Mass Heavy Metal Mass? I like all those types of music. They are okay for worship. But they are absolutely not okay to have in the liturgy. I can't imagine this discussion even taking place in the Orthodox Church. The Tridentine Mass is Beautiful. How can people even think of hip hop mass? I see protestants becoming more and more irrelevant the more they try to be relevant.
If I wanted to hear "popular music" at Mass, I wouldn't go to Mass. I want Mass to be different from the world - I absolutely do not want it to be entertainment. And, it just so happens that I enjoy the sound of Chant (and listen to it when I am not at Mass). As to singing - or trying to sing (for, as Father says of Bishop Tobin, no one would ever pay money to hear me sing) - most of the "hymns" that came out of the Spirit of Vatican 2" are impossible for me: the music is well beyond my capabilities, and the theology is questionable. Bottomline: bring back Chant!
+Peter Kizer … AMEN, brother! BRING BACK CHANT! I concur: The Mass is emphatically NOT entertainment and, too many times, it is treated as entertainment and much of it is end-of-the-pier crud. If we wanted entertainment, stay at home, play a CD/DVD/Karaoke and annoy the neighbours OR pay good money for a seat at a gig, clap your hands, stamp your feet and holler like a coyote with piles. Just don't do it at Mass, people!
Dear Father John,
I am lost. I came to this channel 4 help. I have been into a lot of gore (as u can see on my profile pic on the left) and also Heavy metal and i am depressed a lot. I have NOT cut myself but i have thought of it i do not want to because i do not want to hurt my parents feelings or my own. 4 the past 3 weeks i have been a non believer in god and i think i found him again thanks to you. I sill look at the gore pics and stuff. I do not know why. most of my days are in my room alone. I like to be alone a lot. I have been bullied since preschool. I always cried in my room after school. (or in moms car) I just graduated from high school and on my way to college. I hope that your channel helps me on the right path through life and helps me get to god. I hope you see and read this.
from RHB. to Father john.
thanks
ZOMBIESLAYER 115 If you have any questions or need to get something off your chest, please email me at reachmitchell@gmail.com
ZOMBIESLAYER 115 m praying for you! God loves you!!
This video is from 2015. Based on now (1-2-19), I wonder what his opinion is now on Cardinal Tobin? This is the man who had an Italian actor living with him and tweets out "Nighty night baby...I love you" in error and then said it was meant for his sister! Our Church is in such disarray and I can only hope that the faithful priests will open their eyes and demand more from their superiors.
Thank you Fr.
Amen
I think it's kind of neat to bring in some new songs every once in a while just to change things up, at our church our awesome choir director has been occasionally bringing in some more contemporary choral arrangements of mostly Christian rock songs or things of that nature that we'll do maybe during communion or before mass and so far it has been received very well, while obviously our traditions are very important after a while of just playing the same hymns over and over I think they lose their ability to bring praise to God because they become so common place people just ignore them when they hear them, they don't stir the holy spirit anymore, so the occasional breath of fresh air brings people back to church and really stirs the holy spirit in people bringing more praise to God, at least that is thoughts on the matter for what they're worth lol
I appreciate this homily Father. The Orthodox church does not have this issue because her Liturgical music is chant. The words of the songs are just as important. The Catholic Mass has music that reflects scripture rather than just that emotional high you speak of. (At least it used to when I was Roman Catholic).
I think the answer lies there. I think you said it perfectly. Music that grows from the liturgical culture is liturgical music. Gregorian chant is appropriate to the Traditional Latin Mass. Znameny chant for the Russians. Armenian chant for the Armenians. Anglican chant and crusty old hymnody for the Ordinariate. And in the Novus Ordo, there are many choices, because frankly people want to worship God, but have not had an objective grounds from which to draw liturgical music.
So, in the Novus Ordo, the Ordinary Form of the Mass, chant is legitimate (and because of pedigree, preferred). But the "folk style" which arose in seminaries in the 1960s and 70s is also legitimate because it was trying to be liturgical, and started a new liturgical tradition (of which I am a part, a witness, and not invested for the sake of sounding "cool" - believe me). And the 2000s also gave rise to a new liturgical tradition, too - the Matt Maher, Chris Tomlinson variety. Some of these songs, so I gather, were designed for liturgical use, and not merely for the radio.
Some will say this muddies things up, and it does. But, again, in my own experience, the idea that I approve of "folk-style", "guitar" mass music because "I want to sound like secular music" doesn't hold up to scrutiny. John Michael Talbot and the Saint Louis Jesuits - say what you will about them - do not equal Peter, Paul, and Mary or The Pogues. They're different. Subtly. But one definitely is liturgical, Scriptural, and catechetical, and the other definitely not.
I love golf and my wife does not. If on her birthday I was to buy her a set of new golf clubs with my name on the golf bag. Did I by the clubs for her or did I use her as an excuse to get what I want for myself?
The same is for worship. Are we going to Mass to worship God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit their way out of the Mass? Or are we using them to get what we want for ourselves?
When it comes to music, I believe it's about time and place. Prayer groups will often start out with more upbeat music, clapping and move into more peaceful worship songs. In my parish we had a wonderful "contemporary" music group with guitars, violin, flute great voices and even a drummer once in a while. All very gifted musicians. Did they just develop a talent or using their God given gifts? During mass they played only accepted and approved Catholic worship songs. Their reverence came from prayer, guidance from the Spirit and true devotion to our Catholic mass. Their goal was to draw the congregation into the mass. It was enjoyable and my children really loved it. The groups music followed the movement of the mass. The entrance hymn was sometimes like an exciting call to worship, depending on the liturgical season. At communion the music was always solemn and enhanced the worship. I never saw it as a performance. Music touches people in many different ways. The pastor "fired" this music ministry group (they were volunteers so not sure "fire" is the correct word) and many parishioners left as well.
We have a remnant of a few dedicated cantors, choir for one mass that is slowly losing members and a pastor who will sing the "Hallelujah" on Easter only. He refuses to Chant. We live in a small town. In my own mind I have referred to us as the orphan end of our diocese. With many church consolidations throughout our diocese, we are now one of 2 Catholic Churches to attend in our rural area. The same pastor has presided for almost 25 years. It has been over 8 years since this music ceased. The parish pastor is still there, he's has moved up the to the role of Vicar, and still now the pastor of what used to be 3 churches, one closed, the other a "partner", has alienated many. However "The New Church of What's Happening Now" is filled with Christians who call themselves ex-Catholics. The dilemma is real Father. The work of The Holy Spirit?
In my little corner of the world it does not feel like this way. It feels like death and no sign of a resurrection in sight. Was music the attraction, a foot in the door? Whatever it was it is no longer. Could it be that " When I was a child. I used to speak like a child, reason like a child; when I became a Ia man I did away with childish things" 1Cor13. It must all be done with love. If Contemporary worship music attracts the child (regardless of age), it is a starting place. Our faith is so rich and diverse. We have many traditions, devotions that enrich our faith experience. Shouldn't we use every opportunity to evangelize? With love shouldn't we attempt to meet everyone where they are at in their spiritual journey? Chant especially when lead by the Benedictine Monks while praying LOH,, contemplation, Lectio Divina, all avenues to a true encounter with Christ are the goals of true discipleship, and hopefully the fruit of a faithful follower. Am I your average Catholic? Maybe not, but as a deacon's wife (also now assigned to a new church by the Bishop. A definite gift). Previous assignment was hostile 😢 belonged there for 30+years. I miss my former parish). I may have been exposed to more than your those precious few who are diligently seated in the pews. Bells and whistles or could this be the work of the Spirit? What are we doing to help all to enter in?
Fr. I love your message and will continue to follow you as you have much wisdom.
Have you changed your opinion about Abp Tobin since 2015? Or, do you Fr hold on to the same thoughts you had of him then?
Bad popular style music and games and all of the emotions and hugging drove me out of the Church when I was in college.
Cardinal Joseph Tobin,
"I think that a person in good conscience could vote for Mr. Biden," said Tobin. "I, frankly, in my own way of thinking have a more difficult time with the other option."
...another aspect I hear all too often is when a tone-deaf Priest says "music is not for show", meaning "we only want dumbed down people-power music that doesn't cost us anything, run by untrained volunteers". It seems that Seminaries since the late 60s have trained their graduates to have a diabolical bias against more elevated music such as Bach or Palestrina, to instead favor the "common" or even banal. The theory, as you say, was that rock and broadway music was popular, so therefore we should incorporate that into our Church. The most hurtful injustice occurs, when you all use that mentality to tell us Composers and pipe organists, "We don't need your kind any more, this is the modern age, take a hike."
...then I learned that Seminaries nowadays no longer teach much Aquinas, nor follow their GIRM to instruct their own Priests in higher music. This area only gets the most rudimentary attention, as if Nehemiah 12, 13 doesn't matter. So when we invoke Aquinas' 'Fraternal Correction' to invite dialogue on a grave issue, it only gets violently suppressed, covered up. And you employ angry old ladies in HR to do that dirty work to drive us out of our own Church.
When you talk of "walking down the middle", that neither the extreme left or extreme right (like SSPX? or sedevacantists?) is the way, of course there is some truth in that. However, there is no authorization from Christ to remain lukewarm on the subject of sacred music, nor to abrogate what Governor Nehemiah revealed to us in 12, 13 on that topic (allocating the Tithes for highest of high music). Any time you skimp on the music, and employ starry-eyed volunteers to "lead" the worship, as if that leads to more "active participation", you secularize the Mass, and disemploy the real Sons of Asaph, which violates the Commandments against stealing and coveting another's rightful goods. Aquinas talks of the "spiritual goods" of the Church, and when you deny basic livable wages belonging to authentic, trained sacred music ministers, you also deny the spiritual goods which belong to the faithful, who thirst for higher music in worship, which transcends. This is similar to the effects of USA selling out to "cheaper" outsourced slave labor overseas, creating job-loss, family strife and loss of Church revenue at home, which in turn has profound negative spiritual effects.
Important is the question, "What constitutes authentic sacred music, and what constitutes the profane?" Authentic sacred music transcends human fads and trends, and comes from above. Profane music merely apes popular trends, in places where they do not fit, which is entirely unnatural to the Mass. The Father, Son and Holy Ghost transcend, and our worship is supposed to reflect in that image, not merely try to ape the material man.
Is there really a place for "common" music for the masses? Sure. However, the reality is akin to what sin does: when a lesser replaces or destroys a greater. Satan works through mediocrity. Even the "new music" from the 70s is elevated when in the hands of a genuinely gifted person who can also handle Chants and polyphonic chorales by Bach or Mozart. But such persons cannot do their ministry without a living wage. Neither can you. The key is to realize that the rare Sons of Asaph are bona fide music ministers, annointed with a mysterious calling (St. Paul on the gifts of spirit, being a higher calling) which they cannot resist. This is similar to your own calling to become a Priest, something which you cannot resist. Somehow, we as a culture remembered to support our Seminarians, but entirely forgot to support our Sons of Asaph. When Satan succeeds in making God's people deaf to the clear pronouncements in Nehemiah 12, 13, he destroys that part of the Mass, and millions leave the Church.
So yes, common music might, to a limited extent, have a place in our Church, but it should not dominate it, and strangle out the higher musicians in its path of destruction. Perhaps one might think of the Salvation Army: a protestant sect. We do not doubt they do amazing work which Catholics somehow forgot to do, such as reaching out to ex-drug addicts, and putting them through a rigorous 6-month detox and bible study program. We should not forget to reach out to those who were denied the rich education and resources some of us were fortunate to experience. And many of those same people seem to "relate" to common music. In that sense, there is a place. However, to assume that those same people do not "need" higher music such as Bach, as if it is only for rich people, is sacrilegious. Think of the Salvation Army--there is much we can learn from them, but we should also be keenly aware of their heresies. Perhaps God has placed them to help "beginners" find God. But for the real meat and potatoes of faith, they will eventually have to find Catholicism, which should be served in its fullest richness, not some watered-down version.
I might cite a specific example: "The Lord Hears the Cry of the Poor". A beautiful, simple song, which I would personally approve, as it has helped my own spiritual ministry. Its construction is modern, yet somehow, mysteriously, draws upon ancient Chant traditions. However, 'Kumbaya', 'Sing to the Mountains', is indeed, somehow, mocked and considered trite by millions. Thus they do not meet the litmus tests for Universality. These latter titles do not meet the GIRM nor Built on Living Stone standards, being subjects for ridicule and contempt by both young and old who are keenly sensitive to quality music construction. You might claim that "Oh, if we got rid of those, we'd alienate our more liberal membership". No, because as you observed of your Bishop chanting at the prisons, authentic reverent music does the opposite; it converts rather than alienates. It is "more Universal" than common hip-hoppety secular-sounding music.
Many SSPX and sedevacantists might disagree that I actually acknowledge "experimentation" as OK for every age and time. Without that, we would never have evolved from plainchant, to polyphonic chorales of Bach or Mozart. Technologically, our societies would not have advanced either (due to modern marvels such as computers, telephones and skyscrapers which originated from complex programmable pipe organ controls, harpsichords and tall Cathedral construction). God reveals not only spiritual matters, but technological, cosmological, medical, literacy and other healing powers through support of this higher music, which inspires mankind to "seek truth" on so many levels.
Thus I would agree with you we should not remain "static" or "fettered to the past". At the same time, I would agree with SSPX that we should not let the mediocre and banal, destroy the "higher", nor the lesser supplant the greater. Christ did not authorize us to "change" the immutable Mass. Unfortunately, when you lower the ancient standards for sacred music, you have changed the Mass. God never intended the Mass to disrupt people's prayer with cacophonic mediocre sounds, or to make millions flee the Church from the hypocrisy that arises whenever people "worship lesser" instead of "worshiping higher". As Pope John Paul II said in 1998, we now can see in hindsight the disastrous results of "misinterpretation" of Vatican II. It did not authorize us to get rid of and suppress the sacred Chants and pipe organ as the main instrument. A deeper answer comes from God Himself. Christ did not authorize any of you to abrogate Nehemiah 12, 13, to dock our pay and drive us from our own worship tent.
Again, the Parable of the Talents, and the Sower. When you support the (hidden genius) music ministers among you, whose spiritual goods are manifest in their obvious gifts, God will reward you all 1000-fold. When you don't, He will take from you what you have, and give it to someone else who will invest wiser. Let us work together to up our standards, and investments. Trust God: the world will be a better place!
+Arthur Sulit Dude you better pray for a brain.
Chant, hands down.
Fr. John, please see my comment on your "One thing all those leaving the Church have in common" video. To that, I add:
There is a natural hierarchy in Music itself...as you eventually learned, musical fads come and go, and some rap music offends country music fans, and vice versa.
The Highest forms of music, are (like Michaelangelo's or Bach's, or Palestrina's works) truly Catholic, in that they are Universally non-offensive to people of all demographics, race, color and economic class. Millions of people are grossly repulsed by rap and hip hop, other millions offended at Country, perhaps billions are offended at Hymns lilke 'Kumbaya' or hip-hoppety 'Sing to the Mountains' (a 70s fad from the Jesuit Singers, which is not even based on Psalm 118?). These types of music are not universal, in that we have a directly observable manifestation of pure hatred and anger, and prayer disruption, that is aroused in millions of people subjected to them. Whereas, when blacks, whites, asians, rich, poor alike hear an 'Ave Maria by Bach, or 'Ave Verum Corpus' by Mozart, or 'O Vos Omnes' by Tomas Luis de Victoria, NO ONE IS OFFENDED, but everyone is visibly moved, externally and internally.
Through this observation, we realize that there is indeed a natural spiritual Hierarchy of music, which becomes evident by its artistic beauty, as being a direct manifestation of the Holy Spirit working through certain rarely gifted individuals who somehow have the "invisible antennae" for this kind of higher music. This kind of gift is so rare, yet is also authoritative, as it comes from God Himself, somehow imbued or ordained into the "receptor musician", who becomes a medium or "transmitter" of what the Holy Spirit has revealed uniquely to that individual Composer. Great compositions do indeed come to a select few of us when we are in a meditative trance, or upon waking in the morning prayers, a vision of blinding beauty which brings tears to our eyes, which we must write down before we forget.
You are correct in that we should not "limit" ourselves to sing "only Chants from 500 years ago". After all, Scripture itself does not declare that Chants should only be monophonic. It has somehow, mysteriously, allowed our music to evolve into ever higher heights of Polyphony, peaking, perhaps in the counterpoint of Bach (ironically, a Lutheran!). Yet our Catholic Church has shunned Bach music merely because he was Lutheran, even though he wrote St. Matthew's Passion for the Catholic Church.
What Scripture did declare, however, was that its sacred music ministers be paid, each according to need. (Nehemiah 12, 13). If you think about God's infinite wisdom in this: if the Holy Spirit does indeed inspire great musical works, in much the same manner as the authors of the Biblical texts (or of the Psalms of Asaph), then anything you each do to suppress proper pay of the inspired Composer, in effect suppresses what the Holy Spirit is saying. It puts "God in a box".
Then there is the issue of claimed "authority". The Keys did grant authority to forgive sins, and say the Mass, but nowhere did Christ say to abrogate Nehemiah 12, 13. In matters of inspired art, such as Brunushelli's dome, or Michaelangelo's Sistine Chapel, even the Popes at the time (namely, Julius II) had to recognize that Michaelangelo was correct, and the Pope himself wrong, about specifics in executing the Sistine Chapel. Julius II eventually recognized Michaelangelo's superior gifts (hence authority) in these mysterious matters, and went with Michaelangelo's new plan rather than Julius's original, plain 12 Apostles plan. In effect, Julius II recognized inspired genius when he saw it, and got out of the Holy Spirit's way. Perhaps this is akin to recognizing an artistic "order of Melchezidech". Michaelangelo may not have been ordained an actual Priest or Deacon, but by virtue of his hard-won gifts, a certain authority of artistic expression, which ended up converting millions for centuries to come, was manifest in him.
The problem is too many of you are too tone deaf or stingy to even recognize inspired genius when it is right in front of you. Your collective refusal to obey Nehemiah 12, 13 and Parable of the Talents, has perhaps transformed into an insidious attitude of lording over genuine artists, who instead deserve your respect and cooperation.
Satan works by making greater things, appear lesser, and utilizing the sinful nature of mobs to destroy their own gifted ones, out of envy, as Cain destroyed Abel, and Joseph's own brothers nearly murdered him. The consequences are global schisms and genocide, if this trend is not reversed. Yet in most parishes, too many priests hire artists or musicians merely if they "get along" rather than upon any fair measure of authentic gifts, or even authentic Communion with Tradition. Well, Michaelangelo, Bach, Mozart did not "get along", nor did Handel. Yet their works converted, and still continue to convert, billions. The thinking should be instead, "Well, maybe these geniuses didn't 'get along' because we collectively as a mob mal-treated and belittled them. Maybe they were right to castigate us for maltreating them so unjustly. We should be in fear of God for daring to suppress what is clearly a work of inspiration from the Holy Spirit"
Thus, a challenge for you is: a) how to recognize and support genius when it is directly in front of you b) know the boundaries of "allowable change", and allow this change to "breathe" rather than be constricted by popular vote (by Lilliputians, to borrow from 'Gulliver's Travels'). If you follow Dr. Rene Girard (famous Stanford U on comparative literature, and convert to Catholicism), he has identified a theme across all Scripture, which is paralleled in great stories like 'Gulliver's Travels' or Plato's Cave. From Abel's murder, to Christ's Passion, the sinful nature of less-gifted mobs under the influence of Satan, will tend to murder the more gifted, and this is precisely what Christ made clear to all, in plain sight. His message, then, which Girard claims has remained suppressed for 2 eons, was not merely that He "died for our sins", but also that He expects us to stop Scapegoating and murdering those whom the Holy Spirit sends for your collective benefit. As I covered in the other post, denying their pay (in violation of Nehemiah 12, 13) is tantamount to slow-murdering them, as happened to poor Mozart.
It is said that a path to rejection of God, is ingratitude. Well, whatsoever you do to the least of His brothers, you do unto Him. God is highly offended by the way you collectively have been destroying us Composers and artists, who deserve a just wage just like any of you all. But the wages of this sin of omission, is death for all.
It is that serious, the global effects of collective neglect. All one has to do is reexamine a young Adolf Hitler, who once had a gift for painting, and who wanted to become a Priest, the monster he became when you all (under Woodrow Wilson's economic effects), denied him the chance to become an agent of good, you instead were co-responsible for unleashing a monster. Or the way we Christians mal-treated a young Freud merely because he was Jewish, unleashing a malestorm of false psychoanalysis which broke up families as his revenge. You are right to fear the powers of gifted Artists. Some of them are like Giants, who can wreak a lot of damage if alienated by their own Church members. But think also of the 1000-fold benefits, had you all obeyed the Parable of the Talents, to have great Artists on your side instead of working against you.
I am aware this might sound monstrous to some of you. But remember your Catechism: "Sin causes others to sin". Protection of evil-doers is among the serious sins of a Priest. If a Priest in any parish or Diocese allows small-minded people to lord over or turn away their own gifted ones, to favor mediocrity instead, more often than not, that talent will become wasted, and will turn its guns upon you, to devastating effect. (Think of Marilyn Manson, and other punk rock artists, whose gifts could have been put to better use instead of rage rage rage). The key to Girard's view of the Passion, then, is to stop scapegoating gifted Artists for whatever rage they emit, but instead listen more carefully to what they are saying. If they say you are collectively acting as hypocrites, they might have history and Scripture itself agreeing.
Among the most serious sins in the Catechism, is denying a person's rightful pay. The effects are lethal, and have caused revolutions like the Bolshevik and French. Then you accuse us of thinking of "money money money" only as if we were not concerned for our Church. Such accusations are the work of Satan, mobilizing the inner mob nature to point fingers.
Hopefully by now, we realize the Passion was not about Penal Substitution, as if His death on the cross now lets us go to confession and get away with murder of God's artists every time. Instead, let us think of the historic consequences, the emptying of the worship tent, which has global consequences, which is what Scripture itself says.
Forgive us if we artists have alarmed you. But I hope this leads to a deeper appreciation of God, and His artists. Let us try to atone for the piracy, and maltreatment we have "looked the other way" for too long. Let us have courage to stand up to the mob, and teach them to do as God wills, not what man wills. If we work together, support one another as taught, we can bring the world back to Christ.
+Arthur Sulit Hey fuctard. You still into religion? Jesus was a pedophile.
@@klaarnou Very intelligible. How were you able to do it?
Why all the praise about Bishop Tobin!
Who owns the head that popped up behind father's head?
We have Latin responces once a month...not sure where I was..I'm 60...n I dont know any latin...its frustrating...n catholic music is focused on God not entertaining us...that's the simple explanation I got
i cant believe what i just heard how music in the church could make us feel good and what type would be best for us catholic to share the faith better and make people want to be there because its cool they are there to find there love GOD they are looking for there beloved Christ not a cool feeling music brings what does Jesus want us to be happy cool music is there at mass or that those who want to honor the beloved son of GOD worship him in reverance that pleases GOD its us that need to please him we have hurt him enough we must please GOD at the mass we got millions of songs to hear in our private time
Oh, Hollow Head is at it again?
No homily for this week?
Music. I am sure some of the Angels don't talk but they sing instead. It looks like opera but they sing very fast. Heaven in spirit communication sings too. Demons can growl or sound like 🐐 or like 🐸
We Eastern Orthodox chant EVERYTHING in the Divine Liturgy ("mass"), except for the priest delivering the homily. So what's the great and fabulous thing of the neo-R.C., post-Vat II conciliar western church having one out of a thousand "masses" being chanted? And I guarantee you none of the post-conciliar R.C. chanting includes Gregorian or Palestrinian.
As has been said by the priest on this video....he's mentioned "popular" and "cool" and "heavy metal" music which can and are being promoted in the neo-protestant R.C. church. How sad.
Isn't it interesting when the Church is presented in secular culture (ie., movies, television, commercials, etc.) the music that gets used is Gregorian chant, and not the St. Louis Jesuits or others of that ilk.
"Gregorian chant" is often used in horror just to be creepy, or to imply power, or to be powerfully creepy. Catholicism doesn't even have to be close at hand.
And to be fair, the best secular movies about Catholicism from two decades past featured more Gospel and secular singing than they ever did of chant. They even pepped up the Hail, Holy Queen.
@@badgerlordpatrick6493 I am unfamiliar with any horror film that uses Gregorian chant. Please name a few that do. As for "Sister Act" I & II, there's always an outlier.
Chant. The irreverence of pop music is inappropriate. IMHO
The American Psychiatric Association, wrote this way back in 1996 about one of the perceived causes of homophobia:
"Research lends considerable credence to the psychoanalytic theory that repressed homosexual urges may be at the root of homophobic behavior by heterosexual men.
Just thought I'd share this as I found it so very interesting :) God Bless !
Not saying it belongs at Mass, but there is some Catholic hip-hop and it's really good.