Also from Sacrosanctum Concilium (emphasis mine):
119. In certain parts of the world, especially mission lands, there are peoples who have their own musical traditions, and these play a great part in their religious and social life. For this reason
due importance is to be attached to their music, and a suitable place is to be given to it, not only in forming their attitude toward religion, but also in adapting worship to their native genius, as indicated in Art.
39 and
40.
Therefore, when missionaries are being given training in music,
every effort should be made to see that they become competent in promoting the traditional music of these peoples, both in schools and in sacred services, as far as may be practicable.
After years of poor catechesis and all the other things we’ve been through, I believe the Catholic Church in America falls into this category. Many American Catholics are quite attached to guitar music at Mass. Trying to force exclusive use of chant and pipe organ frustrates many. Other churches sometimes recruit poorly catechised Catholics by offering contemporary music that inspires and appeals to them.
In regards to what was posted from this same documents that pipe organ is to be “held in high esteem” and that Gregorian chant should be given “pride of place”, it didn’t say chant and organ must be used
exclusively for liturgical music. Giving them primary place and high esteem, doesn’t mean all other styles must be excluded.
And as an aside, I did notice on the profiles that some who said “no” to guitar were not “old foggies”, but often a decade or so younger than I am. I hope you young folks can learn to tolerate the guitar music some of us slightly older Catholics enjoy, and indulge us in our musical preferences from time to time, (out of respect for you elders
). And if you really want to see chant and organ music flourish in liturgy, please learn to sing and play organ well so that the rest of us can better appreciate them. I have come to realize that it’s not so much that I dislike these styles, but that I rarely hear them done well.