Hymns- concern

[2heartsaz1]

My stomach hurts while writing this as last Saturday vigil we were singing a particular hymn and I noted the translation’s author seemed to have the same name as a recently prosecuted, highly publicized child molester in our Diocese.

When I had a moment, thinking “this cannot be” a search revealed that it is true. I am contacting our Diocese and the hymnal which publishes (there are also 2 hymns which this same author wrote and which are also published and 1 of which I have heard sung in mass recently as well).

I’m a sensitive person, but this really was a distraction for me and I can’t bear the thought of knowing this info and then hearing the song, dealing with the distraction of trying not to recall the many details of the scandals so recently in our area.

Any words of wisdom are welcomed. God desires all to be saved, I realize and it’s not too late for persons to repent while they’re still alive in body but this seems to reopen wounds. I suppose it is a cross but should we bear it? as it is a scandal within a scandal in my eyes, and my opinon and thoughts have been wrong at times.

 

[catholica]

This is a tough call, I suppose.

I see in our Hymnal (from Oregon Catholic Press) that there are many songs in there written by Protestants - and even ones who could arguably be called Catholic persecutors who have supported even harm to Catholics.

Upon further reflection, I think that it should not be “protested out of the book” but maybe suggest another book (there’s several of them out there used by various parishes and dioceses) to your Pastor since it is a local issue.

…just a thought.

 

[BayCityRickL]

My story:

My step-father was murdered. His ex-wife did it. After she passed away, she was buried in a public cemetery. I have felt strongly about the clearly-illegal act of defacing her gravestone – sure a temptation if there ever was one.

On the related matter, I don’t know how sinful it is to “hate” a deceased person. As I get older, this comes up more than I would have expected. Certainly this is a strong temptation.

I’ve noticed that otherwise “normal” people become extremely retaliatory and vindictive if they have been wronged, or especially if their children have been wronged, in the slightest (and I mean slightest way). Road rage is an example of this. Anger against teachers who give a fair but poor grade to a child or who use less than judicious words in correcting a child in any fashion can be mercilessly attacked by defensive parents.

It turns out, I moved into a private apartment house and discovered that the elderly man next door was a convicted sex offender. Our landlady found out about his police record after he moved in, and she was very mad about having to take him in as a tenant. She was very careful with him, but she tried to get along with him, as much as she could. I didn’t find out for some time, as she did not ever come right out and say anything about him. She was an active Methodist church goer. She didn’t like when there were children visiting him. And, she was bothered too because she liked to travel and was away for days and weeks at a time.

At 55, I’ve run into enough examples of things like this. Fortunately, I used to work in a hospital where I learned to keep my private opinions to myself – to be non-judgmental.

but, more than any of this, I know that I am a sinner. I am surely not one who can “throw the first stone.” We must concentrate on the Lord’s prayer “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” And, forgive others as we would seek the forgiveness of others.

Imagine that today was one of the worst days in your life, and you accidentally killed a small child with your car. Your life is changed. You can hardly forgive yourself, much less expect to be forgiven. Yet, that is exactly what should happen, no?

 

[2heartsaz1]

Thanks for your sincere (name removed by moderator)ut. Being very sensitive to the needs of others as well as my own, I brought up this point without all the details. I’ll seek my confessor’s counsel.

Rick, my stated concern has nothing to do with hate. I worked in many a hospital and in many different states caring for those suffering and dying from cancer, HIV, and other conditions- from high risk labor and delivery, special care nursery, administering chemotherapy, rehab and stroke, for many years including hospice, making sure my patients (some of which were ex-cons) received hydration, nutrition and lovingkindness.
We have holy reminders in our churches, holy cards, statues and beautiful pictures of the Blessed Virgin Mary, etc. Should we have music which reminds people of the multiple and terrible acts and scandal done in their home town and churches when they see the author’s name in the hymnal at the top next to the title?

Yes, we pray the best prayer, the one Jesus taught us Himself and forgive, but the question is stated above.

If it is an occasion of sin, a reminder of the author listed in the hymnal, then it should not be in view to draw attention to the scandal.

This is not a “holier than thou” perspective, this topic,for * all *
have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

The distractions are enormous: Oh, this person wrote this and we’re singing it and decorating it with instruments and using it to worship and all the while over the years this person was also doing x,y,z and is now defrocked.

We must discern with the virtue of prudence. Often that means deciding that something is better off not being purchased or used.

When a hymn is used in mass, does the character of the person who wrote it really matter?

Do we not wish to glorify God and avoid more scandal? I believe that to continue to use such materials adds to the scandal, regardless of the many opportunities/ and instances for forgiveness in the sacrament of penance for all who desire and seek and repent, including my own frequent need for the sacrament.

Ultimately it is our pastors’ call. And if a person raises a concern it could be easily taken as “bickering” and insignificant due to the multiple and more pressing issues like getting the bills paid out here where the prosecution is requiring properties to be sold, properties which were donated and had been purchased by hard working, God and neighbor loving families.

• minus Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Innocents and small infants, unborn children and the like.

 

[weddy]

instead of looking at who wrote the hymn, i prefer to look at the meaning of the lyrics and the beauty of the music.

“AMAZING GRACE”, after all was written on a slave ship bound for the U.S.,does this mean we throw out such a meaningful and beautiful hymn?:nope:

 

[2heartsaz1]

weddy:

instead of looking at who wrote the hymn, i prefer to look at the meaning of the lyrics and the beauty of the music.

“AMAZING GRACE”, after all was written on a slave ship bound for the U.S.,does this mean we throw out such a meaningful and beautiful hymn?:nope:

I see your point and of course we read/sing the worship to God and attempt to mean what we are singing.

In the case of the slaves who were being persecuted, their hymns
are even more full of worship and meaning.

The case here is the opposite- the hymnwriter and in one case, just the translator, inflicted grievous injuries while acting as a Persona Christi

As Vatican II calls us to “active participation” especially with the mass responses and hymns and responsorial psalms, so we actively seek to mean what we sing/say and in the case of hymns today, because there are some hymns which seem like we are speaking of and to ourselves rather than to God, as active participants, we tend to examine the words and the origin- is it a Psalm,etc. and often it is,so we might like to re-read that Psalm at home later and even make a note of it, and so on. In other words, this is not passive participation in the mass and it is with eyes wide open in our church. Some hymns/songs have been around a long time and yet there are those of us who, when we move and move quite often, the missalettes and hymnals are very different and so we read the origin and content; as active participants in the Body of Christ.

Thank you all for your recommendations and comments.

There has not been a public statement of sorrow, regret and penitence from the very public figure who wrote the hymns in question and I suppose my personal opinion in this matter might be different.

Would anyone knowingly sing a hymn in church written by a
well publicized child molestor? The publishing company is taking these concerns into consideration. As the crimes were hidden for many years, so perhaps this scandal will go the same route.

 

[DaveBj]

weddy:

instead of looking at who wrote the hymn, i prefer to look at the meaning of the lyrics and the beauty of the music.

“AMAZING GRACE”, after all was written on a slave ship bound for the U.S.,does this mean we throw out such a meaningful and beautiful hymn?:nope:

NO! “Amazing Grace” was written after John Newton’s conversion, after he left the slave trade, and during or after he was going through the process of becoming an Anglican clergyman.

texasfasola.org/biographies/johnnewton.html

Interestingly enough, there has never been an attribution for the tune. However, some point out that it is pentatonic (i.e., fits on the black notes of the piano), as was much African music (the pentatonic scale is the most natural of the various musical scales). Many think that the tune could have been an African “sorrow chant” that Newton had heard on one of his voyages.

Edit: Back to the original point of the thread, is it possible that similarity between the name of the abuser and the name of the composer could just be a coincidence?

DaveBj

 

[2heartsaz1]

" that Newton had heard on one of his voyages.

Edit: Back to the original point of the thread, is it possible that similarity between the name of the abuser and the name of the composer could just be a coincidence?

DaveBj

Dave, I asked the same question. The publisher was already aware and was up front about it.

Perhaps since our local bishops here have apologized multiple times this should be accepted as a public statement by the offenders in the persons of the bishops.I’ll let it rest.
God’s will, not mine, be done. His mercy endures forever.