The loss of "devotional music"

  • Thread starter Thread starter muledog
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

muledog

Guest
In today’s parish bulletin, there was a statement that said “no devotional music is allowed in the liturgy.” This mandate supposedly came from the diocesan Office of Worship.

Is this statement in line with current liturgical law? I must say, I miss some of the traditional devotional hymns which were sung in honor of particular saints during Mass either as a processional or as a recessional hymn. I would think that almost any type of liturgical (and sacred) music could be sung for the recessional, since it is actually not a part of the liturgy, and is only customarily sung in the U.S.

In Manibus Dei,

Mike M.
 
Any clue what they meant by “devotional music”? Did they mean no music at all?
 
I guess that’s why we never hear the hymn “O Sacrament Most Holy” anymore. The last time I heard it was a few years ago when the grade school children’s choir sang it during communion. Don’t know how they got away with that, as it’s certainly a devotional hymn. It’s never happened again.

Anyone old enough to remember the “Laudate” songbook will be able to give some others. But nobody’s that old.
 
40.png
Prometheum_x:
Yeah, what exactly is devotional music?
Click to expand...
I think it is music that is intended to inspire a sense of devotion to God, as opposed to music which is intended to celebrate our sense of community in coming together for the Eucharist.

Some examples of “devotional” hymns, in my opinion, would be:
Panis Angelicus
Tantum Ergo
Pange Lingua
O Sacrament Most Holy
 
hymns that are proper for benediction, such as those listed, should be used there, the music for Mass should reflect the readings, the season etc. Maybe they mean any Marian hymn on a non-Marian feast day. I am sure the actual document that came from the diocese was much more specific than what we have seen here. The only people that should be worrying about it are the priest (who has authority over every liturgy in his parish, under the bishop) the cantor & choir directors & musicians. the rest of us should not Monday morning quarterback the liturgy.
 
Dear me. Sounds like my parish is getting it all wrong, then. We’re always singing (either the choir or the congregation) during Communion things like Soul of my Saviour, or Ave Verum (all sorts of gorgeous settings, from Mozart to Elgar) or - well, there’s a huge amount of wonderful hymns and motets out there, and we sing a lot of them. But why on earth shouldn’t one? Is there a directive from the top which tells us to shut up, or this is a US thing, or a diocesan one?

Sue
 
40.png
JimG:
I guess that’s why we never hear the hymn “O Sacrament Most Holy” anymore. The last time I heard it was a few years ago when the grade school children’s choir sang it during communion. Don’t know how they got away with that, as it’s certainly a devotional hymn. It’s never happened again.

Anyone old enough to remember the “Laudate” songbook will be able to give some others. But nobody’s that old.
Click to expand...
Our parish is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, and our choir would like to include at the anniversary Mass some hymns that were possibly sung at the first Mass in 1955. I don’t remember singing hymns at Mass back then, except at High Mass, when the liturgy was sung, and at Benediction. Does anyone have any suggestions?
 
40.png
puzzleannie:
hymns that are proper for benediction, such as those listed, should be used there, the music for Mass should reflect the readings, the season etc. Maybe they mean any Marian hymn on a non-Marian feast day. I am sure the actual document that came from the diocese was much more specific than what we have seen here. The only people that should be worrying about it are the priest (who has authority over every liturgy in his parish, under the bishop) the cantor & choir directors & musicians. the rest of us should not Monday morning quarterback the liturgy.
Click to expand...
I am a musician and, though I don’t think that is my diocese, it is of educational interest to me since I am responsible for some of the music planning for the liturgy. I’ll have to see if I can find the document that the diocese published.
 
I did a little research and found this:

From the USCCB document* Music In Catholic Worship (1972)* at liturgy.net/body_doc_ref/MICW/body_micw.html
  1. The communion song should foster a sense of unity. It should be simple and not demand great effort. It gives expression to the joy of unity in the body of Christ and the fulfillment of the mystery being celebrated. ***Most benediction hymns, by reason of their concentration on adoration rather ***than on communion, are not acceptable. [emphasis mine]
Click to expand...
 
Was that document approved by the entire conference or was it just a BCL document? Remember Environment and Art in Catholic Worship and how it was thrown around as if it were authoritative when in actuality it was never voted on by the Conference.
Just asking.
 
40.png
Prometheum_x:
I did a little research and found this:

From the USCCB document* Music In Catholic Worship (1972)* at liturgy.net/body_doc_ref/MICW/body_micw.html
Click to expand...
Well, that’s a relief. You Yanks can carry on celebrating the joy of unity in the body of Christ, and we Limeys can worship our Lord and Saviour come to us under the forms of bread and wine.

Sue
 
40.png
Teresita:
What’s the definition of ‘devotional music’?

Sue
Click to expand...
From what I was told by a liturgy committee member, devotional music would be hymns to the various saints, including the Blessed Virgin.

It also includes devotional hymns to the Blessed Sacrament.

Mike
 
40.png
Teresita:
Well, that’s a relief. You Yanks can carry on celebrating the joy of unity in the body of Christ, and we Limeys can worship our Lord and Saviour come to us under the forms of bread and wine.

Sue
Click to expand...
Why not do both?
 
40.png
drforjc:
Was that document approved by the entire conference or was it just a BCL document? Remember Environment and Art in Catholic Worship and how it was thrown around as if it were authoritative when in actuality it was never voted on by the Conference.
Just asking.
Click to expand...
I don’t know if it was just a BCL document or not. It was available for purchase in booklet from the USCCB website and I found an online version at the website I posted. I certainly don’t know whether it is authoritative or not. I read through the whole thing and, authoritative or not, it does make some good observations.
 
Isn’t all music devotional in some form or manner anyway? Think about it for a minute. What a broad statement, no devotional music…
 
The communion song should foster a sense of unity. It should be simple and not demand great effort. It gives expression to the joy of unity in the body of Christ and the fulfillment of the mystery being celebrated. Most benediction hymns, by reason of their concentration on adoration rather than on communion, are not acceptable.
Click to expand...
Well, OK. But why would a song of devotion to the blessed sacrament not foster a sense of community at communion time? (I don’t mean a hymn specifically intended for benediction such as O Salutaris Hostia.)
 
I guess I am going to shock you , but I have to tell the truth.

All this singing at Low Mass started after Vatican II, I don’t like it. The choir is O.K. if they’d be quiet during the concecration and during comminion.

Who thinks we need “devotional music” just as we have recieved our Lord. At that time we are closest to our Lord. Do we need to be DIVERTED by singing?

In my books the congregation would not sing. The choir would maybe (maybe) sing at 3 times. But be quiet during concecration and during communion.

Trying to be like Protestants by all that singing , a Catholic does nor make you be.
 
40.png
JimG:
Well, OK. But why would a song of devotion to the blessed sacrament not foster a sense of community at communion time? (I don’t mean a hymn specifically intended for benediction such as O Salutaris Hostia.)
Click to expand...
I think that the point is that the devotional songs tend to be more individual worship rather than corporate worship. If the views expressed in this document are authoritative, my suspicion is that they do not intend to prohibit songs that have devotional aspects. Rather they intend to exclude songs that are primarily focused on one’s individual worship of God.

Just my opinion on that.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top