Why is "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" in Catholic Hymnal?

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Because it is a great hymn despite the provenance. Besides, Martin Luther was a Catholic priest, it was just his politics that were off quite a lot. We shouldn’t ban certain hymns just because of politics, especially when the hymn praises God Almighty.
 
RWMorris said:
Because it is a great hymn despite the provenance. Besides, Martin Luther was a Catholic priest, it was just his politics that were off quite a lot. We shouldn’t ban certain hymns just because of politics, especially when the hymn praises God Almighty.
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I agree. Here’s another example: Johann Sebastian Bach was a devout Lutheran, but that does not keep me, as a devout Catholic, from enjoying his vast output of sacred music. Praise of God is just that: praise of God, no matter what corner it flows from.
 
If we would just stick to the “official” texts of the Mass that are found in the Roman Missal, Gradual, and Lectionary, we wouldn’t be having these discussions about Hymns used at Mass.

We should always strive for singing the Mass as opposed to singing at Mass.
 
According to the 2001 Instruction Liturgiam Authenticam:
“108. Sung texts and liturgical hymns have a particular importance and efficacy. Especially on Sunday, the “Day of the Lord”, the singing of the faithful gathered for the celebration of Holy Mass, no less than the prayers, the readings and the homily, express in an authentic way the message of the Liturgy while fostering a sense of common faith and communion in charity.
[footnote POPE JOHN PAUL II, Apost. Letter Dies Domini, 31 May 1998, nn. 40, 50: AAS 90 (1998) 738, 745.]
If they are used widely by the faithful, they should remain relatively fixed so that confusion among the people may be avoided. Within five years from the publication of this Instruction, the Conferences of Bishops, necessarily in collaboration with the national and diocesan Commissions and with other experts, shall provide for the publication of a directory or repertory of texts intended for liturgical singing. This document shall be transmitted for the necessary recognitio to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.”
 
My geneology studies indicate that it is the Kelley family motto, derived from Psalm 18:2. I rather appreciate Martin’s thoughtfulness in presenting us with it. 😉
 
pnewton said:
No, I think hymns are a great addition to the Mass. Even many tradionionalists have favorite hymns.
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While there is nothing wrong with hymns at Mass, there is something wrong when we sing a hymn even where none is called for (recessional) and don’t sing the ordinary of the Mass. Musicam Sacram has never been abrogated. Why can’t we follow that document?
 
John_Lilburne said:
According to the 2001 Instruction Liturgiam Authenticam: “Within five years from the publication of this Instruction, the Conferences of Bishops, necessarily in collaboration with the national and diocesan Commissions and with other experts, shall provide for the publication of a directory or repertory of texts intended for liturgical singing.”
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  1. *]Does this refer to the Conferences of Bishops as a collective whole, or to each national Conference of Bishops, in the plural?
    *]What is the status of this requirement - is it the origin of Sing to the Lord by the USCCB?
 
Digitonomy said:

  1. *]Does this refer to the Conferences of Bishops as a collective whole, or to each national Conference of Bishops, in the plural?
    *]What is the status of this requirement - is it the origin of Sing to the Lord by the USCCB?
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  1. Sing to the Lord was supposed to have been the USCCB response to Liturgicam Authenticam. However, because the NPM and the FDLC made a lethal tag team, the guts of the document got gutted. It was also not approved by the necessary 2/3 vote for the document to be sent to Rome for the required recognitio. So, we are pretty much back at square one.

    While there are some good points to Sing to the Lord, the document never really addressed Liturgicam Authenticam’s requirements. Had the USCCB hung tough and stayed with the powerpoint presentation (which does quote Liturgicam Authenticam), then, we would have gotten somewhere.

    In the meantime, we are just circling the beltway with this document and are going nowhere fast.

    I wonder if “A Mighty Fortress” was written before, or after, Luther made his big blunder.
 
Phemie said:
While there is nothing wrong with hymns at Mass, there is something wrong when we sing a hymn even where none is called for (recessional) and don’t sing the ordinary of the Mass.
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Not that I have ever heard about. Can you back up your statement, or is this just your opinion? Benedictgal, do you know the answer? Is a recessional a liturgical abuse?
 
pnewton said:
Not that I have ever heard about. Can you back up your statement, or is this just your opinion? Benedictgal, do you know the answer? Is a recessional a liturgical abuse?
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I do not see how a recessional could be a liturgical abuse. Once the words “The Mass is ended. Go in peace” are said by the priest, the Mass is over. The recessional is not part of the Mass, so, therefore, it is not a liturgical abuse.
 
lak611 said:
I do not see how a recessional could be a liturgical abuse. Once the words “The Mass is ended. Go in peace” are said by the priest, the Mass is over. The recessional is not part of the Mass, so, therefore, it is not a liturgical abuse.
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That was my thinking. I am just trying to figure out if there is any truth to what Phemie is saying
 
pnewton said:
Not that I have ever heard about. Can you back up your statement, or is this just your opinion? Benedictgal, do you know the answer? Is a recessional a liturgical abuse?
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There is a hierarchy of music when it comes to the Mass:

First Tier:
Gospel Acclamation
Sanctus
Memorial Acclamation
Great Amen

Second Tier:
Gloria (non Advent/Lenten Sundays and Solemnities)
Responsorial Psalm
Agnus Dei

Third Tier:
Entrance Hymn
Offertory Hymn
Communion Hymn
Recessional Hymn

Now, if there is no Entrance Hymn, then the Entrance Antiphon is read. Ditto for Communion.

The Third Tier are not necessary for Daily Mass; however, during Solemnities that fall on a weekday, Sing to the Lord (the new document issued by the USCCB - actually, this section is one of the few that is actually on target; the other is the one that deals with wedding Mass music) indicates that the Third Tier should be used (as it is used on Sundays).

Now, there are some parishes that don’t have a recessional hymn; the organist either plays a hymn or a post-lude, as is the frequent case in Papal Masses (just look at Pope Benedict’s Installation Mass; the organ was playing while he was riding around in the popemobile).

Having (or not having) a recessional hymn is not a liturgical use. I like what my PV says about the recessional: “It’s supposed to cover my exit, not the congregation’s.”
 
Thanks. Not to worry then. Those are pretty much the ones we always do anyway. I like the part about not covering the congregation’s exit. There are always those that want to burn out as soon as the priest is out the door. Just once I would like to see him stop a few feet away just so the early burners would get antsy. Of course if he stopped too early he would get run over.
 
pnewton said:
No, I think hymns are a great addition to the Mass. Even many tradionionalists have favorite hymns.
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I can see the use of hymns during the prolonged period during Communion Rite that the proper Psalms and Antiphon from the Roman Gradual might not cover. I can also understand singing a recessional hymn at the end of Mass (theoretically after Mass).

But, I’ll never understand why we ignore the official texts of the Mass Propers (Entrance Chant, Offertory Chant, Communion Chant) and replace them with hymns picked by a parish liturgy committee that may or may not have any bearing on the “theme” of that day’s celebration.

The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy called for the use of more Scripture during the liturgy, and using the Propers given to us would be a perfect means to accomplish this.

And just because “traditionalists” like to sing traditional hymns at Mass doesn’t make it right, either.
 
muledog said:
But, I’ll never understand why we ignore the official texts of the Mass Propers (Entrance Chant, Offertory Chant, Communion Chant) and replace them with hymns picked by a parish liturgy committee that may or may not have any bearing on the “theme” of that day’s celebration.
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My parish uses hymnals, not missalettes. The parishioners would have no idea what these official texts are. We would not be able to sing them, as they are not printed anywhere for us to see.
 
lak611 said:
My parish uses hymnals, not missalettes. The parishioners would have no idea what these official texts are. We would not be able to sing them, as they are not printed anywhere for us to see.
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Chant versions of the Psalms in the Roman and Simple Graduals can be purchased online from several sources. I can do a little research and get those for you if you’d like. The music comes with sheet music for choirs and organists.

I would suggest you take a look at By Flowing Waters, by Paul F. Ford. This is a version of the Simple Gradual, with proper chants for all liturgical seasons. It also includes the Latin Chants listed in Jubilate Deo (Pope Paul VI) in 1974.
 
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