The Preface from the New Spirit and Song
  • cmbearer
    Posts: 75
    For your discussion:

    The pastor at my church recently got back from a Life-Teen seminar. He brought me a copy of the new edition of OCP's Spirit and Song, which was being touted there. Here are some excerpts from the preface (italics in original, bold emphasis added), if you're curious...

    In 1999, OCP released Spirit and Song: A Seeker's Guide for the Liturgy and Prayer as a worship resource for parish youth ministries, Catholic schools, college campuses, and retreat centers because we recognized something new was happening within Catholic music. The Church had enjoyed the invaluable contribution of worship music from the 1970s and 1980s and found a beloved repertoire. Yet something new was rising up from the new fervor found in youth ministry movements.


    Ummm...


    Today, we Catholics find ourselves on the cusp of a new era that is being propelled by the October 11, 2012-November 24, 2013 Year of Faith; it is the era of the New Evangelization. Pope John Paul II introduced the idea of re-awakening the faith of people and nations who have a Catholic heritage but whose faith has been weakened. In describing the New Evangelization, he spoke of a new fervor for spreading the gospel through new methods and with new expressions. We believe that Spirit and Song possesses these three criteria.


    What happened to Sanctity, Beauty, and Universality as the three criteria?


    To open the Second Vatican Council, Pope John XXIII said, "What is needed is that this certain and immutable doctrine, to which the faithful owe obedience, be studied afresh and reformulated in contemporary terms." There is a two-fold charge contained within these words: first, fidelity to the immutable faith and second, new expressions of that faith. We have taken great care to ensure the theological accuracy and integrity of the songs. Those holding advanced degrees in Catholic theology served on the selection committee and after the selections were made, an outside group of theologians reviewed the selections to ensure their authentic adherence to the ancient Catholic faith. The repertoire draws from four sources: 1) traditional hymns that have been arranged for contemporary ensembles, 2) enduring titles written in the 1970s and 1980s, 3) songs by today's contemporary Catholic songwriters, 4) and songs by our Evangelical brothers and sisters. Regardless of source, each song has been vetted for its adherence to the Church's immutable doctrine.


    There's a slew of thanks offered to many people. The selection committee as listed was: Angela Westhoff-Johnson, Eric Schumock, Ken Canedo, Tom Tomaszek, Rick Modlin and Robert Feduccia. Their credentials are not listed. So I don't know what advanced degrees they have.

    Spirit and Song is also a pastoral resource that recognizes the many situations and locations in which people will gather for prayer and worship. Because of the mobility of today's pastoral musician we have developed new methods for using the repertoire.


    This makes it sound like they fully expect to regularly have Mass outside of a church, which I know is acceptable, but should happen in limited and specific cases.
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    I will quote Georges Bizet: "They wanted their trash and I gave it to them." (regarding Votre Toast)

    Not saying that everything produced recently is trash, but that the PIPs know what they are asking for when they ask for it, and the publishers know what they are producing when they agree to publish it. I will say that church music has become entertainment oriented.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Wendi
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    At the extreme of what I know, Westhoff-Johnson earned a masters. Heck, I have one of those, big whoop. She sold her academic cred in Portland, one way or the other, quite a while ago. I know that's not charitable, but that's how i calls it.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • francis
    Posts: 10,824
    New Evangelization... do you mean the part that says,

    "Going therefore, teach ye all nations: baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. euntes ergo docete omnes gentes baptizantes eos in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti
    28 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world. docentes eos servare omnia quaecumque mandavi vobis et ecce ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus usque ad consummationem saeculi"

    How about we do what Jesus commanded FIRST, and when we are all done and have completed the command, (and handed in our corporate report), then maybe, yes, maybe Jesus would ask us to come up with a better plan. (Hmmm... second thought, I think we may never fulfill his ORIGINAL command.)
  • MarkThompson
    Posts: 768
    What happened to Sanctity, Beauty, and Universality as the three criteria?

    Their credentials are not listed. So I don't know what advanced degrees they have.

    ... Mass outside of a church, which I know is acceptable, but should happen in limited and specific cases.


    The collection may suck or it may be fantastic, but I have to admit these are perhaps the three weakest, least relevant pieces of criticism I have ever seen strung together consecutively on this forum.

    Have any thoughts about the music?
  • francis
    Posts: 10,824
    MarkThompson:

    Show me the best five pieces you can come up with from this new and innovative collection. I will give you my thoughts.
  • G
    Posts: 1,400
    The Sacred Liturgy can be in itself a great tool for evangelization, but that does not mean that every evangelical tool, (such as the new songs of this new expression of a new fervor,) should be shoehorned in to it.

    (Save the Liturgy, Save the World)
    Thanked by 3rich_enough Blaise cmbearer
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    Uh, Mark, I can name that tune in one note:
    HERE I AM TO WORSHIP.
    That about sums it up for me.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,824
    now melo, let's give it a look... after all, innovations are always... new!

    the cusp of a new era that is being propelled by the October 11, 2012-November 24, 2103 Year of Faith


    and

    Pope John Paul II introduced the idea of re-awakening the faith of people and nations who have a Catholic heritage but whose faith has been weakened.


    (What made it weak?)
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    Would you like to research what Pope John Paul II had to say about that and get back to us? That'll be another thread, not this one. Thanks!
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    "To open the Second Vatican Council, Pope John XXIII said"

    www.vatican.va
    English
    Supreme Pontiffs -> John XXIII -> Speeches -> 1962
    Address on the occasion of the solemn opening of the Most Holy Council
    (October 11, 1962)
    [Italian, Latin, Portuguese, Spanish]

    Unfortunately the Vatican website provided no English translation.
    Various translations online indicate the selected quote is located half way through.
    I think the first half of the speech will provide some context for the quote.
    I have an evening of reading. :-)
  • ContinuousbassContinuousbass
    Posts: 357
    I find some of S&S totally bizarre, but it's easy to read music. If there's something in both BB and S&S, I tend to use the S&S version, because it seems like more musical effort went into it.
    Also, I find the piano accompaniment books completely useless, I wish they would just publish the choir books in that size for my eyesight.
  • ryandryand
    Posts: 1,640
    1) traditional hymns that have been arranged for contemporary ensembles,


    No longer traditional.

    2) enduring titles written in the 1970s and 1980s,


    image

    3) songs by today's contemporary Catholic songwriters,


    Like selections from Adam Bartlett's new Lumen Christi Simple Gradual? That came out LAST MONTH. Pretty contemporary! Or the SEP organ books - contemporary (also only ONE MONTH old!) arrangements of enduring melodies from the earlier years of this very millenium!

    4) and songs by our Evangelical brothers and sisters.


    Chant doesn't belong in a southern Baptist church.
    Why do Protestant songs belong in the Catholic mass?

    More importantly, why is it important to mark the fact that decidedly non-Catholic material was chosen for this collection?
    Thanked by 1cmbearer
  • ryandryand
    Posts: 1,640
    .
  • ryandryand
    Posts: 1,640
    .
  • ryandryand
    Posts: 1,640
    .
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    Ryan, the anti-spam system mistakenly put your post in hold as suspected spam, and you should see a little pop-up notice. When that happens, I have to manually release it.
  • PhatFlute
    Posts: 219
    October 11, 2012-November 24, 2103


    That is quite long long time!
    Thanked by 2Gavin cmbearer
  • francis
    Posts: 10,824
    ryand

    very good points.
  • donr
    Posts: 971
    Over and over again.
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    "To open the Second Vatican Council, Pope John XXIII said"

    So, I have read in translation the Pope John XXIII speech.
    It was nice that he said what he said.
    It was motivational and inspirational and optimistic.
    However, it only opened the Council, it said nothing about music.

    The Council itself
    did say something about music
    in its first document
    http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19631204_sacrosanctum-concilium_en.html

    The Consilium
    also said something about music
    in its First Instruction Inter Oecumenici
    http://www.adoremus.org/Interoecumenici.html
    and in its follow-up Instruction Musicam Sacram
    ["a continuation and complement of the preceding Instruction"]
    http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_instr_19670305_musicam-sacram_en.html

    So, is quoting this Speech fragment another way of saying "Spirit of Vatican II" ?
  • Steve QSteve Q
    Posts: 121
    Those holding advanced degrees in Catholic theology served on the selection committee and after the selections were made, an outside group of theologians reviewed the selections to ensure their authentic adherence to the ancient Catholic faith.


    I think I'd be more assured if it bore an Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat.
    Thanked by 1cmbearer
  • donr
    Posts: 971
    Even if it did have the Impirmatur and Nihil Obstat, it would only pertain to the text and not the music.
    Thanked by 2Steve Q cmbearer
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    propelled by the October 11, 2012-November 24, 2103 Year of Faith

    Pope Benedict XVI announced the Year of Faith with this document
    http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/motu_proprio/documents/hf_ben-xvi_motu-proprio_20111011_porta-fidei_en.html

    The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
    gave some recommendations for living this time of grace
    http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20120106_nota-anno-fede_en.html

    Neither of the above talk about music,
    but they instruct us to review the Vatican II Documents and the Catechism.

    Both the Documents and the Catechism talk about music.
  • cmbearer
    Posts: 75
    MarkThompson,

    Sanctity, Beauty, and Universality ARE about the music. By not mentioning these, which are presented as the three criteria of their own bishop, mind you, it's as if they are denying they are even worthy for consideration. But I guess they couldn't use these as the criteria, as most of what they publish wouldn't stand up to them.

    As for those people who were on the selection committee, in my opinion, they had to mention their "advanced degrees" as a marketing gimmick (in fact, this is one of the first things my pastor mentioned when he handed me the book), but as far as I could tell, they did not divulge how "smart" those people are. I have but a mere Bachelor's degree, but I bet I could make better decisions in Sacred Music than most of what I see here (thanks especially to CMAA and this forum!) My 13 year old son certainly knows the difference between appropriate for Mass and not, as well.

    On my third point, you're probably right; that's a stretch. But it still reeks of "what can we say to sell this book?"
    Thanked by 1Continuousbass
  • cmbearer
    Posts: 75
    October 11, 2012-November 24, 2103



    That is quite long long time!


    Ha! That's funny. Fixed.
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