Perhaps in some circles the eye-rolling phrase goes "Does a traditionalist consider the Pope Catholic?"

Um, Francis -

I do indeed see a wart.
I don't, though, see an organ. (???)
Where is it???

I suppose we're beating a dead horse, one can't help but notice that is took 50 years to find this "new solution" to a "new demand". I wonder which is new, Vatican II, or the acoustic demands of St. Peter's?
------------------
A new, digital organ has been installed in St. Peter’s Basilica for papal celebrations. The Director of the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir says it responds both to the Basilica’s practical, acoustic demands and to the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council.

“New demands require new solutions,” according to Msgr. Massimo Palombella, Director of the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir.

the new demand is putting the musicians down front in the sanctuary... nuff said.

Is the picture with the cart truly how this thing is sitting, in semi-permanent fashion, or is it temporarily perched there, in transit? If the former, and regardless of one's views about electronic organs, it is...astonishing. There's nothing wrong with modesty, but wheeling keyboards at St. Peters around on what could be the A/V cart from middle school? Really??

The existing pipe organ, too, is on floor level, ok, a step or two up.

Andris

That instrument appears to be in its own dedicated space apart from the sanctuary and yes as you say, raised up a bit.

My beef with organs on the floor are that it muddies the acoustic of both organ and choir.

My more serious beef is when the decision is made for the sake of musicians being seen. It seems to me that these novel egocentric decisions are in general not compatible with liturgy if you get my drift.

My beef with organs on the floor ...

Do you have a recipe for this dish? And what organs do you have with your beef? And is it served whilst sitting on cushions on the floor?

Now lets not be lacking in manners>

i love it mooing! (actually out here we eat elk)

Parasites.

.

We may wax angrily. We may wail and gnash our teeth. We may be dumbfounded. We may be horrified and out-raged. But it is of no consequence to those who are so blind with expediency and momentary zero capital outlay that such calumny is as nothing in their aesthetically, musically, and morally bankrupt minds. Fake means nothing to them. Nor does simulacrum, fraud, nor any other epithet which can be applied to their travesty of righteous music making within the very halls of one of Christendom's most sacred spaces.

Back on target, Chris urges. Well, if I may be indulged in a brief spell of parrhesia, let no one fail to recognise that even those who make sacred music in one of the most sacred of hallowed precincts have chosen of their own free will to do so with the fraudulent and the fake. This will not be lost on those who champion fraud in music making and pretend that it's of no consequence, who peddle the patent lie that 'you can't tell the difference' (you CAN! tell the difference!), and that it doesn't matter. It will be less than encouraging for those who strive for what is true and real in worship of him who is Ultimate Reality and Truth. Not only has the holy of holies been desecrated, those in lesser places will find themselves bereft of encouragement and example in their pursuit of beauty and honesty. How could such a man in such a position be so unutterably, unspeakably, so mindlessly blind - or self-absorbed and deluded! And, how can he think so little of the faithful who come to worship there? How, in fact, did he get where he is?! SHAME!

momentary capital outlay

There was no money spent. That speaks for itself.

Right. And it's not like they couldn't afford better.

Do we know whether it is simulating a Cavaillé-Coll?

I still remember, and you can look it up, Emeritus Benedict's homily at the restoration of the organ at his brothers' church...it's one of the best things written about the organ. He certainly knew the difference between a simaulacrum and the real thing!

Should we have plastic flowers, because they are cheaper?

At least I've yet to see any of these battery powered 'candles' with the little plastic flame fluttering around.

Apparently you don't travel to the wrong places.

Chonak, how awful, how disgustingly, loathsomely cheap and tasteless.

If ever I encountered false candles such as those of which you speak I would be so burned up that I would not think of leaving an offering.

There is something fundamentally amiss in the heart and character of those who are not offended profoundly by falsehood.

The very lies that they accept within themselves they foist without compunction upon others as well.

At issue is a fundamental and gratuitous devaluation of human dignity and intelligence.
(Not to mention a very low degree of respect for just who the All Holy is.)

A rather funny incident involving those electric candles. Some years ago, the pastor at our cathedral bought one of those electric votive stands with multiple "candles." His intent was good, since it was next to an Infant of Prague statue where the congregation walked a little too close for candles with flames. The statue was in a corner beside an aisle under the loft. The old cathedral - ugliest church in Christendom - caught fire when the electric votive stand shorted out. One of our priests said it was too bad they didn't wait an hour longer to call the fire department. It smoked up the new Allen which was right above the candles in the loft. You may or may not consider that a loss.

The church should provide real candles, ESPECIALLY for the poor. Remember, a single penny in the offering is priceless to heaven.

We should make altars out of plastic as well, much more economical. And make churches out of plywood...oh wait that's already being done...

...made of...

...um, what is perspex?
(Or, do I want to know?)

There was a parish in town that once had a Plexiglas altar and lectern. They built a new church and didn't take any of that with them, thankfully.