Nothing is wrong with having interpretations of the past, but when it comes down to, ohhh they aren't doing this and that, look, look, it's required here and there.
Okay, go show the Bishop, Archbishop, Cardinal, and Pope, who are now in authority, and ask them, to enforce those rules. I see very little action on the part of Rome, or local Dioceses, to enforce rules and regulations as they were in the past, whether or not they are still active and valid. There may be one or two Bishops here and there, that give the go ahead, but where is the thousands and countless others, that are inactive on enforcing musical rules? We have thousands of laws in our books, in states across the US, dating back to times and generations that we were never involved in, yet the law hasn't been erased, and isn't being enforced. Same applies here. The Vatican as well as local Ordinaries all over, are not enforcing "Liturgy Rules/Regs on Music" why? perhaps because they see no reason to? I am still waiting for an answer on that one
Charles, I think I may disagree with you about people not wanting to be legalists. I think they do, because the written word can frequently be used as a crutch for avoiding critical thought. "If it says X right here, then X it is."
People don't always consider that their understanding of X might be different from someone else's, which is a big problem.
Of course, JennyH's point is well-taken, insofar as the Council certainly champions chant, and, according to Dr. Mahrt, does so in stronger terms than the usual translations would indicate.
Kathy, exactly. We have ways of interpreting the document within a larger context because what it says and means may not be immediately obvious.
Heck, even the ICEL translations found in the Documents on the Liturgy book occasionally vary significantly from what is found on the vatican.va website.
For example, "passim indultis confirmatus" as "occasionally confirmed by indult" (ICEL giving it a sense of narrow time) vs. "widely confirmed by indult" (Vatican.va giving it a sense of large geographic scope). And this is something I might translate as "here and there confirmed by indult" (giving a sense of narrow geographic scope) since "passim" is a word we use in this manner all the time. Yet how do we know how widely or occasionally these indults were given unless we know the specifics of when and where? Do we just take the translator's word for it? :-)
JMO was not making a serious suggestion to begin with, folks. (Hope that's clear.)
Anyways, questions of authority seem to be largely moot in a forum like this, where most folks are music directors close to the pastor, in a country where bishops speak very softly but have forgotten the big stick at home, where the bishop's authority is so frequently delegated to the pastor of an individual parish. You don't have to have the authority to be a voice an authority listens to.
To wit: Who else thinks the CMAA is in a great position to become the Illuminatus of restoring Catholic worship?
I announce: "This is the anticipated Mass for the Xth Sunday of Ordinary Time. To accompany the procession, our opening song is 'Holy, Holy, Holy,' number XX."
(The whole "to accompany the procession" part being a not-so-subtle nod to the purpose of the Introit, or its substitute, as mentioned in the GIRM.)
I announce nothing, since the pastor doesn't want hymns announced. I have an 8-foot high hymn board that hangs in the front, with 4-inch high numbers. I take it down, put the numbers on it, and lift it back onto the wall. Everyone knows to get hymn and mass ordinary numbers from it. I would rather put numbers in the bulletin, but the pastor prefers the hymn board.
"Good morning and welcome to _______. Today is the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time and we are going to forego all the sacred music today in favor of a rolicking good time, along with drums, guitars, and maraccas."
"Welcome to the Extraordinary Form Mass here at St. Someone Parish. Let's stand up and welcome our presider by singing Gather Us In! The words will be displayed on the overhead projector!"
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