As a historical note, the critique by Fr Guerard des Lauriers, for which Cdl. Ottaviani wrote the cover letter, was responding to an announced text of the GIRM from the Consilium, which (it is said) had not been vetted by the SCDF. The final text published was different enough that the Cardinal pronounced himself satisfied with it.

Yes. "anything else" is substituting something inferior to the properly appointed text.

Hymns were not originally intended to be sung during the Mass, but during devotions. The fact that replacing the Propers with hymns is now status quo in the United States doesn't make it appropriate.

Since those in the English speaking world now have at their disposal vernacular Propers in a wide variety of settings, there is no longer any reason to substitute something else, that no matter how lovely, is an inferior choice to the text appointed by the church.

I'm not looking to start an argument with anyone, I'm just not willing to soft pedal anymore. It is what it is. If we as musicians do not start standing up for what the church calls for musically during the celebration of the Mass then we will NEVER reclaim our Catholic culture or our church. It will forever be a battle that we lose because we compromise.

It's one thing to move slowly and be pastoral, and I do that myself. (We still sing hymns at our church, but they don't replace the Propers, which are also sung) It is quite another to come onto a forum for sacred musicians and equivocate. We should be able to come here and speak the truth without ending up on the bottom of a dogpile for it.

However, if it will make you feel better to say that I'm overstating the case...by all means, have a go.

Oh, nobody's confused about that.

other options besides the propers are lawful

Thank God! This is why we allow the bride to enter the church to "All You Need Is Love" during the wedding procession accompanied by electic guitar and drums.

There should be no disputing that!?

Our parish

Yea. Fortunately, I did not play it. The 'band' from Notre Dame played for that wedding. And I was told that the celebrant had final say over all things liturgical.

Getting back to Brazil -- and isn't that a lovely idea? -- I don't think the congregation could have sung along with the Mass ordinary or the psalm refrain if they'd wanted to.

As you probably know, people sometimes question whether it's legitimate to offer Mass with a setting of the Mass ordinary intended for the choir alone -- one which the congregation is not expected to sing. It is sometimes argued that the Ordinary is a part of the Mass which the congregation is invited to sing, and hence musical settings that the congregation cannot sing are ipso facto excluded. (I don't buy such a rigid argument; the Council documents don't show any intention to banish most of the classical repertoire.)

Well, this Mass is more or less the same thing, translated into the pop-music style, and it provides one more evidence that it is permissible at times to let the specialized choir perform a choral (indeed, orchestral) setting of the Mass ordinary, with a Sanctus that takes 4'20" to sing!

This is a really important point, Chonak. The choice of music was certainly not about participation!

Speaking of amplification technology on the beach... did anybody else think that the music at least on the TV feeds sounded "too good" to be live from a beach - particularly the orchestra and string parts? Like, I don't know... maybe they had been pre-recorded, and the live instruments played along with the recording, but the real audio going out was from a recording?

I have not commented on specifics of WYD liturgies simply because I chose not to watch any of them. I did read about one held in a beautiful cathedral that I think was presided/celebrated by a bishop other than HHF.
Not that anyone cares, but one might ask "why?" Because of the irresistable head-worm association of WYD/Brazil to the word "frenzy" stuck in my brain.
Media pundits (and I imagine some within the church itself) kept hammering how this event week would attract thousands of the lapsed/exodus RC's in So. America back from Prot/Evangelical lovefests.
Well, does this mean that when they return to their local parishes all pumped up, what will that re-enlistment look like? Will their ardor be maintained by HHF's rather pointed and purposed words in homilies as the dust and sand settles back into status quo prior?
Now, I ask, if the closing Mass before 3Mm souls had been punctuated by some nicely crafted and LIVE chant and polyphony (of which So.American choirs are famed, see Grau, Alberto) at Copacabana, those souls would have experienced a church of all ages and beyond time, and with all my heart believe would have said "That's what's been missing" as a soundtrack to their personal pilgrimage. Again, sigh...
But I presume the "seamless garment" of WYD/Brazilian church culture lies somewhere between beachwear and Carnival sequins.
"If My people, who are called by My Name, would humble themselves and pray."

Now I'm confused. What are the "propers"?

The part of the liturgy that changes according to the date on the liturgical calender. As distinguished from the "Ordinary". The ordinary you probably recognize because it's the same (text at least) every Mass: The Kyrie (Lord have mercy), the Gloria, the Creed, the Sanctus ("Holy Holy Holy") and the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God).

The wiki is ok for a general description: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propers?vm=r&s=1

Several times during the festivities they've transitioned rather suddenly from boisterous pep rally to quiet prayer. When it's time for quiet prayer, they've made an announcement to the effect that "now it's time for quiet prayer."

If before the Mass they sang Veni, Creator Spiritus, this would have the same effect as the announcements. Or Adoro Te devote at Communion.

We have the best music in the world, and it's really a shame none of it was heard this week.

I too thought about a pre-recorded soundtrack, but yesterday's orchestral conductor wore no headset, so would it have been possible for him to have kept the live orchestra in sync with a pre-recorded track?

Well, it's possible it was all just good miking, but then again, if they're blaring the pre-recorded soundtrack through the speakers, he really doesn't need help being completely in sync as much as the singers do - besides, most of it had a pretty strong beat anyway.

And outdoors, any thing they were playing that wasn't in complete sync (with a soundtrack blaring) would really only be noticable in their immediate vicinity for about 10-20 feet - where there was conspicuously nobody placed.

I've been involved in these sort of large-scale events with live music before. Like I said, it could have been amazingly great tech work, but I remain skeptical.

conductor wore no headset

Ummm, the cutting edge of sound engineering has virtually invisible in-ear, wireless moniters.

Speaking of yesterday's closing Mass, it appears that what would have been the "propers" if there had been propers were reflected in the music selected. The three presidential prayers (collect, prayer over the offerings, prayer after communion) form set B of 18. For the Evangelization of peoples, Masses for Various Needs and Occasions in the MR. (Check out the "propers" texts - not intended to be sung, of course - in that Mass formulary.) The preface used was Common Preface I.

(Interestingly, the only place in the Lectionary for Mass where all three readings and the responsorial psalm - but not the Gospel acclamation verse - occur together is in the Common of Pastors.)

I was impressed by the reverence of the youth at yesterday's Mass. They were told to put down their banners during the Mass, and they did. They were twice told to observe periods of silence, and they did - wonderfully. Those making the most puerile remarks on this thread should perhaps view the video.

Question: Can women make puerile remarks?

In English or Latin?

More to the point, is it possible to have a WYD liturgy that doesn't look like a large scale production of High School Musical? Yes, I say, yes!