A Layman's Rant, Part One: On Music

Why do I fixate on the music? In a recent conversation with my ex-wife, she asked me that. (We have a kid together, so yes we do talk sometimes. She attends a traditional parish; occasionally we end up discussing the Church.) I’m frequently troubled by the music at Mass. At the time of the conversation, I couldn’t really articulate my reasons. Now I can.

There’s the obvious: I’m in the choir. Because of this, I’m very conscious of the music. But the largest reason is that music is a catechism. If there’s a more effective way to quickly learn something than setting it to a catchy tune, I haven’t heard of it. That’s why most of us learned our alphabet to the tune of Mozart’s variations on “Ah vous dirai-je Maman.” That’s why commercials frequently include catchy jingles. Regardless of how eloquently delivered or prosaically stunning, I doubt any of us catch ourselves muttering snatches of Father’s homily at random during the day. (If you’re an exception to this, I can recommend a couple of solid Catholic therapists with reasonable rates.) Music gets caught in our crania, following us home and going about our daily routines with us. Music reinforces basic doctrines on a deeper level than spoken words will. One would think that the people who are in charge of the liturgy would take special care to scrutinize the music and ensure that its message accurately reflects the mind of the Church.

Unfortunately, this is not the case. Open any Novus Ordo songbook (I won’t refer to them as hymnals because most of the songs therein do not qualify as hymns) and read a song at random. Only 1 in 10 at most contains anything resembling Catholic doctrine. Most are fuzzy and sentimental, focused on us—us feeling welcome and validated, us treating our neighbors kindly, us making sure that we share our ice cream, candy and toys with the other children on the playground. Us pinning “goodguy badges” to our lapels. While all of these messages--properly presented--might also reflect a Catholic approach to life, the songs I'm referring to don't. In Novus Ordo songbooks, almost all reference to anything unpleasant to think about (sacrifice, sinfulness, the Four Last Things) has disappeared. Ditto on hymns to any of the Saints except for a handful of popular Marian favorites. Songs labeled “Eucharist” are often the most egregious offenders—all about bread and wine, and the consumption of such. Or how that consumption unites us with Christ in some unclear manner. They don’t unambiguously reflect the reality of transubstantiation. Many make frequent reference to a table rather than an altar, overemphasizing the ritual meal with an occasional nod in the general direction of the Holy Mystery.

Many songs are equally at home in a Protestant setting. I was recently at an American Baptist church for a performance by a friend’s choral group. Curious, I perused the songbook in the pew while waiting for the show to start. Had I been a bit more naïve I would have been shocked to discover a number of songs frequently used at the Novus Ordo Missa contained in its pages. If a Protestant can use a Catholic tune without any doctrinal qualms, either the Protestant is about to swim the Tiber, the Protestant is indifferent, or the song reflects questionable doctrine. (If the tune wasn’t Catholic to begin with, one wonders why we’re using it in Mass.)

Where are all the good, old, Catholic hymns? The ones that reflect the one immortal Faith? Why don’t we use them anymore? Where is the Gregorian chant that the Vatican II document Sacrosanctum Concilium declared was to be given pride of place in a liturgical setting? Why are the only “traditional” hymns that are left songs that were penned by Protestants, from a Protestant understanding? Certainly, some of them are very inspiring and beautiful. But since music is a catechism, we should be more careful with our catechesis. Especially in a time where so many Catholics are confused about the nature and doctrine of the Faith.

That’s why I fixate on the music.