The Holy Father recently reminded Catholics that Gregorian Chant is not just a thing for the history books. No, it is still a living and integral element of the Church's liturgical heritage that must be preserved.
From the Catholic News Agency:
Pope Benedict XVI has reminded church musicians of the primacy of Gregorian chant in the Mass, describing it “as the supreme model of sacred music.”
The Pope set out his views in a letter for the 100th anniversary of the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music. The letter was read at the institute on May 26 and made public on May 31.
He praised Gregorian chant as being “of huge value to the great ecclesial heritage of universal sacred music.” But Pope Benedict also noted that sometimes it was erroneously “considered an expression of an idea corresponding to a past, gone and to be forgotten, because it limited the freedom and creativity of the individual and the community.” This was a view he wanted to counter.
Nota bene to parishes in America. It is fair to ask to what degree the words of the Holy Father will sink into the soil of the Catholic Church in the United States. It is so incredibly rare to find a parish these days that truly appreciates the patrimony of the Church in this regard. Liturgical music, in too many cases in churches across America, is just appallingly inadequate, uninspired and, well, schmaltzy to the point of total distraction.
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