Renewal is an essential dimension in the life of all living things. It is also essential to the spiritual health of each person, and to the many facets of the life of the Church. In the realm of sacred liturgical music, we can see this renewal taking place at many moments in Church history. In the West, our two most prominent historical forms of sacred music - Gregorian chant and classical polyphony - are the fruit of a centuries-long process of adaptation and renewal.

What precisely is this “renewal” of which I am speaking? It is a transformation of the use of music in the Sacred Liturgy so that it can more effectively accomplish its purpose. This purpose is

1.) to clearly proclaim the nature of the Liturgy – its holiness, beauty, and universality;

2.) to draw people into the loving worship of God, in its three-fold aspects of reverent adoration / sacrifice, transformation, and intimate communion; and

3.) to unite the hearts and minds of all those present through this loving worship.

The Church has provided a clear vision of how such a renewal needs to be realized in our own time, through its teaching documents and through presenting the reality of its sacred music traditions as an inspired model. This vision is full of life and power, awaiting only our diligent cooperation in order to become a reality. Let's pray that we may see this vision, embrace it, and fulfill it. Here are some of its essential dimensions:

Re-discovery, preservation, and cultivation of our roots – our great traditions of chant and polyphony. For those of us who worship in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, this means primarily Gregorian chant and secondly the rich repertoire of classical polyphony which was born in the Renaissance. But it also means expanding our horizons, as much as is feasible, so as to become acquainted with the great sacred music traditions of the many other Rites of the Church. This renewed vital connection with our roots needs to happen first and foremost in Seminaries, Houses of Religious Formation, Institutes of Sacred Music, Associations, and those churches which have a specific call to this important mission.

As these roots have often become a foreign language for many of the faithful, their immediate full re-introduction in most parishes would most likely be more problematic than beneficial. But for those entrusted with the stewardship of sacred music – especially priests and church musicians – the hard work of re-discovery, preservation, and cultivation is essential to the process of renewal. Only in establishing this foundation will they be able to find ways to integrate its time-tested principles in normal parish and community life – with prudence, charity, and joy.

A renewed repertoire of music in normal parish and community Liturgies, which is organically rooted in our living tradition, which is beautiful, but which also has the capacity to resonate well with normal people today. The primary basis for these new compositions needs to be the sacred liturgical texts – what are called the Ordinary and Propers of the Mass. While other complementary texts can also be used to a certain extent, it is particularly important to restore the fruitful use of the Propers – the particular liturgical texts which are assigned to each Sunday and Feast day throughout the year – to their rightful place as an integral part of the Mass.

This repertoire needs to respect the “antiphonal” nature of the Liturgy, i.e., that there are different persons and groups which each have their important role in the singing of the Mass: Priest, Deacon, Cantor, Choir, and Congregation. There are certain parts that belong exclusively to the Priest or Deacon, others that belong to the Cantor or Choir, and others still which belong to the Congregation. Contrary to popular misconception, the Choir is not meant to only be a support for congregational singing, but also has its own important role to play.

We need to pray for and promote the new inspired movement of musical composition for the Mass which combines holiness, fresh beauty, organic continuity with our traditions, and strong resonance with people of today. Such a movement is underway, but it needs further support, nurturing, purification, and development.

Renewed skills for all church musicians who are responsible for the music of the Liturgy. Singing and playing musical instruments for the Mass requires a certain level of competence in musical artistry, which overlaps with standard musical/vocal training but also has its own set of parameters. The nature of the Sacred Liturgy calls forth its own particular style, characterized by clarity, reverence, modesty, resonance, and freedom from affectation or stylishness. It corresponds to the normal musical talent range of most communities, but does require discipline and diligence.

Such a renewal of artistry needs to be cultivated by Bishops and Pastors, in their establishment of diocesan/parish standards and in providing appropriate opportunities for the ongoing formation of their musicians. It also needs to be diligently cultivated in Seminaries and all the other institutions mentioned above in regard to reconnecting with our roots.

Renewed spirituality of sacred liturgical music. The entire movement of renewal is ultimately dependent on the interior transformation – the metanoia – of all those priests, musicians, and lay people who are involved. Each of us is called to an ongoing conversion towards truth and love, in which prayer, study, virtue, and dependence on the Holy Spirit are necessary. And it is only through this spiritual dimension, and the particular spiritual gifts appropriate to the singing of the Liturgy, that the transcendent purposes of this music can reach their fruition.

Such a renewed spiritual orientation does not necessarily imply dramatic outward manifestations, but does imply a thorough receptivity to the grace of God in our hearts and minds. It implies a constant vigilance against the snares of pride, power, and complacency, and an incessant return to humility, prayer, and docility. Beginning with ourselves, let's pray that such renewed spirituality can be embraced and pursued by all those who are involved in the music ministries of the Church. And that it can be clearly articulated, taught, and lived by all those responsible for the formation of Priests and church musicians.

Such are the essential components of the renewal of sacred liturgical music to which we are called. Accomplishing all of them might well seem to be an unattainable ideal, given the present state of liturgical music in most parishes. However, in my next post, The Art of Renewal, I will begin to chart a course forward towards such an authentic renewal, which integrates realism with our universal call to holiness and fidelity.

The Vision of Renewal