First, Francis on “Hockey Rules” and now this?!?

The other day Francis addressed an international ice hockey group about the importance of rules.

And now this.

He spoke about the importance of Gregorian chant.

“Together you can better engage in singing as an integral part of the liturgy, inspired by the first model, Gregorian chant. Together you take care of the artistic and liturgical preparation, and you promote the presence of the schola cantorum in every parish community. The choir guides the assembly and – with its specific repertoires – is a qualified voice of spirituality, communion, tradition and liturgical culture.” 

Every parish?

What’s next?

Let’s keep everyone guessing.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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30 Comments

  1. teomatteo says:

    “What’s next?”
    Why radical change at the synod of course.

  2. hilltop says:

    Does…..Not………Compute……….
    Initiating shutdown sequence…..

  3. mitdub says:

    Hey, the body double wasn’t supposed to talk!!

  4. JumpJet says:

    Just another “head fake” from Pope Peron…he’s merely telling some group what he thinks they they want to hear.

  5. Benedict Joseph says:

    What do you prefer on you tossed salad?

  6. acardnal says:

    Maybe Francis enjoys “hock”-apella music.

  7. Hidden One says:

    Another highlight: “In fact, the liturgy is the first ‘teacher’ of catechism. Do not forget this: the liturgy is the first ‘teacher’ of catechism.”

    As Aristotle noted and St. Thomas quoted, “A small mistake in the beginning is a big one in the end” (trans. Joseph Kenny, OP).

    Mess with the liturgy, murder catechesis.

    [And that is exactly right. As I’ve been hollering for years, liturgy is doctrine!]

  8. Chris Garton-Zavesky says:

    His Holiness will speak to a group of priests and admonish them, sternly, to stick to the rubrics of liturgy with the phrase, “Say the Black; Do the Red”, and relate this to the Second Vatican Council’s declaration that no one, even if he be a priest, shall add, remove, or alter anything in the Sacred Liturgy.

  9. LeeGilbert says:

    He was clearly inspired by a recent pastoral letter of Archbishop Sample that recommended this very thing, a schola cantorum in every parish.

  10. Dad of Six says:

    Squirrel!

  11. RLseven says:

    Wow. Damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t.

  12. veritas vincit says:

    Wow. Who was he addressing? The post doesn’t say, but it sounds like a group promoting Gregorian chant.

  13. Credoh says:

    “…inspired by the first model, Gregorian chant.” Only *inspired* by it. In other words, if we could do that then, we can do it now, using our “…specific repertoires…” It seems to me to be a simple encouragement, using traditional terminology, to have an established choir leading the congregation in whatever musical genre is prevalent in a given parish.

  14. Kathleen10 says:

    Save your sympathy RLseven, don’t squander it. He tosses out something Catholic like clockwork, every month or so, just to keep ’em off balance, right before he smashes something authentically Catholic. This way his followers can quote him and be mystified as to “why don’t they like our poor Pope”. Keep your eyes on the Amazon…

  15. Here is a link to the whole address, which I think worth reading:

    http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2019/september/documents/papa-francesco_20190928_scholae-cantorum.html

    His Holiness was addressing Scholae Cantorum of the Italian Association of Saint Cecilia.

  16. JonathanTX says:

    This parallels Amoris laetitia, which proposes marriage as an ideal instead of a moral absolute.

    This same tactic is used to pacify those who want Gregorian chant. It’s an ideal we give lip service to placate the rad-trads, but not one anyone really expects everyone to be able to reach.

    Also recall that AL was a “Post-Synodal Exortation”: expect similar rhetoric to be used throughout whatever Post-Synodal document Francis releases after the Amazon Synod – something like “while priestly celibacy is a commendable ideal in the Roman Church, it is not practical in areas with low vocations.” And so they will justify married priests, deacon-ettes, and all manner of liturgical abuses.

    Another example of weaponized ambiguity from Francis and the Spirit of Vatican II crowd.

  17. Geoffrey says:

    Is there a link or citation for this?

  18. JamesA says:

    Actually, an astounding talk. Would that he would sound like this ALL the time.

    zenit.org/articles/pope-francis-cites-contribution-of-music-to-liturgy/

  19. ex seaxe says:

    Link to an unofficial English version here: http://www.chantcafe.com/

  20. If someone wants to pick apart every teeny-weeny turn of phrase, they’re welcome to it. As one who sings in a schola cantorum for a TLM at a diocesan parish, I welcome any occasion when the Holy Father says the right thing.

  21. Kenneth Wolfe says:

    He was addressing the Italian Santa Cecilia Association. It is akin to when he has said solid pro-life things to small, private, pro-life audiences.

    Wake me when he says good things about Gregorian chant and forming a schola to a large, public, mainstream gathering.

  22. otsowalo says:

    Speaking of Schola Cantorum… just sharing…

    https://www.mileschristi.org/schola/

  23. Art says:

    Sometimes it is easier to read Francis through Benedict than others. Here’s an example from the true north strong and freezing: St. Michael’s Choir School

  24. MaHrad says:

    And he’ll make Fr. Z a monseigneur…. ;-)

  25. KateD says:

    Kathleen 10 ~ nailed it!

  26. SKAY says:

    Agree Kathleen 10 and KateD.

  27. The Cobbler says:

    Actions speak louder than words.

Comments are closed.