JEWEL writes:

I wonder as I ponder the wretched state of music in the Church. Here is quite possibly one of the most obnoxious Advent songs ever. We sang it last Sunday in our Novus Ordo church. It was the processional hymn.

Listen and weep.

— Comments —

Caroline writes:

I just subjected myself to the “hymn.” Good Lord, why would the Catholic Church take the very worst of Protestant worshop/praise services and incorporate it into Mass? It’s an insult to all the Saints who have suffered to worship Jesus and God. Outside of church, this music still isn’t too great; in church it’s an abomination. We need more reverence, more seriousness, more gravitas, not less.

Though not Catholic, I do sometimes attend Mass. I am offended by this music; I’ve noticed when it’s played as people go to Communion, the people seem to be bouncing up to the altar.

Jewel writes:

You know, Laura, I was listening – forcing myself to listen once more to Now Is the Time – and the thing that finally hit me upside the head is that this commercial jingle is just a song about me, me, me, me, me. It isn’t about Christ’s coming into the world as God in the Flesh. It’s a song about our wants and needs, with lots of pithy catchphrases loaded in to sell….wait for it…THE SONG. Yes. That’s all it’s about. Wretchedly sad.

 Laura writes:

Exactly.

In addition to being so sickly sweet it makes my teeth hurt, it’s an inducement to egotism and impiety.

Theodore Harvey writes:

I care about this topic about as much as a non-Catholic can, and sympathize with your reader and all those subjected to this kind of garbage. But as an Anglican who makes no apologies for putting a very high priority on quality sacred music (as part of the liturgy, not as a concert), I have to ask, why? Why does Jewel put up with this? Why does anyone who knows better put up with this? Isn’t there a Latin mass Jewel could attend instead somewhere, even if it means traveling a considerably longer distance, perhaps to a canonically “irregular” chapel such as one of the Society of St Pius X? Granted, many actual Latin mass congregations are unable (or, I sometimes fear, unwilling) to offer the very finest in Catholic sacred music, but even a traditional Low Mass with no music at all would be preferable to what was posted in that video (which I couldn’t bear to finish). An exaggerated and false sense of obedience among Catholic laity has allowed the modernists to virtually destroy Catholic liturgy. There is absolutely no obligation whatsoever to attend a “mass” that is “so sickly sweet it makes my teeth hurt” and is “an inducement to egotism and impiety.” How could one possibly be in the right disposition to receive Communion in that case? In fact, described as you aptly do, it may be obligatory not to. “Masses” with “music” like that should be shunned and should not get one cent of any thinking Catholic’s money. And it is not “only” about the music; Novus Ordo parishes that promote that sort of thing are likely to have other problems as well.

 Laura writes:

Jewel had sent an additional message, which I did not post, saying that she was going to begin attending the traditional liturgy.

This is more than simply schlock. It’s highly irreverent and false.

James N. writes:

As far as hymns go, an area in which I have much expertise – our hymn book in our Catholic Church has perhaps 20 hymns (out of 550) which are both singable by a congregation and not heretical. Add the Christmas carols and a few of the Easter hymns, perhaps 40.

None of those that meet the dual criteria of congregational singability and orthodoxy are written by Marty Haugen, Sr. Delores Dufner, or Dan Schutte. In particular, stealing the beautiful tune to “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” for “Sing a New Church Into Being” is grounds for the most severe ecclesiastical penalty.

I take no position on whether or not Catholics should be singing hymns at Mass. But if they are to do it, there are a lot of better ones.

I often say that, when the bishops at Vatican II decided to steal things from the Protestants, they took the wrong stuff :-).

Have a blessed Advent.

Meredith writes:

My children and I listened to about a third of that piece and then we had to stop.  It was horrid, and I was afraid our ears were about to start bleeding.

There is nothing reverent about that sort of twaddle.  I remember when I was a teenager and serving as an acolyte in our episcopal church (no fears, no longer a member), there was a movement known as “renewal”.  It replaced quiet, reflective organ music played during communion with what I called “camp songs”.  One of the songs was “Amazing Love” and the second to last line in the chorus is something to the effect of “For all you do…” All of us acolytes would giggle and sing quietly …”this Bud’s for you.”  Yes, I know.  Shame on us!

But my point is, that sort of music does nothing to edify or instruct.  It is all about the singer.  It is easy to sing, the phrases are short and easy to remember, the tunes may be catchy, but so are all the songs on Barney.  Or on commercials.  I think worship should demand a little more effort on our part.

So, when we finished the torture of listening to that awful song, we went and listened to this.  My fifteen-year-old son called it “ear bleach” but it should be called “Soul Balm.”  Enjoy it.  It is pure bliss to listen to and please look up info on it because its history makes it even more amazing.

Sadly, just as the rainbow, once a symbol of the covenant, is now associated with perverts, Spem In Alium is mentioned in that pornographic novel Fifty Shades of Grey.  This is what the devil loves best.  I knew about it long before those books were ever published, and only found out about it when I saw it mentioned on some of the you tube videos.  I believe that a person who can take such a sublime work of art and sully it in such a way has a special place in hell reserved just for them.

Jewel writes:

I would hate to leave your readers in too much despair, having heard that wretched bilge. 

After listening to this indescribable, beautiful piece of music for about the third time, I am reminded of what drew me into the Catholic faith to begin with. Beauty. If anything, Beauty, Truth, Goodness, Faith, Hope and Charity are the only real weapons we have against the rising chorus of evil sounding all around us.

Advent is upon us. It is darker than ever, but the Light of Light, True God of True God is nigh.

Thomas F. Bertonneau writes:

A little comparative listening calls forth the following thought: If Thomas Tallis’s composition Spem in Alium were musical fare for the hungry soul, provoking and answering the question whether beauty is truth (yes, it is) – then the Novus-Ordo sleaze-bar track Now is the Time would be the musical equivalent of processed food, provoking and answering the question whether Spam is an aliment (no, it ain’t, not any more than pizza).

Laura writes:

Ha.

Eileen writes:

Yes, that was awful music. I remember when I was a member of an Novus Ordo choir. The songs were horrible and they were all about us, man, and not about God. I kept saying these were Protestant songs, not Catholic. I remember one horrible time during the time that the Polar Express had come out, during Christmas time. The priest had the audacity to play the song I Believe during the meditation time after Holy Communion. That was one of the worst NO ever attended. How dare he play this secular music. Now I am in the safe confines of the Traditional Mass amid the silence of the Mass and Gregorian Chant. I pray one day that all my friends will wake up and realize how offended Our Lord must be by all goings on in the NO.

James N. writes:

Eileen, your choir could start on page one of the Hymnal, 1940, and/or on page one of the Pilgrim Hymnal of 1957, or on page one of The Best Church Hymns of 1898, and you could be singing beautiful, prayerful, Christian hymns to which none in your community could object from now until the trumpet calls.

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross? Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing? Fairest Lord Jesus? Once to Every Man and Nation? Abide With Me? God of Grace and God of Glory? Come Thou Almighty King? Now Thank We All Our God? Holy God We Praise Thy Name? All Creatures of Our God and King? Crown Him With Many Crowns? Holy, Holy, Holy (Lord God Almighty)? All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name? Tell Me the Story of Jesus? Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah? Bringing In the Sheaves? Shall We Gather at the River?

Eileen, you can only WISH your choir was singing “Protestant songs”. Unfortunately, you were stuck with Marty Haugen, Sr. Delores Dufner, and Dan Schutte, and all the other “Vatican II Catholic” balladeers.

Gregorian chant, yes, by all means, if you must. It IS beautiful. But your awful hymns and semi-hymns are Catholic as all get out.

Laura writes:

They are not “Catholic as all get out.” They are “Catholics” trying to be Protestants. So it makes sense that they are so bad. A Protestant trying to be a Protestant would naturally be superior to a Catholic trying to be a Protestant.

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