New blog to read, Cordelia's Shoes
I like the title http://cordeliashoes.blogspot.com/2007/08/significance-of-title.html
But what drew me to it was this on liturgical music:
I often encounter the charge that American Catholic liturgy is feminized. Possibly.
But not only do I cringe at "On Eagles Wings", when I consider a manly proposition like patriotism, I also cringe at Lee Greenwood's dreadful, "God Bless the USA". Bowman is on to something by suggesting sentimentality is an enduring American feature whether the result of feminization or not.
This is why a return to good liturgy will not improve the situation no matter how much we move back toward orthodoxy.
Encouraging Latin masses, pointing the alter this way or that, albs, proper vessels and all that are important, but priority one (and the most difficult task) is expunging the 70's-style sentimental mush-music that infects even good parishes.
Bad music can obliterate all the good surrounding it.
It is that powerful.
Socrates knew it.
All the proper and seemly liturgical norms in the world will not stand when the music (and I mean the music itself, not just the lyrics) is basically teaching the sentimentalist maxim, "Just be true to yourself and follow your heart! Don't worry if you reject doctrines."
Schola chant groups are wonderful, but I am afraid it is going to take ecclesiastical strong-arming of the Council of Trent magnitude to correct this.
And this is from a guitarist.
Monday, 5 November 2007
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