"Sing A New Church" Gathered in the name of Jesus, richer still in unity.
Refrain: Let us bring the gifts that differ and, in splendid, varied ways, sing a new church into being, one in faith and love and praise.
Radiant risen from the water, robed in holiness and light
Male and female in God’s image, male and female, God’s delight.
Refrain
Trust the goodness of creation; trust the Spirit strong within.
Dare to dream the vision promised, sprung from seed of what has been.
Refrain
Bring the hopes of every nation; bring the art of every race. Weave a song of peace and justice; let it sound through time and space.
Refrain
Draw together at one table, all the human family;
Shape a circle ever wider and a people ever free.
~Delores Dufner, OSB
What is with this sappy, heterodox song (sung to the traditional tune of "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing"), and why are we singing it on Pentecost Sunday?
14 comments:
Oh yuck! How miserable.
You're singing it because your parish musical director used a generic liturgy planning guide that your parish bought from your music publisher. Many musical directors take this route rather than use a brain cell to find something more appropriate, which is basically anything.
AMEN, JM! I was right there with you at the 9 o'clock this morning. What painful lyrics.
Awful! I'm so sorry. What a way to start such a great Feast.
That song is sung at every Camden diocesan gathering where Liturgy is celebrated. But it's fitting - see in the third verse, where it says the word "Spirit" with a capital S?
As Fr. Z says, this problem will be remedied via the biological solution.
As for how we celebrated this great feast, we sang this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol67l7H7etA&feature=PlayList&p=66FBA2FA3485AC9A&index=22
And these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bJWZWnz4BQ&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bJWZWnz4BQ&feature=channel_page
Plus Palestrina's Veni Creator Spiritus, of which no recording apparently is accessible on the Internet.
'Twas lovely, indeed. And orthodox.
We sang the entire Missa Brevis, I should mention (except for the Credo).
There's no school like Da Old Skool.
Of course, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" was itself composed by a heretic.
Oh ugh. Ugh. "Music" is the thing that makes me the crankiest during Mass.
Do any of you know Andre Gouzes? He is a French Dominican who composes liturgical music. To me, it's the perfect music. It's chant-like, but easy enough that people can join, and in the vernacular. It is definitely liturgical, not a competition to (bad) pop music, but it is not of another Century. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing "modern" in it, but it has advantages Renaissance liturgical music doesn't have, like simplicity! Some of it, not enough, has been translated into English. Those of you interested in such matters should look into it! ps: I love Renaissance music, don't take this as a comment against it!
Yucky schmucky. Do any of you know this song: Arise from your slumber. Awake from your sleep. A new day is dawning for all those who sleep. (We will build a city of God). Listen carefully: it is really "On top of Spaghetti all covered with cheese" in a liturgical context. (They have the exact same tune.) Or maybe this is just a Canadian phenomenon where we have to read the Nicene creed from the hymnal as it was only just introduced to our fair land.
Elena -
I'm convinced that most "contemporary" "hymns" are actually just Irish drinking songs scored for guitar (or organ for "traditional" congregations).
As far as Gouzes is concerned, it's definitely a big step up from the garbage that is forced on almost every Catholic in America. But I don't accept the assumption that sacred music should be simple, nor that it should be congregational. That is not the tradition of the Church. All other music, even other settings of the sacred texts, are music at Mass. Gregorian chant is the music of the Mass.
I've never been one to frown at an Irish drinking song...even at Mass. While I can't stand "Sing a New Church," I love "City of God." Different things for different people...I learned that from the Queen Bean herself. Of course, it was in regards to kids, but I'll use it here for myself.
With respect to the liturgy of the Church, the Church respectfully disagrees:
http://www.adoremus.org/MotuProprio.html
http://www.ewtn.com/library/ENCYC/P12MUSIC.HTM
http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2009/04/can-hymns-licitly-replace-propers.html
http://kdmscholacantorum.blogspot.com/2009/03/pope-benedict-xvi-on-sacred-music-part.html
'City of God' makes me want to run screaming from the church, but not as much as 'Hail Mary, Gentle Woman' (VOMIT). As a rule, I dislike every song for the Mass written after 1850. :)
Post a Comment