Making Connections: An invitation to share your voice

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When we sing together in the liturgy, the Holy Spirit moves among us.

Liturgical singing is an act of faith that resonates deeply within our hearts — it is more than just voices raised in harmony; it is the binding of hearts in worship.

Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Second Vatican Council document on the sacred Liturgy, teaches us that:

“The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art ... as it is more closely connected with the liturgical action, whether it adds delight to prayer, fosters unity of minds, or confers greater solemnity upon the sacred rites” (no. 112).

It’s true, most of us are not blessed with perfect voices, myself included! I understand that it can take courage to sing boldly in the presence of others. But when we raise our voices together, we participate in a profound act that celebrates our unity in faith and glorifies God.

My hope is that everyone in our diocese feels called to participate in the sacred music of our Masses and other liturgies.

However, I recognize there can be obstacles that make it difficult or impossible for this to happen. For example, when the song is unfamiliar it can be hard to sing along. And when a song is in a language that is not our own, it can be even more challenging.

Music composed by individuals who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse brings more significant obstacles. There is real concern about what is conveyed to our community — especially to survivors of abuse — when we continue to use the works of such composers.

Just as important is the doctrinal appropriateness of the hymns we sing.

Music has a unique power to shape our understanding of the faith. The texts we sing must not only be lyrically and melodically beautiful, but also theologically brilliant with depth of meaning, reflecting the magnificent truths of our Catholic faith.

These are important issues which can stir up tensions and division. However, we must take seriously the famous mandate in Sacrosanctum Concilium: “Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that full, conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy” (no. 14).

In this spirit, I am compelled to address this issue in a way that fosters unity and encourages greater participation in our liturgies.

In recent years, I, along with other leaders in our diocese, have been discerning how best to address these matters. After much deliberation, I issued a decree last October.

That decree focused on three areas: it established common Mass settings for all to become familiar with, it prohibited the use of songs by composers credibly accused of sexual abuse by their diocesan bishop, and it banned approximately a dozen songs with significant doctrinal issues.

To my surprise, this action sparked intense discussion both within our diocese and across national media and social networks.

While this attention was not expected, it was inspiring to witness the passion and enthusiasm people bring to the conversation about sacred music in our Church. Whenever such fervor is present among the faithful, our Church provides us with a good way to respond — through a synodal process of discernment.

I abrogated my original decree and replaced it with one that invites everyone in our diocese into a discernment process.

The Holy Spirit is working through each one of us, and when the people of God speak, we have a responsibility to listen, even when that means adjusting our approach.

We are now beginning this new approach.

In the coming weeks, everyone in our diocese will be invited to share their perspectives on how we can better use sacred music to encourage greater participation in our Catholic liturgies.

You will be invited to complete surveys, both in-person at Masses the last weekend of January, and online.

In-person synodal listening sessions will then be held at numerous locations in the diocese, and those who attend our Spanish-language stewardship retreats will also have the opportunity to provide input.

The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) is assisting our diocese in this effort to insure a survey with scientific credibility.

This synodal process should allow all to engage in prayerful dialogue and discernment on this important matter.

Following the synodal listening sessions, the diocesan Liturgical Commission will make their proposal to the Diocesan Pastoral Council and the Presbyteral Council, who will in turn assist me with finalizing a new decree by the Fall, that reflects our commitment to the beauty of sacred music and encourages greater participation in our liturgies, while preserving our moral and doctrinal values.

I intend to have the entire presbyterate review the final draft decree at their October Institute before it would become permanent.

It is not coincidental that so many of our deanery pastoral plans include a call for a renewal of our sacramental life. This process, while perhaps not necessarily anticipated by those who wrote those plans, will encourage that renewal.

I believe that the Holy Spirit speaks through all members of the Church. It is essential that we listen to one another through honest dialogue where we can explore these difficult issues together, and not simply by asserting one’s preferences.

I invite each of you to participate wholeheartedly in this process, sharing your thoughts, experiences and prayers.

Together, guided by the Holy Spirit, we can ensure that our sacred music remains a source of unity that uplifts our souls, deepens our faith, and brings us closer to the sacred mysteries we celebrate.

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