“Spirit and Truth” — decree, instruction issued for ongoing discernment on music in the liturgy
Ongoing discernment for the use of music in sacred liturgies will move to the parish level under an updated decree issued by Archbishop-designate W. Shawn McKnight.
He signed and promulgated the decree, along with an accompanying 2,500-word document, “Spirit and Truth: Instruction regarding the use of music in the liturgy,” on April 5.
“The shape and quality of our liturgical celebrations should reflect the mission of the Church herself: to bring glad tidings to the poor and to heal the broken-hearted,” stated Archbishop-designate McKnight, who will be installed as archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas on May 27.
The timeline given in the decree allows parishes to begin and complete the local portion of the Sacred Music Consultation process by the end of the current liturgical year, in keeping with the original timeframe for the diocesan-wide process.
The instructional document’s title, “Spirit and Truth,” refers to a prediction Jesus made to the Woman at the Well in John 4:23: “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshippers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him.”
The decree and instructional document are focused on various factors that make such worship possible.
Namely: drawing on the fullness of sacred music’s power to teach, evangelize and draw people into closer communion with God and one another; staying focused on Christ; promoting conscious, full and active participation in the Mass by everyone present; respecting each member’s needs and differences; maintaining sacred silence at appropriate times during Mass; and helping people who lead and facilitate worship obtain the training and formation they need to help them do so successfully.
The bishop clearly seeks to balance unity of faith and purpose with the diversity and pastoral needs of each individual parish and community in the diocese.
He addresses these and several other themes that consistently emerged in 6,725 surveys submitted and participation by nearly 400 people in 13 listening sessions, equally divided between English and Spanish, in various locations in the diocese.
Many of the listening session participants spoke emphatically about how the quality of the melodies and lyrics of hymns at Mass have affected the growth of their relationship with God.
People also expressed how being able to join in the hymns and the sung responses to the parts of the Mass help them feel that they belong.
The archbishop-designate pointed out that more than eight out of 10 survey respondents indicated that music, including the lyrics, is an important expression of the Catholic faith and a very important part of the Mass.
Nine out of 10 said their participation in music enhances their prayer life and builds a sense of belonging to their parish.
Some expressed a desire for liturgical music to be less “performance-oriented” or dictated by the preferences of the lead musicians or pastor, and that poorly executed music can negatively impact the experience of the liturgy.
Toward greater unity
Archbishop-designate McKnight called on every parish in the diocese to help members become familiar over the next three years with four settings for the sung responses to the Mass: the traditional Roman Missal Chant (Latin, English, or Spanish); the Mass of St. Frances Cabrini; the Revised Mass of Creation; and the bilingual Misa del Pueblo Inmigrante.
“While this is not intended to be a limitation on the Mass settings that can be used in the parish liturgy,” the archbishop-designate explained, “parish priests and all who collaborate with them should prioritize the use of these settings to develop competence and comfort in their use.”
He also encouraged frequent use of bilingual (Spanish and English language) hymns — including “Prayer of St. Francis”/“Hazme un Instrumento”; “Fisher of Men”/“Pescador de Hombres”; “We are the Body of Christ”/“Somos el Cuerpo de Cristo” — in parishes throughout the diocese.
He said these steps will allow for greater participation by everyone present.
He noted that inclusion of these Mass settings and bilingual hymns will require a concerted and organized effort by clergy and lay leaders in the parishes.
“Instead of legislating this change, I am asking all of us to work together to foster a renewal in our liturgies, encouraging greater active participation by the lay faithful through the proper formation and training of all the Christian faithful,” he wrote.
Archbishop-designate McKnight encouraged Catholics throughout the diocese to approach various kinds of liturgical music with openness to where the Holy Spirit is trying to lead them, and not to form small communities of people based on their preference for worship styles.
“We will know we are on the right path when we are less focused on our own personal preferences and are more concerned about the quality of music that will foster full, active participation by the whole assembly,” he stated.
He said the Holy Spirit “reminds us that each of has a unique role to play in the community.”
“It is one way to express what it means to be Catholic: to celebrate and honor the many gifts God has given us to worship him and to express our unity in prayer and sacrifice,” the bishop wrote.
Truth and charity
Archbishop-designate McKnight also addressed the difficult situation of music that has become beloved by many for Mass, but was composed by people who used their status to take advantage of vulnerable people.
The decree forbids in diocesan liturgies the use of music composed by anyone who has been credibly accused of sexual abuse.
At the same time, the bishop has directed the pastors to lead a process of prayerful discernment within each parish regarding whether any such hymns could be used on occasion in that parish.
This is based in part on testimony presented at each listening session by Teresa Pitt Green, a survivor of clerical sexual abuse.
Mrs. Pitt Green called for respectful, open dialogue about using music by such composers, acknowledging the hurt it may cause to people who themselves are abuse survivors, as well as those who are heartbroken at the prospect of not being able to use beloved hymns at crucial moments in their faith life.
The archbishop-designate set a Nov. 30, 2025, deadline for each pastor to submit an official policy on the use of music by composers credibly accused of abuse, along with a description of the discernment process that led to the decision.
Referring to one of the main concerns that ultimately led to the Sacred Music Consultation, Archbishop-designate McKnight reiterated that some commonly used, even beloved, hymns could contain lyrics some consider problematic.
He instructed pastors and parish music personnel to take into account the principles outlined in a document from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Doctrine, titled “Catholic Hymnody at the Service of the Church: An Aid for Evaluating Hymn Lyrics.”
That document offers clear guidance on determining whether a hymn contains deficiencies in the presentation of doctrine pertaining to the Eucharist, to the Holy Trinity, to God and his relation to humans, or to the nature of the Church; or incorrect Christian anthropology or doctrinally incorrect views of the Jewish people.
Hymns with such lyrics undermine the quality of worship and the mission of the Church.
Archbishop-designate McKnight called on pastors, music directors and others involved in choosing and accompanying sacred music to make good use of the resources the diocesan chapter of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM) provides.
“This organization is a necessary and vital collaborator in our effort to worship in Spirit and truth,” the archbishop-designate stated.
He also directed diocesan Chancery personnel to work with the diocese’s NPM chapter to develop and make available resources for forming and training people who lead music for worship in the parishes.
Powerful responses
The Sacred Music Consultation dates back to last October, when Archbishop-designate McKnight promulgated a decree forbidding music by three composers with credible allegations of abuse against them from being sung at Mass; removing 12 hymns with theologically problematic lyrics from songs approved for Mass; and calling for people in all parishes in the diocese to become familiar with four musical settings for the parts of the Mass.
The decree, written in consultation with the diocesan Liturgical Commission, was immediately controversial.
In light of comments he received, the archbishop-designate rescinded the October decree in early November and issued a second, temporary decree, prohibiting music by those found credibly accused by their diocesan bishop (but without mentioning any names), and requiring those who are responsible for the selection of sacred music to evaluate their music selections using the USCCB document’s evaluative principles.
That second decree called for the process of synodal consultation that led to the April 5 decree and which will continue in parishes through the end of the current liturgical year.
Archbishop-designate McKnight sought feedback from the Diocesan Pastoral Council, the Presbyteral Council and the bishop’s cabinet, with input from the Diocesan Liturgical Commission and members of the local NPM chapter before promulgating the final decree.
“We are all edified by the number of responses, both in the survey and in the listening sessions,” the archbishop-designate stated. “Catholics understand, in a deeply personal and profound way, the importance of music in their relationship with God and with others.”
The members of the local NPM chapter are now working on an implementation proposal and budget to discuss with the Diocesan Liturgical Commission, for submission to Archbishop-designate McKnight before May 27.
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