Latin and Dylan
I thought the headline to this story to be rather funny.
Latin to replace Dylan
CATHOLICS could soon be singing Gregorian chants during worship after Pope Benedict announced he wants the singing style to make a comeback.
The 79-year-old German Pope, who last week told the world he does not care much for Bob Dylan, said the Catholic faithful should learn more of the chanting traditionally sung in Latin by choirs of monks.
"The better-known prayers of the Church's tradition should be recited in Latin and, if possible, selections of Gregorian chant should be sung," he said in part of a 140-page booklet on the Mass.
He lamented that Latin, the Church's official language, was disappearing and said he wanted future priests to study the language.
"Nor should we forget that the faithful can be taught to recite the more common prayers in Latin, and also to sing parts of the liturgy in Gregorian chant," he wrote.
The 1962-1965 Second Vatican Council ended the general use of the old-style Latin Mass in favour of local languages and some parishes allowed the singing of popular songs during the Mass.
In countries such as the US in the 1960s and 1970s, it was not uncommon for the faithful to sing songs such as Bob Dylan's Blowin' in the Wind or Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water during the Mass.
The Pope, a lover of classical and sacred music and an accomplished pianist, clearly is opposed to that.
"Certainly as far as the liturgy is concerned, we cannot say that one song is as good as another," the Pope wrote.
"Generic improvisation or the introduction of musical genres which fail to respect the meaning of the liturgy should be avoided."
Now I generally like Dylan's music, though of course not at Mass. But many do not realize that the lyrics to "Blowin' in the Wind" are heretical.
The answer is blowin' in the wind.
The Bible says:
And he said, “Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
So clearly the answer was not in the wind, or the earthquake, or fire.
Known as 
If I'm not mistaken, didn't Vatican II teach that Gregorian Chant should holy "pride of place" in the liturgy?
Great post as usual. I like your style. You take the Church seriously, but you don't take yourself seriously, and you have extra fun when someone claiming to be Catholic, or someone in a position of authority, says something silly.
I linked to you on my blog, which is Catholic in outlook, though more general in subject matter.
I believe that when Dylan performed at the Vatican, the late Holy Father commented that the answers were 'blowin' in the wind'- the Wind that shook the Upper Room at Pentecost, that is.
Aw, what's wrong with "Earth, Wind and Fire"?
I'm too young to know personally, but people seriously used Bob Dylan & Simon & Garfunkel at Mass in the 70's?!?
Actually, I believe the Dylan/JP2 event was at Bologna, or Assisi, not at the Vatican.
I remember being quite young and listening to Bridge Over Troubled Waters so often in church.
I was surprised when I went to my aunt's home and she played the album.
I thought that it was cool to hear these two singers singing a Church song on their album.
I remember hearing (many times) this song at
mass(can't remember the singer): "Games People Play".
John Denver was alway a good one too.
A priest we know told us of a song he will never forget. In his youth, a few Acension Sunday's in a row, they ended mass with "Leaving on a Jet Plane".
Pax Christi,
Let the record show, Your Honor, that the English translation, as used in the article, is egregiously faulty. The paragraph quoted ACTUALLY says that "we much ensure the faithful are taught, etc."
The AE is far stronger than the near-beer English translation would have you believe.
-J.
Let's see...
In typewritten hymnals around the early-mid '70's we had such stuff as "Blowin' in the wind" (not a favorite of mine, but OTOH, I like "Hurricane" and "Everybody Must Get Stoned", still, not at church), "Let it be" (I'm a big Beatles fan, but not in church), "Give a damn" (nice title for use at Mass, eh - "Give a damn" - this title REALLY was in there). The closing hymn at my First Communion was "Turn Turn Turn" by the Byrds (another band I like, but again, not at Mass).
BMP
"Actually, I believe the Dylan/JP2 event was at Bologna, or Assisi, not at the Vatican."
I just checked. It was Bologna in 1997.
At Communion, I also heard Turn, Turn, Turn. Within the last 2 years.
I started first grade in 1972. It may have been second or third grade, but I remember the good sisters strumming guitars with gusto and the wee ones sang along to "Living In Amen". I did not think it made any sense then. Still don't.
The mimeographed sheets in a maroon report covers that contained the lyrics to that ditty and others disappeared one day. I later found out that some lawyers wrote a polite note asking that copyrights be respected.
I remember "Let There Be Peace On Earth" was the big number at my First Communion. The horns section did not make the scene until the late seventies.
lets bring back latin into our church. the church today sung "our father" in a very modern way or pop music....
singing Gregorian chants "pater noster" is the best way to honour God.... not sing Pop R&B song during masses....
blessed mary mother of the church pray for us.