Marty Haugen replies

"the unwillingness of the Church to commission, ordain and welcome all humans as Jesus did"

I didn't realize that Jesus "ordained all humans"...

Good post Jeff; it's completely illogical that Haugen be the brunt of anger - especially given that he's not even Catholic! It's like blaming the manufacturer of ovens for the Holocaust. I agree with you completely on that the writers shouldn't be blamed.

"I leave it to communities and to the Holy Spirit that will (more than us, thank God) guide the future choices that will last."

I actually agree with him here. From what I have seen and heard, this is already happening. Most of the folks in our church who still know the words to the Marty Haugen songs are in their 50s and 60s. There is a general consensus that these tunes are about as old and trite as "Sugar, Sugar." If it wasn't for elderly choir directors, these songs would already be gone in many parishes.

If it wasn't for elderly choir directors, these songs would already be gone in many parishes.

Would that it were true. Spend time at a Catholic school Mass; the young cantors sing these songs with regularity.

And Mr. Haugen's note is drenched in pathos, self-pity, and self-absorption. If his intent was to "clear the air," he did himself no favors.

I agree with you. We have the Roman Graduale, let's use it :)

"My own hesitancy about joining the Church is not about its eucharistic theology, but rather around the unwillingness of the Church to commission, ordain and welcome all humans as Jesus did..."

Let me get this straight: Haugen believes that the Eucharist is what the Catholic Church says it is--the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ--but he doesn't want it because he disagrees with who the Church (doesn't) ordain?

He believes that the Church has the authority given by Christ to ordain ministers to confect the Eucharist but not the authority to decide whom to ordain? What? He gives up receiving Christ in the Eucharist for this?

Poor guy. He and others like him need our prayers.

Fair enough Marty. As Commander Craig said, "at least he's respectful enough to stay out and not corrupt the Church further from within". I've said lots of nasty things about his music (which I believe I can back up). I'm not aware of directing any of it personally.

I suppose that one should not blame one man for singlehandedly destroying Catholic worship. I suppose. But I can say that the Catholic music I have encountered now in numerous Catholic parishes is truly and utterly dreadful. And sadly, the music of Mr Haugen contributes significantly to this dreadfulness.

But as noted, the real blame lies on Catholic musicians and pastors. How is it possible that they do not know how dreadful, banal, and spiritually destructive the music programs of their parishes really are? How is it possible that they mistake the junk food of Haugen and Haas for music that glorifies God and ennobles the soul?

Is it not humiliating that with all of their spiritual and theological problems, the Episcopal and Lutheran Churches in this country have done a far superior job both preserving, extending, and re-creating the musical tradition of the Western rite than the Catholic Church? Yet instead of recovering the beauty of Gregorian chant and instead of mining the riches of the Anglican, Lutheran, and Wesleyan traditions, Catholic composers and musicians chose to create a kind of music that kills the soul and impoverishes the spiritual and liturgical life of the Church. I do not understand.

Michael Day's *Why Catholics Can't Sing* is of course essential reading, but something else is needed--something more along the lines of conversion. Somehow musicians and pastors must experience the spiritual and aesthetic horror of contemporary Catholic music and refuse to inflict it any longer on their parishioners. But how such an awakening can be achieved I do not know.

There is much to said in favor of a return to the simple said Mass ...

Kinda related ... how long has Marty Haugen been around the Catholic Church performing and advising? Decades? With those questions asked, even if it is just 10-years, it appears to me for what he states that either the good Catholics that reached out to him, worked and befriended him didn't evangelize very well and/or Marty never explored seriously and prayerfully the oppositions raised in his mind about Catholic teachings.

I never knew he wasn't Catholic. Another question comes to mind, has the Church help to inspire, encourage and promote any Catholic American musician(s) as prominently within the Church? I really don't know.

Why in the world are we (over)using a Mass written by a non-catholic? My brain isn't computing. It doesn't make any sense.
Reason #46,893 why Gregorian Chant needs to be the norm.

Well, his response did about as much for me as his music does. And it explains a lot of his music, too.

You can't blame Marty that Catholic music liturgists have no taste in music. He should be free to write whatever he wants, but I don't want to be forced to listen to it during Mass.

True Confession: I came home to the Catholic Church by way of liberalismodernism, in the guise of a "Catholic" Church that has held an annual music conference. From 1986 until 1995 I was in attendance, and Haas & Haugen etal were always there. Mr. Haugen was raised Minnesota Lutheran, became a Catholic during this period I was there, and reverted back to Lutheranism. He is an extremely nice fellow.

His music (and its genre) is not suitable for Holy Mass. He has a music factory producing music widgets: no blame for producing them. Blame to those who buy these widgets, who ignore the treasure chest of music gems in the attic, specially produced for God's Holy Mass.

Let us begin to JUST SAY NO to widgets, regardless the producer, and say yes to the free, uncopywrighted, outside-Oregon-Press, gems that are our birthright. But we need to learn to play them. All Catholics must immediately join the Sacred Music Association.

To be fair, Marty does have a lot of musical talent and that even shows through in some parts of the Mass of Creation. The Gloria was quite moving when we used it at Easter Vigil this year. It's basically written in battle mode, and I have to admit that I got chills hearing the choir and congregation singing it at the top of their lungs, backed up by trumpets and timpani as the lights came on one by one leading from the altar while our pastor incensed it.

My problem with Marty's music is that he infuses his heresy into the lyrics, but the fact is that it's not his fault 90% of the liturgists in this country don't see anything wrong with them.

Wow, not only Father Kimel but St. Peter Julian Eymard comment on this Web log!

I appreciate Mr. Haugen's speaking out on whose fault it is that his music is ubiquitous, but he even bills himself on his Web site as "a composer of liturgical music for both Roman Catholic and Protestant congregations." Has he ever purposefully tried writing Catholic liturgical music?

And yes, that is a very odd way for a person to view sacraments that he even goes out of his way to capitalize. He apparently did not get the memo about Whose they are.

I always thought that he was UCC, by the way, which would make more sense than Lutheran, as the Lutherans can actually use a lot of liturgical music.

As a Conservatory of Music graduate and faithful Catholic, I must intimate that if one tries to promote beautiful, traditional music in any parish other that the Cathedral in a diocese, one is practically lynched. The proletariat of the music ministry denizens are hostile to the profound, selfless, timeless, aesthetically beautiful, God-centered music of the ages. They are violently opposed to anything that isn't "modern" or protestant based. I have been the victim of this bias. This drivel is all these people know. They don't read music. True musicianship is labeled as elitism. As a classically trained musician, I am disinfranchised. My efforts are rejected because the least common denominator cannot or will not attempt to sing the music of our great heritage. I weep because my children are deprived of the beautiful, soul-enriching, God-centered music that has been the mainstay of our beautiful Church for centuries and abandoned in the last 40 years.

Haugen's comment was on Todd Flowerday's Catholic Sensibility blog (http://catholicsensibility.wordpress.com/).

Wouldn't it be a novelty to actually have Catholic hymns at Catholic Masses?

Well stated.

This quote originally appeared on Catholic Sensibility. The timestamp was April 1, 2008, so I'm skeptical that it was actually Marty Haugen who posted it.

Ordinarily, a link and hat tip is given for something quoted or used from another site. You usually do a better job on that, Jeff.

Tony's already expressed his doubt the comment was authentic. Somebody mentioned that the poster didn't link a web page, and Marty Haugen indeed has one. Given that it was posted on April 1st, the shadow of a prank did cross my mind.

I checked the link and the required e-mail address. I haven't insulted the man by calling or asking if indeed he did write it. A prankster would've done more on the post. I'm convinced the post is genuine.

Fr Al asks about what to do for an artistic and spiritual awakening. He's an ordained priest; he should know. It's not rocket science.

Let's not kids ourselves: as long as pastors cut corners on liturgy in parishes, most Catholics will enjoy/suffer an aesthetic impoverishment. There are three reasons why most Catholic parishes don't get good music, and it has nothing to do with heresy, disenfranchisement, music publishers, or some other cabal:

1. They don't want it.

2. They won't pay for it.

3. They don't know what they're missing.

You Yanks are too soft; have a look at how we blogged on the English equivalent of Marty:

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/ukcorrespondents/holysmoke/sep07/inwood.htm

Well, that post explains a lot. But it doesn't explai why, since song is supposed to be prayer X2, we choose the prayers (x2) of a non-Catholic for our liturgy, does it? Or why most of us never noticed. Yikes!

This man is the one some refer to as the modern Palestrina!

I didn't realize that he had ever been Catholic.

Does everyone here know about the society ?

In fairness, does an 800 pound elephant sitting on a termite-ridden chair get more or less blame than the termites?

Marty has, in my opinion, written some of the best liturgical music around. His setting of ps22/23 'Shepherd me, O God' is haunting and memorable.
In his communion antiphons, he uses the phrases 'Christ is truly present here' and 'Your blood and body given'. Could any Catholic disagree with these statements?
Finally, Marty's song for the RCIA 'Go in peace' is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard anywhere, so let all follow Marty's lead, and 'Go in peace, the peace of Christ, and learn the ways of God'.