So what's next?

According to EWTN (I didn’t watch the
proceedings), there are two pieces of news on the the proposed music
document that had been scheduled to be considered at the Fall USCCB
meeting: 1) it has been downgraded from particular law to advisory,
which means that it will not have the same binding status and will not
require Rome’s approval, and 2) it has been otherwise withdrawn because
there were 100 pages of proposed changes and there was no way it could
be tackled at the USCCB meeting.

Very interesting.  This
document was suppose to be a response to Liturgiam Authenticam (and it
is late in submission in the first place) for Episcopal conferences to
submit to the Congregation for Worship and the Discipline of the
Sacraments for review.  I don’t think the document “Sing To
The Lord” they submitted to the CDW meet the requirements of Liturgiam
Authenticam since it was on vague guidelines and not the translations
of scriptural texts used in Sacred Music.  It was thought by
many that the CDW would likely reject their submission, something that
is all to familiar for our bishop’s conference.  So possibly
this move is to save face as Bishop Trautman leaves the BCL to be
replaced by Bishop. Seratelli.



I also see a problem with just changing
this from particular law to advisory.  For one Liturgiam
Authenticam still needs to be replied to.   Liturgiam
Authenticam was issued in five years and called for submissions by the
Episcopal conference within five years.  “Sing to the Lord”
has been seen as a mishmash of the defense of more traditional sacred
music while at the same time being a defense of the status quo.
 We can only hope that it’s switch to advisory won’t be used
in the same way that another document that was never approved,
Environment and Art in Catholic Worship, was used as dogma within the
United States.