The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-06-18
IPOPE May RELAX
DECREE On: MUSIC.
Archbishop Farley Discusses the
Situation Will, Pontiff, and
Explains Conditions.
EXPRESSED MUCH INTEREST
Suggestion Made by Pope, Be.
lieved toHMean Attempt at Re.
form, Will Be Abandoned.
Especial TO Tic Times. plspatcl,,.

Especial Ito The Times Disnatcnl. li
\ ROME, June 11.-Among the most I'M
portant questions discussed BY Mgr.
Farley. Archbishop OF New York. with
# tie Pope on his recent visit to5the Vail.
4 can, was that Of the difficulties encount-
cred In the United States In carrying
7 out the explicit orders of the Pope TO
substitute Gregorian chant and Palestrina
music In the churches to- the modern
compositions, which are generally adopted
& hy The chors of nearly all the churches
u In that country. Tho Pope had already
been informed by many Of the American
. bishops that the reform In music pro posed
by him was absolutely impossible OF
4 practical execution, because one OF the
great attractions to Catholic services for
q Catholics and Protestants alike was the
( high standard Of the musical part OF
I. the ceremonies. ss5s 81
Situation in America.
The subject was introd,lc ed by the Pope
himself, who had been Informed that, at n
i ecent service held In New York in tho
Il spceia1 interest or $night-workers and
4 newspaper men, to which Archbishop
Furfey himself had added the additional
e honor of his presence, the music thI ozart
Il welfth Mass) was anything but what
It the Pope had prescribed in MS Motn-
DfOOTlO OIL "a WO yedTS INCpO1 70 iloA
4 also rea ched the Pope that In, the MA
+ Joritv OF the churches In New York and
Sair the United States things are soing on;
& Regarding church music very much iii the
4 same way as before the Poles decree. II
Arch bishop. Farley was very candid
!, with the Pope, and told him exactly what,
Y many of his colleagues IN the Amer can.
v hierarchy had already told The Holy
y rather. He said that every bishop in
49, ~ ctoxa 81, 11o &c M n
Tie Papal decree about church music,
tried as best as he could to enforce
WITS provisions in every church OF his do
cese, but found that the congregations
u were very much opposed to the change
U ins music and that the exclusion Of the
women from the choirs gave rise TO MUIR
u murs and Sdissentions against tho parish
e priests. {5> Il sT IA
ss35. In New York all that could be done in
the matter was to encourage those
y churches which were In charge of the
religious orders to conform strictly to
THE Popes prescriptions At ST. Pat
rick's Cathedral the women Of the choir
We're gradually eliminated and Gregg
Il rian school OF singing was started In
title boys school connected with the
great church, so as to provide the neces-
%snry sopranos for the choir, but IN the
Il ppinion Of the arch bishop the reforms
i adopted II did mot meet with any en-
\ coura cement from the prominent mem
bers OF the cnngrega ton, which, In the
4 case 8 + the Cathedral Church, represents
" the wcalthiest portion; OF y the Catholic
& 2opula IN New York.
81 si May Be Abandoned. as#
SPIux X, who had listened with great
~ a ttention to the Archbishop's remaS ks,
* observed that the same difficulties were
meti&w.t. in Italy. and that in Rome
Itself few churches SO far had even
tried 10 comply with the provisions OF
the Tapal decree. In fact, an active
n movement was started at fist among
SAthe choir singers to oppose tie execu-
VI tion of the Papal decree. and great tact
IL and diplomacy had to be used 10 prevent
u a positive rebellion All over Italy, the
Il Pope said, the same was the case with
6 the xceptionf of some OF the cnurcLs2s
a48 lii charge of the religious orders and
Il some of the Catholics In the large cities
Il Ins Germany not even a beginning was
smade to give execu ton to the Papall
u orders. and In England no move was
made excepting inthe new Westminster
Cathedral In London. X
3ss IN France, the Pope said. the same
\! music is now used that was sung before
e the reform was ordered.
X The Pope Informed the New York pre-
late that. much as he desired a reform
Iii, church music, he did not wish ~
& pus,, II too, hard whenever the financial
interests oftthe c!iarch were at stake. as
was thetcase in. America. and told the
Archbishop to Inform his colleagues that
lie relied entirely on their discretion re-.
gardng the matter. This broad hint
4 given by Plus X. lis taken In Vatican
circles to mean that hereafter all at
tempts to reform church music In Amer
sica will be abandoned.