The Irish standard., 1912-12-14
ARCHBISHOP IRELAND
ON CHURCH MUSIC
Grave Abuses Have Crept Into the
Churches so That Listener is
Often Perplexed.
The Pastor is Held Personally Re-
spOnsible in all Matters Con-
corning the Music.
During the High Mass all Chant in
Other Language Than Latin
Strictly Forbidden.

No one among the Popes since the
days of Gregory the Great has accom-
plished so much for church music as
our present pontiff. Piux x. Forty
and fifty years ago the use of all kinds
Of secular music was at the height Of
it's vogue in the Catholic churches Of
this country. Offertory and vesper
hymns were sung, taken bodily from
the popular operas of the day. A
drinking song was selected, for in
stance, its tempo slowed, and text of
the hymn fitted in. 1t was something
like the process of the Salvation army
in accommodating hymns to the
melody of popular songs. The prac-
tice was tolerated even for the solemn
chants at the benediction, and one
particularly hilarious melody used for
the "Genitori, Genitoque," suggested
most realistically the antics Of a man
having the hiccoughs. Organists We'd
with each other in secularizing sacred
music on the plea of making it more
attractive. Some of the airs thus used
were taken from suggestive scenes of
we'll known grand operas, says the In
termountain Catholic Of Salt Lake
No wonder that our present Pontff,
who himself is thorough musician,
insisted upon a change, and the res
toration Of the plain chant to the
noble dignity it occupied in the liturgy
centuries ago.
The reformation, insisted upon in
the "Moto Proprio," has been spread
over the entire Catholic world. Yet in
some dioceses it cannot be introduced
at once, especially In missionary ter
ritory.
Recently Archbishop ireland of st.
Paul, Minn., sat down upon the sing
ing of sentimental songs such as 80
Promise Me" at Catholic weddings.
The Archbishops words. we'll worth
considering, are as follows:
Grave abuses have crept into some
churches, so that at times the listener
wonders whether he is taking part in
Catholic or in an altogether secular
service. To this state of things a per-
emptory estoppel is imperatively
called for. So
During the High Mass all chant in
other languages than the Latin is for
hidden by the rubrics of the church;
,, this rule must be ol,eyed to the letter.
Before or after the High Mass, or
during the Low Mass chants in other
languages are permitted. Invariably
however, these chants must be such
as are given in authorized Catholic
hymn books. Chants Of all other kind
or origin are strictly forbidden.
"The music to be made use of by
the organist, in the form Of incoming
or outgoing marches, must be such as
to accord in origin and tone with the
spirit and intent of the rubrics of the
church.
THE pastor will hold himself per-
sonally responsible in all matters con-
cerning music and chant on the oc-
casion of Requiem and Nuptial
Masses. Nothing in this regard will
be left to the free choice of the organ
ist or chorister; and no concession,
not authorized by the spirit or the
prescriptions of the rubrics, will be
made to requests coming from parties
Immediately concerned in the Requiem
or the Nuptial Mass
Commenting on the Archbishop's
words, Bede's Budget, secular paper,
humorously says:
This is sensible ruling, and we
hope it may be adopted by all churches
everywhere. There should be some
universally accepted music for we'd
dings and funerals, so that folks
| would be sure when they are married,
and that their friends would feel just
as certain when they are dead. Some
old bachelor leaving port with secret
1nisgivings for a would-be pleasure
trip on the sea of matrimony might
very naturally ask the choir to sing
Lead, Kindly Light" or Garry Me
Back to Ole Virginny." thus leavint