New-York tribune., 1920-06-13

be no organ accompaniment The rest
OF the service must be kept as choral
in style as possible. Women, being in
capable of exercising the liturgical Of
f1ce, must be excluded from the chors
and boys employed for the acute voices
Only men of assured piety and upright
ness shall be permitted within the
chancel; they must maintain a devout
and modest behavior, wear the ecclesias-
tical garb, and, if they are too much
by screen.
To this end the Pope directed
the bishops to appoint commissions
of men versed in church music to
watch over it and see that the compo-
sitions selected are within the capacity
of the singers. He also advised that
the students in seminaries study the
Gregorian chant. The pianoforte is not
to be heard in the church under any
circumstances. Song may be accom-
panied by the organ and occasionally
other instruments may be used, but al
ways subordinately. Should there be a
desire to use wind instruments special
permission must be obtained, and this
is to be granted only on the condition
that the music be sacred and in the
severe style. Military bands are for
bidden to play in church, but are al
lowed in open air professions, where
they may accompany spiritual hymns
The priest must not be kept waiting at
the altar to accommodate the music;
music is only part, a secondary part,
Of the liturgy.
What is Gregorian music? Pope
Plus explains: "The chant proper to
the Roman Church, the only chant
which she has inherited from the an
cient fathers, which she has jealousy
guarded for centuries in her liturgical
codices, which she directly proposes
to the faithful as her own, which she
prescribes exclusively for some parts
Of the liturgy and which the most re-
cent studies have SO happily restored
to their integrity and purity" (This
music is that regained by diligent study
of medieval manuscripts by the Bene-
dictines, particularly those formerly
housed at Solesmes, where Dom Moe
quereau was their prior, and now, since
their expulsion from France, in mon
astery on the Isle of Wight.) This, the
Pope commanded, be largely restored in
worship, and that special efforts be
made to bring back it's use by the peo-
pie, so that the faithful may again
take a more active part in the eccle-
siastical Offices, as was the case in an
cient times" This means, of course,
that choir and congregation are here
after to take part, as far as possible,
in the ancient liturgical music of the
church, known as Gregorian.
The Exclusion of Women
A year after the PRONUNCIATION of the
n,otu proprio very little had been done
to carry its injunctions into effect in
New York. On the contrary, an almost
self. One feature met with practically
universal disapproval. Protests against
the exclusion of women from the choirs
were sent to the Vatican from all parts
of the world. Cardinal Gibbons was
especially outspoken on the subject. He
said: There are certain parts Of our
chants and musical services which re-
quire just such voices as those pos
sessed by women, and if they are taken
away l fear that the inspiration and
effect Of the music and singing will be
materially diminished. There can be
no reason for the exclusion of women
from the choirs, and l feel that it is
my duty to say that do not desire to
see such q move made and, further
moro, that I am opposed to the plan"
What Pope Plus said was nothing more
than q restatement of the old Pauline
injunction, "Taceat muller In ecclesia," )"
and his word was law. How were the
bishops who felt and believed with Car
dinal Gibbons, or whose parishes were
too poor to undertake the education of
choirs Of boys and men exclusively, to
get along7 Only by blinking at dis
obedience or granting dispensations.
In New York Archbishop Farley ap-
pointed commission in obedience to
tho papal command, and it's report was
proclaimed to be the law of the diocese.
This report, which laid down "the
practical means to the fulfllment of
the Holy Fathers instruction." had not
one word to say on the subject of
women IN the choirs, though Father
Young, Of he~~College Of St. Francis
Xavier, who had spent a summer in
Rome to learn what was expected Of
the faithful and how 1t was to be at
] tained, In letter to this writer said
that there could be no question but
that the law against women was bind
ing on all. In promulgating the report
Archbishop Farley said: "T'o some per.
sons few OF it's provisions may APP
pear difficult of observance; II tenn
porary exemption In particular cases
be required, the reasons presented will
receive my 1arefui consideration, and