The pope praised the role of modern music in the Catholic church in a document issued today but said it must be carefully chosen to avoid ”violating the spirit and the rules” of religious ceremonies.
John Paul asked Vatican officials to step up their attention to liturgical music and for bishops conferences around the world to carefully evaluate and promote melodies ”which are truly suited to sacred use.”
After praising centuries-old traditions including the Gregorian Chant and the use of the pipe organ, John Paul wrote that modern-day compositions can “be a precious enrichment” to the Church.
He expressed dismay that some collections of sacred music today “have undergone enlargement to include repertoires that cannot enter in celebrations without violating the spirit and rules of liturgy itself.”
John Paul did not cite any specific examples.
Both at the Vatican and in many trips abroad, the pontiff has celebrated many Masses to the beat of drums, guitars and other native instruments – a reflection of the multitude of cultures among the worlds’ one billion Catholics.
In the document, John Paul said musical instruments must be “suitable for sacred use, appropriate to the dignity of the temple, able to sustain the song of the faithful and favour its edification.”
John Paul wrote that church music must “respond to legitimate needs of adaptation” for local cultures without surrendering to what he called “superficiality.”
At a recent concert in the Vatican, the pontiff praised music for bringing cheer to life. In the document, he wrote that the Church “has always recognised and encouraged the progress of the arts.”
A Vatican document recently proposed cracking down on such practices as dancing in church. But many churchmen expressed strong objections, and the document has yet to be published.