Finally, the Bishops Talk Sense About Hymns 12/22/2020 at 5:11 PM Posted by Kevin Edward White
By Anthony Esolen, Crisis, December 22, 2020
It is axiomatic that nothing well-written ever comes from a committee. So, I regard as miraculous the recent report,
Catholic Hymnody at the Service of the Church, put forth by the doctrinal watchdogs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. It is incisive, intelligent, and precise, blessedly free of political correctness, and sensitive to the relationship between the work of the intellect and the delight in beauty that God has placed within our hearts.
“Catholic composers and hymn-writers,” say the bishops, “necessarily inhabit a realm of creative interplay: they have the privilege and vocation of honoring and communicating the mystery of faith in word and music, and this requires genuine artistry, industry, and fidelity.” About the artistry and the industry they have nothing to say here, as they limit themselves