Richard Morris Quotes

Thus the slogan should be reversed: Catholics taught the world what music is supposed to sound like, and, more importantly, what it is supposed to mean.

Once the Mass is restored to its rightful place, we will again see choirs being developed.

You can read about it all you want, but there is no substitute for just doing it.

Inaudible prayers, particularly of the Canon, which at first don`t seem to have anything to do with music, end up being a very important part of the aesthetic of the traditional structure of the Mass.

For two thousand years, the Church has guided the development of music, carefully legislating to fuse artistic talent and aesthetic beauty with the demands of the Faith.

It would be difficult to discover the truth about the universe if we refused to consider anything that might be true.

It bothers me when I hear it in a car commercial or some such. But for the most part, it`s better than seeing sacred music relegated to the scrap heap.

Music had always been the handmaid of the Roman liturgy.

Even Catholic parishes today are not wanting for talent. But no serious singer or organist will get anywhere near the typical music program, at least if he wants to retain his self-respect.

There`s nothing stupider than bursting into song for seven seconds and then falling silent again.

Ironically, we live in times that are awash in authentic sacred music.

The democratic and pedestrian character of the new Mass itself seems to invite the ditties that pass for hymns these days.

When the truth is that there would be no great Western music, and certainly no decent choral repertoire, without the Catholic faith.

Then suddenly the Roman liturgy disappeared as we knew it.

But nowadays hymns are the norm, because people don`t have much else to sing.

At St. Francis de Sales in Atlanta, we do not have an organ. We do not have rehearsals during the week. We do not have a professional choir.

Never have so many recordings of the great Masses and motets been in wider circulation.

Participation is easily obtained with Latin chant.

You can count on one hand the number of Novus Ordo churches in this country that feature a fully Catholic music program of any quality, consistent with the Roman rite tradition.

The tunes, rhythms, and messages are drawn mainly from secular culture.

I see no reason why the Catholic Church shouldn`t reclaim its rights to this music in the context of a fully restored Roman rite.

As for sacred polyphony, there is no reason to be afraid of it.

All you hear Catholics turning out these days are pop versions of the old Protestant anthems.

Catholic liturgical music, it would seem, is everywhere but in the Catholic Church itself.

Record stores have whole sections devoted to the chant.

The pastor of a parish will typically have no education in the chant or in music, and he will hire the first music director who walks through the door.

The pastor doesn`t even ask whether the person knows anything about Catholic music; and the truth is that there isn`t anything to know anymore.

And this speaks to the larger problem that no one wants to talk about: the restoration of the Roman rite is a precondition for a long-term fix for the problem.