23 Apr 2008 11:27 am
Praying for miracles for Beatification, etc…
Ecclesia Triumphans& Ecclesia Militans
The buzz is that Venerable Cardinal John Henry Newman is going to be beatified soon, which I am very glad to hear.
In order for a beatification to occur however, it’s my understanding that at least one miracle has to be thoroughly investigated and attributed to the saint. But at the same time, I thought we weren’t all commended to ask for someone’s intercession precisely until after they have been beatified (if we belong to that locale) or canonized?
So how is it that people are asking the non-beatified Newman for his intercession? Technically, are the faithful only permitted to do this after a deceased has been
declared “venerable” (or something else, prior to beatification)?
While I don’t want to suggest this is at all a problem in the case of Newman, couldn’t it happen that the faithful were asking for the intercession of someone actually condemned, since the church hasn’t already weighed in definitively on their sanctity?
From his Chirograph
6. The music and song requested by the liturgical reform – it is right to stress this point – must comply with the legitimate demands of adaptation and inculturation. It is clear, however, that any innovation in this sensitive matter must respect specific criteria such as the search for musical expressions which respond to the necessary involvement of the entire assembly in the celebration and which, at the same time, avoid any concessions to frivolity or superficiality. Likewise, on the whole, those elitist forms of “inculturation” which introduce into the Liturgy ancient or contemporary compositions of possible artistic value, but that indulge in a language that is incomprehensible to the majority, should be avoided.
…
7. Among the musical expressions that correspond best with the qualities demanded by the notion of sacred music, especially liturgical music, Gregorian chant has a special place. The Second Vatican Council recognized that “being specially suited to the Roman Liturgy”[17] it should be given, other things being equal, pride of place in liturgical services sung in Latin[18]. St Pius X pointed out that the Church had “inherited it from the Fathers of the Church”, that she has “jealously guarded [it] for centuries in her liturgical codices” and still “proposes it to the faithful” as her own, considering it “the supreme model of sacred music”[19]. Thus, Gregorian chant continues also today to be an element of unity in the Roman Liturgy.
I added the second bit (about chant), because I think this raises some interesting questions. In what sense is singing Swahili hymns bad because the language is “incomprehensible to the majority”, while Latin is good, even “the supreme model of sacred music”?
April 22nd, 2008 in
Et Cetera |