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Views from the Choir Loft

Archbishop Sample’s Letter On Sacred Music (3 of 8)

Andrew R. Motyka · June 18, 2014

RCHBISHOP SAMPLE’S pastoral letter on sacred music has several wonderful passages to consider. While there are many discussions that should, and will, flow forth from this letter, I particularly appreciate the good Archbishop’s description of the qualities of sacred music.

      * *  Archbishop Sample • 2013 Letter (PDF)

When discussing liturgical art in general, and liturgical music in particular, it is easy to fall into thinking that the quality and appropriateness of literature is subjective. Archbishop Sample elucidates the qualities of sacred music in a way that puts the discussion in objective terms. Agreeing on criteria like this is essential if any discussion is to be had about what the Church wants from us in musical worship.

The three criteria shared by the Archbishop are the sanctity, beauty, and universality of music. By sanctity in music, he means the way in which music is executed in the liturgy, in a manner conducive to worship as well as its connection to the ritual itself. Not only should the choice of music be connected to the liturgy, but its performance also needs appropriate reverence. We need to avoid “profanity not only in itself, but in the manner in which it is presented by those who execute it.” Certainly a conversation can take place as to what constitutes “profanity” in music (profane, in this case, being defined as the opposite of sacred), but surely we can agree that turns of music that call to mind secular celebrations and not sacred prayer.

The second criterion, beauty, is the most subjective, but we still have some guidance here. We are called to music that is “true art,” so that it is clear that it has its place in the divine liturgy. The third element for consideration is the universality of sacred music. This is where the most interesting idea comes in, in my opinion. It relates back to the first criterion, the holiness of music, and that holiness transcends culture. Notice that this enculturation refers only to music that is already culturally relevant to worship, not simply all cultural practices to be worked into the liturgy. When cultural practices are connected to worship, they can be Christianized, when appropriate, and brought to the liturgy, provided they also fulfill the first two criteria.

THERE IS MUCH TO BE CONSIDERED in Archbishop Sample’s letter on pastoral music, and it is encouraging that such a musical and liturgical thinker is now so connected to the nation’s most overwhelmingly influential liturgical publishing house. This letter should provide for much consideration and conversation, and hopefully assist all of us in our mission of the worship of God and the edification of the faithful.


This is part of an 8-part series on Archbishop Sample’s historic letter:

FIRST REFLECTION • Jeff Ostrowski

SECOND REFLECTION • Aurelio Porfiri

THIRD REFLECTION • Andrew Motyka

FOURTH REFLECTION • Peter Kwasniewski

FIFTH REFLECTION • Richard Clark

SIXTH REFLECTION • Veronica Brandt

SEVENTH REFLECTION • Fr. David Friel

EIGHTH REFLECTION • Gwyneth Holston

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Archbishop Alexander K Sample Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Andrew R. Motyka

Andrew Motyka is the Archdiocesan Director of Liturgical Music and Cathedral Music for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.—(Read full biography).

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    Don’t You Agree About These?
    If you want to make Jeff Ostrowski really happy, send him an email with effusive praise about the individual voice recordings for hymn #296. [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass] They came out dazzlingly sensational, don't you agree?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Choral Vowels? Yes? No?
    Here's a live recording of one of the choral “warm-up” exercises my choir enjoys. It was taken during our rehearsal on 27 January 2023. It’s good to make sure each chord is perfectly in tune and balanced before moving to the next one. That only happens when each singer has the correct vowel. If you like, you can freely download that vocal exercise.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    26 January 2023 • FEEDBACK
    “Jeff, I wanted to personally thank you for your spiritual witness at the Symposium & often blogs that you write too. Praying that prayer in the mornings My God, my Father and my all (by Cardinal Merry Del Val), mentioning saints’ stories of Brébeuf, Jogues, John Vianney, monks who fought in WWII, their hard work in spite of terrible conditions, their relentless zeal for the faith, their genuine love for the laypeople they served, etc. Overall though—more than anything concrete I can point to that you did or said—it was your demeanor at the Symposium. I could tell you really absolutely love and believe the Catholic Faith. You don’t get that everywhere, even in Church circles. And your humility is what then makes that shine even brighter. It is super inspiring! God is working through you probably way more than you know.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

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The Sacrifice is celebrated with many solemn rites, none of which should be deemed useless or superfluous. On the contrary, all of them tend to display the majesty of this august sacrifice, and to excite the faithful, when beholding these saving mysteries, to contemplate the divine things which lie concealed in the Eucharistic Sacrifice.

— Catechism of the Council of Trent (1566)

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