Corpus Christi Watershed

Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

Views from the Choir Loft

Every Diocesan Music Commission Should Do This

·

HE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL reminded the Church of the central role sacred music plays in the liturgy. To ensure that parishes embody this vision, dioceses are encouraged to form music commissions. Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963) states clearly: “Commissions should be established… for promoting sacred music and sacred art” (SC, 46). These bodies are not optional extras but essential instruments of renewal. For such commissions to be effective, their members must be formed by the Church’s own teaching. Too often the term “Vatican II parish” is used without real familiarity with what the Council actually taught. If we want authentic renewal, commission members must study the documents that speak directly to our ministry.

At minimum, every diocesan music commission member should be grounded in two key texts:

1. Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963) – the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, which provides the theological foundation for music’s role.

2. Musicam Sacram (1967) – the instruction that gives practical norms for implementing the Council’s teaching.

Read them, study them, and discuss them. Without these documents, commissions risk acting on personal preference rather than the mind of the Church. With them, they can guide parishes toward deeper participation in the liturgy.

To assist this process, I have compiled links to the documents (both the text and an audio reading) and also study PDFs. The study PDFs divide the text into small sections and offer discussion questions, making it easy for commissions to dedicate part of their meetings to formation.

The work of diocesan music commissions is not merely administrative. It is pastoral: to form musicians and parishes with the wisdom of the Church. By rooting ourselves in the Council’s vision, we ensure that our music does not simply fill silence but becomes a true act of worship, lifting the hearts of the faithful to God.

*  Text • Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963)
—Full text, Vatican Website

*  Audio Read • Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963)
—Full audio rendering, read by Mark Haas

*  PDF Discussion Questions • Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963)
—PDF discussion questions, prepared by Mark Haas

*  Text • Musicam Sacram (1967)
—Full text, Vatican Website

*  Audio Read • Musicam Sacram (1967)
—Full audio rendering, read by Mark Haas

*  PDF Discussion Questions • Musicam Sacram (1967)
—PDF discussion questions, prepared by Mark Haas

 

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

Subscribe

It greatly helps us if you subscribe to our mailing list!

* indicates required

Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.