The Recovering Choir Director

I don’t remember exactly how I stumbled upon this plugin, but Catholic Reference Extension by Pistos at Catholicism Computes has the potential to become the Catholic WordPress plugin of the millennium. I’m using it now to allow readers to view the Douay-Rheims translations of the propers and readings of the Mass within the page with a single click.

One can also cite the Catechism of the Catholic Church just by including a single citation. For example, here is what the Catechism says about sacred music:

CCC 1156-1158,1191

¶1156 "The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art. The main reason for this pre-eminence is that, as a combination of sacred music and words, it forms a necessary or integral part of solemn liturgy." The composition and singing of inspired psalms, often accompanied by musical instruments, were already closely linked to the liturgical celebrations of the Old Covenant. The Church continues and develops this tradition: "Address . . . one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart." "He who sings prays twice."

¶1157 Song and music fulfill their function as signs in a manner all the more significant when they are "more closely connected . . . with the liturgical action," according to three principal criteria: beauty expressive of prayer, the unanimous participation of the assembly at the designated moments, and the solemn character of the celebration. In this way they participate in the purpose of the liturgical words and actions: the glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful:

How I wept, deeply moved by your hymns, songs, and the voices that echoed through your Church! What emotion I experienced in them! Those sounds flowed into my ears distilling the truth in my heart. A feeling of devotion surged within me, and tears streamed down my face - tears that did me good.

¶1158 The harmony of signs (song, music, words, and actions) is all the more expressive and fruitful when expressed in the cultural richness of the People of God who celebrate. Hence "religious singing by the faithful is to be intelligently fostered so that in devotions and sacred exercises as well as in liturgical services," in conformity with the Church's norms, "the voices of the faithful may be heard." But "the texts intended to be sung must always be in conformity with Catholic doctrine. Indeed they should be drawn chiefly from the Sacred Scripture and from liturgical sources."

¶1191 Song and music are closely connected with the liturgical action. The criteria for their proper use are the beauty expressive of prayer, the unanimous participation of the assembly, and the sacred character of the celebration.

Imagine what other documents could be fed into this plugin. Sacrosanctum Concilium, Musicam Sacram and Summorum Pontificum are three that come to mind.

Three short years ago on this blog I was wishing for this functionality within Movable Type. Thank God for prayers answered and thanks to Pistos for being God’s instrument!