A great confusion has inhabited the sky in recent decades. A confusion that we would like to think could have an end but, unfortunately, this is not the case.
It now seems that a sad turn has been taken and it is not so easy to go back. One of the elements of this situation is the confusion of popular song with liturgical song.
Liturgical song is the official music of the Church, we would say that it represents the objective dimension of the liturgy. It is usually based on the official texts of the Missal and in the traditional Mass these texts are in Latin, while those of the popular song are in the vernacular language.
Precisely this important difference makes us understand that, while in liturgical singing the objective element should be strong, in popular singing the subjective element predominates.
This is not to say that popular devotion is not important. It is certainly very important, as the Directory on popular piety and liturgy tells us: "The reality indicated by the term "popular religiosity" concerns a universal experience: in the heart of every person, as in the culture of every people and in its collective manifestations, a religious dimension is always present. In fact, every people tends to express its all-encompassing vision of transcendence and its conception of nature, society and history through cultic mediations, in a characteristic synthesis of great human and spiritual significance. Popular religiosity does not necessarily relate to Christian revelation. But in many regions, expressing itself in a society impregnated in various ways with Christian elements, it gives rise to a sort of "popular Catholicism", in which coexist, more or less harmoniously, elements coming from the religious sense of life, from the culture proper to a people, from the Christian revelation".
The same document, a little further on, addresses the theme of singing and music: "Singing, a natural expression of the soul of a people, also occupies an important role in popular piety. The care in preserving the legacy of songs received from tradition must be combined with biblical and ecclesial feeling, open to the need for revisions or new compositions. Singing is instinctively associated among some peoples with hand clapping, rhythmic body movement and dance steps. These forms of expressing inner feelings are part of popular traditions, especially on the occasion of the feasts of the Patron Saints; it is clear that they must be manifestations of true common prayer and not simply entertainment. The fact that they are common in certain places does not mean that their extension to other places, where they would not be natural, should be encouraged." As we can see, the document tries to separate the subjective element of popular expression, which is different depending on the place you are in, from the liturgical one which should be more or less common to everyone.
Unfortunately, in recent decades these two different levels have been completely confused, making it seem that popular song is equivalent to liturgical song, but this is not the case. How many times have I listened to priests express the desire that "popular songs" be performed during the Mass? Strangely, very few times have I been able to witness the request for liturgical songs, as would be right and appropriate.
I can appreciate the importance of liturgical music to be tied to tradition and it should always be preeminent, however as someone who has participated as a musician in contemporary praise and worship for many years I have formed the view that it also has a place - just not in the liturgy.
Agreed. Vatican II fatally poisoned the Roman Catholic Church (deliberately?), and nuns with guitars destroyed its music.
I have just discovered some REAL Christian music: https://patraminstitute.org/recordings/
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mvk0paXbG8X6-XugHmoilrVv6fplSHp_w