Why is liturgical music and singing so important in Catholic worship?
The musical tradition of the Catholic Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art. Sacred music is not an intermission or mere decoration during Mass; it forms an integral part of the solemn liturgy itself.
Singing adds delight to prayer, fosters unity of minds and voices, and confers greater solemnity upon sacred rites. Saint Augustine famously remarked that he who sings well prays twice. Sacred song lifts the soul above mundane distractions and echoes the heavenly choirs.
The Church insists that music used in the liturgy must possess holiness and true artistic beauty, using texts in harmony with Catholic doctrine and drawn primarily from Sacred Scripture and liturgical sources.
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1156
- Colossians 3:16
Awaiting review by the chaplaincy. Written in our own words; the Church's own texts are the authority.