Well, the obvious answer is that it is a wholesale distortion of the teaching of the Church, that is to say, heresy, and the greatest act of Christian charity we can exercise is love. If we love the people in our parish, we don't want them to be singing words that are heretical, that put their immortal souls in grave peril, do we? (That'll make 'em squirm, I should think.)

The fundamental problem with the song is that it lends itself so recklessly to un-Catholic interpretations of the Holy Eucharist. Me assured of my prayers.

For the record, I actually heard a very good homily for All Souls today at my bland suburban parish. The priest even read a lengthy quote by Pope Benedict about purgatory, so I thanked him effusively afterward.

(By the way -- full disclosure -- I edited the comments above recently, so the "well put" was based on an earlier version.)

David Andrew, perhaps you can help out if you know the specific heresy represented by this song. (There seem to be quite a few 'named' heresies spoken of but I'm not a scholar on the issue. )

I think that the best thing Olbash could do would be to walk into whatever meeting there is and say quite simply, "I cannot play that song because I refuse to be party to the teaching of the XYZ heresy in a Catholic church." It would be quite interesting to hear the response.

In that situation, I wouldn't argue doctrine. Most people don't care. If you DO wish to argue doctrine, I would say keep your mouth shut. Rather, ask them "what do you think the song teaches? How do you read these words?" Once they say something like (I've never seen the song, so I'm guessing here) "The Eucharist is about us", you can then explain what in the song is contrary to Catholic doctrine. I've noticed that about arguing with hymns: people love to be obtuse to what they're doing. This way you can get it right out front.

And don't say heresy. Do NOT say heresy! NO ONE in the post-v2 church likes to hear the word heresy. Once you say the word "heresy" your opinion has ceased to matter to those people. On the other hand, it MAY help to say, as I often did with other music, "Many good, well-meaning Catholics find the text of that song contradictory to the Catholic faith. I don't wish to offend them by using it." Then it's about pleasing people. Say you know plenty of people (we count, don't we?) who won't return to any church where they hear it.

Sadly, while I agree with mj and Gavin, I wonder if that doesn't mean following the same path a lot of bishops have taken.

You know, it's just not worth it.

Who cares what the state of your soul is or how the souls of those around you are effected as a result of bad teaching? Who cares whether a song text completely distorts the Truth as handed down from Jesus through his apostles and the Vicar of Christ, Benedict XVI and safeguarded by the Magisterium? Who cares if we pollute people's minds with bad texts, bad melodies, bad theology?

I know I don't any more. I'm giving them what they want, whenever they want it, and boy do I feel better! My weight is going back down, my blood pressure has gone back down, I'm loved by my co-workers. It's great!

I'll be going through my library and throwing out my PBC, BFW, Gregorian Missal, 1962 Missal, Liber Hymnarius and all the articles I've collected and read in the last two years, cuz ya know why? They've caused me nothing but grief! Knowing that stuff's dangerous, man! Just cling tenaciously to your copy of SttL and "Built of Living Stones" and "Co-Workers in the Vineyard" and all will be so much better, trust me!

Hey, Olbash. . . tell 'em you were wrong and lighten up! You'll sleep better at night, you'll keep your job, and everyone will love you!

Together, everyone . . . "Kum-bah-yah, my Lord! Kum-bah-yah!"

(Now, could somebody please call 911, because I can't seem to get my tongue out of my cheek).

...and to add to David's last post, you should also suggest that they utilize the new hymns with these titles!

Christ Has No Body Now But Yours : Steven Warner : Text and music © 2003, WLP (the text is attributed to St. Theresa who would send fire down from heaven if she could since she did not write the text!)

or look this one up which was just included in the new supplement for WLP:

Now This Day Gives Way To Darkness : Text © 1997, Adrian Dominican Sisters, pub by WLP

(the text will blow your mind ... and your Christianity!)

If we (the DM's) don't steer them away from errors (they used to call it heresey), who will! Here is the email response to my complaint about the text. I love the phrase 'faithful interpretation'.

___________

Dear Mr. Koerber,

Thank you for your recent message to WLP Editorial through our Customer Service e-mail. You questioned the theological content of the song “Christ Has No Body”. I don’t know what your specific concern is, but I want to assure you that our review process before publication includes textual review by at least one qualified theologian, and that we are very concerned about representing Catholic teaching well in all our materials.

Additionally, this particular song was reviewed by the Office of Canonical Services of the Archdiocese of Chicago when it was included in a collection of songs several years ago, and received ecclesiastical approval. Although adapted for its musical setting, I’m sure you are aware it is a faithful interpretation of the words of St. Teresa of Avila.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us in the future with any comments regarding WLP’s resources.

__________

So then I felt I should give them my "future comment" for the record. (see below)

Hi Mary Beth:

In a day and age when belief in the Eucharistic presence is questioned by our own people in the pews, I would not utilize any music that suggests that the Body of Christ is not present in the eucharist EXCEPT how Christ reaches out through us. It is one thing to read this as a poem, but to use it in the liturgy where THE ONLY Body of Christ truly resides, is highly questionable.

This erroneous theology is also present in other types of thinking. For instance, the suppression of the truth of the priest who is 'in personae christi' and the the exclusive role of the priest to consecrate Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. In fact He alone (the priest) can say "This is My Body".

Lastly, the poem is not a part of the works of St. Theresa. It is only an attribution, and I think St. Theresa would be quick to correct your promoting this poem for use in the Mass!

Francis Koerber
Director of Music
Our Lady of the Mountains RC Church

As we're in the month which swings its focus to the four last things: death, judgment, heaven and hell, let's reflect on Revelation (or, as the Douay-Rheims titles it, "The Apocalypse") 3:15 and 16, shall we?

"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold, nor hot. I would thou wert cold, or hot. But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, nor hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth."

We face tough decisions every day, whether to keep our jobs and secure our paycheck, or take a stand against heretical teaching in all its forms. After all, it's only our immortal souls we're dealing with.

Chonak, the hymns are chosen by the pastoral associates, yes. When I have made suggestions regarding changes, they have cautioned me strongly about maintaining the balance between "traditional" (whatever that is) and "contemporary" (whatever that is). They want to approve every change before it happens.

B-of-L appears two Sundays in a row, and I am conspicuously changing it without permission.

This is why I'm still employed by the Protestants after almost six years, I guess. Everyone LOVES what I do, I get along with EVERYONE else on staff, no one questions my work. And, not for nothing, but I'm 99% sure that I earn more than just about anyone working as a musician in a Catholic parish in this Archdiocese. With three little boys at home, I have to take that into consideration.

Of course, with three little boys at home, I also have to explain why I never go to church with them, why I don't work in the church where they pray and study, etc. It's a lousy trade-off. Why didn't I become an accountant or an attorney or a butcher or some other normal 9-to-5-er, so I could go to some Opus Dei parish in the outer burbs and not care too much that the poor organist trying to do chant and polyphony on a shoestring was only earning a small fraction of what I make?

Interesting sidebar:
At one of the many unsuccessful interviews I've had with Catholic parishes over the past six years, I was asked by a pastor, "Michael, you've been working for the Protestants for some time now. Why is it that they sing so much better than our people?" I responded, "Monsignor, the congregation only sings three hymns, while the choir sings three or four magnificent anthems every Sunday. They learn the music that pertains to them, and sing it well -- and the choir takes care of the rest. Imagine if I told the average Catholic congregation that they were only going to sing 40-50% of the music at Mass -- I would be accused of every kind of heresy imaginable!"

I have to say I agree with Gavin's original post. Do not sat heresy. It labels you as a loon right off the bat. Try ro leave your personal beliefs out of it. I would say something like "It ihas come to my attention that some Catholics find the text of this song troubling. Have you read the words? Do you see anything that one might find objectionable?" I would also stress that you are not objecting because of the musical style, and perhps offer to take suggestions for a different song to replace it. As long as it's not "Ashes" you're bound to be better off.

Be careful softpedaling this too much. The obvious response is "We've sung this for years and no one has complained." Stick to your beliefs. If you lose, you lose. Then you make the decision about whether you can morally stay with this particular gig.

The very idea of being subject in any way to even the slightest authority of a pastural associate makes me shudder.
The existence of this title, function, and quasi-canonical status is perverse (and foolish, and oft strayed).
I know these statements make little difference in commenting on this stream, but ...

I have the earplugs. When I attend diocesan functions where Edna is prayerful with her flute, Michael participates fully with his guitar, and Mary Jane raises the dead with her voice, in go the earplugs. I just sit there and smile serenely at everyone.

It's never that bad. I just shut out the noise, and if anyone asks why I don't participate, I simply tell them I am Byzantine. Since half of them don't know what that is anyway, they leave me alone. I don't know why, but it often seems that when I encounter objectionable music, it's amplified heavily. Perhaps that's necessary in some of the modern churches, which tend to be acoustically dead. Sometimes, it's the volume level I am trying to mute. However, I tend to avoid those types of services like the plague. I only attend when I have to as part of my job. Something that is scary, however, is the attack of the fat ladies during the peace greeting. Chubby hands come out of nowhere and appear before me. It's frightening. Once, I even found myself mentally hearing a parody, "take your peace and shove it, I aint comin' here no more." Now that was wishful thinking.

http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=8790

The original articles are found in the monthly magazine This Rock,
and freely available at the Catholic Answers website.

Pop Goes the Mass: The Curse of Bad Liturgical Music (Part One)
by Anthony Esolen
http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2008/0810fea2.asp

Bad Poetry, Bad Theology: The Curse of Bad Liturgical Music (Part Two)
by Anthony Esolen
http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2008/0811fea2.asp

Taking the time to browse
http://www.catholic.com
This Rock
2000s
2008

This Rock (Volume 19, Number 9) (November 2008)
http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2008/0811toc.asp
cover story focuses on the Extraordinary Form
and a sidebar mentions CMAA.

I fall into the wretched sinner category.