CHAPTER THIRTY: SACRED MUSIC IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH: A MEANS OF UPLIFTING THE SPIRIT OF THE FAITHFUL

Abstract

Liturgy in the Catholic Church is an outstanding means through which the faithful express their beliefs and manifest the mystery of Christ in the real nature of the true church openly. Sacred music plays a very important role in Catholic liturgical worship. Catholic Church upholds sacred music as a means of facilitating active participation at liturgy. It is the solemn nature of the Catholic liturgy that makes it unique so, demands that the type of music that must be used during liturgy must maintain that standard. Efforts have been made by Catholic Liturgical Commission to maintain the uniqueness of liturgical music but the contemporary choristers and music directors are seemingly shifting away from the established standard through their choice of songs and instrumentation resulting in many Catholics not knowing the real nature of sacred music. This paper uses analyticallyresearch method, approached from survey, and descriptive angles, to ascertain the position of the catholic liturgical commission as regards sacred music and active participation of the faithful during liturgical assembly. It concludes by recommending that music directors and composers of Catholic liturgical music should sit up and compose songs that meet with the needs of the liturgical celebration for the sanctification of the faithful and to the glory of God.

Keywords: Sacred music, Liturgical worship, Catholic Church and Spiritual uplifting of the faithful.