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Esolen on bad Catholic hymns

CWN - July 06, 2012

In Catholic World Report, Anthony Esolen laments that many hymns sung in Catholic churches combine bad music with worse poetry. Those who read this piece can choose between being depressed to learn about so many bad hymns, or amused by Esolen's devastating criticism.

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  • Posted by: hartwood01 - Jul. 07, 2012 11:17 PM ET USA

    Thank God,I have not encountered the music Esolen was mocking. Ours is quite beautiful,and moving.Music does not have to be written in the 17th Century to be worshipful. Latin is fine,if you think and speak Latin. Nice,inspirational,but not as a daily diet.

  • Posted by: Defender - Jul. 06, 2012 6:53 PM ET USA

    With "Ugly As Sin: Why They Changed Our Churches from Sacred Places..," we now have churches that we don't want to look at, churches where we don't want to hear "music," and a language (Latin) that is the official language of the Church that remains virtually banned from being spoken. I've got it: see nothing, hear nothing, speak nothing!!

  • Posted by: Gil125 - Jul. 06, 2012 2:23 PM ET USA

    O.K. I read the piece and enjoyed it. But I don't need Anthony Esolen to tell me about banal and insipid songs in Church. All I have to do is listen every Sunday morning. And I do mean every.

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