"Paint-by-Number Hymns"

Anthony Esolen’s takedown of some hymn texts in an unnamed publication.

About

Catholic liturgical music is serious, solemn, transcendent, but Catholic musicians are never more fun and inspiring than when they are talking about what they love most. This is what happens at sacred music events around the world: the social and intellectual are critically important elements. The musicians (and music enthusiasts) at the Chant Café, a project of the Church Music Association of America, bring that sense of life and love to the digital world. As St. Augustine said, "Cantare amantis est."

Among the contributors:

Mary Jane Ballou, D.S.M., harpist, organist, director of the women's schola Cantorae, and specialist in sacred repertoire for women's voices | archive
Charles Cole, director of the Schola Cantorum of the London Oratory School | archive
Jennifer Donelson, D.M.A., managing editor, Sacred Music, associate professor and director of sacred music at St. Patrick's Seminary, Menlo Park | archive
G Hildreth is an erstwhile Catholic music director and cantor who now sings where she may and blogs at scelata.blogspot.com | archive
Nathan Knutson, D.S.M., sacred music director at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia. Admin with wife Lisa, domenicozipoli.org.| archive
Kathleen Pluth (kathleenpluth.com), S.T.L., is the Hymn Consultant for Word on Fire’s Liturgy of the Hours. Her composition Let The Earth Acclaim Christ Jesus won the songwriting competition of the 2024 National Eucharistic Revival. Her texts and translations appear often in Magnificat, and she has written commissioned hymns for dioceses, seminaries, and parishes. | archive
Fr. Christopher Smith, S.T.D., pastor of Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Taylors, SC | archive
Mary Ann Carr Wilson, director of the youth music program Canticle and of the San Diego summer Chant Camp | archive
Adam Wood, church musician and writer | archive

Also past contributors:

Charles Culbreth, "Mr. C" (1951-2018), longtime parish music director in Visalia, CA | archive
Jeffrey Tucker, writer, editor, entrepreneur, musician | archive
Nick Gale (1975-2015), organist, choral director, for 13 years Master of the Music at the Cathedral of St. George in Southwark | archive
Ben, schola director and organ student | archive

e-mail: contact@chantcafe.com