Why Heavenly Chant?
The ancient traditional Gregorian Chant must, therefore, in a large measure be restored to the functions of public worship, and the fact must be accepted by all that an ecclesiastical function loses none of its solemnity when accompanied by this music alone.
Special efforts are to be made to restore the use of the Gregorian Chant by the people, so that the faithful may again take a more active part in the ecclesiastical offices, as was the case in ancient times (Pope Pius XII, Instruction on Sacred Music Tra Le Sollecitudini (1903), § 3).
The Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as specially suited to the Roman liturgy: therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services.
But other kinds of sacred music, especially polyphony, are by no means excluded from liturgical celebrations, so long as they accord with the spirit of the liturgical action (Pope Paul VI, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963), § 116).
The Catholic Church possesses a rich treasury of Gregorian Chants and sacred hymns that has grown over the past two millennia of her existence. In 1903, Pope Pius XII wrote a motu proprio on sacred music in which he encouraged the faithful to learn Gregorian Chant. Our mission at Heavenly Chant is to fulfill Pope Pius XII’s desire that more people can learn Gregorian Chant and other sacred hymns. In this way, we grow in our understanding and appreciation of the Church’s rich treasury of chant and hymns.
Please join us as we delve into the fascinating history and structure of the Church’s Gregorian Chants and traditional sacred hymns!
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Thank you for reading, and may God bless you!
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