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Silence modern music in church, says Pope | Telegraph.co.uk

The Pope has demanded an end to electric guitars and modern music in church and a return to traditional choirs.

The Catholic Church has been experimenting with new ways of holding Mass to try to attract more people. The recital of Mass set to guitars has grown in popularity in Italy; in Spain it has been set to flamenco music; and in the United States the Electric Prunes produced a "psychedelic" album called Mass in F Minor.

However, the use of guitars and tambourines has irritated the Pope, who loves classical music. "It is possible to modernise holy music," the Pope said, at a concert conducted by Domenico Bartolucci the director of music at the Sistine Chapel. "But it should not happen outside the traditional path of Gregorian chants or sacred polyphonic choral music."

Note the set up to the quote by Pope Benedict and then what Benedict actually said. He DEMANDS using words like 'should not'... But hey, it's the Telegraph!

But Cardinal Carlo Furno, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, said it was "better to have guitars on the altar and rock and roll Masses than empty churches". The use of modern music was a "sign of the vitality of the faith".

And you have evidence that this is the case, Eminence? You have statistics and survey data that show without a doubt that young people go to Mass not for Christ or anything like that but simply to listen to guitars and rock and roll? You have spreadsheets and a PowerPoint presentation ready?

Didn't think so. :)

The argument is part of a wider debate about the Latin Mass, restricted in the Vatican II reforms of the 1960s because it was seen to be putting worshippers off going to Church.

The Pope believes that if Latin Masses are reintroduced, more Catholics will learn the words to the Gregorian chants that he advocates.

Is there really such a restriction? I'm not talking about the old Mass, I'm talking about the Novus Ordo Mass in Latin. Is there some directive in the GIRM about how often and in what circumstances Latin can be used for saying Mass?