Catholic bishop of Jefferson City bans several songs over theological issues

The Diocese of Jefferson City has banned the singing of several contemporary hymns at Mass because of doctrinal inaccuracies in their lyrics, the Catholic News Agency reported.

In a late October decree, Bishop W. Shawn McKnight listed a dozen commonly used but “doctrinally problematic” Catholic songs that will be “absolutely forbidden” in the diocese. Most of the hymns were written in the 1980s or 1990s, with the oldest dating to the 1960s.

The list includes such songs as “All Are Welcome” by Marty Haugen; “God Has Chosen Me” by Bernadette Farrell; “Led By the Spirit” by Bob Hurd; and “Table of Plenty” by Dan Schutte.

The decree also forbids the use of any music composed by David Haas, Cesaréo Gabarain, and Ed Conlin because of credible accusations of abuse against them.

According to the “Catholic Missourian,” McKnight issued the decree following a “thorough process of study and review” by the Diocesan Liturgical Commission as well as consultation with the diocesan Presbyteral Council, made up of priests who are ministering throughout the diocese. McKnight said his goal is to encourage “full, conscious and active participation in the liturgy” through a common musical repertoire.

Father Daniel Merz, pastor of two Columbia parishes, said some hymns tend to overemphasize certain aspects of the Eucharist, such as its communal and social dimensions, while neglecting other crucial elements, such as the sacrifice, real presence and need for personal conversion. Merz underscored the importance of sacred music that elevates and inspires, calling people to a deeper relationship with God and a higher moral standard of living.

“[This decree] is all about providing good direction and guidance,” he said “We want to foster good music for our liturgies, because we recognize that music is such an important part of how we worship God and pass along the faith.”

The Jefferson City Diocese’s liturgical commission is also in the process of compiling a list of approximately 130 approved hymns for parishes to regularly incorporate into their Masses, aiming to provide a diverse and theologically sound collection of hymns for common use.

–Alan Goforth