Adoremus: hymnal of hope.

In the last four decades since Pope Pius XII granted, in 1958, venacular hymn-singing to the Catholic Mass, we have witnessed an unprecedented parade of short-lived new Catholic hymnals. This short life expectancy was especially true of the music modelled on pop music, and called "folk" or "contemporary" or "sacro-pop." Such music, less durable, is also less suited for prayer, reverence and contemplation.

Recently, from Ignatius Press in San Francisco, edited by Kurt Poterack, Joseph Fessio, s.j., and committee, 1997, there is a new hymnal, called Adoremus, with hymns and other chants of time-tested worth and simple, honest beauty. As the poet Keats wrote, "A thing of beauty is a joy forever, Its loveliness increases...." The beauty of Adoremus hymns is not esoteric. It is the people's love for Jesus my Lord my God, O Salutaris, Mass of the Angels, Lead Kindly Light, Daily daily sing to Mary, O God of loveliness, and many more old Catholic favourites. Adoremus includes many short, easy Gregorian chants in Latin, familiar to traditional Catholics, such as Ave Maria, Panis Angelicus, Stabat Mater and Attende Domine, and most are provided with a singable English translation.

Four Latin Gregorian chant Masses are supplied, Nos. VIII (of the Angels), IX, XI, and, marked "for funerals," Mass XVIII. After 35 years of vernacular Masses, this composer-reviewer is convinced the time has come to use some of the easier Latin Mass chants. People who love reverence, love Gregorian chant. Its use, if well led, will be rewarded. This may take time, for our parishes today are rather wedded to the pop Masses and culture. Adoremus hymnal also has five Masses in English, mostly rather in chant style.

Another striking feature of Adoremus is the inclusion of the whole Ordinary of the Mass in both Latin and English, on facing pages, with attractive layout, running from p.12 to p.93. Music for the sung responses is included. Indeed Adoremus is a beautiful hymnal. The bright red hard cover, with gold lettering, is in large format, fostering ample layout for the hymns, which are only 152 in number, so that the book is not bulky.

But let us speak of the hymns, main-stay of any hymnal. These have been arranged by season or theme, beginning with Advent, including Sacred Heart, Baptism, Blessed Sacrament, Blessed Virgin Mary, the Church, Last Things (Funerals), Saints, and 27 "general" hymns. All are well-chosen including hymns of quality.

What about new English hymns, written say, since the Second Vatican Council began in 1962? Astonishingly, Adoremus has not one new melody among the hymns. And of the texts, only five are authored in our modern (or "post-modern") times. Only one is by James Quinn. The editors cannot have been ignorant of the modern hymn output. They must have judged it poor or unsuitable, unlikely to last. (Do consult the preface of this book, which gives a clear and candid rationale for the choice of contents, firmly based on Catholic teaching.)

One of the Saints' hymns, of three stanzas, has 16 additional stanzas for individual Apostles, Holy Innocents, St. John the Baptist, etc. These should be very useful. There is a "Pro-life" hymn as well. All the words and hymns for Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament are included in both Latin and English on two facing pages. Very user-friendly. Nearly all the hymns are given their original wording, and not with those deplorable, politically correct alterations. Note that since Vatican II, the Vatican itself now publishes its large treasury of Latin hymns in the same way; that is, restored to their original text.

Some of the hymns are by Protestant authors. The Catholic Church, especially in English, has not traditionally cultivated hymn-singing for Mass. Now for 40 years we have done so but the results are admittedly meagre in most parishes. From early times, the Vatican has faithfully urged the singing of Gregorian chant, and has included remarkedly few hymns in her Latin Roman Missal. These few are all in Adoremus!)

It remains to be seen whether the English Catholic Church will ever flourish in hymns, or in simple but authentic chant, or in junk music (a contradiction), or in the silent "Low Mass." Adoremus combines the first two of these; that is, hymns and chant. It deserves our serious consideration. This reviewer has been using it almost daily for seven months and is very pleased.

The book comes in melody (for the pew), organ, and choir editions. There are four CDs available to assist learning the contents.