The Musical Legacy of Pope Benedict XVI

At Crisis Magazine the other day, I offered some extended reflections on the musical challenge that faced Benedict XVI and his approaches to dealing with it. This was a very old problem, one that long predated the Second Vatican Council and one that the Council itself attempt to fix. The entire agenda turned out to be a case study in intentions that produce opposite results. For forty years, Catholic music has largely wandered in the desert, until this Pope pointed to the way out. The problem is far from resolved but the ideals have been restored and it is clear where history is headed.