The Congregation for Divine
Worship and the Sacraments is establishing an office to promote the
development and use of appropriate liturgical art, architecture and
music.
The new office was approved in early September by Cardinal Tarcisio
Bertone, Vatican secretary of state; final arrangements and the
designation of personnel are being made, said Marist Father Anthony
Ward, undersecretary of the congregation.
The office will provide advice, encouragement and guidance, he said, but it will not attempt to impose specific styles.
"The church has always adopted local artistic, architectural and music styles," Father Ward said
Nov. 14. At the same time, as the Second Vatican Council taught, "it
always has emphasized Gregorian chant as the homegrown music of the
Latin rite."
While the Pontifical Council for Culture promotes efforts in the area of
sacred art and music, the congregation's new office will focus
specifically on art, architecture and music used for Mass and other
formal moments of prayer.
The Second Vatican Council document on the liturgy said, "The church has
not adopted any particular style of art as her very own; she has
admitted styles from every period according to the natural talents and
circumstances of peoples, and the needs of the various rites."
It called for the preservation of the great liturgical art of the past
and the encouragement of modern artists to create pieces appropriate for
Catholic worship, "provided that it adorns the sacred buildings and
holy rites with due reverence and honor."