Pope chooses rap song as soundtrack for his UK visit

By Jerome Taylor, Religious Affairs Correspondent

Monday, 6 September 2010

He is a liturgical traditionalist who is known to favour the Latin mass with all its ancient trimmings. But when it comes to finding a song that will appeal to young worshippers, the Pope has opted for rap.

The committee overseeing Pope Benedict’s itinerary in Britain next week announced today that they have chosen a hip-hop track to be the official “youth anthem” for his three day visit.

“Heart’s Cry”, by Catholic trio Ooberfuse, is a world away from the type of soaring hymnals usually associated with Catholic services.

The band, who all live in London, sent their track to Father Andrew Headon, a member of the Papal Visit Organising Committee which chose the song to represent young worshippers. It will almost certainly be played to the faithful during the Pope’s prayer vigil in Hyde Park, an event which is specifically aimed at appealing to younger Catholics.

Ooberfuse’s track bears a passing resemblance to Black Eyed Peas’ breakthrough single, “Where is the love?” and open with extracts of a speech by Pope Benedict proclaiming that “evil will never reign in the hearts of men again.”

Cherrie Anderson, the trio’s 24-year-old lead singer, told The Independent that her band wanted to move away from the stereotype that modern Christian bands only ever played soft rock.

“We are hoping to be more relevant and reach out to a younger generation,” she said. “We wanted to break the stereotypes surrounding religious pop music and play music that would instantly appeal to young people today.”

The band is made up of Miss Anderson, on vocals, 33-year-old rapper Hal St John and DJ Cornel Sorian.

Although evangelical Protestant and Baptist congregations have long embraced modern music as a way of reaching out to younger audiences, the Catholic Church has been far less willing to branch away from its traditional musical roots.

It wasn’t until the mid-1960s, during the Second Vatican Council, that the church finally allowed mass to be said in a language other than Latin, allowing millions of Catholics worldwide to finally understand what was being said.

Reformers have long argued that embracing modern music is vital way of adapting to younger audiences, but traditionalists are often bitterly opposed to such moves.

Mr Sorian, who was born in Romania and works as a music producer in London, said: “We hope people will break out on the dance-floor to the sound of Il Pappa gently proclaiming (with characteristic German accentuation) that ‘‘Hatred will never reign in the hearts of men again’ and that we should courageously ‘give voice to that cry’, the cry of Love treading with dove’s footsteps in the ‘mysterious and inscrutable’ depths of our hearts.”

Click here to listen to the track:
http://soundcloud.com/360degreemusic/ooberfuse-hearts-cry

That article is trash. 'Wasnt until Vatican II that people got the Mass in a language other than latin and now they all understand it.'

 :smash-pc:

In the Pope's defense, his "committee" approved the youth anthem.

Nevertheless it is atrocious.

I wonder if it will be the processional hymn?

As a penance I think the Pope should be forced to celebrate, at least once, the very rock mass he apparently gives his approval to in our dioceses. Instead he is buried in St. Peter's celebrating incense-laden Latin-chanted Novus Ordos.

I think he needs to confront the "liturgical reform" head on in an actual Mass that we common scrubs are expected to attend, before any real changes come.

Alexandria,

I agree with you, but just thought it was important to distinguish that the "committee" approved it and who knows who is on the committee. It is not like the Pope himself wrote a letter willing it to be so.

Nevertheless, you are correct in that the Pope could have nixed it, but I guess he figures it isn't worth it. Who knows? It would be like trying to stick your finger in a hole of a sinking ship when water is coming in from all sides.

Pope Benedict XVI is NOT a Traditionalist, for starters. And him chosing the rap song is no surprise. It's just yet another thing you'd expect from Vatican II Popes.

My youth was in the 1960's when the Beatles were very
popular among the young people.
At the time, the Mass was still in Latin, and the Mass
was full of young people.
I would have been very turned off if Beatle Music, or
any other popular music was used.
The worship of God demands Music be uplifting to
the mind, and soul.  Secular music does not do it.
The use of rap music will cause harm, and will
cause many to leave the church for good.

This is odd because the Pope as Cardinal came out very strongly against modern secular music.

My thoughts as well.

Pope Benedict XVI is NOT a Traditionalist, for starters. And him chosing the rap song is no surprise. It's just yet another thing you'd expect from Vatican II Popes.

Indeed. There were some Trads who were hoping that Benedict XVI would put an end to WYDs due to some of the things he had said in the past on pop culture, but their hopes have been unfounded. As long as Novus Ordo Neo-Catholic youth and their Protestant friends want to attend these sad events, then I don't see them stopping anytime soon.

I am stunned...that he would do/approve this, and that the world swallows it so easily. :wink: