This story was suggested by a VOCAL reader.
Catholic World News
January 29, 2016
Bishop John Doerfler of Marquette, Michigan, has issued directions
for all parishes in the diocese to institute programs that will lead to
the congregation chanting the Ordinary parts of the Mass.
Following up on the work of his predecessor in Marquette, then-Bishop
Alexander Sample (who is now Archbishop of Portland, Oregon), Bishop
Doerfler has called for the action to carry out the vision of Vatican
II, which encouraged the use of Gregorian chant and congregational
involvement in the singing.
In a pastoral letter released in 2013, Bishop Sample had also called
attention to the Council's directives on liturgical music, as well as
similar directives from post-conciliar Pontiffs and from the US
episcopal conference. "Given all of this strong teaching from the Popes,
the Second Vatican Council, and the US bishops, how is it that this
ideal concerning Gregorian chant has not been realized?" he asked.
Bishop Doerfler said that he was taking action to realize his
predecessor's ideal.
Therefore, the bishop said, all parishes in the Marquette diocese
will be expected to teach chant to the faithful, and introduce the
regular chanting of the Ordinary parts of the Mass. These steps, Bishop
Doerfler said, "can be taken by the smallest parishes in the diocese."
He ordered that all parishes have chant programs in place by the end of
the year 2020.
Bishop Doerfler also announced that the diocese would prepare its own
hymnal, and only music from that hymnal will be approved for use at
Mass in the diocese. He said that a diocesan director of sacred music
will be appointed, to help parishes instruct the faithful and prepare
for the new programs.