From our "glorious traditions our parent's generation pissed away" department we bring you the 'O' Antiphons. The last eight nights before Christmas Eve were called "The Golden Nights" and the antiphons all begin with 'O' e.g. O Wisdom, O Lord of Israel, O Root of Jesse, O Key of David, O Radiant Dawn, O King of Nations, O God With Us.

In latin that reads: O Sapientia, O Adonai, O Radix Jesse, O Clavis David, O Oriens, O Radix Gentium, O Emmanuel. The first letter of each title (not including the 'O' of course) spells "SARC ORE" which is Ero Cras backwards which means "tomorrow I will come" in latin.

Fortunately, somebody wonderful has pub together a web page on the subject of the 'O' antiphons resplendent with mp3 files and jpg scans of gregorian chant notation - click here for that.

114. The treasure of sacred music is to be preserved and fostered with great care. Choirs must be diligently promoted, especially in cathedral churches; but bishops and other pastors of souls must be at pains to ensure that, whenever the sacred action is to be celebrated with song, the whole body of the faithful may be able to contribute that active participation which is rightly theirs, as laid down in Art. 28 and 30.

116. The Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as specially suited to the Roman liturgy: therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services.

118. Religious singing by the people is to be intelligently fostered so that in devotions and sacred exercises, as also during liturgical services, the voices of the faithful may ring out according to the norms and requirements of the rubrics.

[Sacrosanctum Concillium]

Are Choirs diligently promoted? Are our pastors of souls at pains to ensure that the whole body of the faithful are able to contribute when we celebrate with song? Is chant given pride of place? Is religious singing intelligently fostered?

It must be the lack of demand from young families...