Dear Editor: I find it hard to believe that anyone could oppose the beautiful contemporary liturgical and Scripturally-based music of wonderful composers like Dan Schutte, John Foley, Marty Haugen, David Haas, and Scott Soper as “pig-slop music” (Readers’ Forum, Oct. 1) and to want to remove this inspiring liturgical music from our liturgy!

I would also like to remind the writer of this letter and those of a similar mindset that the traditional organ was not ordained by God as the only suitable instrument for worship. One only has to read the Psalms, most of which were composed by David on a stringed instrument, especially Psalm 150, that God wishes to be praised with various forms of music and musical instruments.

I suspect I am far from alone in sharing that God’s Word as it is expressed beautifully in contemporary liturgical music and contemporary Christian music has played an important role in my personal relationship with God. In 1981 when I was going through a faith crisis and had gone on my first retreat, it was the song “You Are Near,” based on Psalm 139, that God used to reassure me that He indeed is very real and would never leave me or withdraw His unconditional love from me.

I am sick and tired of recommendations to return to pre-Vatican II forms of worship presented as a panacea for declining Mass attendance and lack of enthusiasm for our Catholic Christian faith. Although I realize that there were many devout Catholics prior to Vatican II and count my family members among them, I suspect that a noteworthy percentage of the pews were filled by people who were motivated more by a sense of duty and a fear of hell and considered attendance at Sunday liturgy as a form of “fire insurance”!

I am very grateful for the current USCCB directives that encourage music ministers to utilize the best of both the beautiful sacred music from our Catholic tradition, including chants and Latin motets and the best of contemporary liturgical music.

I consider it a privilege to sing in St. Margaret’s choir, directed by Don and Diane Competello, who follow these guidelines faithfully, teach us the best of the old and new, play the appropriate accompaniments correctly and skillfully on both the traditional organ and on keyboards that have the technology to add the sounds of various instruments, and help us all to glorify the Lord in authentically prayerful song.

ARLENE B. MULLER

Glendale