“In the liturgy, to sing and play music means to pray.”
In this week’s Wednesday audience, Pope Leo XIV continues his catechesis on the Second Vatican Council, exploring the importance of sacred music.
Music is not merely a decorative addition to the liturgy; it is an act of prayer. In the liturgy, to sing and play music means to pray, attuning our hearts to God and to our brothers and sisters. “Singing belongs to those who love,” said St. Augustine. It opens our hearts to grace and allows us to be fashioned by it.
Singing also fosters communion, bringing everyone together in praise of God.
For this reason, sacred music should be dignified and noble, inspired by Sacred Scripture, and reflective of local cultures while preserving the musical heritage of the Church.
“May we join together in love, and—in the words of St. Ignatius of Antioch—‘with one voice sing to the Father through Jesus Christ.’”





