Pope John Paul II's recently released CD, Abba Pater, seems sure to prompt differences of opinion just as strong as those prompted by the figure and the teachings of the man himself. Immediate sell-out sales suggest that, for the faithful at least, this is a moving, inspirational and even nostalgic aid to prayer and worship, one in which the authentic voice of John Paul II booms out his evangelical message with strength, vigour and hope.
Non-believers and perhaps some music lovers, on the other hand, may find it a puzzling musical hotchpotch in which a vast variety of musical styles and sounds, ranging from pan pipes to Rachmaninov-type romantic strings and from African chants to syncopated jazz rhythms, provide a background to the voice of John Paul II as he, by turns and in five languages (Italian, Latin, English, French and Spanish), quotes from the Gospels, recites the Lord's Prayer, delivers homilies and leads worship.
In some senses, there is nothing very surprising about the fact that John Paul II should release a CD at the bright, young age of 78. One of the great distinguishing features of his remarkable, 20-year long pontificate has been his willingness to harness the tools of the age - television, jet-air travel, even the Internet - for the purposes of his evangelical mission. No Pope has ever taken Christ's final exhortation to the Apostles more seriously:
"And he said unto them. Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (St. Mark Ch.16, V.15)
In the end, too, this is one for the faithful and not the music critics. (And the faithful have already voted with their feet since the CD's co-producers, Sony, report that it has gone "Golden" in its first week of sales in countries as diverse as Argentina and Switzerland). Put together from the sound archives of Vatican Radio, the CD has a secondary historical function since it provides a quick "soundbite" map of the last 20 years of papal journeys, public audiences and litigurgical celebrations. In geographical terms, the "extracts" range from St Peter's to Venezuela, from Santiago di Compostela in Spain to the Nehru Stadium in Kottayam, India, taking in Assisi, Copenhagen, Paris and Castelgandolfo along the way.
In linguistic terms, the extracts tend to be Italian dominated, with 11 of the Pope's 22 "tracks" being in Italian, three in English, three in Spanish, three in Latin and two in French. For non-Italian speakers, this may prove a distraction, but one that is compensated for by the English (and other) language translations provided as well as by the sumptuous original soundtracks which are the creation of two young Italian composers, Leonardo De Amicis and Stefano Mainetti, both men who have worked with a variety of contemporary Italian pop and rock artists.
That point is probably made by one of the most striking "tracks", namely the title track, Abba Pater (which, by the way, is Hebrew for God the Father). To the background of lush strings and New Age gurgles, the Pope quotes from the prophet Isaiah (49, 14-15):
"Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet I will not forget thee"
In Abba Pater, this is recited in Italian but one suspects that the meaning comes across loud and clear as the Pope booms out:
"Io, invece, non ti abbandonero mai."
For those familiar with the Pope and his pontificate, an obvious element of nostalgia is provided by the sound of his voice of 15, 10 and even five years ago. The powerful theatrical delivery of yesteryear contrasts sharply with the slurred tones of the enfeebled Pope's current voice.
For anyone present at one of the events featured on the CD, the Pope's voice is likely to re-activate some vivid memories. Those of us fortunate enough to have been at Assisi for the World Day of Peace on October 27th, 1986 are immediately reminded of the charged and "holy" atmosphere of the day when listening to the track, "A New Commandment" which features the Pope in prayer at a key moment during the gathering:
"Where there is hate, let there be love
Where there is hurt, let there be forgiveness
Where there is discord, let there be unity
Where there is doubt, let there be faith . . ."