Pius XI (1928):
There is one instrument that comes to us from the ancients and which properly belongs to the church. It is called the organ. Its most wonderful amplitude and majesty have rendered it worthy of being associated with the liturgical rites, both to support the chant and to elicit, during the periods when the choir is silent, sweet music that harmonizes with the prescribed rules.
Pius XI (1955):
Among the musical instruments that have a place in church, the organ rightly holds the principal position, since it is especially fitted for the sacred chants and sacred rites. It adds a wonderful splendor and a special magnificence to the ceremonies of the church. It moves the souls of the faithful by the grandeur and sweetness of its tones. It gives minds an almost heavenly joy, and it lifts them up powerfully to God and to higher things.
Benedict XVI (2008):
[The organ he dedicated in the Alte Kappele, Regensburg] continues to play and to help people perceive something of the splendor of our faith--a splendor kindled by the Holy Spirit itself. With it, the organ carries out an evangelizing function, proclaiming the Gospel in its own way.
(These quotes were included in the program for the dedication of the new Schoenstein organ at St. Joseph's Church, Pinold, California, March 19, 2009, Mario Balestrieri, organist.)
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