Bob Novak chastised the archbishops of Washington and New York in his Washington Post column today. Novak argued that the bishops invited pro-abort politicians to attend the Papal Mass, which implicitly included a welcome to the communion rail. And in doing so they had subverted Benedict’s teachings.

Turns out, out least in the case of New York’s Cardinal Egan, that this isn’t the case. And for those who have been critical of Egan’s lack of public repudiation of pro-abortion Catholic politicians, this statement may provide some helpful context. Egan has gone about things with Guiliani in private, in a primarily pastoral, not political, vein. And so, while Mayor of New York, Guilliani was asked not to receive communion. Egan assumed that understanding would continue at the Papal Mass.

Egan released the following today:

“The Catholic Church clearly teaches that abortion is a grave offense against the will of God. Throughout my years as Archbishop of New York, I have repeated this teaching in sermons, articles, addresses, and interviews without hesitation or compromise of any kind. Thus it was that I had an understanding with Mr. Rudolph Giuliani, when I became Archbishop of New York and he was serving as Mayor of New York, that he was not to receive the Eucharist because of his well-known support of abortion. I deeply regret that Mr. Giuliani received the Eucharist during the Papal visit here in New York, and I will be seeking a meeting with him to insist that he abide by our understanding.”

One of the groups that performed for Benedict XVI in DC sent us their promotional material and some free CDs, and I was intrigued the moment I saw their name. The Suspicious Cheese Lords is an all-male a cappella group from DC, where they sing and record early music, more specifically, Renaissance music, and even more specifically, Renaissance music from composers we’ve barely (or never) heard of. Their three recordings are all world premieres, and feature the works of Elzéar Genet (Carpentras), Ludwig Senfl, and Jean Mouton. It’s not unusual for a composer like these to have a motet or two sung at a concert, but not an entire CD of their music alone. Having listened to them, it’s a good thing that now we have CDs of these musicians’ works, especially ones with the Lords’ solid singing and helpful liner notes.

The Lords are not on the level of the kings of contemporary early music performers, but they make for good, well, lords. Their basses and baritones are particularly well-blended, and Senfl’s Te Deum highlighted this with its rich energy. If you’re interested in early music at all, check out the Lords on their website or listen to some of their recordings here.

Oh, and if you were wondering why they call themselves the Suspicious Cheese Lords, their website provides an explanation:

The Suspicious Cheese Lords’ name is derived from the title of a Thomas Tallis motet, Suscipe quæso Domine. While “translating” the title, it was observed that Suscipe could be “suspicious,” quæso is close to the Spanish word queso meaning “cheese,” and Domine is, of course, “Lord.” Hence, the title of the motet was clearly “Suspicious Cheese Lord”—which in time became adopted as the group’s name. Although their name is humorous, the group appreciates the literal translation of Suscipe Quæso Domine, which is, “Take, I ask, Lord.” Suspiciously, the Cheese Lords have yet to perform this motet.