Abuse of the Agnus Dei

[john8791]

At our parish (and many others), phrases like “Bread of Life” “Prince of Peace”, etc. are inserted into the Lamb of God when sung by the choir. “Lamb of God, …, have mercy on us” is actually only sung once, then the fillers are inserted, and the final line " … Grant us Peace" is then sung.
“Bread of Life” is listed as an “alternative” in our hymnal but is this licit? I don’t like it.

 

[baltobetsy]

It is not licit, but Marty Haugen, in his Mass of Creation, and several other composers whose work is distributed by Catholic music publishers, have done it in their Mass settings. Music directors who lack instruction in the liturgical norms (and there are many of these) rely on the fact that Catholic publishers put out this stuff, and think it’s approved, when it is in fact, illicit.

Betsy

 

[jbuck919]

This is related (and in a curiously symmetrical way) to the custom of improvising the pentitential rite at the beginning of the Mass, to wit: “You came to give bald men hair, Lord have Mercy.” It all goes back to the false notion that because the official rite in English translation was so compromised (which it was), and because choices were given where there should have been none, that any priest can perform any variation of it to his liking.

Oh, I forgot to suggest a solution. Sorry, clueless just like everyone else.

 

[john8791]

It is not licit, but Marty Haugen, in his Mass of Creation, and several other composers whose work is distributed by Catholic music publishers, have done it in their Mass settings. Music directors who lack instruction in the liturgical norms (and there are many of these) rely on the fact that Catholic publishers put out this stuff, and think it’s approved, when it is in fact, illicit.

Betsy

Is there anything in the GIRM or another authoritative document I could use to show to our music director?

 

[KnightforChrist]

Is there anything in the GIRM or another authoritative document I could use to show to our music director?

I had this exact same issue at my church a few weeks ago:

The following is what I found in the GIRM:

366: “It is not permitted to substitute for the chants found in the Order of Mass, e.g., at the Agnus Dei.”

I also found the following in Redemptionis Sacramentum instruction:

[59.] The reprobated practice by which Priests, Deacons or the faithful here and there alter or vary at will the texts of the Sacred Liturgy that they are charged to pronounce, must cease. For in doing thus, they render the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy unstable, and not infrequently distort the authentic meaning of the Liturgy.

Please see these links as well:

nccbuscc.org/liturgy/current/GIRM.pdf
adoremus.org/RedemptionisSacramentum.html
canticanova.com/articles/feedback/artem1.htm

As mentioned in an earlier post, the music books had the alternate wording, “Prince of Peace”, “Bread of Life”, these are not authoritative texts !!!

The stanzas, with “have mercy on us” may be repeated until the fracture is completed and always end with the grant us peace stanza…In my church, the priest was done with fracture before we finished the first stanza, so there was no reason for it, we were singing four stanzas total and I couldn’t figure out why…

Mention this to your priest and go to the GIRM which references the Agnus Dei in this situation…I mentioned it to our priest and it was corrected immediately…

It is my understanding that this is a liturgical prayer and they are not to be altered…

I think a simple discussion with the priest will remind him, if he refuses though, you then report to the bishop…

 

[MichiganTrumbul]

Although I am not a liturgical expert, I do have some knowledge of the liturgical laws. I believe I can help you on this question:

At our parish (and many others), phrases like “Bread of Life” “Prince of Peace”, etc. are inserted into the Lamb of God when sung by the choir. “Lamb of God, …, have mercy on us” is actually only sung once, then the fillers are inserted, and the final line " … Grant us Peace" is then sung.
“Bread of Life” is listed as an “alternative” in our hymnal but is this licit? I don’t like it.

According to the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, this is not acceptable. There is no provision in it or the lectionary for substituting new tropes (“Bread of Life”, “Prince of Peace”, “King of Kings”, etc …) during the Agnus Dei. I cite:

“It is not permitted to substitute other chants for those found in the Order of Mass, such as at the Agnus Dei.”
G.I.R.M. Paragraph 366

Since this chant occurs during the fraction (the breaking of bread), and since the fraction may take a little more time, it is permitted to say/sing/chant “Lamb of god, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us” more than the customary twice (the final time, as you know, ends with “grant us peace”). I cite:

The supplication Agnus Dei, is, as a rule, sung by the choir or cantor with the congregation responding; or it is, at least, recited aloud. This invocation accompanies the fraction and, for this reason, may be repeated as many times as necessary until the rite has reached its conclusion, the last time ending with the words dona nobis pacem (grant us peace).
G.I.R.M. Paragraph 83

Now, this came as a surprise to me. I had long been under the impression that the Agnus Dei must start and end with “Lamb of God” but could have other appropriate tropes in between.

A possible reason for this confusion is a publication called Liturgical Music Today, a 1982 set of guidelines compiled by the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy:

“The Lamb of God achieves greater significance at Masses when a larger sized eucharistic bread is broken for distribution and, when communion is given under both kinds, chalices must be filled. The litany is prolonged to accompany this action of breaking and pouring. In this case one should not hesitate to add tropes to the litany so that the prayerfulness of the rite may be enriched.”
Liturgical Music Today, Paragraph 20

There is, however, no evidence that the U.S. Bishops obtained appropriate approval from Rome for this deviation. Since the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, requires in section 22 that they get such approval, one can only conclude that the practice of adding tropes to the Agnus Dei is improper. I cite:

1. Regulation of the sacred liturgy depends solely on the authority of the Church, that is, on the Apostolic See and, as laws may determine, on the bishop.

1. In virtue of power conceded by the law, the regulation of the liturgy within certain defined limits belongs also to various kinds of competent territorial bodies of bishops legitimately established.

1. Therefore no other person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority.
   Sacrosanctum Concilium, Paragraph 22

And so, in response to your question, no, it is not permitted to change the wording of the Agnus Dei (or any other prescribed text, for that matter).

I hope I have helped you out.

MT

 

[john8791]

Thank you all greatly. I will approach the music director first with this. If that gets me nowhere I will go to the pastor.

 

[baltobetsy]

Please tell us how it goes.

Betsy

 

[WanderAimlessly]

Went to Sunday (Sat Evening) Mass tonight and got the shock of my life. The past couple of times I went, they were changing the word of the 2nd Lamb of God. Tonight, they did not do that.

 

[patrick457]

This is related (and in a curiously symmetrical way) to the custom of improvising the pentitential rite at the beginning of the Mass, to wit: “You came to give bald men hair, Lord have Mercy.”

…Is that for real?

 

[Elzee]

Now that Advent is upon us, our parish has a whole new set of words to replace “Lamb of God”:

Just a few:
Morning Star
Guiding Light (reminds me of the old soap opera)
Bread of Hope
Son of Man

geesh.

 

[Jaz_B07]

Yeah they used to do that at my old parish. Sometimes it would go up to 8 different names. And it seemed like the cantors were making up names as they went. Like “Tree of Life” I’m not sure if that’s biblical or not.

 

[patrick457]

Yeah they used to do that at my old parish. Sometimes it would go up to 8 different names. And it seemed like the cantors were making up names as they went. Like “Tree of Life” I’m not sure if that’s biblical or not.

The epithet ‘Tree of Life’ is from the BIble. The Tree is in the Garden of Eden along with the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

It was also mentioned in Revelation. Jesus promises that he will give the right to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the Paradise of God to him who overcomes (Rev. 2:7).

The Tree is said to be in the New Jerusalem, growing in each side of the River, ‘bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.’ (Rev. 22:2)

John also warns that anyone who shall remove anything from this book of prophecy shall have ‘The share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book’ taken away from him (Rev. 22:19).

Many Early Fathers and Saints also called the Cross of Our Lord the ‘Tree of Life’, ‘The Life-Giving Tree’, likening it to the tree in Paradise.

…But the Bottom Line is, No matter how Scriptural or Rooted deep in Church History the term used, One should still NOT change the words of the Agnus Dei with such phrases.

 

[Cavaille-Coll]

A possible reason for this confusion is a publication called Liturgical Music Today, a 1982 set of guidelines compiled by the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy:

There is, however, no evidence that the U.S. Bishops obtained appropriate approval from Rome for this deviation. Since the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, requires in section 22 that they get such approval, one can only conclude that the practice of adding tropes to the Agnus Dei is improper.

Isn’t this the case all too often with the USCCB? Look at “Art and Environment in Catholic Worship.” That was just a non-binding set of recommendations by one USCCB committee, but look at what destruction that has caused – billions of dollars in destroyed churches. Isn’t it ironic that the USCCB office building in Washington, DC, is sinking into the ground (literally!) while the seminary next door and the basilica across the street are not!

 

[lak611]

My parish got it right today. We sang it in Latin!:clapping: :dancing:

 

[axolotl]

My parish got it right today. We sang it in Latin!:clapping: :dancing:

Where?

 

[lak611]

Where?

St. Leo the Great

 

[Rand_Al_Thor]

The stanzas, with “have mercy on us” may be repeated until the fracture is completed and always end with the grant us peace stanza…

Pax tecum!

With one exception. In the Requiem Mass of All Souls Day (and, I believe, any other Requiem Mass), “miserere nobis” and “dona nobis pacem” are replaced with “dona eis requiem”.

In Christ,
Rand

 

[axolotl]

St. Leo the Great

I’m a bit further down Broadview.

 

[volzcpa]

There is, however, no evidence that the U.S. Bishops obtained appropriate approval from Rome for this deviation. Since the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, requires in section 22 that they get such approval, one can only conclude that the practice of adding tropes to the Agnus Dei is improper.

We had the same problem at our parish. When I ask our pastor about it, he said that the US bishops had requested approval from Rome and until they hear back from Rome the changes to the Agnus Dei are permitted. I have not been able to find any proof that such an approval has been requested so who knows what the real answer is.