Are the Psalms during Mass optional?

[phil19034]

Last Sunday, I went to another Parish which has a 6PM Mass on Sunday. After the First Reading, the cantor starting singing a song instead (I believe it is song #700 in the OCP “Today’s Missal”) instead of singing the Psalm.

Then, this past Sunday, my own Parish did the same thing with the exact same song.

For me, the piano playing is way to modern, and it sounded like I was at a gospel choir concert instead of Mass (both times). But most importantly, they removed something the Bible and inserted something not from the Bible.

Is skipping the Psalm in place of a song allowed?

God Bless and Merry Christmas.

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

General Instruction of the Roman Missal:

1. …Moreover, it is unlawful to substitute other, non-biblical texts for the readings and responsorial Psalm, which contain the word of God.

1. …In the dioceses of the United States of America, the following may also be sung in place of the Psalm assigned in the Lectionary for Mass: either the proper or seasonal antiphon and Psalm from the Lectionary, as found either in the Roman Gradual or Simple Gradual or in another musical setting; or an antiphon and Psalm from another collection of the psalms and antiphons, including psalms arranged in metrical form, providing that they have been approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops or the diocesan Bishop. Songs or hymns may not be used in place of the responsorial Psalm.