K
kgerber20
Guest
I have been attending mass and noticed that the past few times the Gloria has not been sung. Should I bring this up to someone? Obviously this is upsetting… thanks in advance for the help
- Status
O
Oneofthewomen
Guest
Are you talking about daily Mass or Sunday Mass?
If it’s a weekday Mass, the Gloria is usually not sung/recited.
If it’s a weekday Mass, the Gloria is usually not sung/recited.
G
grasscutter
Guest
Why is it obvious that it would be upsetting? It’s perfectly okay to recite the Gloria. I personally prefer the sung version, but the spoken version isn’t less holy or reverent. Also, during daily Mass, the Gloria is only recited on solemnities, etc.
L
liturgyluver
Guest
You are right to be upset - the Gloria is a song of praise to the Lord, and all the church documents on music make clear that it should be sung (as should all the parts of a mass) on a Sunday. I know some parishes have 1 spoken mass on a Sunday, are there other masses where it is sung?
M
mab23
Guest
I enjoy the Gloria but I noticed during weekday masses its not sung all the time! 
S
Shatterpoint
Guest
I’ve found that, in my experiences, the Gloria is sung on Sunday masses while it is simply recited during the week.I enjoy the Gloria but I noticed during weekday masses its not sung all the time!
P
Pug
Guest
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) says, emphasis added:
The Gloria in Excelsis
53. The Gloria in excelsis (Glory to God in the highest) is a most ancient and venerable hymn by which the Church, gathered in the Holy Spirit, glorifies and entreats God the Father and the Lamb. The text of this hymn may not be replaced by any other. It is intoned by the Priest or, if appropriate, by a cantor or by the choir; but it is sung either by everyone together, or by the people alternately with the choir, or by the choir alone. If not sung, it is to be recited either by everybody together or by two choirs responding one to the other.
It is sung or said on Sundays outside Advent and Lent, and also on Solemnities and Feasts, and at particular celebrations of a more solemn character.
Note that it is not said/sung on Sundays during Advent and Lent. It is also typically not said/sung on a weekday mass, but that is different if you are there on certain special celebrations.
So it is unexceptional to go to a mass and find that the Gloria is not sung. In itself, this does not signify that something is wrong.
The Gloria in Excelsis
53. The Gloria in excelsis (Glory to God in the highest) is a most ancient and venerable hymn by which the Church, gathered in the Holy Spirit, glorifies and entreats God the Father and the Lamb. The text of this hymn may not be replaced by any other. It is intoned by the Priest or, if appropriate, by a cantor or by the choir; but it is sung either by everyone together, or by the people alternately with the choir, or by the choir alone. If not sung, it is to be recited either by everybody together or by two choirs responding one to the other.
It is sung or said on Sundays outside Advent and Lent, and also on Solemnities and Feasts, and at particular celebrations of a more solemn character.
Note that it is not said/sung on Sundays during Advent and Lent. It is also typically not said/sung on a weekday mass, but that is different if you are there on certain special celebrations.
So it is unexceptional to go to a mass and find that the Gloria is not sung. In itself, this does not signify that something is wrong.
L
liturgyluver
Guest
I would respectfully disagree with you to say that it is unexeptional for the Gloria not to be sung on a Sunday. As far as Sunday celebrations of the Liturgy, the GIRM has this to say:
The Importance of Singing
- The Christian faithful who come together as one in expectation of the Lord’s coming are instructed by the Apostle Paul to sing together Psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles (cf. Col 3:16). Singing is the sign of the heart’s joy (cf. Acts 2:46). Thus St. Augustine says rightly, “Singing is for one who loves,”[48] and there is also an ancient proverb: “Whoever sings well prays twice over.”
- Great importance should therefore be attached to the use of singing in the celebration of the Mass, with due consideration for the culture of peoples and abilities of each liturgical assembly. Although it is not always necessary (e.g., in weekday Masses) to sing all the texts that are in principle meant to be sung, every care should be taken that singing by the ministers and the people not be absent in celebrations that occur on Sundays and on Holydays of Obligation
M
marytk
Guest
We don’t always sing if a Feast or a Solemnity fall during the week .(and when not a Holy Day of Obligation (when we would have musicians ) I don’t mind saying it at all because I have to think to say it. I am glad it is sung most of the time but when it is not I do have to think and it doesn’t become auto pilotI enjoy the Gloria but I noticed during weekday masses its not sung all the time!
P
Phemie
Guest
If we read Musicam Sacram we find that the Church considers it more important to sing the dialog than to sing the Gloria & the Psalm & the Alleluia but nobody complains when the dialog isn’t sung.
The GIRM says that the Gloria “is sung or said”. There is no mandate that it be sung at every Mass where it is to be included. You will normally not hear it at all during the week unless it’s a solemnity.
It doesn’t upset me when it’s not sung as long as it’s said at every Mass where it should be said – so I do get upset when it’s completely omitted at the Saturday evening Mass on the pretext that there’s no choir to sing it.
The GIRM says that the Gloria “is sung or said”. There is no mandate that it be sung at every Mass where it is to be included. You will normally not hear it at all during the week unless it’s a solemnity.
It doesn’t upset me when it’s not sung as long as it’s said at every Mass where it should be said – so I do get upset when it’s completely omitted at the Saturday evening Mass on the pretext that there’s no choir to sing it.
P
pnewton
Guest
The very text of the GIRM indicates that singing is not mandatory and this particular instruction is a guideline, not a rule. Thus, let the priest determine what is best. Matters of prudence are his ballywick. Our priest manages the dialogue a few times a year. I can tell you, it is a painful struggle. Some priest have a hard time singing.
P
Phemie
Guest
But it’s not necessary that it be sung. The GIRM is clear that it is “sung or said”. As long as it’s included when it should be, what’s the problem with saying it? Do you realize that Musicam Sacram actually says that if the dialog isn’t sung, nothing else including the Psalm and the Gloria is to be sung? The most important part of the Mass to sing is the dialog between the priest and the congregation and we so rarely sing that that most people can’t respond when it actually happens.
K
kgerber20
Guest
It’s not included at all, sung or said.
P
Phemie
Guest
Now, THAT’S a problem.
P
Pug
Guest
The original post did not specify when they attended those masses, thus I gave an answer that was not specific to a Sunday mass. Also, when they noted that the Gloria had not been sung and this upset them, I was wondering if they really meant that the Gloria is always sung when they’ve seen it used and that there had been no Gloria of any sort, sung or said at the last several masses. Thus I hoped the GIRM quote would elicit the necessary additional info, like perhaps the season of the year, etc.
I agree that it is desirable to have it sung. It is very suited to the nature of the Gloria itself to sing it. Most parishes do typically sing it in my neck of the woods.
P
Pug
Guest
Okay, from this quote and from another thing you said to another poster, you mean the Gloria is skipped entirely on a standard Sunday obligation mass, neither sung nor said, not a whisper. If you have been observing this over the last few weeks, this needs to be looked into. Just one time skipping the Gloria, that can be ignored, since I’ve seen similar things happen as a result of priest error. Note, if this happened awhile ago, I’d ignore it, since awhile ago could be during Lent, and during Lent they do legitimately omit the Gloria.
You could very simply approach the priest and ask why there has been no Gloria during these ordinary time Sunday obligation masses. Perhaps a simple question will begin the clarification process. Wait to see what he says, then respond further, if needed.
L
liturgyluver
Guest
My apologies that I misuderstood. I agree with you - here too it is almost certainly sung at nearly all Sunday masses, the exception being perhaps an early said mass, or in those parishes that have a Mass with hymns on Sunday night when all the Ordinary is spoken,The original post did not specify when they attended those masses, thus I gave an answer that was not specific to a Sunday mass. Also, when they noted that the Gloria had not been sung and this upset them, I was wondering if they really meant that the Gloria is always sung when they’ve seen it used and that there had been no Gloria of any sort, sung or said at the last several masses. Thus I hoped the GIRM quote would elicit the necessary additional info, like perhaps the season of the year, etc.
I agree that it is desirable to have it sung. It is very suited to the nature of the Gloria itself to sing it. Most parishes do typically sing it in my neck of the woods.
P
poche
Guest
It is not mandatory that the Gloria be sung, but it doesn’t hurt to ask either.
C
clem456
Guest
Talk to people. Talk to the music director, talk to the priests. Ask some good-faith questions with courtesy.
- Status