Hymns at Mass? Is Participation Required?

[ccmcmg]

I agree. Of course, I also believe it’s bad form and a serious distraction from prayer when the doors to the foyer are left wide open, and people from the previous Mass, as well as those entering for the next Mass, are talking so loudly that I can’t pray in the church. I may have to start wearing discreet ear plugs. I have some difficulties hearing, but must have far-hearing (lol like far-sight).

 

[7_Sorrows]

Rehearsing before Mass when people are present is not only bad form, but a serious distraction from prayer. Choirs should rehearse in another place at that time, and the only music in the ten minutes or so before Mass begins should be quiet and meditative to foster an atmosphere of prayer and silence those who want to chat.

I agree. there is nothing more distracting when you are trying to quiet yourself, your thoughts, etc. to prepare for Mass than to hear the choir rehearsing. then the priest walks up to the front of the church before Mass begins and we have to practice a song. it just totally disrupts the entire mood or preparation I have for the Mass.

 

[7_Sorrows]

Yes, that is true. It does depend on the kind of music is being played. My thoughts are if the hymn is not simple enough to pick up at least by the 2nd verse for a congregation who mostly doesn’t read music, then perhaps that particular hymn should be put aside. The places where I work, most of the hymns are pretty intuitive. One parish is a tourist parish along with our regulars, so we get a lot of visitors. Keeping the hymns easy to pick up for those who are visitors is essential.

the parish I attend is also a tourist parish. sometimes we sing from the hymnal and sometimes from a sheet with the words to the songs on it as well as the response during the psalm.

 

[CradleJourney]

Let’s have less music and better quality; I would even appreciate a weekend Mass without music rather continue on this course where everyone has to sing everything. Sometimes a few dialogue chants with the celebrant and the Alleluia are enough. Less is more. focus on God not the music

And I am the total opposite Singing has been my primary mode of prayer since I was a small child. I do not sing well, but still love to sing and the words combined with the melody are very uplifting to me - and I feel - pleasing to God.

Hymns often move me to tears, and they touch my soul and spirit - helping me better communicate with God. To have a mass without music would be distressing for me as I find it is very much a part of my worship.

Many parts, one body

 

[Sarabande]

I agree. there is nothing more distracting when you are trying to quiet yourself, your thoughts, etc. to prepare for Mass than to hear the choir rehearsing. then the priest walks up to the front of the church before Mass begins and we have to practice a song. it just totally disrupts the entire mood or preparation I have for the Mass.

Some churches don’t have any other place to practice except in the choir loft. I do understand the need to practice in the church in those situations. For instance, both of the parishes where I work has no other place to practice, except in the loft. At one parish, I’m expected to arrive between a half hour to 45 minutes early so that we can go through the music before most people arrive. At the other, as long as I arrive 15 minutes early at the latest (unless we have some more difficult music to rehearse) and we give 5 minutes to review the psalm and gospel acclamation, then we’re good.

I agree, though, you really need to have the rehearsals completed at least 10 minutes before mass begins to give people a chance to pray and contemplate. That is why I’m not a fan of congregational rehearsals which have rarely worked in all of the places where I’ve worked. You have to begin the rehearsals at least 20 minutes before mass so that you’re finished in enough time to give people a time to pray. But most people are not popping into church until about 5 or 10 minutes before mass, or even right when the processional hymn begins. It amazes me how empty a church can be when the processional hymn is announced and then how it looks like it is bursting out of the seams once the processional hymn is completed. So, if you start the congregational rehearsal 10 minutes before mass, you are then disrupting most people’s prayer and contemplation and I don’t think that’s right. That might be the only quiet time a person gets during the week. I know it is sometimes the only quiet I get with two very young ones at home.

That is only my opinion and based on the parishes where I’ve worked or belonged to, so it could be a completely different dynamic in other parishes.

 

[Rae8]

I admire people who can carry a tune and participate in the singing. I have stopped singing because the people who sit in front of me turn around and almost ask me to stop. I can take a hint. Participation in the Mass is not about having a beautiful voice. It is singing praises to God. I thought of practicing the most sung hymns at home. Our priest said to fully take part in the liturgy you should sing. I have the song in my heart.

If that is why they turned around, that was not very Christian . Maybe they just wanted to see who was singing? Everyone (IMO) should feel free to sing as it is like prayer or praise and worship. It shouldn’t matter if one doesn’t sing well. Sometime I sing and other times if I’m in meditation rather than end it - I just enjoy the music. I hope that’s not selfish.

 

[Sarabande]

If that is why they turned around, that was not very Christian . Maybe they just wanted to see who was singing? Everyone (IMO) should feel free to sing as it is like prayer or praise and worship. It shouldn’t matter if one doesn’t sing well. Sometime I sing and other times if I’m in meditation rather than end it - I just enjoy the music. I hope that’s not selfish.

I personally don’t think that’s selfish. To me, participation is sometimes taking it in without singing. As someone who loves to sing, sometimes I just need to listen to really let the words and music sink in. I’m still praying and participating, but in a different way.

 

[ProVobis]

To me, participation is sometimes taking it in without singing.

That’s my opinion too. After all the Latin phrase used is “actuosa participatio” not “activa participatio.”

 

[Fiona_Margaret]

The GIRM is clear about expectations at mass:

96. Moreover, they are to form one body, whether in hearing the Word of God, or in taking part in the prayers** and in the singing**, or above all by the common offering of the Sacrifice and by participating together at the Lord’s table. This unity is beautifully apparent from the gestures and bodily postures observed together by the faithful.

1. The faithful, moreover, should not refuse to serve the People of God in gladness whenever they are asked to perform some particular service or function in the celebration

*The Importance of Singing

1. **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.”
2. 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.

So the answer to your question is yes, participation is required.

 

[andrewstx]

I had a book titled "WHY CATHOLICS CANT SING’. The book tells of the penal days when Mass was illegal and had to be said in hiding. They had to be very quiet to avoid discovery. The Mass at the time was in large part either silent or in a low voice and the only ones who spoke was the priest and the altar boy. There was no congregational participation except for silent prayer.

The book says that even after penal days had ended the people were used to that kind of Mass and preferred the low mass. And we became accustomed to the choir singing FOR us.

Personally I think everyone should sing, even if they can’t do operatic arias, no one expects that.

As a boy I was raised in the churches of Christ, a fundamentalist sect. But they sing without any instruments and I learned to sight read and sing. That is the one good thing about that sect.

 

[FAB]

Hello. We sing three hymns at Mass: One while processing in, one during the Preparation of the Gifts, and a Recessional Hymn. Is participation in these hymns required? I personally think these hymns distract me from the Mass and God. Can I just remain silent?

God bless you for answering my question.

yes, It’s called full participation in the liturgy.
Deacon Frank

 

[ProVobis]

The Mass at the time was in large part either silent or in a low voice and the only ones who spoke was the priest and the altar boy. There was no congregational participation except for silent prayer.

There is/was a reason for that. From Trent Session 22, DOCTRINA DE SACRIFICIO MISSÆ

*Caput V. Chapter V.
De missæ ceremoniis et ritibus.

Cumque natura hominum ea sit, ut non facile queat sine adminiculis exterioribus ad rerum divinarum meditationem sustolli, propterea pia mater Ecclesia ritus quosdam, ut scilicet quædam summissa voce, alia vero elatiore, in missa pronunciarentur, instituit. Cerimonias item, adhibuit, ut mysticas benedictiones, lumina, thymiamata, vestes, aliaque id genus multa ex apostolica disciplina et traditione, quo et majestas tanti sacrificii commendaretur, et mentes fidelium per hæc visibilia religionis et pietatis signa ad rerum altissimarum, quæ in hoc sacrificio latent, contemplationem excitarentur. *

And whereas such is the nature of man, that, without external helps, he can not easily be raised to the meditation of divine things; therefore has holy Mother Church instituted certain rites, to wit, that certain things be pronounced in the mass in a low, and others in a louder, tone. She has likewise employed ceremonies, such as mystic benedictions, lights, incense, vestments, and many other things of this kind, derived from an apostolical discipline and tradition, whereby both the majesty of so great a sacrifice might be recommended, and the minds of the faithful be excited, by those visible signs of religion and piety, to the contemplation of those most sublime things which are hidden in this sacrifice.

 

[johnmann]

Sing, people. Please. Many times I want to sing but feel self-conscious because nobody else is singing. Doesn’t matter if you’re off key. As long as you can keep tempo, sing! If you can’t keep tempo, that’s another story. You throw people off and make Mass more distracting.

However, I boycott bad music selections. I think it’s good feedback for the music director.

 

[LaughingBoy1503]

I love to sing and do a passable job of it. Sunday before last we sang How Great Thou Art during Holy Communion and it moved me to tears. To me singing is praise to God as much as prayer. Occasionally there is a song that is so unfamiliar to me that I can’t sing it so I hum along.

I would probably be moved to tears as well if we sang “How Great Thou Art” during Mass. I sometimes do feel moved to tears during some of the songs. But it is rare and I always fight the tears back because… well I am a man and I don’t want to be seen crying

I sing at every Mass, but I do not always sing every song. I always sing The Gloria though. I read a little about the history of it and I would not feel right if I did not sing it. I might not sing some of the hymns if I am feeling particularly down that day and feel it would be better to just listen. Or if a particular hymn I like is being butchered (does not happen at my Parish but I have heard it while attending Mass at some other Parishes)

I have never heard that participation is required. But I try to remind myself that singing is one way in which we can worship The Lord. So I will sing sometimes for that reason, even if I do not feel like singing. And I actually just read a few posts on this thread and it appears a Deacon has confirmed that participation in the singing IS required.

 

[Elizium23]

We are required to sing by the Divine Command which is clearly present in Sacred Scripture and Holy Tradition. Anyone who says it is not so is blind and worse, deaf to God’s Word.

 

[Corki]

I personally don’t think that’s selfish. To me, participation is sometimes taking it in without singing. As someone who loves to sing, sometimes I just need to listen to really let the words and music sink in. I’m still praying and participating, but in a different way.

We should participate in the singing in the same way we participate in all of the Mass. That doesn’t always mean vocalization. As long as we are mindfully joining our prayers to those of the priest, we are participating.

 

[acadiANNA]

Prayer of Leaders of Song

Dear Jesus,
thank You for endowing me with a pleasant voice and for calling me to use it in Your liturgical rites. Let me never be puffed up by my singing in church but ever give the credit to Your gift. Help me to lead the singing in such a way that others will be brought to fuller participation in the celebration of the Eucharist. Keep me aware that by helping to celebrate Your Paschal Mystery, I am helping to bring Your redemption to the world and the world to You in return. Amen.

God bless all Liturgical Ministers.