Is it okay to skip the Psalms?

[waanju]

Today in mass, the cantor just announced “We’re going to just play the music for the Psalm today, without singing” then a violin played the music that would have been sung.

I find this rather odd, because even when there isn’t music, we at least SAY the words of the psalm.
Is it okay to do it the other way around and omit the words for just music?

It seemed a little odd, but that might be just because I’ve never witnessed something like that before.

 

[R_C]

Nope, the words must be read or sung, they aren’t musical notes, you know

Oh Gradual, where are you? :imsorry:

 

[waanju]

Nope, the words must be read or sung, they aren’t musical notes, you know

Oh Gradual, where are you? :imsorry:

PFFFFFFFFFFFFFT

I thought so.

sigh

At least people learned (for the first time) what a mortal sin is today!
Little bit at a time, I s’pose.

 

[japhy]

Today in mass, the cantor just announced “We’re going to just play the music for the Psalm today, without singing” then a violin played the music that would have been sung.

Must’ve been a really difficult Psalm.

 

[englishredrose]

Even we say them as like an additional reading if the choir feels there isn’t going to be enough of them to sing it or something… Music doesn’t replace the Psalm. They would have been better just simply reading it as off another text. Ask your parish priest next time you see him

 

[St_Stephen_1]

Today in mass, the cantor just announced “We’re going to just play the music for the Psalm today, without singing” then a violin played the music that would have been sung.

I find this rather odd, because even when there isn’t music, we at least SAY the words of the psalm.
Is it okay to do it the other way around and omit the words for just music?

It seemed a little odd, but that might be just because I’ve never witnessed something like that before.

Was no explanation given?

 

[YoungTradCath]

No, a Responsorial Psalm or Gradual must be sung or said.

 

[waanju]

Was no explanation given?

Not at all.
It was rather strange. Everyone seemed sort of uncomfortable sitting there and listening to a five minute instrumental, which sounded rather odd without the words.

Even we say them as like an additional reading if the choir feels there isn’t going to be enough of them to sing it or something… Music doesn’t replace the Psalm. They would have been better just simply reading it as off another text. Ask your parish priest next time you see him

I don’t actually have a parish priest. I attend a college that doesn’t have a nearby parish, so a priest comes and says mass for the twenty or so Catholic students from the seven universities in the town. I’ll try and ask him if he hangs around after mass next week, though, good idea.

 

[smndtupidisaftr]

Yeah that’s pretty strange. The cantor for my local parish likes to use hymns for the psalms, but someone must have talked to him because now he’s using hymns that come straight from the psalms.

Maybe one day we’ll even get to hear the propers! But that seems like it’s going to be a long time coming.

 

[R_C]

Must’ve been a really difficult Psalm.

If they’re trying to read it in Hebrew , then maybe

 

[Cavaille-Coll]

The Psalms must be sung or read according to the approved text. They cannot be paraphrases or regular hymns, and instrumental music is out of the question. However, they do not have to be in the typical responsorial form, where the people sing a response and the choir sings the actual Psalm text. They can also be chanted antiphonally as is normally done in Anglican churches: each paragraph is chanted alternately by the left and right sides of the congregation.

 

[CatherineOH]

Yeah that’s pretty strange. The cantor for my local parish likes to use hymns for the psalms, but someone must have talked to him because now he’s using hymns that come straight from the psalms.

Maybe one day we’ll even get to hear the propers! But that seems like it’s going to be a long time coming.

Could be the cantor just needed time to learn the music where he already knew the music for the other hymns.

Not all the psalm music is the same even in the same diocese.

 

[japhy]

Could be the cantor just needed time to learn the music where he already knew the music for the other hymns.

Not all the psalm music is the same even in the same diocese.

The musical setting for a psalm is really up to the individual musicians. They don’t need to use the one published in hymnals by OCP or GIA or whoever else, or in the missalette. They could use a setting of their own composition. Or they could use a simple plain-chant setting. Or they could skip singing the psalm and simply recite it. There are so many options for praying the psalm during Mass; omitting it is not one of them.

I would personally like to see a restoration of an antiphonal style, for praying the responsorial psalm.

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

The Psalm is par of the of the Liturgy of the Word. That would be like saying, “we’re not going to read the Epistle today. Listen to the organ play an interlude instead.” Not an option. The priest should have corrected this at the moment and recited the Psalm himself to ensure it was recited.

 

[CatherineOH]

The Psalm is par of the of the Liturgy of the Word. That would be like saying, “we’re not going to read the Epistle today. Listen to the organ play an interlude instead.” Not an option. The priest should have corrected this at the moment and recited the Psalm himself to ensure it was recited.

And I thought the Psalm important only in my own life. It is my favorite of all the books. It is the prayers of Israel, and we are still Israel.

 

[waanju]

The Psalm is par of the of the Liturgy of the Word. That would be like saying, “we’re not going to read the Epistle today. Listen to the organ play an interlude instead.” Not an option. The priest should have corrected this at the moment and recited the Psalm himself to ensure it was recited.

That’s what I thought… but since the priest said nothing, I assumed I was wrong. Fr. is very big on participation above all and “It’s OUR mass” and “rubrics are just like Emily Post, not needed for validity, just more polite” though, so I can see why he didn’t intervene.

 

[liturgyluver]

However, they do not have to be in the typical responsorial form, where the people sing a response and the choir sings the actual Psalm text. They can also be chanted antiphonally as is normally done in Anglican churches: each paragraph is chanted alternately by the left and right sides of the congregation.

I dislike responsorial psalms and much prefer the antiphonal chanted way you describe above, or the whole Psalm chanted. It is nice to plainchant and just stunning with Anglican chant.

Going back to original question - I have never experienced the psalms being omitted - clearly this is wrong.

 

[HelenRose]

Our priest would not be happy about that at all. He weaves the words of the Psalms into his homily and he expects our choir to sing what is in the Missal.

 

[LilyM]

Could be the cantor just needed time to learn the music where he already knew the music for the other hymns.

Not all the psalm music is the same even in the same diocese.

In which case the Psalm is to be said instead of sung - leaving it out is inexcusable.

 

[waanju]

In which case the Psalm is to be said instead of sung - leaving it out is inexcusable.

Mass is still valid though, right?
The masses I have access to all seem to contain at least minor liturgical abuse, but they’re better than nothing. The only reason I ask to clarify is so that I don’t falsely think that Fr. has done something wrong when he hasn’t, and so I learn how mass is actually SUPPOSED to be.