Music, singing, etc. during Consecration

[dranzal]

A friend who attends Mass at a neighboring parish asked if the “music/singing” during the Consecration was allowed. I have done a short preliminary search and have come up with only directions for silence in three places, not including Consecration.

Does anyone know if there is a document which specifically instructs the congregation to be silent during the Consecration?

 

[Phemie]

A friend who attends Mass at a neighboring parish asked if the “music/singing” during the Consecration was allowed. I have done a short preliminary search and have come up with only directions for silence in three places, not including Consecration.

Does anyone know if there is a document which specifically instructs the congregation to be silent during the Consecration?

Yes, the GIRM is clear on this.

1. Among the parts assigned to the priest, the foremost is the Eucharistic Prayer, which is the high point of the entire celebration. Next are the orations: that is to say, the collect, the prayer over the offerings, and the prayer after Communion. These prayers are addressed to God in the name of the entire holy people and all present, by the priest who presides over the assembly in the person of Christ.43 It is with good reason, therefore, that they are called the “presidential prayers.”

1. The nature of the “presidential” texts demands that they be spoken in a loud and clear voice and that everyone listen with attention.44 Thus, while the priest is speaking these texts, there should be no other prayers or singing, and the organ or other musical instruments should be silent.

Even if he sings/chants the Eucharistic Prayer it is not to be accompanied by music.

 

[dranzal]

Thank you.

 

[bpbasilphx]

A friend who attends Mass at a neighboring parish asked if the “music/singing” during the Consecration was allowed.

What exactly does he mean by “music/singing” during the Consecration?

 

[Phemie]

A friend who attends Mass at a neighboring parish asked if the “music/singing” during the Consecration was allowed.

What exactly does he mean by “music/singing” during the Consecration?

I can only assume that, like some of us have experienced at some point, the organist thinks that the Eucharistic Prayer requires accompaniment.

 

[dranzal]

I wish that was all they did. This parish considers itself to be “charismatic” and the priest encourages “tongues” all the time, particularly during the consecration.

This begs the question, of course, is it even actually “tongues”. But that is another thread.

 

[bpbasilphx]

I can only assume that, like some of us have experienced at some point, the organist thinks that the Eucharistic Prayer requires accompaniment.

**At one time, this was done during the Latin Mass, but I believe Pope Pius X suppressed the practice.

I am wondering if the original poster is referring to the priest’s chanting any of the Anaphora, or if instrumental music is meant. It’s not clear.**

 

[benedictgal]

While someone quoted from the GIRM, Redemptionis Sacramentum clearly reiterates the point:

52.] The proclamation of the Eucharistic Prayer, which by its very nature is the climax of the whole celebration, is proper to the Priest by virtue of his Ordination. It is therefore an abuse to proffer it in such a way that some parts of the Eucharistic Prayer are recited by a Deacon, a lay minister, or by an individual member of the faithful, or by all members of the faithful together. The Eucharistic Prayer, then, is to be recited by the Priest alone in full.131

[53.] ***While the Priest proclaims the Eucharistic Prayer “there should be no other prayers or singing, and the organ or other musical instruments should be silent”,132 ***except for the people’s acclamations that have been duly approved, as described below.

A couple of years ago, I went to Mass at the Cathedral in San Antonio, Texas. The priest was chanting the EP; however, the pianist was playing along and crescendoing at certain parts, which was most distracting. It turns out the setting used was by Marty Haugen. After Mass, I told Father that inasmuch as his homily was good, the fact that the piano was being played during the EP was most distracting and clearly prohibited under RS. He told me that he had a Master in liturgy. I told him, in charity, that both the GIRM and RS were clear that nothing should be played. I haven’t been back to the cathedral for Sunday Mass since then. When I am in San Antonio, I’ll go to other downtown parishes, instead.

 

[Toy_Soldier]

I’ve attended masses where the priest, after the consecration of the wine, kneels to adore the blessed blood for a while…and then, before the anamnesis, he asks the choir to sing an “eucharistic song”…then he continues with the normal course of the eucharistic prayer… Is this “singing” valid?

 

[benedictgal]

I’ve attended masses where the priest, after the consecration of the wine, kneels to adore the blessed blood for a while…and then, before the anamnesis, he asks the choir to sing an “eucharistic song”…then he continues with the normal course of the eucharistic prayer… Is this “singing” valid?

No, it is not licit. The only thing that is supposed to be sung is the Memorial Acclamation and the Roman Missal gives three options. Only the US version, as far as I can tell, has the fourth: “Christ has died…”

Unfortunately, when we have visiting priests from Mexico, a couple of them have tried to tack this on when they celebrate Mass here. Luckily, someone’s been able to nip it in the bud.

 

[Toy_Soldier]

Thank you very much Benedictgal, I thought so too.