'Participating' in Mass

[Elizium23]

You are correct about the GIRM. The cantor or choir can sing those parts alone. In this case, active participation is exercised by silence and meditation on the themes given by Scripture and the lyrics.

 

[JKirkLVNV]

Welcome!

I think it is important to note the two different types of participation: inner participation and outer participation. It seems to me that “participation” is summed up by those lines we hear (and respond to) in every Mass: “Sursum corda” - “Habemus ad Dominum” (“Lift up your hearts” - “We lift them up to the Lord”). When we lift up our hearts to the Lord in the Mass then we are participating fully - this may (or may not) involve singing, reading, bringing up the gifts, but ultimately, this “doing” must give way to the heart of the matter, which is the liturgical action, the prayer of the Mass (which is our prayer) offered to the Father.

Pope Benedict, as Cardinal Ratzinger, addressed the issue of participation in his book The Spirit of the Liturgy. He noted that the second Vatican Council rightly encouraged active participation of everyone in the worship of God. However, he makes the point that the term (“participatio actuosa”) was “very quickly misunderstood to mean something external, entailing a need for general activity, as if as many people as possible, as often as possible, should be visibly engaged in action”.

The Cardinal continues: “Of course, external actions…can be distributed in a sensible way. By the same token, participation in the Liturgy of the Word is to be distinguished from the sacramental celebration proper. We should be clearly aware that external actions are quite secondary here. Doing really must stop when we come to the heart of the matter: the oratio [the Eucharistic Prayer]…If the various external actions (as a matter of fact, there are not very many of them, though they are being artificially multiplied) become the essential in the liturgy, if the liturgy degenerates into general activity, then we have radically misunderstood the “theo-drama” of the liturgy and lapsed almost into parody.”

These are some very pointed and clear comments from Pope Benedict, but what I would take from it is that there is certainly a place for “doing” in the Mass, but it must never overshadow the Mass itself. If you can use your gifts and talents in the service of God and the Church, then you should. Ultimately, though, the aim of anything you do in the Mass should be to help you “lift up your heart to the Lord”. I suppose another way of looking at it is to say that you can do all the singing you like, say all the responses, read, &c., &c. and yet not actually be participating in the Mass. Mass, of course, is much more than turning up and sitting in a pew for an hour.

To me, it’s as simple as this: I “participate” in Mass when I prayerfully and mindfully make the responses. I’m “doing” my “part” while the priest “does” his “part” and God “does” His “Part.”

This is, of course, when I’m at a Mass in the congregation. I sing in our church’s schola, so I’m “doing” more at other Masses.

 

[laszlo]

I sat towards the back this past Sunday. I sat beside a mother and her adult son. They carried on a conversation for the whole 15 minutes before the Mass began. It was actually church related (they were speaking about a former pastor) but I found it a little difficult to pray. Once Mass began, they did not sing or make any of the spoken responses. They also were silent for the Creed and the Our Father.
.

I go to a Church (New rite Mass) where everybody genuflects before entering the pew, no one talks, and everybody is preparing himself to the Mass.

The trick is easy. The Holy Sacrament is set to exposition before every Mass. People feel themselves in the House of God instead of in a clubhouse.

This can be promoted with the architecture of the Church too: if the Tabernacle is in the center, the presence of our Lord stops the conversation. The clubhouse environment is mostly in the churches where the tabernacle is hidden away, as somebody told me: ’ to allow the better flow of the people’.

 

[Phemie]

I go to a Church (New rite Mass) where everybody genuflects before entering the pew, no one talks, and everybody is preparing himself to the Mass.

The trick is easy. The Holy Sacrament is set to exposition before every Mass. People feel themselves in the House of God instead of in a clubhouse.

This can be promoted with the architecture of the Church too: if the Tabernacle is in the center, the presence of our Lord stops the conversation. The clubhouse environment is mostly in the churches where the tabernacle is hidden away, as somebody told me: ’ to allow the better flow of the people’.

I’m afraid that your solution is not foolproof. Our Tabernacle is front and center and the conversations still go on – in fact, some choir members don’t even shut up during the Mass.

Even during the Holy Thursday Adoration the people have animated conversations while leaving the Church.

 

[NPC]

To me, it’s as simple as this: I “participate” in Mass when I prayerfully and mindfully make the responses. I’m “doing” my “part” while the priest “does” his “part” and God “does” His “Part.”

This is, of course, when I’m at a Mass in the congregation. I sing in our church’s schola, so I’m “doing” more at other Masses.

My take on it really would be as Pope Benedict wrote in The Spirit of the Liturgy as I quoted earlier. He says that the idea of “active participation” became seriously misunderstood very soon after the Council: as I see it, one can do as much reading, singing, cantoring, basket-collecting, bringing of gifts at the offertory as they like and yet not be fully participating in the Mass. “Doing” does not equal “active participation” - that is to say, it does not mean that one is necessarily entering into the central act of worship or that one is “lifting up their heart” to the Lord. The ultimate aim must be interior participation - if “doing” helps a person to join spiritually in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, then this outer participation is doing its job. Or, to put it another way, one can sing an extremely rousing hymn or inspire the congregation through their proclamation of the Scriptures, and yet remain spiritually detached from and untransformed by the fact that Christ’s Sacrifice is truly being re-presented before their eyes - in such a case, can it really be said of this person that they have truly participated in the Holy Mass? I don’t think so.

 

[Brendan]

The people that attempted to correct me did not adequately cite any Church document that says “It is OK to sit silent in your pew if you simply don’t like the music or you believe you don’t know how to sing.” I didn’t know that I knew how to sing until I joined a choir ten years ago. I just did it anyway because it was part of me and part of the liturgy.

No, we just quoted Church documents that said that it was OK to just sit quietly in your pew and contemplate God.

I’ll reiterate what Pope John Paul II said

Worshippers are not passive, for instance, when listening to the readings or the homily, or following the prayers of the celebrant, and the chants and music of the liturgy. These are experiences of silence and stillness, but they are in their own way profoundly active. In a culture which neither favors nor fosters meditative quiet, the art of interior listening is learned only with difficulty. Here we see how the liturgy, though it must always be properly inculturated, must also be counter-cultural.

Pope John Paul II - Address to the US Bishops 1999

 

[Canto]

Hi Everyone, this is my first post! I am a convert to Catholicism and I wonder if someone can answer this question. The Church teaches that we should participate in Mass every Sunday but also that we should receive the Eucharist at least once a year. I take it from this that ‘participation’ really just means attending Mass whether or not you actully partake of the Eucharist?? Why is receiving the Eucharist only expected once a year, isn’t it just as important to attend Mass as it is to receive the Lord? Also, in regard to the Eucharist I was wondering why so many people only receive the Bread and walk past the Wine. What is the significance of this?

Thanks for any answers

Carolyn

Welcome! To touch on what others have noted…

When one recieved the consecrated host they recieve fully and whole the body, blood, sould and divnity of Christ. So some just choose to recieve the host.

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal states no. 85…in the instances when it is permitted, they partake of the chalice (cf. no. 283), so that even by means of the signs Communion will stand out more clearly as a participation in the sacrifice actually being celebrated.

We should recieve the Eucharist, in the right state of grace, often, but at at least once a year at a bear minimum. The Second Vatican Council said the Eucharist was the “source and summit” of our lives. If one can’t recieve communion, they can make a spiritual communion, a prayer (various forms) said instead of recieving communion that expresses one’s desire.

The Second Vatican Council spoke of full, active, conscious participation at Mass. Due to missunderstandings, Pope Benedict (in Sacramentum Caritatis) noted that it was above all interior. Knowing what is going on and why, sacred silences, and more fully uniting oneslef to the sacrifice of Christ. This is the most important from of participation.

However there are the bodily gestures, bowing/genuflucting during the Creed, striking the breast in the I confess, kneeling etc. There are also the acclamations and chants such as and also with you, thanks be to God, praise to you Lord Jesus Christ etc. While the Entrance, Offertory and Communion Chants are traditionally the domain of the choir, we may join in them too.

 

[Brighitte]

You don’t have to sing in order to participate in the mass, this is not required, I for one like the fact that I don’t have to sing 1) Because sometimes the music is cheesy, and 2) because I just don’t like to sing. As long as one is present and listening to the liturgy that is all that is needed. Of course I try to do this and respond to the prayers, but singing is just not my taste and thats ok. Also, although very good, volunteering at the local parish is not participating in the mass, not even if you are an unsher, lector, of EOEM.

Well I sure hope ya change yer mind.

 

[Elizium23]

Worshippers are not passive, for instance, when listening to the readings or the homily, or following the prayers of the celebrant, and the chants and music of the liturgy. These are experiences of silence and stillness, but they are in their own way profoundly active. In a culture which neither favors nor fosters meditative quiet, the art of interior listening is learned only with difficulty. Here we see how the liturgy, though it must always be properly inculturated, must also be counter-cultural.

You have clearly misunderstood the intent of the words of John Paul the Great. He says “WHEN listening … or FOLLOWING … the chants and music.” Look at what he does not say here. Does he say “We must only follow the chants and music”? Does he say “We must not sing when possible”? His quote is a circumstantial assertion about silence, that acknowledges that there are sometimes chants and hymns that are not sung by the whole assembly. This is following the GIRM, as Phemie pointed out. When not singing, we participate by actively following the music and lyrics. Just as during the presidential prayers, we do not speak them along with the priest because they are not proper to us.

When hymnals or worship aids are provided, and/or the choir chooses a song known to the assembly, the intent is clear: that hymn is to be sung by all and the choir’s ministry is to lead the people in song. We are not there as a performance to entertain the people, we are exercising the ministry of proclaiming the Word of the Lord in music, and the people share responsibility in singing responses and the hymns that are intended for them.

 

[dconklin]

What we see here are the extreme levels of comfort people feel entering the Lord’s House. Some are so not at-ease they are afraid to move or open their mouth. The unease can be attributed to so many issues. Others are so comfortable at Church they forget true purpose they are there for.

 

[GKCT]

Back in the earlier days of the church, one had to fast for 24 hours. Rarely did people take Holy Communion because of that. Then it was lowered to after midnight, then to 3 hours, now it is one hour. There is no excuse–except for not being in a state of grace–for one not to receive Holy Communion. And if one is in a state of mortal sin, then it’s off to confession, one of our greatest sacraments for grace.

We offer the Mass along with the priest: the first part is asking for forgiveness of sins, then the Communion rite where the host and wine are consecrated, then the thanksgiving.

The others have answered your question as well.

 

[puzzleannie]

? Also, in regard to the Eucharist I was wondering why so many people only receive the Bread and walk past the Wine. What is the significance of this?

Thanks for any answers

Carolyn

without having asked them I can speculate, maybe he has a cold and does not want to share the common cup for that reason, or it is flu season and he fears for his own health. Maybe he understands the Catholic teaching that Christ is fully, wholly present under either form and that while the sign value is enhanced in receiving under both forms it is not required. Perhaps he is someone with difficulty swallowing and simply cannot manage both in a short period of time. I am sure there a dozen other good reasons. Participation at Mass means participation, being fully, incarnationally present and active in all senses, sight, hearing, touch, feeling even smell, listening, responding, contemplating.

 

[corsair]

We are not required to receive communion evry time we go to Mass. As Puzzleanne has said there may be a multitude of reasons for not receiving at Mass.

 

[Edward_H]

Hi Everyone, this is my first post! I am a convert to Catholicism and I wonder if someone can answer this question. The Church teaches that we should participate in Mass every Sunday but also that we should receive the Eucharist at least once a year. I take it from this that ‘participation’ really just means attending Mass whether or not you actully partake of the Eucharist?? Why is receiving the Eucharist only expected once a year, isn’t it just as important to attend Mass as it is to receive the Lord? Also, in regard to the Eucharist I was wondering why so many people only receive the Bread and walk past the Wine. What is the significance of this?

Thanks for any answers

Carolyn

Hi Welcome. The once a year is a minimalist norm. Participation means even more.

Some ideas:

• Singing the songs,
• Seconding the prayers that the Priest says,
• Reading the Scripture readings ahead of time,
• Preparing for Mass (praying quietly perhaps as you drive to the Church),
• Greeting our Lord as soon as you come into view of the Tabernacle.
• Giving great (quiet) love to your genuflections.
• Greeting our Lord again, asking for Him for strength and light to participate in the Mass.
• As the offering is taken up, telling Our Lord what you yourself are offering…your well done work, moments when you held your temper (or lost it!), other offerings, and prayers.

 

[Edward_H]

Some other suggestions:

Sitting up a bit during the homily to pay better attention may be a good way to participate. Forming one or two resolutions of what you hear and learn in the homily…“Lord, give me some hints here as to how I can show greater generosity like our Lord did here in the Gospel. Help me to put this point into practice.” Resolutions are great ways of participating. And those resolutions should be done as prayer…not as solo improvement points.

We should strive to exhaust ourselves a bit - giving great effort to listen for new points, new forms of prayers, new ways of considering God’s love of us. The Mass is ever new.

The more you put into Mass in this way, the more you get out of the Mass.

Some people like to stay a few minutes after Mass and offer a small act of Thanksgiving. 3-4 minutes.

You’ve started a great thread.

 

[archangel04]

Well I sure hope ya change yer mind.

Change my mind about what?

It’s funny that when I attend the EF I actually will chant in a low tone of voice, not sure why, the Holy Spirit?

 

[CountrySinger]

What we see here are the extreme levels of comfort people feel entering the Lord’s House. Some are so not at-ease they are afraid to move or open their mouth. The unease can be attributed to so many issues. Others are so comfortable at Church they forget true purpose they are there for.

I’m one of those who feel very uncomfortable to the point of being sick at Mass. I just sit there afraid to make a sound. All the pomp and ritual makes me very nervous. Plus there is too much silence, silence makes me anxious

It is funny, anywhere else in the world I’m fine. I