Participation in the Mass- what's an individual's role?

[SpaceNeedle]

I have spent a couple weekends recently at the inlaws-to-be, and as such, have been attending mass at their parish.

Now, I travel a good deal, and know there can be some flexibility within the mass.

BUT, one thing I have never experienced is someone singing on behalf of the people. Occasionally they’ll stick in a little one-line refrain, you know it is your time to sing when the singer raises her right hand. But, the Gloria, Sanctus, and etc. are not sung by the people. It is very “musical-y”, you wonder when Nathan Detroit and Sky Masterson are going to come out and join in. (She is accompanied by a jazzy piano…like intros to verses with staccato chords in 2/4 time…totally broadway).

Anyway, my personal preference is, I don’t like it but my technical question is, is anything wrong with it? The “ILTB” state that this change took place a few years ago when a (very nice) layperson offered his help on the music stuff, and the current method is the result.

 

[puzzleannie]

actually that is what I remember from the old Latin Mass in my youth, the choir sang most of the parts of the Mass, and I used to long for the days when we were allowed to sing a hymn, and hoped it was one I liked. I liked it when I qualified for the children’s choir and got to learn the Mass parts, it still comes back, when we went back to Gregorian chant here it was the first time in 30 years I got to sing them, and yo, I still remember.

what you describe sounds the very opposite of what was intended when more active participation on the part of the laity was called for.

 

[diggerdomer]

I have spent a couple weekends recently at the inlaws-to-be, and as such, have been attending mass at their parish.

Now, I travel a good deal, and know there can be some flexibility within the mass.

BUT, one thing I have never experienced is someone singing on behalf of the people. Occasionally they’ll stick in a little one-line refrain, you know it is your time to sing when the singer raises her right hand. But, the Gloria, Sanctus, and etc. are not sung by the people. It is very “musical-y”, you wonder when Nathan Detroit and Sky Masterson are going to come out and join in. (She is accompanied by a jazzy piano…like intros to verses with staccato chords in 2/4 time…totally broadway).

Anyway, my personal preference is, I don’t like it but my technical question is, is anything wrong with it? The “ILTB” state that this change took place a few years ago when a (very nice) layperson offered his help on the music stuff, and the current method is the result.

From the info you’ve given, there’s nothing necessarily wrong with it. Personal preferences are, of course, a different and important consideration.

 

[Linda_Marie]

Our parish priest instituted a change in how we do the responsorial psalm. He borrowed from the way the seminary did the psalm. Instead of the verses being read by the commentator, each side of the congregation reads one verse, while the other side, reads the next. At least that was what was supposed to happen. We couldn’t seem to figure out this ‘alternating sides’ bit and now the entire congregation reads the entire psalm with the responsorial verse said first and last. One result is that we are definitely paying more attention to the Word.

We do not ordinarily sing the other parts of the Mass but when we do, we try to choose music that everyone knows so that everyone can participate. It is highly frowned upon to choose music for the parts of the Mass that no one knows besides the choir. They are not meant for the congregation to listen to, but for everyone to join in.

Also, here we were instructed to come down from the choir loft and we are now placed within the rest of the congregation. This is because the choir is not there to entertain or be separate from the rest of the laity, but simply to lead the congregational singing.

Course, we also have a dearth of musicians. Only one Mass has an organist. The rest of the Masses we sing a capella because we don’t have any accompaniment, much less a jazzy piano. The only time we get anything like that is when the schools take over the liturgy for things like First Holy Communion. They seem to choose very new hymns that only the kids know or use a tape so we get all kinds of embellishments in the musical accompaniment.

I think, however, that our participation at Mass goes beyond just joining in with the parts of the Mass but in hearing the Word, listening intently to the homily, praying for the parish intentions and participating worshipfully in the reception of the Eucharist, all of it lifted up to give worship, glory and thanks to God.

When I am visiting in another parish and I experience what you describe, I just try to recite the parts silently and so participate.

 

[japhy]

BUT, one thing I have never experienced is someone singing on behalf of the people. Occasionally they’ll stick in a little one-line refrain, you know it is your time to sing when the singer raises her right hand. But, the Gloria, Sanctus, and etc. are not sung by the people.

The “ordinary” of the Mass – the Kyrie, the Gloria, the Credo, the Sanctus, and the Agnus Dei – should all be sung by the congregation. They can be sung in an alternating way – the choir singing a phrase, then the congregation singing a phrase – or they can be sung straight through, but normally, the congregation should be involved in them.

 

[Phemie]

The “ordinary” of the Mass – the Kyrie, the Gloria, the Credo, the Sanctus, and the Agnus Dei – should all be sung by the congregation. They can be sung in an alternating way – the choir singing a phrase, then the congregation singing a phrase – or they can be sung straight through, but normally, the congregation should be involved in them.

You’re right on all except the Gloria which the GIRM says may be sung by the choir alone. It may not be the first choice but it is a valid option. In fact, allowing only the choir sing it is the only way we can ever get to hear some of our musical heritage.

 

[japhy]

You’re right on all except the Gloria which the GIRM says may be sung by the choir alone. It may not be the first choice but it is a valid option. In fact, allowing only the choir sing it is the only way we can ever get to hear some of our musical heritage.

You’re right, I missed that one.

 

[SpaceNeedle]

Thanks for all the (name removed by moderator)ut gang!

Linda Marie, I am trying to do what you described in your experience at other parishes, and sure try hard to focus. Like, yelling inside my head focus focus focus! But my mouth is so used to saying or singing the words, I get all flummoxed

In a way, if I step back from the confusion, this has been a very good experience for me, as I feel my heart yearning to say these things aloud…I don’t think that comes out of “ritual” or “conditioning”, but rather that my spirit is drawn to praise even when everybody else isn’t doing it.

 

[Phemie]

Thanks for all the (name removed by moderator)ut gang!

Linda Marie, I am trying to do what you described in your experience at other parishes, and sure try hard to focus. Like, yelling inside my head focus focus focus! But my mouth is so used to saying or singing the words, I get all flummoxed

In a way, if I step back from the confusion, this has been a very good experience for me, as I feel my heart yearning to say these things aloud…I don’t think that comes out of “ritual” or “conditioning”, but rather that my spirit is drawn to praise even when everybody else isn’t doing it.

Maybe your head is trying to tell you to take to heart that singing is ‘praying twice’ and to just join in the Communion chant. It’s there at the Church’s request.

 

[Linda_Marie]

Thanks for all the (name removed by moderator)ut gang!

Linda Marie, I am trying to do what you described in your experience at other parishes, and sure try hard to focus. Like, yelling inside my head focus focus focus! But my mouth is so used to saying or singing the words, I get all flummoxed

In a way, if I step back from the confusion, this has been a very good experience for me, as I feel my heart yearning to say these things aloud…I don’t think that comes out of “ritual” or “conditioning”, but rather that my spirit is drawn to praise even when everybody else isn’t doing it.

If it is causing you so much diffuculty, I think you should go ahead and speak the words aloud in a normal voice and focus on them, instead of what the choir is doing. You won’t be disturbing anyone, especially if the music is loud. Come to think of it, I think I say them aloud (but softly) when others are singing and I don’t know the music. I’ve never gotten any funny looks for doing it so I guess they didn’t notice.

I’ve also found that it is impossible to stifle the Holy Spirit; you end up all flummoxed. It is He who is moving you to praise. So, go ahead. I don’t think you would be disrupting the Mass in the least, especially when you consider how much other noise there is from children, people coughing or sneezing or even chatting.

Another thing you could do is to offer your discomfort up to the Lord. Ask for Him to help you to praise and glorify Him at the Mass. What we cannot accomplish on our own is easy with the help of God.