Playing Organ During Eucharistic Prayer?

[kleary]

My family and I went to the Novus Ordo Mass today at a local parish.

During the “Eucharistic Prayer” the organist played the organ at a low volume during the entire prayer- elevating the volume at the “Christ has Died” part the people sing.

Was this allowed? I know at the TLM the Sanctus sometimes is long, and even though the Canon in the TLM is read silently so no one can hear it they stopped the singing at the “Hanc Igitur” and there was total silence from that moment until after the consecration of the chalice where they picked up from the Benedictus part of the Sanctus.

Also, we were given a sermon that seemed to attempt to prepare us for more lay involvement to do things the priest used to be only able to do, since the church is in such a vocations crisis.

Funny at my TLM parish there exists no “vocations crisis” for we have had several young men go to seminary, FSSP seminary. We also have not one “Eucharistic minister” as the priest today incorrectly referred to them.

Ken

 

[Servulus]

Music is not permitted during the Eucharistic Prayer. Your instinct was correct.

 

[cue]

No 78 from the General Instruction of the Roman Missal:

The Eucharistic Prayer demands that all listen to it with reverence and in silence.

 

[Cavaille-Coll]

I have suffered through certain musical settings of Mass parts (often in a phony southern gospel style) where the musicians are playing soft “mood music” during the Consecration, and it is distracting to no end. I have heard this done in Mexico, even in the Basilica of Guadalupe, where the organist played softly throughout the Eucharistic prayer at some Masses. Also, at some charismatic Masses, people will start speaking in tongues at this point. The only things that should be making any noise at the Consecration are bells.

 

[Unfinished]

The only things that should be making any noise at the Consecration are bells.

AAAAAmen.

Of course, if you are lucky enough to have bells.

I was not at my regular parish a few weeks ago because I was with a seminarian friend. I asked the priest since my buddy and I had some Sanctus bells on us, if we could ring them during the consecration. He looked me square in the eyes, got this look of frustration on his face and said “No” and walked away.

I’ll never understand some of these guys.

 

[MichiganTrumbul]

Greetings!

Consider the following from “Redemtionis Sacramentum”:

“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’, except for the people’s acclamations that have been duly approved, as described below.”
Redemptionis Sacramentum, Paragraph 53

This paragraph cites a paragraph from the General Instruction of the Roman Missal:

“The nature of the ‘presidential’ texts demands that they be spoken in a loud and clear voice and that everyone listen with attention. 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.”
General Instruction of the Roman Missal, Paragraph 32.

We may add to this Cue’s citation from the General Instruction of the Roman Missal:

“Now the center and summit of the entire celebration begins: namely, the Eucharistic Prayer, that is, the prayer of thanksgiving and sanctification. The priest invites the people to lift up their hearts to the Lord in prayer and thanksgiving; he unites the congregation with himself in the prayer that he addresses in the name of the entire community to God the Father through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, the meaning of the Prayer is that the entire congregation of the faithful should join itself with Christ in confessing the great deeds of God and in the offering of Sacrifice. The Eucharistic Prayer demands that all listen to it with reverence and in silence.”
General Instruction of the Roman Missal, Paragraph 78.

This seems to make it quite clear that, except during the Memorial Acclamation and the Great Amen, there is absolutely no musical accompaniment to the priest proclaiming the Eucharistic Prayer.

On a final note, understand that the priest may say, sing, or chant the Eucharistic Prayer.

MT

 

[Cat]

This is just a thought. May or may not be the case.

According to our parish music minister and director of liturgy, non-Catholics can be utilized as cantors and to play instruments.

There is a HUGE shortage of organists and keyboardists in the U.S. According to one Music Minister that I talked to, 125 parishes in our state have absolutely NO keyboardist.

Kids just aren’t learning to play the piano like they used to! That’s another thread!

The fact is, many Catholic churches hire non-Catholic organists or pianists.

Of course, these musicians should learn the correct procedures for playing a Catholic mass. Someone should impart this information to them. They can get the general idea from reading the mass liturgy in the hymnal, but it’s better if a priest or liturgical director explains it to them, and makes it clear that during certain parts of mass, silence is the rule.

In almost all evangelical Protestant churches, silence is not common. I grew up playing piano in Protestant churches, and I learned from an early age to “noodle around” during prayers, Communion, even during announcments!"

So, it’s possible that the organist in the OP was new, perhaps a non-Catholic hired to fill in for an ill organist, and that he/she didn’t realize the rules of the liturgy. They weren’t playing during the prayer to be rude or distracting, but because that’s what they’ve always done at Protestant churches, and they thought that it was done that way at Catholic churches, too.

The tricky thing is for someone in the parish, probably the priest, to talk to the organist and let them know the procedure, but do it in such a kind way that the organist doesn’t get offended. If this happens, the church may be blacklisted, and NO pianist or organist in the area will be willing to play there again.

Actually the real answer is for parents to commit to having at least one of their children learn to play piano/organ,which means a lot of years of money and time, and putting up with a lot of tears from a discouraged child. My father actually sat down with me at the piano and told me that I should never give up but just keep practicing. I’m SO glad he didn’t just let me quit like I wanted to! Nowadays, he would probably be accused of child abuse for forcing a child to do something she didn’t want to do!

And be sure to hire a piano/organ teacher that supports your child playing in Church, and who will actually train your child to play in church, not just for a concert stage. A lot of music teachers won’t allow their students to play for church, because they think it distracts from serious music. Thank goodness MY piano teacher was a church organist herself, and to her, the entire reason for playing piano was to glorify God!

Finally, look for a parish that will allow your child to play in church when they are still young. I started playing in church when I was 12. I wasn’t very skilled, but I could play, and the church was patient with me. Now I am very skilled. The kid needs to start somewhere. Perhaps a children’s mass is a good place to start. Or let the kid play for one or two songs in the adult mass, and then let the regular pianist/organist take over. But somehow, get them started playing in church when they are YOUNG. Then they will have a “job” in the church, a “place”. They will feel needed, and will be more likely to stay involved with church.

 

[Cavaille-Coll]

Not to hijack this thread, but many young people who are curious about the organ are turned away by musicians or choir directors who fear that they will damage the instrument or change their capture settings. I have been a parish organist for almost twenty years, and some churches are so proprietary about their organs that they won’t even let me try it out.

Back to the thread, the liturgy does not belong to the priest or the musician, but the Church. Just as a policeman enforces the law but cannot add to nor subtract from it, priests and lay ministers have no authority to alter the liturgy, even if something like mood music seems like a good “pastoral” idea.

 

[davy39]

It seems to me that this comes from the idea that the music directors think that there has to be music or singing or both going on during the whole Mass, with no time for silent reflection. This is the fault of the priest for allowing it. It is really bad at a neighboring parish. I can’t understand why this is allowed to go on.

 

[Cavaille-Coll]

It seems to me that this comes from the idea that the music directors think that there has to be music or singing or both going on during the whole Mass, with no time for silent reflection. This is the fault of the priest for allowing it. It is really bad at a neighboring parish. I can’t understand why this is allowed to go on.

Many of the crazy ideas put forth by music directors, cantors, and instumentalists are gleaned from liturgical music workshops (there is an old thread on this), most of which seem to have an “us versus them” attitude toward pastors and liturgical norms.