Priest sung the Eucharistic Prayer today at mass and it was beautiful!

[fille_francais]

The bishop has assigned a new priest to our parish temporarily. He was full of life!! My children actually listened to his homily and where awed by him.

When he got to the Eucharistic prayer, he sung it. It was absolutely beautiful!! This is the first tiime I have heard the Eucharistic prayer sung.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

When I was a kid the entire Mass was sung. It’s the sole thing I miss the most about Mass now. When I started attending the TLM, hearing the chants again, except in Latin, is one of my favorite parts.

 

[Splagchnizomai]

More singing and chanting! Yes!

 

[liturgyluver]

That’s the way it should be done on Sundays, but so few of our priests have the ability or inclination to do this.

 

[fille_francais]

That’s the way it should be done on Sundays, but so few of our priests have the ability or inclination to do this.

I didn’t know that!! I suppose the ability to sing does help. Our regular parish priest can’t sing lol!!

 

[YoungTradCath]

That’s the way it should be done on Sundays, but so few of our priests have the ability or inclination to do this.

I don’t know if I would attribute it to ability. I think anyone, even the most tone-deaf, can sing on one note.

 

[SMHW]

I don’t know if I would attribute it to ability. I think anyone, even the most tone-deaf, can sing on one note.

I don’t know about that. Staying on the same note without dropping the pitch is difficult. It’s actually easier for most people when the note changes.

I’ve known plenty of people who can sing just fine if they are in a choir and have others to support them. But when they are alone (especially if there is no musical accompaniment which should be the case for the Eucharistic Prayer) they simply cannot find and/or maintain the right tone.

Call me critical, but in my 50+ years I have heard very few priests or deacons who could carry off singing/chanting without making people wince. I’ve heard plenty where I just want to tell them to give it up and just recite the words. Fortunately our current pastor has a wonderful voice. Unfortunately he’s the first one for whom I’ve had this opinion.

Believe me… I’d love to hear more singing/chanting by the clergy. But I really, really dislike poor chanting.

 

[ProVobis]

I didn’t know that!! I suppose the ability to sing does help. Our regular parish priest can’t sing lol!!

Singing in Latin is probably easier for some priests than reciting it. English not so much. You don’t have to worry about pronunciations and syllable emphasis that much when singing in Latin. One of the reasons why many priests used to love to “say” the High Mass, except that the Canon of the Mass (or EP1) was supposed to be said in a low tone.

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

I don’t know if I would attribute it to ability. I think anyone, even the most tone-deaf, can sing on one note.

I do recall one priest who really was tone deaf and couldn’t sing on one note. The sound…

 

[OraLabora]

Singing recto-tono and staying on the same note does indeed require practice, and is harder than chanting a melody.

I am spoiled though, I go to Mass at a Benedictine abbey and the entire Mass is chanted every single day. Of course, they use more ornate tones on Sundays and feasts.

However, I also love a quiet, spoken early morning weekday Mass.

 

[liturgyluver]

This is something that the Ordinariate could help with: I have noticed that Anglicans almost always sing the full Eucharistic Prayer, the opening and post - communion prayers and generally do so impeccably.

I agree with previous posters that it’s too painful to listen to if the priest can’t sing - much better to say the prayer than have everyone wincing.