Question about Psalms

[cm1512]

Our music director writes the responsorial psalm every week (not sure if she follows the Missal)

Later in the Mass during the offertory the cantor sings another responsorial psalm…is this allowed?

 

[BartholomewB]

I don’t know whether it’s allowed — I look forward to seeing your question answered on this thread. Even if it’s not allowed, I imagine it probably ranks as a less serious offense than changing the words of the readings, which I have noticed from time to time in Mass, if only because the words of the responsorial psalms are already a very free abridgment and adaptation of the Biblical psalms.

 

[Francis]

Can the Sunday responsorial Psalms be changed at the discretion of the cantor or priest?

No one has the authority to make unapproved changes in the liturgy. Nor can a hymn be substituted for a responsorial Psalm. The General Instruction of the Roman...

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No one has the authority to make unapproved changes in the liturgy. Nor can a hymn be substituted for a responsorial Psalm. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal clearly states that “Songs or hymns may not be used in place of the responsorial Psalm” (GIRM 61).

The Code of Canon Law says:

In celebrating the sacraments the liturgical books approved by competent authority are to be observed faithfully; accordingly, no one is to add, omit, or alter anything in them on one’s own authority. The minister is to celebrate the sacraments according to the minister’s own rite. (CIC 846 §1-2)

 

[OraLabora]

In the offertory there is more wiggle room for different music. In the Roman Gradual, both pre- and post- conciliar versions, the offertory antiphon is almost always psalm or other scripture verses. In fact virtually the entire propers of the Mass are psalm and scripture verses.

So yes I believe this is acceptable, especially if the same verses are taken as in the Roman Gradual.

 

[HeDa]

It is allowed to sing another responsorial psalm during the offertory or during Communion. Our cantor sings #23 or the Magnificat in Latin during some Masses when those would be highly suited. It would not be called the Responsorial psalm though.

When there has been a new translation of the big Missal book it usually takes some time before the Reading books are translated as well. Or if there is a new saint in the diocese or for the whole Church then the readings for the saint would not be included in the physical book until the next printing but the Bible would be used instead or the readings would be printed on paper and put in the Reading book.

Sometimes there are up to three different sets of readings the priest can choose from ie ordinary time, a saint or a martyr. The alternatives are in the book Ordo that the diocese prints every year.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

In the US, the Responsorial Psalm does not have to be taken from the day’s lectionary verbatim if there’s an acceptable substitute for good pastoral reason. It must be Biblical text, though, and looks like it needs Bishop’s approval.

See GIRM # 57 and 61 (a portion of the latter here):
“In the Dioceses of the United States of America, instead of the Psalm assigned in the Lectionary, there may be sung either the Responsorial Gradual from the Graduale Romanum, or the Responsorial Psalm or the Alleluia Psalm from the Graduale Simplex, as described in these books, or an antiphon and Psalm from another collection of Psalms and antiphons, including Psalms arranged in metrical form, providing that they have been approved by the Conference of Bishops or the Diocesan Bishop. Songs or hymns may not be used in place of the Responsorial Psalm.”

 

[OraLabora]

It should be pointed out that the offertory music can licitly be taken from the Simple Gradual (Graduale Simplex). In that book, the Offertory is, in fact, an antiphon and psalm.