Question regarding "Women in the sanctuary" in the Musicam Sacram

[Sarabande]

I was reading through the Musicam Sacram this evening and saw this in number 23. It was actually the first time I remember reading this in the document, or maybe I just never paid attention to it before:

1. Taking into account the layout of each church, the choir should be placed in such a way:

(a) That its nature should be clearly apparent-namely, that it is a part of the whole congregation, and that it fulfills a special role;

(b) That it is easier for it to fulfill its liturgical function;20

(c) That each of its members may be able to participate easily in the Mass, that is to say by sacramental participation.

**
Whenever the choir also includes women, it should be placed outside the sanctuary (presbyterium).**

I know that the Musicam Sacram was from 1967, so is this still supposed to hold true today? And if so, does this only apply to female choir members, or would that also include female cantors and even female EMHCs?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Sarabande]

Bump…

What is the Church’s stance on this now? I mean, I know that we do now see women up there in the sanctuary, either as a cantor, in choirs that are situated up front, etc, but officially, are we actually supposed to be following what was written? Basically no females singers in the sanctuary?

I ask this question because I am a cantor and wondering if it is right for me to be up there in the sanctuary, especially if there is something like this written in the Musicam Sacram.

 

[passus]

First and foremost, it is important to understand that later legislation supersedes prior legislation in matters like these.

Now, there are a couple ways we could go about answering this question. I do not know which is the easiest, but one way is to interpret the present liturgical law through other liturgical law.

According to the “General Introduction to the Lectionary” (Second edition, 1981):The responsorial psalm is sung or recited by the psalmist or cantor at the ambo (22).

ewtn.com/library/CURIA/CDWLECT.HTM
This directive is affirmed in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal which states:[T]he psalmist, or the cantor of the Psalm, sings the verses of the Psalm from the
ambo or another suitable place (61).

usccb.org/liturgy/current/chapter2.shtml#sect3b
Now that we know the duties of the cantor, we can look at the Code of Canon Law, which describes the liturgical roles which the faithful may fulfill. The Code reads:Lay persons can fulfill the function of lector in liturgical actions by temporary designation. All lay persons can also perform the functions of commentator or cantor, or other functions, according to the norm of law (230 §2).

vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__PV.HTM
Just to re-iterate, the Code of Canon Law says that “all lay persons” (that, by nature, includes women lay persons) may perform the function of cantor “according to the norm of the law.” Well, the “norm of the law” regarding cantors states that a cantor must proclaim the psalm from the ambo. Therefore, you, as a cantor, have every right and duty to fulfill that norm by entering the sanctuary to proclaim the psalm from the ambo.

I realize that the only reason you, as a woman, would probably have to enter the sanctuary would be as a cantor proclaiming the psalm, but there are other reasons women would need to be allowed into the sanctuary as well. Consider this line from the Code of Canon Law:When the need of the Church warrants it and ministers are lacking, lay persons, even if they are not lectors or acolytes, can also supply certain of their duties, namely, to exercise the ministry of the word, to preside offer liturgical prayers, to confer baptism, and to distribute Holy Communion, according to the prescripts of the law (230 §3).

(See above for link.)
According to that canon, “lay persons” (the text does not specify with regard to men or women, so we can rightly assume that it refers to all lay persons) may distribute Holy Communion. The duty of the lay person distributing Holy Communion would require entrance to the sanctuary as well. Hence, women distributing Holy Communion would need to enter the sanctuary.

Let’s consider the issue of female altar servers. According to Redemptionis Sacramentum:Girls or women may also be admitted to this service of the altar, at the discretion of the diocesan Bishop and in observance of the established norms (47).

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html
Surely, female altar servers would need entrance to the sanctuary in order to fulfill their duties as altar severs. More women in the sanctuary.

(Continued below…)

 

[passus]

*(…Continued from above)

*So far, what we have seen are several liturgical roles which women are permitted to fulfill which also, by their nature, normatively require entrance to the sanctuary. Therefore, I think that it is safe to conclude that women are indeed allowed to enter the sanctuary. You have nothing to worry about.

I offer you as well the words of Sara Butler, from her book The Catholic Priesthood and Women.
The Advancement of Women in Liturgical Ministries
The question of whether girls and women may be allowed to function as altar severs is related to this. There was an initial hesitation after the Council about admitting women to the liturgical functions belonging to the baptized, a hesitation surely due to the long tradition of reserving ministry in the sanctuary to men. When women were first appointed as readers, commentators, and cantors, they were required to stand outside the sanctuary, and several instructions were issued prohibiting women and girls from serving at the altar.

Gradually, however, as the service of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion was expanded to include administering the chalice at Mass and taking the Eucharist to the sick in hospitals and in their homes, women who exercised this role had the occasion to enter the sanctuary to approach the altar (32-33).
I hope that helps. God bless you as you serve the Lord in your ministry.

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

As the above post notes, the initial permissions expanding lay ministry had provisos that if women were extraordinarily to exercise certain ministries they were not to do so within the sanctuary. The legislation has since changed.

 

[Sarabande]

Thank you to both. I had a feeling that was probably the case, but wanted to be sure because I didn’t want to be partaking in something that was wrong. And since I did not have the time to do the research myself, I knew I’d find someone on here who would have the information readily available.

 

[John_Lilburne]

The 1975 General Instruction of the Roman Missal had:
“70. Laymen, even if they have not received institution as ministers, may perform all the functions below those reserved to deacons. At the discretion of the rector of the church, women may be appointed to ministries that are performed outside the sanctuary.
The conference of bishops may permit qualified women to proclaim the readings before the gospel and to announce the intentions of the general intercessions. The conference may also more precisely designate a suitable place for a woman to proclaim the word of God in the liturgical assembly. [Footnote 55: See Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship, Instr. Liturgicae instaurationes, 5 Sept. 1970, no. 7.]” (From Roman Missal, Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, 1985, page 30.)

The 2002 GIRM has, instead:
“107. The liturgical duties that are not proper to the priest or the deacon and are listed above (cf. nos. 100-106) may also be entrusted by a liturgical blessing or a temporary deputation to suitable lay persons chosen by the pastor or rector of the church. [Footnote 89: Cf. Pontifical Commission for interpreting legal texts, response to dubium regarding can. 230 § 2: AAS 86 (1994), p. 541.] All should observe the norms established by the Bishop for his diocese regarding the office of those who serve the priest at the altar.”
(This GIRM can be looked up at romanrite.com/girm.html ).