Readings at Mass

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maggiec

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Why are the readings at mass sometimes different than what I have in my St Joseph’s missel? The responsorial psalm that was read at mass today was different than what I had in my missal, but the 1st & 2nd readings and the gospel were the same.

Maggie C
 
maggiec said:
Why are the readings at mass sometimes different than what I have in my St Joseph’s missel? The responsorial psalm that was read at mass today was different than what I had in my missal, but the 1st & 2nd readings and the gospel were the same.

Maggie C
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Other options are permitted.

“In the dioceses of the United States of America, the following may also be sung in place of the Psalm assigned in the Lectionary for Mass: either the proper or seasonal antiphon and Psalm from the Lectionary, as found either in the Roman Gradual or Simple Gradual or in another musical setting; or an antiphon and Psalm from another collection of the psalms and antiphons, including psalms arranged in metrical form, providing that they have been approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops or the Diocesan Bishop. Songs or hymns may not be used in place of the responsorial Psalm.”

GIRM 61

James
 
I’m not really familiar with the St. Joseph Missal. So my first question would be, is your missal up-to-date with the current Sunday Lectionary? If so, there are a couple of possibilities:
  • Occasionally, there is a choice of a couple of options for the Responsorial Psalm (or other readings). I don’t think that was the case today.
  • Sometimes there is a “seasonal” Responsorial Psalm that can be selected in lieu of the specific one designated for the day.
  • Some parishes take a lot of liberty in substituting a different psalm, a song that paraphrases the Responsorial Psalm, or even another song that has nothing to do with the given Responsorial Psalm, often for the convenience of the choir (because they “like it better,” or they think the congregation will “like it better”, or they don’t want to learn a new psalm every week). I am definitely not in favor of this practice, since the Responsorial Psalm is a required part of the liturgy just like the Gospel. (Our bishop has specifically forbidden such substitutes.)
 
Oops. I meant to include this from GIRM 61 as well:

“In order, however, that the people may be able to sing the Psalm response more readily, texts of some responses and Psalms have been chosen for the various seasons of the year or for the various categories of Saints. These may be used in place of the text corresponding to the reading whenever the Psalm is sung.”

James
 
I wonder if our parish is using an older version of the lectionary because I got online with the readings from the USCCB and the responsorial psalm is the same as in my missal. I guess I’ll have to ask about it at the next mass I attend.
Thanks for the information,
Maggie C
 
maggiec said:
I wonder if our parish is using an older version of the lectionary because I got online with the readings from the USCCB and the responsorial psalm is the same as in my missal. I guess I’ll have to ask about it at the next mass I attend.
Thanks for the information,
Maggie C
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As others have stated, your parish probably uses a ‘seasonal psalm’, rather than the psalm of the day. (If you sing the same psalm for several weeks in a row then it’s almost certain this is the case.) If St. Joseph missals even bother to include seasonal psalms you would probably have to hunt for them somewhere in an appendix.

To the best of my knowledge there is no listing of seasonal psalms on the USCCB site but the Archdiocese of Santa Fe lists them on its site (along with some contemporary settings which may or may not be appropriate for the Mass.)
archdiocesesantafe.org/Offices/Worship/Music/SeasonalPsalms.pdf
 
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