Silent Priestly Prayers

[RaphaelJ]

Ever since coming back from an EF Mass and studying the rubrics of Eastern Catholic Divine Liturgies, I notice that both have a large amount of silent prayers. I also notice some silent prayers said by the priest in the OF Mass. What are the origins of silent prayers and the theological significance if any?

 

[PietroPaolo]

I’ll let someone else, with more historical knowledge of the liturgy, answer your first question. The theological significance lies in the fact that the priest is praying to God on behalf of the people. He is not putting on a show for the people or praying to them. Thus, they don’t need to hear what Father is saying anymore than you would need to hear a prayer I offered for you to God. Theologically the silent prayers reinforce the unique role of the priest and the the Mass as Sacrifice to God. Praying everything aloud doesn’t contradict this, but can lead to a view of the Mass as a didactic exercise rather than a sacrificial offering.

 

[ProVobis]

I’ll let someone else, with more historical knowledge of the liturgy, answer your first question. The theological significance lies in the fact that the priest is praying to God on behalf of the people. He is not putting on a show for the people or praying to them. Thus, they don’t need to hear what Father is saying anymore than you would need to hear a prayer I offered for you to God. Theologically the silent prayers reinforce the unique role of the priest and the the Mass as Sacrifice to God. Praying everything aloud doesn’t contradict this, but can lead to a view of the Mass as a didactic exercise rather than a sacrificial offering.

Good synopsis.

This is what Trent stated in Session 22:

CHAPTER V.
On the solemn ceremonies of the Sacrifice of the Mass.

And whereas such is the nature of man, that, without external helps, he cannot easily be raised to the meditation of divine things; therefore has holy Mother Church instituted certain rites, to wit that certain things be pronounced in the mass in a low, and others in a louder, tone. She has likewise employed ceremonies, such as mystic benedictions, lights, incense, vestments, and many other things of this kind, derived from an apostolical discipline and tradition, whereby both the majesty of so great a sacrifice might be recommended, and the minds of the faithful be excited, by those visible signs of religion and piety, to the contemplation of those most sublime things which are hidden in this sacrifice.

 

[G_S]

There are still “silent” prayer in the Liturgy; i.e. even in the Ordinary Form. The prayer the deacon or priest says before proclaiming the Gospel and upon concluding it are silent. The prayer the deacon or the priest says while mingling the water and wine is also silent. The Offertory Prayers – the Prayers at the Preparation of the Gifts – should normally be prayed silently. In the case of the Mingling and Offertory prayers, the prayers should be audible to the person reciting it – maybe said even a bit more quietly than what could be called sotto voce. It makes sense to say all of them in Latin.

 

[Gorgias]

There are still “silent” prayer in the Liturgy; i.e. even in the Ordinary Form. The prayer the deacon or priest says before proclaiming the Gospel and upon concluding it are silent. The prayer the deacon or the priest says while mingling the water and wine is also silent. The Offertory Prayers – the Prayers at the Preparation of the Gifts – should normally be prayed silently. In the case of the Mingling and Offertory prayers, the prayers should be audible to the person reciting it – maybe said even a bit more quietly than what could be called sotto voce.

‘Silent’ and ‘audible to oneself only’ are distinct and different, wouldn’t you say?

The Missal calls for some of these to be said ‘in a low voice’ or ‘quietly’. In the case of the ‘offertory prayers’, the Missal explicitly mentions that if there isn’t singing going on at the time, the priest may say these prayers aloud, and the congregation responds.

It makes sense to say all of them in Latin.

Does the Missal call for that?

 

[Errham]

What you must understand, and it is critical to understand, is that Mass is not only group worship. For the priest, acting in persona Christi, it’s a very personal thing as well. God has found him worthy to essentially offer up the sacraments on behalf of his congregation, and that is no small responsibility. The Shepard both prays for the welfare of his flock, and thanks God for the responsibility of having his flock. But the Priest does so much more than this; he literally offers up Jesus himself for the welfare of his flock.

It would do people much spiritual good to realize as well that Mass is a time for personal prayer as much as it is for corporate one. All of those pauses, those silent periods, exist for a reason.

 

[G_S]

For the Collect the statement is made in the rubrics: “Et omnes una cum sacerdote per aliquod spatium in silentio orant.” This would be in silence. This is also the rubric for the Prayer after Communion unless silence had already been observed after Communion.

To request the blessing before the Gospel, the deacon asks “submissa voce.” With a subdued voice. The priest then gives the blessing “submissa voce.”

If there is no deacon to proclaim the Gospel, the priest asks for God’s blessing, “ante altare inclinatus secreto dicit.” In secret is not exactly the same thing as silence but would indicate an even more subdued voice than submissa voce.

After the people respond to the proclamation of the Gospel,the deacon or priest “dicens secreto” Per evangelica dicta deleantur nostra delicta." “Secreto” probably means more than “in silentio” but not in a way that is audible to the congregation.

The prayer for the Preparation of the Gifts are said “submissa voce.” The rubrics indicate that, if a hymn is not sung at the Offertory, that the priest is permitted (licet) to offer the prayers in an elevated voice (elata voce) and that the people can acclaim, “Blessed be God forever.” This language exhibits some preference for a song being sung and the prayers being said in a subdued voice. The prayers would be audible to the priest and, possibly, the deacon.

The deacon or the priest mingles the water and wine and says secretly (dicens secreto) the prescribed words. The official English translation is “saying quietly.” Not quite the same thing as silence in the absolute sense.

At the mingling of the Consecrated Species, the priest “dicens secreto” (“saying quietly”) the prescribed words. This would not be complete silence but, probably, audible to him alone.

Before receiving the Eucharist, the priest says one of two prayers, “dicit seceto” (“says quietly”.)

The priest or the deacon, during the purification of the paten and chalice “dicit secreto” (“says quietly”) the prescribed prayer.

 

[ProVobis]

For the Collect the statement is made in the rubrics: “Et omnes una cum sacerdote per aliquod spatium in silentio orant.” This would be in silence. This is also the rubric for the Prayer after Communion unless silence had already been observed after Communion.

To request the blessing before the Gospel, the deacon asks “submissa voce.” With a subdued voice. The priest then gives the blessing “submissa voce.”

If there is no deacon to proclaim the Gospel, the priest asks for God’s blessing, “ante altare inclinatus secreto dicit.” In secret is not exactly the same thing as silence but would indicate an even more subdued voice than submissa voce.

After the people respond to the proclamation of the Gospel,the deacon or priest “dicens secreto” Per evangelica dicta deleantur nostra delicta." “Secreto” probably means more than “in silentio” but not in a way that is audible to the congregation.

The prayer for the Preparation of the Gifts are said “submissa voce.” The rubrics indicate that, if a hymn is not sung at the Offertory, that the priest is permitted (licet) to offer the prayers in an elevated voice (elata voce) and that the people can acclaim, “Blessed be God forever.” This language exhibits some preference for a song being sung and the prayers being said in a subdued voice. The prayers would be audible to the priest and, possibly, the deacon.

The deacon or the priest mingles the water and wine and says secretly (dicens secreto) the prescribed words. The official English translation is “saying quietly.” Not quite the same thing as silence in the absolute sense.

At the mingling of the Consecrated Species, the priest “dicens secreto” (“saying quietly”) the prescribed words. This would not be complete silence but, probably, audible to him alone.

Before receiving the Eucharist, the priest says one of two prayers, “dicit seceto” (“says quietly”.)

The priest or the deacon, during the purification of the paten and chalice “dicit secreto” (“says quietly”) the prescribed prayer.

Good observations.

 

[Gorgias]

For the Collect the statement is made in the rubrics: “Et omnes una cum sacerdote per aliquod spatium in silentio orant.” This would be in silence.

Yes; following the invitation “let us pray”, the priest and the congregation each (individually) pray in silence. This isn’t the subject at hand, though, as I understand it; rather, the subject is whether there are particular prayers in the Missal that are to be prayed silently.

This is also the rubric for the Prayer after Communion unless silence had already been observed after Communion.

Yes, but again, there is no prescribed prayer, which is what it seems the current question is.

“submissa voce.”
“secreto dicit.”
“dicens secreto”

Yes, but none of these examples are ‘silent’. Earlier, you asserted, “There are still ‘silent’ prayer in the Liturgy”, pointing to these which you now agree are simply ‘quiet’…

 

[ProVobis]

Yes, but none of these examples are ‘silent’. Earlier, you asserted, “There are still ‘silent’ prayer in the Liturgy”, pointing to these which you now agree are simply ‘quiet’…

Depends on how you translate the Latin, I would think. AFAIK, there are at least three levels of amplitude in the instructions; one can argue that the lowest should be completely inaudible, or that the speaker merely moves his lips while following the text. Another level could be somewhat in a whisper. Another could mean loud enough to be heard in a small room without the microphones, etc. But there are no tight rules on this, merely that there are different levels of amplitude involved, unlike what most of us are accustomed to when hearing the Mass these days with plenty of amplification for the entire Mass.

 

[babochka]

Ever since coming back from an EF Mass and studying the rubrics of Eastern Catholic Divine Liturgies, I notice that both have a large amount of silent prayers. I also notice some silent prayers said by the priest in the OF Mass. What are the origins of silent prayers and the theological significance if any?

I can’t really speak for the history of the Mass, but in the Divine Liturgy there have been silent prayers since at least the 6th century. A commonly held opinion is that they were prayed “in secret” (and covered by choir/congregational singing) for practical reasons: to not unduly prolong the liturgy, because the voice of the priest could not be heard anyway, etc.

Often, theological explanations develop after the fact for changes that occured for practical, not theological, reasons.

 

[G_S]

I looked through the Missale Romanum – the Mass in the Extraordinary Form – and none of the prayers were to be said in silentio. The quietest level is secreto. A priest ordained in 1966 who is still quite conversant in Latin (He still can crack jokes in the language.) said that they were told that they were to move their lips in forming each Latin word said secreto and were to say them in a quiet whisper. At times, a more elevated tone is to be used and this would be noted in the rubrics or in the instruction preceding the liturgical text. This general outline applies to the “Low” Mass (Missa lecta). In the High Mass or Solemn High Mass, some prayers are sung that would be inaudible in the Low Mass.

I think we’re getting unnecessarily hung up on the meaning of the word “silent.” None of the prayers in the EF were rubrically silent but, in respect to the congregation and for all practical purposes were silent. By this measure, the Ordinary Form still has silent prayers; i.e. the congregation cannot hear them and even the servers would barely notice them. At times, this rubric is ignored as when the deacon or priest says in an elevated voice, “Through the mystery of this water and wine…”

The above mentioned priest was the one who told me that, in regard to the prayers still said secreto that, “We really should be saying them in Latin.” Four comments: He is not by any means a traditionalist priest but does cherish the liturgical heritage of the Church. I readily acknowledge that this statement was not authoritative. A priest of our diocese who was one of the chancellors for a while and who is a nationally known canon lawyer says them in Latin. As a deacon, I say the parts that pertain to the deacon that are said in secreto in Latin.

 

[Gorgias]

I think we’re getting unnecessarily hung up on the meaning of the word “silent.”

I think you may be correct.

None of the prayers in the EF were rubrically silent but, in respect to the congregation and for all practical purposes were silent. By this measure, the Ordinary Form still has silent prayers; i.e. the congregation cannot hear them and even the servers would barely notice them.

In other words, not ‘silent’ but rather, simply ‘not heard by others’.

 

[G_S]

In other words, not ‘silent’ but rather, simply ‘not heard by others’.

And there was certainly a lot more of that in the old days.