"Singing" the Consecration?

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Just out of curiosity, is it liturgically ok for a priest to “sing” the Consecration to a tune (apparently) of his own? Our priest does that and I have to say that I’m not too crazy about it…sounds a little bit like a 2nd rate lullaby…and I can’t get it out of my head! If it’s not ok, how…“un-ok” is it??

Wish he put that much effort into his stream of conciousness Homilies.
 
I don’t think that is allowed. The Neocatechumenal Way, I believe, MIGHT sing the Eucharistic Prayer with the Priest strumming a guitar, putting it only down for the Consecration, which he still sings.

Rome, however, might have told them to put a stop to this, but I am not sure.

I have never seen a Neocatechumenal Way Mass, or any other event put on by them, but I have read acounts of them online.

I certainly hope that Rome quickly puts a stop to their abuses, which are many.
 
We have a dominican friar who runs our campus chapel, he is very orthodox and he sings the eucharistic prayer, sometimes chanted sometimes with a tune. never with musical accompaniment.
 
There’s nothing wrong with the priest singing the Eucharistic Prayer. But it should be unaccompanied with the possible exception of an occasional instrumental note to help him stay on pitch.
As far as I know there are no regulations as to who composes the melody, the priest himself or someone else.
 
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MarkR:
Just out of curiosity, is it liturgically ok for a priest to “sing” the Consecration to a tune (apparently) of his own? Our priest does that and I have to say that I’m not too crazy about it…sounds a little bit like a 2nd rate lullaby…and I can’t get it out of my head! If it’s not ok, how…“un-ok” is it??

Wish he put that much effort into his stream of conciousness Homilies.
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it is actually chanted, not sung, and yes it is okay to chant all or part of the Eucharistic prayer, in fact it is preferred for solemnities. there is no musical accompaniment (except for the dialogue parts like before the Preface and the mystery of faith) although the organist might sound the proper beginning note for the priest.
 
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Brain:
We have a dominican friar who runs our campus chapel, he is very orthodox and he sings the eucharistic prayer, sometimes chanted sometimes with a tune. never with musical accompaniment.
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oh i forgot to mention that he has one of the most beautiful (male) voices i have ever heared.
 
This isn’t chanting Lol…it’s more like…Barry Manilow! That said there is no accompaniment. Well, from the above posts apparently it’s okay-liturgically ok that is. Musically ok is a different matter. He seems to enjoy it though, so…(rolls eyes).
 
What about the Mass of Creation? Our former pastor sang the entire eucharistic prayer, put to tune by MAss of creation at Easter a few years back. The organist accompanied him. Is this wrong?
 
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MarkR:
Just out of curiosity, is it liturgically ok for a priest to “sing” the Consecration to a tune (apparently) of his own? Our priest does that and I have to say that I’m not too crazy about it…sounds a little bit like a 2nd rate lullaby…and I can’t get it out of my head! If it’s not ok, how…“un-ok” is it??

Wish he put that much effort into his stream of conciousness Homilies.
Click to expand...
Yes it is ok if chanted. This was always done at the Seminary on Sundays and Solemnities.
 
i’m not so sure that the Mass of Creation is really a ‘chant’

is it?
 
Goodness gracious me…at least at the Tridentine Mass there is hardly ever an issue with the rubics because they are unchanging, no deviation for eccentricity.

The Mass is an offering not a concert.
 
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Melanie01:
Goodness gracious me…at least at the Tridentine Mass there is hardly ever an issue with the rubics because they are unchanging, no deviation for eccentricity.

The Mass is an offering not a concert.
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Agreed! My question is whether it’s just an annoying eccentricity or something that should be mentioned as being a violation of the Liturgy. I’m still not sure from the other posts. I’d drop it if it weren’t the Consecration!

I’ve heard (and very much like) the Consecration chanted and sung to traditional music. This seems to be…an original number. I’m not a “rules and regs” type by nature unless they’re important.
 
Haugen’s Mass of Creation is not chant. I’m not a big fan of Haugen or any of the sacro-pop composers. However, we had a young priest who COULD sing. The first time he sang the consecration, it was so beautiful it reduced the choir and many in the congregation to tears. It was so very poignant. Used sparingly and on appropriate ocassions - OK. However, given my druthers I’d prefer Hayden’s Creation Mass to Haugen’s any day.
 
I’m not sure, but I’ve heard that just as a priest is restricted to the available licit texts a priest is also restricted to approved music.

In other words I know priests can chant the mass but I believe they can not use any music they want. I think the particular music must be approved by the diocese.

Anyone else know for sure on this one? This would, if true, prevent your priest from making up his own tune.
 
*Redemptionis Sacramentum
  • 53. While the Priest proclaims the Eucharistic Prayer “there should be no other prayers or singing, and the organ or other musical instruments should be silent,”132 except for the people’s acclamations that have been duly approved, as described below.
    In the GIRM on the USCCB website…
    **147. **…It is very appropriate that the priest sing those parts of the Eucharistic Prayer for which musical notation is provided.
    I’m not entirely sure if this means that the notation must be provided or not.
 
Again in the GIRM
**393. **Bearing in mind the important place that singing has in a celebration as a necessary or integral part of the Liturgy,152 all musical settings of the texts for the people’s responses and acclamations in the Order of Mass and for special rites that occur in the course of the liturgical year must be submitted to the Secretariat for the Liturgy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for review and approval prior to publication.
 
matthias said:
*Redemptionis Sacramentum
  • 53. While the Priest proclaims the Eucharistic Prayer “there should be no other prayers or singing, and the organ or other musical instruments should be silent,”132 except for the people’s acclamations that have been duly approved, as described below.
    In the GIRM on the USCCB website…
    **147. **…It is very appropriate that the priest sing those parts of the Eucharistic Prayer for which musical notation is provided.
    I’m not entirely sure if this means that the notation must be provided or not.
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Our priest sings, “O come let us adore him” at the elevation of the host during the advent season. Some of the people join him in this. I have never seen this anywhere else.
 
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paramedicgirl:
Our priest sings, “O come let us adore him” at the elevation of the host during the advent season. Some of the people join him in this. I have never seen this anywhere else.
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I’m almost positive that this is a serious abuse. Again I’m no theologian or canon lawyer but as a junior newbie apologist I’m pretty sure this would be an abuse.

Any changes to the eucharistic prayer sounds like pretty serious matter.
 
sorry, never heard the Haugan Mass, he is banned here. there are of course many Mass settings in classical music, usually choral in nature, with provision for priest singing institution and Eucharistic prayer, but sadly we don’t hear them anymore.
 
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