Why do Priests sing/talk during the liturgy?

[dje101]

Why is it that priests do a type of sing/speaking during the liturgy?

 

[Corki]

Why is it that priests do a type of sing/speaking during the liturgy?

Do you mean chant? I think it comes from the time when there was a high Mass and a low Mass. At a high Mass, everything is sung. Even though we don’t use the high/low connotation for the OF Mass, many priests chant the more formal liturgies.

 

[dje101]

Do you mean chant? I think it comes from the time when there was a high Mass and a low Mass. At a high Mass, everything is sung. Even though we don’t use the high/low connotation for the OF Mass, many priests chant the more formal liturgies.

So is this the mandatory thing to do? I’ve heard priests on the radio do this singing thing throughout the liturgy, but the priest at my girlfriend’s parish doesn’t do it.

 

[Corki]

So is this the mandatory thing to do? I’ve heard priests on the radio do this singing thing throughout the liturgy, but the priest at my girlfriend’s parish doesn’t do it.

No, it’s not mandetory. Some priests never chant. Some chant at most Masses.

 

[JonNC]

So is this the mandatory thing to do? I’ve heard priests on the radio do this singing thing throughout the liturgy, but the priest at my girlfriend’s parish doesn’t do it.

It might, in part, have something to do with the way they perceive their singing ability.

Jon

 

[pablope]

Why is it that priests do a type of sing/speaking during the liturgy?

There are some masses, I think called High Mass, that would require this. Example would be the installation/elevation of a bishop, archbishop or cardinal, ordination of a priest, etc.

 

[3Sanctus]

Actually, the Vatican II says that Gregorian chant - as well as Latin - should have “pride of place” within the Mass. The Novus Ordo Missae isn’t exempt from this, so chant should be a real aspect of any Mass said, regardless of whether it is OF and EF.

 

[rick43235]

It might, in part, have something to do with the way they perceive their singing ability.

I think this is at least partially true. Our regular priest always chants the mass. We had a substitute priest recently who didn’t chant a word of it. I was wondering about this until the recessional hymn was sung. I was sitting on the main aisle and could hear him sing as he passed by.

Ouch!

 

[EricFilmer]

Why is it that priests do a type of sing/speaking during the liturgy?

Judeo-Christianity has a long history of expressing prayer through singing. Consider, for example, that the Psalms were originally written as songs. I think the basic idea is that if we take the time, attention and energy to sing a prayer, we give it greater emphasis and, in so doing, express that it has a very special significance. In light of this, there is an old Christian expression, “He who sings prays twice.” It is incorrectly attributed to St. Augustine, who actually said, “Singing belongs to one who loves”. In any event, St. Augustine was not the origin of chanting during the Mass; Christians were chanting prayers long before him (some parts of Paul’s epistles are believed to be chants of the ancient Church), and Jews have been chanting prayers throughout their own faith history.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Its the ancient way to do prayers. If you look at Eastern Christians both Catholic and Orthodox, their liturgies are all sung/chanted. They have mostly preserved their Liturgies from over 1000 years ago. Even Muslims chant. Thats how prayers were in the middle east back then.

 

[TheMc]

As one poster said above, gregorian chant has the pride of place in the roman rite, so while some posters may disagree with me, it is clearly wrong to abandon all chant. There should be at least some chant in the Mass.

 

[MarkThompson]

As one poster said above, gregorian chant has the pride of place in the roman rite, so while some posters may disagree with me, it is clearly wrong to abandon all chant. There should be at least some chant in the Mass.

Not in every Mass, though. The large majority of Masses before the Council had no chant whatsoever – vernacular hymns, maybe, if you were lucky – so absolutism is a real stretch here. The idea that “if you go to Mass and there is no chant, then something has gone wrong – probably abuse” would be a real surprise to anybody in, say, 1940.

 

[pnewton]

It might, in part, have something to do with the way they perceive their singing ability.

I have always admired my priest. He is not the best singer, but by golly when singing is called for, he always gives it his best, as well as sing the hymns. He can hold a melody, but it is clear that the priesthood was his best calling. Our newest deacon is still learning this. This Sunday, when the dismissal is sung, he spoke it. The priest jumped in and sung it to correct it. Oh well. I am sure he too will learn to do his best.

 

[TheMc]

Not in every Mass, though. The large majority of Masses before the Council had no chant whatsoever – vernacular hymns, maybe, if you were lucky – so absolutism is a real stretch here. The idea that “if you go to Mass and there is no chant, then something has gone wrong – probably abuse” would be a real surprise to anybody in, say, 1940.

I didn’t mean to be that absolute. What I was thinking when I typed post number 11 is that chant should be used frequently, particularly at Sunday Masses. This doesn’t only mean the choir singing from the graduale, but also the celebrant should try to chant at least some of his parts if possible (such as the dialogs: introductory, pre-gospel, at the preface, etc…). Not even necessarily always, but frequently, if possible.

I guess you haven’t figured out how to read my mind yet, so I’ll actually have to type what I’m thinking next time.