“the whole body of the faithful may be able to contribute
that active participation which is rightly theirs”
This is part 4 of 8 on Chapter VI “Sacred Music” taken from the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium solemnly promulgated by His Holiness Pope Paul VI on December 4, 1963. Please also read Vatican II and Sacred Music by Kurt Poterack, Ph.D found in the Spring 1999 issue of Sacred Music.
Liturgical worship is given a more noble form when the divine offices are celebrated solemnly in song, with the assistance of sacred ministers and the active participation of the people.[i]
What is necessary for a solemn Mass or solemn Liturgy of the Hours? There are three things necessary:
One, music;
Two, Sacred Ministers (deacons, acolytes, lectors, etc.);
Three, the active participation of the people.
In 1958 Pope Pius XII said that active participation of the faithful in a solemn Mass can be accomplished in three degrees. These degrees or hierarchy of importance were reiterated less than a decade later in the document Musicam Sacram [1967][ii]. These documents clearly state what should be sung when the Mass is sung.
“The distinction between solemn, sung and read Mass, sanctioned by the Instruction of 1958, is retained, according to the traditional liturgical laws at present in force. However, for the sung Mass (Missa cantata), different degrees of participation are put forward here for reasons of pastoral usefulness, so that it may become easier to make the celebration of Mass more beautiful by singing, according to the capabilities of each congregation.
These degrees are so arranged that the first may be used even by itself, but the second and third, wholly or partially, may never be used without the first. In this way the faithful will be continually led toward an ever greater participation in the singing.
The following belong to the first degree:
(a) In the entrance rites: the greeting of the priest together with the reply of the people; the prayer.
(b) In the Liturgy of the Word: the acclamations at the Gospel.
(c) In the Eucharistic Liturgy: the prayer over the offerings; the preface with its dialogue and the Sanctus; the final doxology of the Canon, the Lord's Prayer with its introduction and embolism; the Pax Domini; the prayer after the Communion; the formulas of dismissal.
The following belong to the second degree:
(a) the Kyrie, Gloria and Agnus Dei;
(b) the Creed;
(c) the prayer of the faithful.
The following belong to the third degree:
(a) the songs at the Entrance and Communion processions;
(b) the songs after the Lesson or Epistle;
(c) the Alleluia before the Gospel;
(d) the song at the Offertory;
(e) the readings of Sacred Scripture, unless it seems more suitable to proclaim them without singing.”[iii]
What is active participation? In other words what are the people supposed to do? When we hear “active participation” we often think we must be “active” in physically doing something. This is not the case every time. We must remember the Mass is to awaken and give life to our souls and not just our physical senses. A better translation is “actual” participation. We should think how we can actually put our mind, body, and soul into the Mass. The first priority of the people is to respond to the Priest or Deacon. When the responses are sung, the participation is more solemn and noble, and it could be argued that there is more active participation, in that more effort and concentration is put into singing the text rather than just saying text. The second priority of the people is to chant, sing, or say the Ordinaries. The last priority of the people is to chant, sing, or say the Propers. The responses, ordinaries, and propers are the prayers of the Church and “they prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it.”[iv] Active participation is a means to prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it.
What are the responses of the Mass? “Every effort must be made that the faithful of the entire world know how to give these responses in chant.”[v] Here is the list of responses the faithful say during Mass:
Amen.
And with your Spirit.
Thanks be to God.
Glory to you, O Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.
We lift them up to the Lord.
It is right and just.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are your now and for ever.
Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my souls shall be healed.
Thanks be to God.
What are the Ordinaries of the Mass? “Steps should be taken that the faithful know how to chant these parts of the Ordinary of the Mass, at least in the more simple Gregorian themes…”[vi] Here is the list of Ordinaries the faithful say during Mass:
Kyrie eleison
Gloria
Creed
Sanctus
They Mystery of faith
Our Father
Agnus Dei
What are the Propers of the Mass? “…all those present are so proficient in the Gregorian chant that they can also chant the parts of the Proper of the Mass.”[vii] Here is the list of Propers we say/chant during Mass:
Entrance Antiphon (Introit)
Responsorial Psalm
Gospel Acclamation (Alleluia)
Offertory Antiphon
Communion Antiphon
Just in the responses, ordinaries, and propers alone there is a wealth of doctrine and grace.
Where do we find the Responses and the Ordinaries? They are found in the Roman Missal.
Where do we find the Propers for the Mass? The Propers come from a book called the Graduale Romanum. Usually we can find at least the Responsorial Psalm and Gospel Acclamation in the Roman Missal.
Can a hymn or song be used in place of an antiphon? The guidelines below from (GIRM 48) apply not only to the Entrance Chant but also to the entrance, offertory and communion chants. Both songs and hymns would fit into option four. These options are in order of preference, when the Church gives a numbered list: the list is hierarchical in nature.
In the Dioceses of the United States of America there are four options for the Entrance Chant:
(1) the antiphon from the Missal or the antiphon with its Psalm from the Graduale Romanum as set to music there or in another setting;
(2) the antiphon and Psalm of the Graduale Simplex for the liturgical time;
(3) a chant from another collection of Psalms and antiphons, approved by the Conference of Bishops or the Diocesan Bishop, including Psalms arranged in responsorial or metrical forms;
(4) another liturgical chant that is suited to the sacred action, the day, or the time of year, similarly approved by the Conference of Bishops or the Diocesan Bishop.
What if the people don’t know how to sing or chant? The council says that sacred music should be preserved and fostered with great care. The faithful should be thought not only at the diocesan level but also at the parish level how to sing and chant. If the congregation does not know how to sing or chant then it is up to the Bishop with the help of his Priests and the Priests with the help of their staff and volunteers to help teach the faithful how to sing and/or chant.
“The treasure of sacred music is to be preserved and fostered with great care. Choirs must be diligently promoted, especially in cathedral churches; but bishops and other pastors of souls must be at pains to ensure that, whenever the sacred action is to be celebrated with song, the whole body of the faithful may be able to contribute that active participation which is rightly theirs, as laid down in Art. 28 and 30.”[viii]
Other than responding and chanting or singing, what else is a part of active participation? It is important to note that people are called to do only those parts which pertain to their particular office. Active Participation does not mean doing whatever “we” like to do or adding our own particular elements to the liturgy, but instead actively participating in the liturgy as it is given to us by the Church. “In liturgical celebrations each person, minister or layman, who has an office to perform, should do all of, but only, those parts which pertain to his office by the nature of the rite and the principles of liturgy.[ix] To promote active participation, the people should be encouraged to take part by means of acclamations, responses, psalmody, antiphons, and songs, as well as by actions, gestures, and bodily attitudes. And at the proper times all should observe a reverent silence.”[x]
In regards to actions, gestures, and bodily attitudes we do not have the right to add to the Mass. We do have the right however to actively participate in the Mass including the text and rubrics (actions, gestures, and bodily attitudes) given to us. In the Missal the text is in black and the actions, gestures and bodily attitudes are in red. The clergy are told to read the black and do the red, the faithful can take that same advice reading the black and doing the red that is proper to the laity.
[i] Sacrosanctum Concilium; Chapter 6, Section 113
[ii] The quote below is from sections 28-31 of Musicam Sacram [1967]
[iii] General Instruction of the Roman Missal – 28-31
[iv] Catechism of the Catholic Church; Section 1670
[v] De musica sacra et sacra liturgia; article 25, Pope Pius XII, 1958
[vi] De musica sacra et sacra liturgia; article 25, Pope Pius XII, 1958
[vii] De musica sacra et sacra liturgia; article 25, Pope Pius XII, 1958
[viii] Sacrosanctum Concilium; Chapter 6, Section 114
[ix] Sacrosanctum Concilium; Section 28
[x] Sacrosanctum Concilium; Section 30