It’s amazing what gets brought up when music is the topic.
While talking with coworkers about music in the Church, the topic of projection screens versus hymnals or song sheets came up.
A handful of parishes in the Orlando Diocese are using projection screens successfully. Megan, my wife, and I saw St. Peter Parish in DeLand use it successfully at its youth Mass. Denise O’Toole Kelly, our managing editor, said Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Daytona Beach recently switched from song sheets to the screens at its Masses, and the first day congregational singing doubled. Associate Publisher Chris Gunty said St. Mary Magdalen Parish in Winter Park uses the screens at its youth Mass.
The topic has generated plenty of discussion — a lot of it related to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ “Built of Living Stones” document, which was released in 2000. Robert Habiger, an architect and liturgical design consultants with Dekker/Perich/Sabatini in Albuquerque, suggests in this two-part article that projection screens have their place in churches.
I like the idea, because I’ve seen it work.
What are your thoughts?
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I think there are two different ideas of what is meant by “active participation.” As I indicated in a prior post, Active participation “doesn’t mean you have to sit, stand, carry something, sing out, etc….” That being said, can I add to Ms. Donelson’s post? (which I recommend every music minister read, several times!) I think it clearly restates the point of the recent USCCB document on Music in the Liturgy. Music is more than just what happens in between the parts of the Mass, it IS worship AND catechesis. There are ideals that the Church holds for Music in the Liturgy and we should move towards them. In order to make sure we move towards them we have an understanding of what we are promoting… perhaps a post on “active participation” and what it means, would be helpful?
Several Church documents provide examples of “full and active participation.” Quoting from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ document “Sing to the Lord”:
Within the gathered assembly, the role of the congregation is especially important. “The full and active participation by all the people is the aim to be considered before all else, for it is the primary and indispensable source from which the faithful are to derive the true Christian spirit.”
Participation in the Sacred Liturgy must be “internal, in the sense that by it the faithful join their mind to what they pronounce or hear, and cooperate with heavenly grace.” Even when listening to the various prayers and readings of the liturgy or to the singing of the choir, the assembly continues to participate actively as they “unite themselves interiorly to what the ministers or choir sing, so that by listening to them they may raise their minds to God.” “In a culture which neither favors nor fosters meditative quiet, the art of interior listening is learned only with difficulty. Here we see how the liturgy, though it must always be properly inculturated, must also be counter-cultural.”
Participation must also be external, so that internal participation can be expressed and reinforced by actions, gestures, and bodily attitudes, and by the acclamations, responses, and singing. The quality of our participation in such sung praise comes less from our vocal ability than from the desire of our hearts to sing together of our love for God. Participation in the Sacred Liturgy both expresses and strengthens the faith that is in us.
Our participation in the liturgy is challenging. Sometimes, our voices do not correspond to the convictions of our hearts. At other times, we are distracted or preoccupied by the cares of the world. But Christ always invites us to enter into song, to rise above our own preoccupations, and to give our entire selves to the hymn of his Paschal Sacrifice for the honor and glory of the Most Blessed Trinity. (Sing to the Lord, paragraphs 11-14)
From the Vatican II document “Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy”:
19. With zeal and patience, pastors of souls must promote the liturgical instruction of the faithful, and also their active participation in the liturgy both internally and externally, taking into account their age and condition, their way of life, and standard of religious culture. By so doing, pastors will be fulfilling one of the chief duties of a faithful dispenser of the mysteries of God; and in this matter they must lead their flock not only in word but also by example.
28. 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.
30. 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.
114. 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.
118. Religious singing by the people is to be intelligently fostered so that in devotions and sacred exercises, as also during liturgical services, the voices of the faithful may ring out according to the norms and requirements of the rubrics.
“The Theological Vision of Sacrosanctum Conciliumand the Roman Missal” (link here) from the USCCB’s Web site provides further guidance in the section titled “C. Participation of the Faithful is the Goal to be Considered Before all Others,” including this from Pope Pius XII.
Mediator Dei 192. “so that the faithful take a more active part in divine worship, …. it is very necessary that the faithful attend the sacred ceremonies not as if they were outsiders or mute onlookers, but let them fully appreciate the beauty of the liturgy and take part in the sacred ceremonies, alternating their voices with the priest and the choir, according to the prescribed norms. If, please God, this is done, it will not happen that the congregation hardly ever or only in a low murmur answer the prayers in Latin or in the vernacular.” A congregation that is devoutly present at the sacrifice, in which our Saviour together with His children redeemed with His sacred blood sings the nuptial hymn of His immense love, cannot keep silent, for “song befits the lover” and, as the ancient saying has it, “he who sings well prays twice.”
This is one instance where everyone’s right. Silence and strong singing both have their place in the Church, and both are required at the appropriate places.
Thanks Lynn,
My next question would be… is there a particular style of music that is best in promoting both external and internal active participation?
I would say all do and none of them do - it’s a matter of the congregation. Not every part of the Mass is sung, but those that are need everyone involved. It’s up to the music minister to facilitate that and it’s up to the congregation to be open to singing.
Music ministers, have you found the type of music that promotes both external and internal active participation? How have you done it?
Just noticed another blog - one that basically states that the Church has been cautious in letting any new type of music into the Mass, including polyphony, chant, Baroque, etc. Thanks to http://www.rockandtheology.com for this one.
I don’t think it is THAT subjective. In “Tra le Sollencitudini” by Saint Pius X sets out a clear test for litugical music. “…Gregorian Chant has always been considered the supreme model of sacred music. Hence with every reason we lay down the following rule: ‘the more closely a Church composition approaches Gregorian Chant in movement, inspiration, and feeling, the more holy and liturgical it becomes; and the more it deviates from this supreme model, the less worthy it is of the temple.’” and “Special efforts are to be made to restore the use of the Gregorian Chant by the people, so that the faithful may again take a more active part in the ecclesiastical offices, as was the case in ancient times.” Do you think that might mean that Gregorian chant is favored by the Church for promoting active participation?