Will they sing? Will they sing?: Part 1

Many have heard the ancient saying, "He who sings, prays twice." Well I had a friend who had a better quote, "My singing is so bad it only counts as a third of prayer. My singing actually lessens my prayer."

There have been numerous books and articles published on the importance of singing at Mass, and most everyone has at least been to one Mass where the cantor invites everyone to join in the sung parts. Well I'm here to argue a different point. We don't need the congregation singing everything.

I realize this may make me unpopular in many circles, but I'm okay with that. However, first let me preface my points by saying that I'm not saying singing is bad. On the contrary, I think singing is a good thing. Nevertheless, I'd propose, as a solution to the problem, "How can we get the people at church to sing more?" let's give up on that.

Instead, let's differentiate the above question into two questions:

1. How can we get the people to chant more?
2. What do we have the ability to let the people listen to?

I think these two questions better capture the heart of the original question, which seems to be more of an argument between getting people to participate at Mass and having singing. The simple truth is, if people aren't confident in their ability to sing, they won't, and some who are confident, shouldn't be.  

I would be negligent though if I didn't quote the General Instruction of the Roman Missal in pointing out the importance of singing:

"The Christian faithful who come together as one in expectation of the Lord’s coming are instructed by the Apostle Paul to sing together Psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles (cf. Col 3:16). Singing is the sign of the heart’s joy (cf. Acts 2:46). Thus St. Augustine says rightly, 'Singing is for one who loves,' and there is also an ancient proverb: 'Whoever sings well prays twice over.'

"Great importance should therefore be attached to the use of singing in the celebration of the Mass, with due consideration for the culture of peoples and abilities of each liturgical assembly. Although it is not always necessary (e.g., in weekday Masses) to sing all the texts that are in principle meant to be sung, every care should be taken that singing by the ministers and the people not be absent in celebrations that occur on Sundays and on Holydays of Obligation.

"However, in the choosing of the parts actually to be sung, preference is to be given to those that are of greater importance and especially to those which are to be sung by the Priest or the Deacon or a reader, with the people replying, or by the Priest and people together.

"The main place should be given, all things being equal, to Gregorian chant, as being proper to the Roman Liturgy. Other kinds of sacred music, in particular polyphony, are in no way excluded, provided that they correspond to the spirit of the liturgical action and that they foster the participation of all the faithful.

"Since the faithful from different countries come together ever more frequently, it is desirable that they know how to sing together at least some parts of the Ordinary of the Mass in Latin, especially the Profession of Faith and the Lord’s Prayer, according to the simpler settings (Paragraphs 39-41)."

Right now, there are two points I wish to draw from that passage from the GIRM. The first goes with my first question of how can we get people to chant? The GIRM mentioned, at the very end, the desire that all people be able to sing the Creed and Our Father in Latin with a simple setting. The thing is that chant, in and of itself, is a fairly simple setting. It is natural to the human voice, and therefore, blends in a sense when everyone does it. 

I'll admit that a bit of practice is necessary to get chant down, but once done, most people can handle the basics without even thinking. This is positive for two reasons. It gets the people to participate, and it allows them to meditate. 

The second point I wish to draw from the GIRM's passage is how it states that other kinds of sacred music, e.g. polyphony, are not excluded as possible music choices, as long as "they foster the participation of the faithful." Now it will be readily admitted by most that you can't expect a congregation to have the skill or knowledge to sing polyphony on a Sunday. So what does the GIRM mean by, "foster the participation of the faithful"? Well, my opinion goes back to my second question above, what do we have the ability to give the people to listen to? 

It is my opinion that we've developed the concept that "active participation" means we have to be saying/singing the words. I believe this couldn't be further from the truth. Rather, it makes more sense that active participation means we are actually involved in what is happening at Mass, not physically, but spiritually. Many either remember or have heard of the times when people went to Mass and prayed their rosaries during it. I'm not saying the rosary is bad, but I don't think praying a rosary during Mass is necessarily participating in Mass. Rather, to meditate upon the words and what is happening, to pray in union with the priest, to be drawn up by the music, and especially to offer oneself with the Sacrifice of Christ, that is what I would call active participation. 

From that idea, we can conclude that we don't need the people to necessarily sing at Mass. Instead, we need singing that will foster their spiritual participation. 

Now that certainly may mean that people sing hymns and the psalms. If the chant is simple, they should respond and perhaps chant with some of the Ordinary of the Mass. However, when there is a choir, I don't think people need to feel obligated to sing. Perhaps they will pray better simply by listening and being drawn up in the music. 

The question that must be asked in regards to the cantor/choir and their relation to the people is not "How can we get the people to sing more?", but rather, "How can the cantor/choir lead the people in prayerful song to the Lord?"  

Nevertheless, we must not elevate the singing of hymns and the other parts which the people may participate in above the texts of the Mass, particularly those reserved to the sacred ministers, which is what the next post will focus on.