Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Early Sunday Music
A bit of clarification on what should replace the American Quiet Mass. I've not been much of a fan of them. I did attend them through most of my high school days, due to other activities, so I'm well familiar with them.
My own 7:30 parishioners are divided on music or no music. I've had a few letters complaining about the music. I've had some face-to-face with parishioners who have thanked us and appreciated the music. When we invite our 7:30 people to sing, they do so, with substantially more gusto than the noon or 5PM massgoers. That's hard to ignore.
The early Sunday Mass doesn't have to look and sound like the other parish liturgies, nor should it, really. Certain elements which are recited now could easily be sung, and sung well: the Eucharistic acclamations, the gospel acclamation and the psalm. The dialogues would be nice. That's the minimum I would envision at my parish except for:
- Possibly adding the Gloria during the Easter and Christmas seasons
- Possibly the Kyrie during Lent
- Hymns at entrance and communion on major feasts, and possibly during important seasons.
And that's pretty much all.
We've had a cantor step forward for that Mass the past few years who first, wanted to sing every week, and second, insisted on singing as much as they do at our other five Masses. It was an error on my part to permit that, I think. People at that Mass have said they appreciate silence and a reflective mood, and I don't think Preparation of Gifts or Post-Communion is a bad place for that at all.
The same pretty much goes for the early holy day Masses.
So there you have it. Parishioners or anybody step in, if you care to.
