...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. [i]

...the active participation of the whole people, which is shown in singing, is to be carefully promoted... [ii]

Again we return to the emphasis of the Second Vatican Council, and subsequently of the GIRM, on the “full and active participation” of the faithful in the Sacred Liturgy. And as the Council documents themselves testify, in this participation “the human is directed and subordinated to the divine, the visible likewise to the invisible, action to contemplation, and this present world to that city yet to come, which we seek.” [iii] It is “above all internal, in the sense that by it the faithful join their mind to what they pronounce or hear, and cooperate with heavenly grace.” [iv]

And what about the melodies and harmonies to be sung? They are to be either from the living musical tradition of the universal Church, a “treasure of inestimable value” [v], or new works whose form has been developed “organically from forms that already exist,” so as to become a “new part in the musical heritage of the Church, not unworthy of its past.” [vi]

Primarily interior and contemplative, cooperating with heavenly grace, but also manifested in singing whose musical forms and vitality reflect the depth and dignity of our great heritage: such a vision for congregational participation - and for sacred liturgical music as a whole - might well be described as holy and beautiful. To what extent have we fulfilled this noble calling of the Second Vatican Council in the congregational singing of our Roman Catholic parishes? It is well worth taking some time at this point, to ponder this vision and to let its light shine upon our particular situations as well as on the general liturgical life of the Roman Rite. Such a meditation could well be the theme of a weekend or week-long retreat for Priests and/or church musicians... or for that matter the focus of a full-fledged course of study.

For the moment, let's return to the practical question of “repertoire” - of what particular music is to be sung by the congregation, as we aim to fulfill the great vision described above by the Second Vatican Council. In order to provide an adequate response to this question, we need to break it up into three parts, in asking: 1.) precisely which parts of the Mass should be sung by the congregation, 2.) what are the qualities we should look for in seeking appropriate musical settings for these parts, and 3.) what are the concrete options for these parts and where can we find them?

Which parts?

I have previously spoken about how we are called to sing the Mass (i.e., the actual texts of the Ordinary and Propers of the Mass) as a more urgent priority than to “sing at the Mass” (other hymns and spiritual songs which serve as a complement to the sacred liturgical texts.) While it might be possible and even praiseworthy for the congregation to sing both the Ordinary and Propers of the Mass, the normal starting place for most congregations will be for them to sing the Ordinary [vii], beginning with the “Amen” that is sung in response to the Sign of the Cross. As these parts are repeated consistently on each Sunday and Feast day, they are easy to learn by heart for the great majority of the faithful. It is already common practice for parishes to sing the most prominent parts of the Ordinary: the Lord, have mercy, the Glory to God, the Alleluia [viii], the Holy, Holy, Holy, the Anamnesis (also called the “memorial acclamation”), the Amen at the conclusion of the Eucharistic prayer, and the Lamb of God.

However, when we let the light of our liturgical traditions from East and West shine upon this question, we see that these parts are an important yet incomplete portion of an ideal which has been practiced and handed down throughout the centuries. This ideal is that the entire Liturgy be sung, with parts alternating between priest, deacon, cantors, congregation, and choir. With this in mind, here are all the moments from the Ordinary of the present Mass of Paul VI [ix] in which the congregation is called to participate through responses and/or acclamations:

Sign of the Cross and Greeting	Signum crucis et salutatio
Penitential act	Actus paenitentialis
Lord, have mercy [x]	Kyrie eleison
Glory to God	Gloria in excelsis
Amen after Collect	Amen post collectam
Acclamations after Readings	Acclamatio post lectionem
[Responsorial Psalm [xi]]	[Psalmus responsorius]
Acclamations before & after the Gospel	Acclamatio ante et post Evangelium
The Creed	Credo
Universal Prayer	Oratio universalis
Pray, brethren	Orate, fratres
Amen after Prayer over the Offerings	Amen post orationem super oblata
Preface dialogue	Sursum corda
Holy, Holy, Holy	Sanctus
Anamnesis (Memorial Acclamation)	Anamnesis
Amen after Doxology	Amen post doxologiam
The Lord's Prayer	Pater noster
Rite of Peace	Ritus pacis
Lamb of God	Agnus Dei
Lord, I am not worthy	Domine, non sum dignus
Amen after Prayer after Communion	Amen post orationem post Communionem
Priest's blessing	Benedictio sacerdotis
Dismissal	Dismissio

While each Pastor, in coordination with his church musicians, needs to determine how much of the above list is feasible for their parish to sing, and how often, I'd like to share here my own testimony in this regard. Although we have not yet established a regular frequency for doing so, when we have sung the entire Mass, we, i.e., parishioners, choir members, musicians, and clergy, have found it to be a deeply edifying experience to the glory of God. Not only has it been feasible, but also deeply peaceful, prayerful, engaging, and a powerful witness to all present. Rather than being a series of disconnected parts, it has been a seamless whole, in which the prayerful “momentum” of worship has flowed naturally and reverently throughout the course of the Mass. [xii] It has resonated strongly not only with practicing Catholics, but also with non-Catholic visitors and online viewers. Why would we want to avoid, or dismiss the possibility of such a harmonious experience of intense love, peace, and joy? But in order for such a sung Mass to “work” (i.e., to bear this kind of fruit) its musical settings must be imbued with the requisite qualities for all Catholic liturgical music...

Essential Qualities

What qualities, then, do priests and church musicians need to look for when choosing musical settings for the various congregational parts, whether the Liturgy is sung partially or in its entirety? While this question is an important one whether the Mass is celebrated in the vernacular or in Latin, here I am referring primarily to the vernacular Mass, in which the great majority of Catholics now participate. And while there are many such settings which have now become well-established by their ongoing use in various countries, it is good for us to take a step back and let the light of the Church's vision shine upon this important issue.

Do the liturgical musical settings we use warrant the description given by the Second Vatican Council– that they are a “new part in the musical heritage of the Church, not unworthy of its past”? Do they radiate the holiness, beauty, and universality [xiii] which have characterized this heritage? In my own experience as a parish music director, such concerns have generally not been voiced by most pastors and church musicians. But somehow, if we wish to be faithful to the Church's vision for sacred music, we must re-examine these issues with prayerful study, so that they can be given their rightful place in parish life as well as in the formation of our priests and church musicians.

Harrowing of Hades, fresco in the parecclesion of the Chora Church, Istanbul, c. 1315 — *Harrowing of Hades*, fresco in the *parecclesion* of the Chora Church, Istanbul, c. 1315

One way to understand these essential qualities of liturgical music is through their close similarity to some of the essential qualities of sacred icons. [xiv] Among the first things we notice about such icons of the Eastern Christian traditions is that their particular form and style are unmistakably holy - set apart for use in prayer, and particularly for use in liturgical prayer which has its deep roots in sacred tradition. They are also holy in the sense that the person whom they represent is clearly holy, reflecting the Divine glory: Jesus Christ himself, or the Blessed Virgin Mary, or any one of the many other saints who through their intimate union with Christ reflect his glory in their own unique way. This holiness has yet a third dimension: the sacred icon communicates the depth of prayer and spirituality with which it has been painted, which calls forth a corresponding depth in those who pray with its assistance.

But this quality of sanctity in icons must also be clothed, necessarily, with its beauty. That is to say, through the graceful and nuanced integration of its lines, colors, texture, etc., it must naturally bring a certain delight to those who pray with its help – so as to lead them beyond this natural pleasure to the contemplation of heavenly realities. Even though this beauty must always be subordinate to the holy purpose of the icon, with varying degrees of austerity in relation to its aesthetic “sweetness”, nevertheless it is indispensable – just as normally there must be an aspect of delight in tasting the food we eat for the nourishment of our bodies.

The universality of the icon is dependent upon the depth of holiness and beauty with which it has been infused by its creator. To the extent that it radiates such depth, it will naturally elicit the attention and admiration of perceptive people from all walks of life, across the boundaries of culture and time. But from the perspective of the painter, this universality is also conditioned by the particular culture in which the icon is being created. One can see important differences, for example, in comparing sacred images from the Greek, Russian, Syrian, and Coptic traditions. But in each of these cases, the icon communicates a gift that transcends individual tastes and preferences, so as to connect worshipers with a venerable tradition through which they are also united to one another – and ultimately to all believers across time and space - in fraternal charity.

Now all of these extraordinary qualities of the sacred icon can also be found in the great historical traditions of Catholic and Orthodox sacred music – in which we are called to be worthy participants. Their holiness is first evident in forms and styles which are oriented toward liturgical worship, and which can be readily distinguished from secular or non-liturgical religious music. Just as the icon always portrays Christ or another person who in union with him reflects the glory of God, so also does sacred music exclusively present the verbal Word of God (from the Sacred Scriptures and the sacred text of the Liturgy), through appropriate melodies, harmonies, and rhythms. And just as the icon reflects the depth of prayer and spirituality of its painter, so do our great traditions of sacred music, East and West, manifest this spiritual depth – required of both composer and singers – which calls forth a corresponding depth of prayer in those who hear it.

Traditional sacred music is also characterized by a kind of “iconic” beauty that naturally attracts and brings delight to its listeners, so as to lead them beyond itself to the transcendent focus of prayer and liturgical worship. Concern for this aesthetic dimension is necessarily the domain of skilled composers and church musicians, just as much as iconography is the domain of competent iconographers. But through their faithful stewardship in this domain, all believers can fully partake of it, at times through singing – in “making a joyful noise” to the best of their ability - and at other times, just as importantly, through listening. This essential aspect of beauty also explains why in both iconography and sacred music, there has been a natural, organic development of these sacred arts across the span of Church history. For while there are indeed objective elements in beauty, the artist or composer by nature seeks to resonate with the ordinary people of good will who will see, hear, or sing his works – in his own present time and culture.

Gabriel from Vysotsky chin (14c, Tretyakov gallery)

The third essential quality of universality, flowing from holiness and beauty, is first of all seen in our great traditions of sacred chant and polyphony from the West and the East. These traditions, particularly the Gregorian chant and classic polyphony of our Roman Rite, have manifested their enduring dignity and universality by their capacity to engage the admiration, participation, and study of believers and nonbelievers over the course of the centuries, in all corners of the world. Such an awe-inspiring heritage should necessarily evoke the depths of humility and diligence in any contemporary composer of sacred music, as he or she strives with knowledge, skill, and unceasing prayer to be a worthy contributor to its continued development.

And so these are the qualities which Pastors and church musicians need to look for and cultivate in their choice of music for congregational singing, and for all their liturgical music. It's a tall order which might seem daunting if not impossible to many. But while difficult it is not impossible, for “with God all things are possible.” [xv] Let's look now at some of the concrete resources which can help us to fulfill these ideals, step by step, with confidence and joy.

Where to find this music?

As mentioned in my previous blog on the Introit, there are several websites which offer an abundance of resources at the service of the above ideals. Here are five pages which offer music specifically for the congregational singing of the Ordinary of the Mass:

CMAA (Church Music Association of America) at musicasacra.com/resource-lists - for congregational parts look particularly at “More English Chant Resources” and “Latin Chant Books.”
Corpus Christi Watershed at ccwatershed.org/mass
Source and Summit at sourceandsummit.com
CanticaNOVA at canticanova.com/catalog/indices/i_litset.htm
My own website, pauljernberg.com, where one can find the Mass of St. Philip Neri, the Mass of St. Monica, the Missa Parva (a setting of the Latin Ordinary), and later this year the Misa del Camino (a setting of the Spanish Ordinary.)

Regarding the singing of the entire Mass Ordinary, I am only aware of two available settings in which all parts are included in an integrated, harmonious whole. These are:

the chants from the Roman Missal, available in pdf form here at the website of ICEL under “Order of Mass”: http://icelweb.org/musicfolder/openmusic.php
the Mass of Saint Philip Neri, which we are presently following as we listen to each part of the Mass in chronological order.

Here then is another recording of the opening parts of the Mass Ordinary, this time sung by the congregation of St. John the Guardian of Our Lady Parish, along with our Cor Unum Chorale. While these melodies are easy to learn without any written musical notation, I am including this notation on my blog, so that any of you who would like to learn the optional harmonies may do so.

And just as a reminder, the entire sung Mass can be listened to and viewed on YouTube by typing in “The Fire of Your Love – The Sacred Liturgy” or clicking on this link.

In my next blog and podcast, we will be looking at the Penitential Rite, which while being distinct from the Kyrie (Lord, have mercy) is sometimes combined with it. It might be surprising for many to learn that the Roman Missal actually invites us to sing this part, and interesting to consider why or why not it might be fitting to do so. And in the meantime, as always, I look forward to your thoughtful questions and/or input.

[i] GIRM, no. 40; Musicam sacram, no. 7

[ii] Musicam sacram, no. 16

[iii] Sacrosanctum concilium, no. 2

[iv] Musicam sacram, no. 15

[v] Sacrosanctum Concilium, nos. 112 and 114[vi] cf. Romans 13:14, Galatians 3:27, Colossians 3:12.

[vi] Ibid., no. 23 and Musicam Sacram, no. 59

[vii] The main challenge for the congregation to sing the Propers is that the words and music constantly change from one Mass to another. Dr. William Mahrt, in his insight-filled book The Musical Shape of the Liturgy (CMAA, 2012), suggests that this is one of the main reasons why the Propers of the Mass belong primarily to the choir, whereas the Ordinary fully belongs to the congregation as a whole. On the other hand, as referred to in my blog on the Introit, there are also some fine settings of the Propers which may be within the capabilities of many congregations.

[viii] The Alleluia has traditionally belonged to the Propers, as its elaborate chant settings change from one Mass to the other. However, I include it here in the Ordinary as its text remains the same (except for its accompanying verse) throughout the year outside of Lent.

[ix] The Mass of Paul VI is the official name of the revised order of the Mass, promulgated in 1969 and first published in 1970, with later revisions made in 1975 and 2000.

[x] Although the Kyrie is sometimes woven into the penitential act, it has its own wealth of meaning which includes but also goes far beyond a plea for forgiveness of sins. For this reason it has typically had its own important place in the historical Latin Mass, and even more so in the Eastern Rites where it is repeated many times throughout the Liturgy.

[xi] This belongs to the Propers of the Mass, but is normally sung by the congregation in the Mass of Paul VI.

[xii] It is the recording and video of such a fully sung Mass which we are presently following in this series of blogs and podcasts. Click here to watch. It can also be found by typing into a YouTube search “The Fire of Your Love – the Sacred Liturgy.”

[xiii] Historically, these are three essential qualities of sacred liturgical music, as articulated by Pope St. Pius X in Tra le sollecitudini and referred to in Musicam sacram.

[xiv] For an introduction to this analogous relationship, see my previous blog entitled “Adoration and Aesthetics.”

[xv] Matthew 19:26

Repertoire 4: "Amen" and an Overview of all the Congregational Parts