Holy Church asks for full, conscious and active participation at every Holy Mass, regardless of the form, whether the Novus Ordo or the more traditional, Extraordinary Form.
However, this sort of participation has often been misunderstood. For decades the dominant view of active participation has been that for everyone to be "actively participating" everyone has to be singing every world, carrying stuff around and doing things.
This false understanding of active participation runs very contrary to the sort of participation we have the opportunity to engage in during celebrations of the "Tridentine" Mass, wherein we are much quieter.
True active participation, as the Church understands it, is more along the lines of active receptivity, uniting our heart, mind and will to the words and gestures in the sacred Action of the Mass. Christ is the true Actor in the liturgy. Sometimes He uses our voices and gestures. At other times we participate in his words and gestures through the priest and sacred ministers, always being open to what Christ is offering. In this way we are actively receptive. There is nothing passive about listening and watching intently, in union what what is being said, sung and enacted.
However, for those who are unfamiliar with the older form of Mass, which requires a good deal more focus and concentration, more discipline of mind and will than the newer form of Mass, this kind of active participation is hard to engage in: if you understand what is going on, you can’t really "get into it". We need a basic familiarity with the texts and actions, especially in light of the differences between the newer form of Mass and the older, before our participation can be fuller, more conscious, and more actively receptive.
Therefore, I think it is a wonderful idea that St. John Cantius parish in Chicago is offering a worshop for lay people, to help them understand better what the TLM is all about.
I received this via e-mail:
Workshop For Laity
Monday August 25 to Friday, August 29, 2008
Extraordinary Form of the Mass – 1962 Missale Romanum
Join the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius in Chicago for the "Workshop for Laity" in the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. The workshop will provide registrants with an in-depth examination and spiritual meditation on the Traditional Latin Mass through the presentation of lectures and tutorials.
Participants will also have opportunities for Eucharistic Adoration to extend the worship of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Devotion to Our Blessed Lady will be fostered by the recitation of the Holy Rosary in Latin. Additionally, sacramental Confession will be offered frequently throughout the week for the spiritual benefit of those attending the workshop. And best of all, each day of the workshop, registrants will participate in the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass, with an ever-deeper love and appreciation of the Church, her liturgical traditions and of her Savior, Jesus Christ.
Lectures• History of the Mass of the Roman Rite
• Explanation of the Prayers and Ceremonies of the Mass
• Mystical Theology and the Spirituality of the Mass
• The True Meaning of Active Participation in the Liturgy
• The Splendor of Beauty and the Liturgical ArtsLatin Prayers and Chants for the People
The tutorial in the Latin Prayers and Chants for the People will help you to gain experience in the basic pronunciation of ecclesiastical Latin. We will have group rehearsal of the most essential Latin prayers and responses for the Traditional Latin Mass. Gaining greater ease and confidence in the execution of the Latin prayers and chants will help the participants to experience the Extraordinary Form of the Mass (1962 Missale Romanum) in a more meaningful and intelligible manner.
Latin Prayers and Chants for the People will also address provide instruction to church musicians in the rubrics of Sacred Music for the Extraordinary Form (1962 Missale Romanum), reviewing the sacred traditions of Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony, and rehearsing examples of chant. Participants will also be presented with the resources that are available today to vocalists, music directors, and organists for the restoration of our musical heritage.
Liturgy and devotions
• Daily Mass in the Extraordinary Form (1962 Missale Romanum)
• Eucharistic Adoration and Devotions in Latin
• Sacrament of Confession
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It makes me wish that I lived near them. I wonder if they could video the event and then make a DVD (or put it on their website, http://www.sanctamissa.org, for all to view)
Excellent little explanation, Father, on the true meaning of active participation. I once witnessed someone in a pew at a traditional Latin Mass attempt to sing along with the choir for a Palestrina ordinary, with no clue whatsoever where the music was going! I kept thinking, this poor lady, she probably has no idea what active participation really means, coming from the novus ordo where people are forced to sing and respond instead of pray. Hopefully this class will help.
“if you understand what is going on, you can’t really “get into it”.”
Shouldn’t it read “if you do not understand what is going on, you can’t really “get into it” A little typo there Father which makes quite a difference.
This is a wonderful article, I have for years been trying to explain to my NO friends this very point. You put it so well.
This is what the early 20th century Liturgical Movement was all about. Not messing with the pre-existing rites, but getting people to pray the Mass, not AT the Mass. Great job again by the St. John Cantius parish.
Thanks for posting this, Father! One of the things that has left me and my wife feeling very frustrated when we attend High Mass in the Extraordinary Form is not so much that seemingly nobody will chant the ordinary of the Mass, but that we get glared at if we chant along. When we chanted the propers for Trinity Sunday a few weeks ago there were folks who looked at us like we were from Mars. We’ve both studied and sung the chant under a solesmes-trained director in a beautiful schola, but we are so isolated from that in California now. Our hearts YEARN to sing the chant to our Lord again.
Is it really a faux pas to sing at a Tridentine Mass? Would we be better off ringing the choir director of whatever parish we may be visiting the week before we come?
If they want attendees from out of town, they ought to consider hosting it over a long weekend. My $.02.
By the way, a celebration of the extraordinary form took place in Covington’s (KY) Cathedral Basilica last Friday night in honor of the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It was promoted by Greater Cincinnati’s Sacred Heart Radio and I am told it was very well attended.
If they want attendees from in town who have jobs, a long weekend would help as well. The frustrating part is that this is exactly what I have been wishing for for the past 6 months, but I don’t have any vacation time I can use for this class. Maybe even a series of weekend classes over a few months? I know weekend classes are much harder for organizers than participants, but I’m very disappointed I won’t be able to make this, especially since I just moved to Chicago a few months ago!
It would be really awesome if an order- maybe not the canon regular, maybe the ICK or FSSP or just dioceses in general- or an organization started putting these kind of classes on throughout the country. I believe many people are yearning for this kind of education, at least I am (I am inexperianced with the TLM although I love it). I beleive workshops like this will spur more people to ask for the TLM at local parishes.
Richr, yes, a DVD or downloadable podcast! It’s an EXCELLENT idea.
Sorry, exclamation marks and SHOUTING isn’t usually my style, but I would really really like to see this happen.
I wish EWTN would carry it.
Matt of South Kent
“Is it really a faux pas to sing at a Tridentine Mass?”
No.
Not according to nearly every Pope of the 20th century, especially St Pius X, who stressed that the Ordinary of the Mass belonged to the people. The chants appear in the back of Angelus Press and Baronius Press missals (the “Kyriale”), and they’re not there just for decoration, are they now? They also appeared thus in past editions of the Saint Andrew Daily Missal. You were probably in a situation where this was not encouraged. After all, the Popes to which I refer were not entirely successful in getting their message across.
Now, bringing your own copy of “Liber Usualis” and attempting to sing the Gradual from the pews, that’s another matter. Those chants were clearly designed for a trained schola. (I mention this because I’ve heard of people who try that, and they really shouldn’t.)
Padre Zed
Nice pics of the farm. Which gets me thinking…1969-2009 40th anniversary of Woodstock. Could the summer of ’09 become The Summer of Liturgy? 400,000 latin loving proto-hippies converging at a small Minniesoda farm for a week of chant, solemn high mass and brown scapulars!
m
SFCM Organist – are you going to the CMAA colloquium in Chicago coming up in
a couple of weeks here? You would really like it.
It does seem to be unusual for the congregation to chant the Ordinary at TLM
Masses. Sometimes it’s because people think they’re supposed to be silent.
Sometimes I think it’s just because people don’t know how to. I prefer to
sing, but I’ve heard so many biting comments from musicians (I’m not refering
to your comment here) about the lack of singing at the TLM that sometimes I
wish we could just have silence – and I love the chant. Sometimes when I get
to go to a TLM High Mass, I’m too choked up to sing because hearing the music
immerses my mind in the mysteries of the Mass and it’s just overwhelming.
It’s as if the veil is lifted a little so that we can perceive the unseen. I
don’t know if that makes any sense. It’s very hard to put the experience into
words. Even so, sometimes I think it would be great if we could just have
silence at every Mass in the entire world for like a year or something just to
atone for all the bad music and so that we can focus our attention on praying
the Mass. I know, I know. It’s a bad idea. That’s just my gut reaction when
people are disgusted with the TLM because of the silence. Again, I’m not
saying you are in that category (disgusted). I’m just going off on a tangent.
SFCM Organist:
Perhaps the following suggestions because I too have experienced what you have experienced.
1. Follow along whatever the laity do.
2. If you attend regularlly, ask to join the schola.
Dilemma solved.
Cathy, I’m most definitely not disgusted with the TLM! I’ve just been a bit sad that my wife and I do not have the opportunity to be part of the wonderful music programs that we’ve encountered at Extraordinary Form parishes. I’m the organist at a small monastery with limited resources and she’s a singer in one of the better choirs in her archdiocese (I know that sounds really bizarre, but regrettably we’re apart because of school). When we do get some vacation time and get to see each other, we try to attend extraordinary form parishes that have decent scholas.
David, we don’t try to sing all of the propers, of course, as the complex ones require keeping your eyes glued to your director and that’s tough to do from a pew! But things like Alleluia and communion antiphons are totally singable, at least the second time through!
We wish we could attend the CMAA Colloquium! My wife gave a talk at Mundelein Seminary a few years ago, and spoke very highly of everything that the Chicago area had to offer, particularly Saint John Cantius. Perhaps someday we’ll be able to afford to travel eastward, but it’s just not a financial possibility at the moment.
Cathy, David, and SFCM:
Not according to nearly every Pope of the 20th century, especially St Pius X, who stressed that the Ordinary of the Mass belonged to the people.
Indeed, Pope Pius X introduced the term actuosa participatio (active, or actual, participation) in reference to the recommendation that people should sing the Mass, not merely sing at Mass.
After all, the Popes to which I refer were not entirely successful in getting their message across.
If they’d been more successful, perhaps the (since hijacked) liturgical reform of Vatican II might not have been thought necessary?
One of the things that has left me and my wife feeling very frustrated when we attend High Mass in the Extraordinary Form is not so much that seemingly nobody will chant the ordinary of the Mass, but that we get glared at if we chant along.
Those glarers sound lik the kind of trads who tar good traditional Catholics with a brush they don’t deserve.
It does seem to be unusual for the congregation to chant the Ordinary at TLM Masses.
Not at those I attend. In our TLM community, most of the people chant the Ordinary. They also chant the Pater Noster along with the priest — not a pre-Vatican II custom in most English-speaking areas, but which may be a wholesome organic development, one that perhaps is fostered by the Novus Ordo experience of the young Catholics who predominate in most TLM communities.
Even so, sometimes I think it would be great if we could just have silence at every Mass in the entire world for like a year or something just to atone for all the bad music and so that we can focus our attention on praying the Mass.
I’d go for the “compromise” of silent low Masses (with no music and, especially, no sermon either) on week days, and glorious sung Masses on Sunday–best of both worlds.
One of my friends said to me recently that she was told by someone at the Latin Mass that she goes to in her Parish that the laity aren’t supposed to make the responses at Mass, but are supposed to participate only inwardly and silently. This troubled me, for the first document promulgated by the Second Vatican Council was the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, which stated in paragraph forty-eight that:
The Church, therefore, earnestly desires that Christ’s faithful, when present at this Mystery of Faith, should not be there as strangers or silent spectators.
Additionally, in paragraph fifty-four, we are told that:
Nevertheless steps should be taken so that the faithful may also be able to say or to sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them.What is interesting to note is that this document was published in 1962, and hence these principles clearly apply to the Tridentine Mass said according to the Missal of 1962.
What I didn’t know however, was that this document was simply reiterating what had been made clear in the instruction De musica sacra et sacra liturgia, published under Pope Pius XII on September 3, 1958. The link to this fascinating and important document is given below:
http://www.adoremus.org/1958Intro-sac-mus.html
This doument is very important because it lays out specific guidelines as to how the laity should participate in the Tridentine Mass, both in the so called “Low Mass” and “High Mass”. Before looking at the specifics of what it says, “De Musica Sacra” lays out a very important principle:
Care must be taken that the faithful assist at low Mass, too, “not as strangers or mute spectators” (Divini cultus, Dec. 20, 1928: AAS 21 [1929] 40),
In paragrahp twenty-five “De musicra sacra” enumerates what the congregation should sing at the sung Mass:
In solemn Mass there are three degrees of the participation of the faithful: a) First, the congregation can sing the liturgical responses. These are: Amen; Et cum spiritu tuo; Gloria tibi, Domine; Habemus ad Dominum; Dignum et justum est; Sed libera nos a malo; Deo gratias. Every effort must be made that the faithful of the entire world learn to sing these responses.
b) Secondly, the congregation can sing the parts of the Ordinary of the Mass: Kyrie, eleison; Gloria in excelsis Deo; Credo; Sanctus-Benedictus; Agnus Dei. Every effort must be made that the faithful learn to sing these parts, particularly according to the simpler Gregorian melodies. But if they are unable to sing all these parts, there is no reason why they cannot sing the easier ones: Kyrie, eleison; Sanctus-Benedictus; Agnus Dei; the choir, then, can sing the Gloria, and Credo.Notice that the document says that “Every effort must be made that the faithful learn to sing these parts”. This is an extremely iomportant principle which Pope Pius X uttered in his 1902 Motu Proprio Tra Le Sollicitudine.
Lastly “De musica sacra” lists the responses that the faithful may say at the “low” or read Mass.
a) First, the congregation may make the easier liturgical responses to the prayers of the priest: Amen; Et cum spiritu tuo; Deo gratias; Gloria tibi Domine; Laus tibi, Christe; Habemus ad Dominum; Dignum et justum est; Sed libera nos a malo;
b) Secondly, the congregation may also say prayers, which, according to the rubrics, are said by the server, including the Confiteor, and the triple Domine non sum dignus before the faithful receive Holy Communion;
c) Thirdly, the congregation may say aloud with the celebrant parts of the Ordinary of the Mass: Gloria in excelsis Deo; Credo; Sanctus-Benedictus; Agnus Dei;
d) Fourthly, the congregation may also recite with the priest parts of the Proper of the Mass: Introit, Gradual, Offertory, Communion. Only more advanced groups who have been well trained will be able to participate with becoming dignity in this manner.32. Since the Pater Noster is a fitting, and ancient prayer of preparation for Communion, the entire congregation may recite this prayer in unison with the priest in low Masses; the Amen at the end is to be said by all. This is to be done only in Latin, never in the vernacular.
What is very important to note is that the Holy See refers to this participation as :
A final method of participation, and the most perfect formSo there is clearly much work to do to teach our faithful to “Say or sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass that pertain to them” (Cf.Sacrosanctum Concilium), and it is an undertaking that needs to be done in cooperation with our Priests, and with their support.
My own particular experience has been that our people are very happy to learn to participate more deeply in the Mass this way, and when taught properly, enter into the Mass with ever greater confidence and joy.
SFCM Organist – I wouldn’t worry too much about the glares. Once an elderly
lady standing next to me in my pew gave me some glares when I was singing the
Ordinary at Mass. I just smiled back and kept on singing. The next Sunday,
she sat next to me and when I started singing, she gave me a big smile and a
nudge and whispered “It’s ok. I talked to Father. He explained it to me. I’ll
get used to it.” And then she started singing too. She was a very sweet lady
but not somebody to mess with. Bummer about the colloquium. I’m going to miss
it too, but my daughter is going. We could only afford for one family member
to go and she’s the one with the musical talent.
Henry – actually I was more thinking every Catholic church in the world. Can
you imagine if every Catholic went to Mass this Sunday and there was no singing?
I think it would get people’s attention. Maybe we could spend the year having
catechesis on the liturgy and learning a little Latin and chant. The choirs and
organists could take a much needed break (with pay) and maybe have time for
study and retreat. It’s a crazy idea, but I have fun thinking about it. I used
to go to daily Mass at the TLM (about 1/3 of the congregation sang; we chanted
the Pater Noster, too). I miss both the silence of the Low Mass and the music
of the High Mass, and everything else too.
“Dilemma solved.”
For the moment, yes. It keeps the peace, and is an act of prudential charity; especially advisable if one is from out of town.
But if we have a right to celebrate the liturgy according to the mind of the Church, there needs to be a higher arbiter than the tyranny of a mob, which is essentially what we’re talking about here. Mr Collorafi gave a response based upon the definitive source. That is where we have to start.
Great idea!!
Cathy: I must admit that your moratorium idea could grow on me if I gave it a decent chance. It might be the only way to get to there from where we are now!
To change the subject slightly…Does anyone know if there are any retreats for laymen that are put on by the FSSP or the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest?
Or any Church aproved retreats with the Gregorian Mass as the focal point?
Thank you and God bless all.
Dan: The FSSP conducts separate retreats for men and women each summer, in both Nebraska and Massachusetts this summer:
“Silent Contemplative retreats based on the first week of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. With daily Mass according to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman RIte.”
http://www.fssp.com/main/Retreats2008.htm
Dear SFCM Organist
Keep up your spirits. As some other commenters have already said, your aspiration to join your voices to the chant of the public worship of the church is a true one. It is sad that there does seem to be such a (unformed) reaction in some EF circles to the faithful participating in this way.
My wife and I sing from pews too, (and so to does our four year old son who basically knows the creed off by heart and in tune). We also agree with your sentiments about singing chants other than the ordinary – the Introit, Alleluia and Communio are often eminently singable for the singer with a modicum of ability. The tracts are also rather ‘tractable’ (and as the Sunday music repeats on a 1 yearly cycle eventually you get to know some of them close to rote).
I recall the saying ‘he who sings well prays twice’ https://wdtprs.com/2006/02/20/
Singing also seems proper to joy.
“I recall the saying ‘he who sings well prays twice’”
Saint Augustine was a monk. If you want to sing, put on a cassock and take the time to join a schola. Otherwise, don’t complain when the schola falls apart as a result of everyone screaming Missa de Angelis every Sunday.
(The same can be said with altar boys and priests — don’t be surprised when the congregation steals all of their parts of the Mass when there is a decrease in their numbers.)
Every defense of congregational responding and singing seems to be from the 20th century. Yes, what a great century for the Church.
The following is taken from a 1960 book published by Sheed & Ward, called “The Other Face: Catholic Life Under Elizabeth II”, collected & edited by Philip Caraman, S.J. (Evelyn Waugh’s great friend). It is interesting as giving evidence of 16th century practice in the matter of layfolk making the responses at low Mass.
THE DEATH OF QUEEN MARY
She left this world… the 17th day of November 1558. That morning hearing Mass, which was celebrated in her chamber, she being at the last point (for no day passed in her life that she heard not Mass)… she answered in every part with him that served the Priest; such yet was the quickness of her senses and memory. And when the Priest came to that part to say, Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, she answered distinctly and plainly to every one, Miserere nobis, Miserere nobis, Dona nobis pacem. Afterwards seeming to meditate something with herself, when the Priest took the Sacred Host to consume it, she adored it with her voice and countenance, presently closed her eyes and rendered her blessed soul to God. This the duchess hath related to me, the tears pouring from her eyes, that the last thing which the Queen saw in this world was her Saviour and Redeemer in the sacramental species; no doubt to behold Him presently after in His glorious Body in heaven. A blessed and glorious passage. Anima mea cum anima ejus.
(the text indicates that this passage was taken from The Life of Jane Dormer, Duchess of Feria, by Henry Clifford)
[There is more where that came from; I just have to find it. — DLA]
IIRC, in “Spirit of the Liturgy”, Card. Ratzinger interpreted “participation actuosa” as participation in the “actio”, i.e., in the Eucharistinc Prayer. Lay participation in the Canon, should, of course, be silent.
The whole point of the spoken canon in the OF was to make it easier for the laity to pray the Eucharistic Prayer with the priest. In this sense, the spoken canon has arguably had some benefit.
Of course, any benefit it might have is more than offset by the laity having no idea ahead of time which Eucharistic Prayer a priest might pick. As a result, I find praying the canon to be easier at the EF.
(As for the preface, well, saying it’s easier in the EF is an understatement. It’s impossible in the OF.)
There have been times when the Church has stopped a particular practice in response to a specific heresy or error that arose as a result of or was “encouraged by” that practice. I am thinking specifically of Communion under both Species.
I think that those (myself included) who believe that paticipation at a Tridentine Mass should primarily be silent and contemplative are responding to the percieved (incorrectly or correctly) belief that the Church has become too human-centric. There is too much of a horizontal orientation and not enough of a vertical orientation. Granted, the Church Herself is the final arbiter of acceptable vs. unacceptable behavior, but even acceptable(and encouraged) behavior can be problematic if improperly motivated.
Now, whether audible participation at Mass is “improperly motivated” is certainly beyond the competence of the laity to determine, but judging by many of the responses here it seems to be a well-founded and at least reasonable worry.
Nobody, for example, has suggested that audible participation brings greater honor and glory to God or is more pleasing to Him. It may very well do those things, but most of the arguments in favor of this practice seem to focus almost exclusively on how audible participation makes the “singer” feel
So, is it really that unreasonable to suggest that while many or even most may be motivated to sing at Mass for pure and noble reasons, many others, probably due to poor catechization, do so in order to satisfy their own ego or emotional wants? It hardly seems fair that many will be punished for the sake of the sins of a few, but is it really that much of a sacrifice to refrain from the practice until the proper vertical orientation is restored?
“It hardly seems fair that many will be punished for the sake of the sins of a few, but is it really that much of a sacrifice to refrain from the practice until the proper vertical orientation is restored?”
It depends on who gets to decide when “proper vertical orientation is restored.” From this discourse alone, the determination of a Successor to Peter would not be enough to satisfy some. Who, then? I could argue that it was restored for the Roman Rite on 7 July 2007. It is restored for me every Sunday at the Traditional Mass where I attend. I could go on, but I do not consider myself so obliged to make this “sacrifice.” I am content with the one on the Altar of God.
“It depends on who gets to decide when “proper vertical orientation is restored.” From this discourse alone, the determination of a Successor to Peter would not be enough to satisfy some. Who, then? I could argue that it was restored for the Roman Rite on 7 July 2007. It is restored for me every Sunday at the Traditional Mass where I attend. I could go on, but I do not consider myself so obliged to make this “sacrifice.” I am content with the one on the Altar of God.”
I would think that your own God-given powers of reason should be sufficient to make the determination in your particular circumstances. If you are waiting on a memo from the Pope saying that the Church is now fixed, I suspect you’ll be waiting a long time.
On the other hand, if most of the laity in your Parish complain about not being allowed to sing, because it makes them feel better when they do sing or if they suggest that individual sacrifices are meritless and not “required” because “Jesus took care of that for me”, I would say that your Parish is not there yet.
DLA:
Poignant comment, but I think you meant “Elizabeth I.”
“If you are waiting on a memo from the Pope saying that the Church is now fixed, I suspect you’ll be waiting a long time.”
I believe you have me confused with someone who expects me to wait for a memo — from the Pope, or whomever.
“Poignant comment, but I think you meant “Elizabeth I.”
I got the passage from someone else. I’ll pass your note along.
Hey, I need to fix this italic thing right….. now. That’s better.
Getting back to classes for lay people; Fr. Anthony Manuppella, St. Peter Church, Merchantville, NJ had a series of 12 classes last Fall in preparation for the Traditional Latin Mass said on the first Sunday in Advent.
He explained the Mass, Vestments, etc. and how to use a Latin/English Missal (Your Missal: “Don’t leave home without it”). Don’t know if he recorded these.