GIRM No. 47
  • henry
    Posts: 241
    In our monastic community, the organ is played until the monks reach their choir stalls. When they are in place, the entrance song is sung. This seems contrary to GIRM 47 which states that singing should accompany the procession. Is our option valid, and is there any documentation that allows for this variation?
  • Elmar
    Posts: 500
    As I understand GIRM 47...
    When the people are gathered, and as the Priest enters with the Deacon and ministers, the Entrance Chant begins. Its purpose is to ...... and accompany the procession of the Priest and ministers.
    ... it does not apply to the monks processing to their stalls; rather to the celebrant and te ministers processing to the sanctuary. The equivalent for the former would be the 'gathering of the people'.
    It depends on your local situation if these two different things can be distingueshed in practice.
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  • henry
    Posts: 241
    So when the monks are "gathered" in their stalls, then the Priest, etc. enters to the Entrance Chant. That makes sense - thanks!

    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,721
    Henry, if that is the case, it does indeed seem to me like you are doing it correctly then, because the two processions are distinct, even if the temporal separation is minimal.
  • MarkB
    Posts: 1,025
    Yes, I would liken this to first communicants or confirmandi processing in to instrumental music before the entrance chant is sung, which occurs as the priest/bishop and other liturgical ministers process to the sanctuary.
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  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,371
    GIRM is intended as an outline of principles, not a set of rigid rubrics. One might well do things differently depending on the occasion. I take it this is the conventual Mass, are the monks mostly priests wearing stoles who will be concelebrating? Is there a sizeable lay congregation? Glenstal Abbey does things differently, as one would expect, on Sundays and on ferias. But there the monks only process together at a solemn liturgy. https://www.churchservices.tv/glenstal NB times are GMT+1
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