Ave Maria during funeral Mass?

RosieDreese

Is the Ave Maria (Schubert) a staple at your funeral Masses? Before I became the MD at our parish, it was always sung after Communion (for as long as I remember). The last few years, we only sing it if the family specifically requests it (at the end of Communion). I’ve just received a request for it to be sung for the Procession while the casket is brought to the front of the church. I try really hard to accommodate requests as best I can, knowing that the vast majority of people planning funeral Masses have no idea what the role of music in the Mass should be, however, I’m struggling with this one. I don’t know if I’m just small minded and this is not where we would normally sing it, or if there’s a liturgical reason to avoid it. Would you sing it?

MarkB

Depending on what other songs have been chosen, I would probably recommend that the Ave Maria be sung at the offertory or during Communion. But I would sing it for the entrance, if that's what the family really wanted. Most families don't really care when a song is sung, as long as it's sung.

As you stated, most of the families planning/requesting funeral music these days have no clue. For them it's just a memorial service that they want pretty or nostalgic music sung at. Since that's the pastoral situation, I am flexible about where songs are sung during the liturgy even though I try to guide families toward better decisions.

TimTheEnchanter

We normally do it at the end of Communion as well. It comforts the family, and it's not out of place for a funeral, given the second half of the text. We probably do it at between 1/3 and 1/2 of the funerals at my parish -- making sure to do the whole thing.

But I've done it at the processional, because, eh, fine. (We also sing the antiphons, so that's covered.) Having been ordered (!) at a prior parish to play a quasi-gospel song by R. Kelly (yes, that R. Kelly), this is far less worrisome.

RosieDreese

Thank you, friends! I appreciate your thoughts!

davido

I have families pick it a lot. I usually find it works best at the Offertory. Unless you have a long aisle, it’s going to be a lot of music for a procession

OffertoryVerses

One way of accommodating the request: Sing the Ave Maria as a prelude, while the casket is brought from the hearse to the doors of the church. After the singing of the Ave Maria is completed, perhaps with a few moments of silence, the Rite of the Reception of the Body takes place at the doors of the church, followed by the Entrance procession to the altar as usual, with the Entrance chant.

ServiamScores

This is one of those pieces for me that if I never heard it again the rest of my life, I'd be perfectly contented. That said, people request it all. the. time. I have relegated it to prelude only, unless there's a real kerfuffle over the matter.

Just make sure that if you do it, you sing the whole thing. It is so odd when people only sing the angelic salutation and then leave off the second half where we actually ask Our Lady to pray for us at the hour of our death. Leaving off verse two is a "swing and a miss", in a funerary context, if you ask me, even if it is perhaps appropriate or acceptable in other contexts.

As an aside, doing it as a prelude the last 4 minutes before the funeral starts is a great way to get people to stop chatting and go sit down and get ready. They intuit that it's time and settle themselves.

juanita

Marian music is not to be part of the funeral Mass liturgy as a rule. We are allowed to use it as a reflection post-Communion if the family requests it. Usually when the deceased had a special love for Mary. Otherwise it has to be a prelude.

CharlesW

If we can do "How Great Thou Art" and "Amazing Grace," then the 'Ave' is fine and even an improvement.

RosieDreese

Thank you, all! So much good advice! We ended up singing it after Communion, per the decision of our pastor.

MatthewRoth

That’s the place for it imho.

mmeladirectress

>> Marian music is not to be part of the funeral Mass liturgy as a rule.

Maybe everyone here knows this except me, but may i ask, where is this rule to be found?

oldhymns

In response to your query, mmeladirectress, I likewise have never heard of such a "rule" that Marian music cannot be used at a funeral Mass. In fact, in the guidelines offered by my archdiocese for appropriate funeral music, several Marian hymns are listed.

I do think, though, if the Ave Maria is used, there are more appropriate versions than Schubert. In fact, the Schubert Ave Maria was on the so-called "black list" issued years ago by the St. Gregory Society. The reason was the belief it was “more suited to the concert halls than liturgical functions.” Unfortunately, many organists and music directors think Ave Maria is synonymous with Schubert, which it is not. Practically every funeral and wedding I go to the Schubert is used. Better selections may include Arcadelt, Gregorian, Sister of Mercy, and many others.

PaxTecum

Marian music is always appropriate -- she is the Mother of Our Lord and Mother of the Church.

I have had the Schubert Ave Maria sung at the end of Mass, after In Paradisum, at a very large funeral with a very large exit procession. It worked quite well, actually, as the people very slowly made their way out of the church behind the casket and the very large family of the deceased. It happened by accident. Was supposed to be sung after communion but we had planned too much music and it was time to stop singing for the Postcommunion.

I agree that it's odd not to sing the entire thing, however yesterday I learned that the "Holy Mary ... " part of the prayer was added around 200 years after St. Dominic received the Rosary from the Blessed Virgin Mary.

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