Can the sung propers be spoken?
  • jpal
    Posts: 365
    That may sound like a ridiculous question, but here's the situation:

    We are using the beautiful new Vatican II Hymnal, which of course contains translations of the sung propers and not the Missal propers, strictly speaking. Though there is of course a lot of overlap of texts, but the translations are different -- the Missal ones being ICEL and the hymnal ones being, I think, Solesmes (from the Gregorian Missal). We have an early quiet Mass on Sunday where the congregations speaks the entrance and communion antiphons.

    GIRM 48 says,
    If there is no singing at the entrance, the antiphon in the Missal is recited either by the faithful, or by some of them, or by a lector; otherwise, it is recited by the priest himself, who may even adapt it as an introductory explanation (cf. above, no. 31).

    To me it seems inane to say that the "unofficial" translations could be sung (e.g. SEP) but not spoken (particularly when the priest may adapt them at his whim). Since we aren't renewing our disposable missal subscription, then, we would just have the congregation speak the translations as they appear in the hymnal.

    Is this actually something to be concerned about, or does it not matter?

    Jon
  • MarkThompson
    Posts: 768
    To me it seems inane to say that the "unofficial" translations could be sung (e.g. SEP) but not spoken (particularly when the priest may adapt them at his whim). Since we aren't renewing our disposable missal subscription, then, we would just have the congregation speak the translations as they appear in the hymnal.


    This would, however, dovetail with what I understand to be the rule about the Responsorial Psalm, which is that settings and adaptations from other translations may be sung, but if it is spoken only the version in the Lectionary may be used.
  • jpal
    Posts: 365
    Thank you, Mark, that hadn't occurred to me!
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