Catholicism's massive falling out around the liturgical reforms of the 1960s came about in part because everything happened so fast. "The Truth changes, I guess," says the parishoner. "Why bother?" Therefore, steps toward the reform of the reform must manifest as:
1. Concrete, 2. Practical, 3. Incremental, and 4. Effective (Potentially.)
What steps of the reform of the reform fit these criteria?
1. New Translation of the Roman Missal Check! 2. Ad orientem worship during the liturgy of the Eucharist. 3. Suspending the parish subscription to Breaking Bread in favor of, say, the St. Michael Hymnal.
There are others, I'm sure. What do you have in mind?
The assertion of the sung Mass as the ideal form of worship, and it's wide-spread implementation, first with the priest's parts, and eventually with the propers as well. But the priest's parts should be sung even at daily Masses, putting an effective end to the low Mass, except in private (ie, the priest alone) celebrations, as it was intended to be.
Look at the eastern rites: they know nothing of a spoken Mass.
The Vatican II Hymnal contains the complete Chabanel Psalms and Garnier Gospel Acclamations in the same exact place as the Mass readings and Propers, to allow for maximum participation on their part.
Maybe my edition of the V2H is missing several pages, but all I can find is the English versicle of the Alleluia.
Respectfully, JMO, your suggestion while concrete and effective does not seem incremental. It could be a fine capstone for liturgical renewal, but it is not Step One.
A lot depends on where one is starting, E A. You're right: it's concrete and effective; in our parish, it wouldn't really be a large step at all (although there are elements of JO's protocol which we will modify or delete, since we lack a choir.)
Here are some very practical and incremental pieces. (Start where necessary.)
1) Require that all hymns at communion focus on God. If they mention us, let them properly reflect the theology of Holy Mother Church. 2) Begin singing the Agnus Dei (in any language) beginning at the fraction, not during any amount of hand-shaking. If possible, choose an unaccompanied setting, and have it introduced by a single voice. 3) Ask Father to limit, reduce and elminate any EMHCs 4) Turn Father around. 5) Sing the Communion antiphon, even to a simple chant. 6) Allow/encourage peace/silence/reflection. One doesn't need Father's help to do this: merely refuse to encroach on quiet time which exists.
Here's one huge stumbling block: How can we implement the sign of piece in a way which does not disrupt worship? Handshaking seems like it would make more sense around the penitential rite --- but calling a new council to fix this part of the liturgy, or even agitating for this change outside of the council, would not be incremental.
The goal at my parish will be 'Singing the Mass,' rather than 'Singing at the Mass', focusing and adding one part at a time slowly. Each parish is different on where to start, but I think having a clear (and concrete) goal is important. In my parish, there are still 4 sandwich hymns and some contemporary hymns, but I'm not going to worry about the hymns too much yet. (There are enough good hymns to rotate for a while. And trying to please different people and their tastes bring more conflicts in the parish at this time. Rather, the priority will be on singing the 'Text of the Mass.') This coming year we will start singing the "Preface Dialogue," (I asked our pastor, and he is delighted to sing it. I'll be working with him for it, while preparing the choir and cantor to lead the response this fall and next year adding the Introductory and Concluding rites, one at a time.) In the mean time, we will sing Communion Proper (SEP) and Offertory Proper (Rice) by the choir, in addition to a hymn by the congregation at the Communion. Before reducing the number of hymns, we need to provide the congregation other parts to sing, their own parts, 'responses of the dialogue,' which are simple and repetitive, thus bring confidence to open their mouths to sing and help them to initiate or awaken the taste of chants that many Catholics might have forgotten. (For the Mass with a cantor, we will have just Communion Proper this year. I need more time to work with cantors on singing chants.) I made a chart of the first 3 year of the plan. (which also includes introducing Latin Ordinary parts later, simple Jubilate Deo setting, one part at a time, after the congregation is familiar with ICEL Ordinaries in English first. Of course it's not complete and expect to be modified as it progresses. ) If anyone is interested in seeing it, let me know. (In the mean time, I will be asking one small request to the parish. Proper training of altar servers, with a decent dress code for them and encourage more boys to join.)
When we lift our voices and sing the Mass, we experience the Mass in a different level, where our hearts, minds and spirits are lifted to glorify God and sanctify the faithful.
Here is a possible plan for most Ordinary form parishes.
1.Establish/enhance the principle Sunday Mass; this "High" Mass should contain a procession from the rear of the Church with incense; the priest should say the Confiteor and allow the choir to sing the Kyrie and Gloria. All of these pieces should be unaccompanied, Accapella.
2. Incense; Father should process to the front of the altar, kiss it, and then proceed to incense it. This can introduce the parish to ad orietem worship. He should likewise repeat this incensation at the Offertory.
3. Polyphony: Perhaps the choir should sing a polyphonic motet, or Mass once during each liturgical season.
4. Communio. This chant should be sung at the very least, since there is enough time for it to be sung with hymns and/or motets.
*From my experience as a chorister, I believe that the choir should be given some Sundays off so that they can pray. I often find myself concentrating on my singing, rather than on worship of God, when I sing on Sunday.
This would be a great opportunity for the congregation to sing the Ordinaries, whereas the priest would recite the propers.
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