In my opinion, for what it's worth:

"Schola Cantorum" carries connotations that "choir" does not. There is a history behind this term that goes back to a papal choir that created the Mass Proper. See the Catholic Encyclopdia entry for the term: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13547b.htm

The average Catholic church choir is not a schola cantorum because it does not fulfill the liturgical function of a schola. Most Catholic church choirs exist to sing music that is, at least in theory, congregational. It is therefore a puzzling question why these choirs exist at all; if the congregation were singing this music robustly, as Protestant congregations traditionally have done, then the choir would serve no purpose.

Nor is a group of singers who sing primarily Gregorian Mass ordinaries and chant hymns a schola cantorum, IMO. They are yet another Catholic choir singing congregational music (albeit Gregorian congregational music), not (yet) a schola. Singing motets gives the choir more of a raison d'etre, and a function similar to Protestant choirs, but motets are not core liturgical music.

To me, a schola cantorum exists primarily to execute a particular function (cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium 28-29), which at Mass means to sing the propers from the Graduale Romanum--from an historical perspective, this is the essential raison d'etre of a schola.

The GIRM additionally assigns the schola the role of alternating with the congregation during some of the Ordinary parts of the Mass (e.g. Gloria, Credo), presumably to assist the congregation with fulfilling their own particular function; it also provides for congregation alternating with the schola during some of the Proper parts (Introit, Communion). This does not take away from the fact that the Ordinary is primarily congregational music that should not be completely usurped by the choir (as happened for a significant chunk of history, and is still de facto the case today in many places), nor that the Proper is primarily schola music that should not be completely usurped by the congregation (as the dominant way of thinking today would deem desirable, although the practical result is usually that a choir performs congregational music for a mute congregation).

I think it is very significant that the current translation of the GIRM refers to the "schola cantorum" throughout rather than simply to a "choir." There must be a reason for the choice in translation (or rather, the choice not to translate this term!) and the connotations and history of the term must have informed the choice.

If the ordinary of the Mass is ideally only to be sung by the congregation and not usurped by the choir, then there is a huge amount of chant composed and approved by the church that will never be heard again.

Never say never...I dream of singing restored to the heart of culture. I read in Professor Mahrt's book that the congregation in his parish has learned five Gregorian Masses. With enough desire for it, and enough repetition, nothing is impossible.

The IGMR uses the term chorus (choir) only once, giving it as an alternate term for schola cantorum in n. 113. There is no intention to distinguish between a schola cantorum and some other group of singers. Any choir is a group of those who are “schooled” in singing and therefore capable of fulfilling the special and important role assigned to it in the liturgy. This is the sense of schola cantorum as employed in the current rubrics.

Custom gives us ways of distinguishing between the use of the terms schola cantorum and choir, but what a tragedy that it is used for snob appeal all too often, as would seem to be the case here.

Musicam sacram captures a bit more of the traditional use, in nn 19-20, making a distinction between “large choirs (cappellae musicae)” and others; traditionally, a “schola” is used to describe a smaller and more accomplished group of singers.

I would encourage every church “choir” to consider itself a schola cantorum, and take that very seriously for that is its proper liturgical title; however it should accept the challenge of living up to that name as a “school of continuing education.”

In my understanding a schola cantorum exists to perform the repertory of Franco-Gregorian chant as it pertains to a given mass. A choir's function is to provide leadership to the congregation in the ordinary, whether that be chant or other, and to grace the liturgy with anthems at appropriate points, such as offertory and communion.
While the choir, or parts thereof, may at times sing chant as well as part music, the schola's sole raison d'etre is chant... in Latin, English, or Urdu as is appropriate to the chosen language for a given liturgy.

One more thing, as mentioned in your post and others on this thread, there can be a "snob" appeal attached to singing in the schola. Nothing knew hear, Popes have complained about that for over 1000 years! Pride is certainly something all singers need to be cautious about. At our parish any women or man in the choir can sing in one of the scholas, but what they have to be willing to do are the extra rehearsals for the proper chants because some of these chants are quite complex and they change from Sunday to Sunday. The schola singers are not necessarily the better singers in the choir, they are just the singers who have the time and the desire to do the extra work.

I would encourage every church “choir” to consider itself a schola cantorum, and take that very seriously for that is its proper liturgical title; however it should accept the challenge of living up to that name as a “school of continuing education.”

Yes. My worry is that my choir will develop the attitude that "the schola" sings the chant and Latin. We don't have to learn and sing it. If you like that genre of music, attend "their" Masses and open the G&P at "ours". All of the Masses at our parish are in the OF.

I wish I had the time to have a smaller schola in addition to the choir, to sing at least one of the Gregorian propers a week. My busy family life makes this impossible right now. This is something to consider for the future. I was told by a holy priest to pray for a resolution to this situation, something I have neglected to do, and to which I must attend.

Thank you for your thoughtful replies.

Yes, we are Michael. There is no DM though. Just many groups working rather independently with our Pastor guiding us.

When it is up to one person to get all of the liturgy together it is very difficult, believe me I know. Chonak is correct that this sort of thing is just awful and I will pray you have a good resolution. I too worry about the snob appeal of Latin and the chant because I think this is the sort of thing that may have contributed to its neglect these past 50 years, and even before. Those of us who love the Latin liturgy need to be especially careful not to fall into this sort of prideful trap.

Anyone know what to make of the Wikipedia entry for Schola cantorum (papal choir), which contains this passage:

Between the years 876 and 1073, the prior of the Schola is recorded to have performed a curious dance with clearly pagan origins known as Cornomania, on the Saturday following Easter, on the Lateran Square in Rome. He would wear a wreath with horns on his head, swing a rattle with bells, scatter laurel leaves, and cry out in an unknown language, "Iaritan, iaritan, iariariasti; raphayn, iercoin, iariariasti".

MichaelM, I would prefer not to discuss my exact situation on a public forum like this, but if you are interested PM me and I'll tell you how we organize our parish. If you wish to know the answers to your queries, it may be advisable to begin a new thread. I am also interested.

@Mark M. The reference provided in the footnote to that passage does check out: i.e., the Moss book does state that information about an old pagan-seeming practice surviving on the Saturday after Easter.

My current parish has multiple choirs with no DM. Yes, major feasts get chaotic when groups can jockey for position.

In our case, it seems to depend on the poor priest trying to make everyone happy.

I wouldn't be able to guess; I don't know the history.

No chickens or head rolling here. Our choir takes care of everything that is outside of regular Sunday Mass except for a couple of Confirmation Masses (we have 3) and the First Communion Masses (thanks be to God). Every group gets a Christmas Eve Mass too. So the church music runs fairly smoothly. It's my pride being hurt and I don't want my choir music to be considered less true to church teaching.