WiesOrganista:

The problem is that the introduction is long and then by the time he reaches the altar, they've just begun the refrain. When he reaches the chair, they launch into verse 2.

If you are singing a hymn there is a story being told and the hymn should be sung to completion. A lot of the time the last verse exclaims the trinity so you do not want to leave that out. However, most "Spirit and Song" songs are of the contemporary type and do not need to played to the end and could be cut off at any time. We will end the song at the end of a verse if the presider is waiting there.

The Roman Missal basically states that the entrance chant is sung during the entrance procession, then goes on to say that when the entrance chant is concluded the opening prayer begins. It does not give a definite stop for the entrance.

donr, I agree about the hymn telling a story. There are (few) times when I don't really care if he's getting his cassock in a bunch, if text is especially appropriate.

In this case, I'm the waiter, and I have to bring the customer what he asks for, even if I know I have something better.

This reminds me of a story about the parish I played at for a short time in south Florida. The priest was infamous for starting 5-10 minutes late for every Mass. And I was expect to keep the people entertained until he came out of the sacristy. Well, one Sunday I had enough and at 11 minutes past 10, I started the entrance hymn without him, the intruduction played on full organ. You never saw altar boys and a very rotund priest move so fast out of the back. And I did it every week after that. Needless to say, I was told my services were no longer needed soon after that. LOL

That was one way to get all the verses in......

Speaking of incense, I've almost never seen a hymn long enough to cover a procession with incense (and why even bother if you aren't using it?)

Use more servers, incense, slow processions, and a deliberate incensation of the altar (not a 20 second quick walk around). That'll allow you to have an introduction, sing 3-4 verses, an interlude, and a final verse. Works wonderfully at one of my parishes.

Chonak, do you have access to the Ordo Cantus Missae? This would be of great help.

Regarding incense, it is rarely used, unfortunately.

I found it, Ben, thanks to a Yahoo search. I need to find some sort of document that gives an idea about how long the song should be. We are also held hostage during the recessional.

Our masses always start on time, by the bells in the tower. Unfortunately, they are controlled by a computer-type clock, so it does get off a few minutes every month and has to be reset. Our priest begins processing on the second verse of the entrance hymn. I do as many more as required to get him to his place up front. At one Sunday mass, incense is used, so I keep the hymn going through at least four verses. If he likes the recessional hymn, he will wait in front of the altar and process out on the last verse. If he is running late, however, he will leave a bit sooner. It is like I was told to do with lessons during my years as a teacher - monitor and adjust.

Your former diocesan music director is correct: The Entrance Chant should cover the action. But the action is four-fold: "The purpose of this chant is to [1] open the celebration, [2] foster the unity of those who have been gathered, [3] introduce their thoughts to the mystery of the liturgical season or festivity, and [4] accompany the procession of the priest and ministers."

50. When the Entrance Chant is concluded, the Priest stands at the chair and, together with the whole gathering, signs himself with the Sign of the Cross. Then by means of the Greeting he signifies the presence of the Lord to the assembled community. By this greeting and the people’s response, the mystery of the Church gathered together is made manifest. . . .

While I can see the point that both you and Mr. Ford are making, Earl_Grey, I am still concerned when the entrance song (song being the operative word, at least for what is used in my parish), goes on excessively (once, the choir went through eight verses of Alleluia from the Spirit and Song book), there has to be a huge problem, especially when the celebrant has been waiting there a good while.

If we look at the Papal Masses, the chant comes to an end when the Holy Father has reached the chair. If I recall, Pope St. Pius X wrote this in his Motu Proprio:

VII. The length of the liturgical chant
22. It is not lawful to keep the priest at the altar waiting on account of the chant or the music for a length of time not allowed by the liturgy. According to the ecclesiastical prescriptions the Sanctus of the Mass should be over before the elevation, and therefore the priest must here have regard for the singers. The Gloria and the Credo ought, according to the Gregorian tradition, to be relatively short.

23. In general it must be considered a very grave abuse when the liturgy in ecclesiastical functions is made to appear secondary to and in a manner at the service of the music, for the music is merely a part of the liturgy and its humble handmaid.

My question revolves around this: There were some aspects of the MP that were abrogated (prohibition on use of the piano and female singers), but, does this one still stand?

Sing to the Lord is not necessarily the best reference here, because of the problems it has already raised with the issue of the Agnus Dei.

Believe me, not a few of us have been enduring the drek from Spirit and Song. There is a huge disconnect between chanting the ICEL setting and using the stuff from that book.

The problem is not in my dad's parish; it's in mine. The choir in question is quite talented (middle aged), as most of them sing in the local philharmonic chorale. The problem centers around the usage of Spirit and Song. The only liturgical formation any of them have comes from what they read in Today's Liturgy.

From my Air Force days, I still believe in the efficacy of "the chain of command."
Holy Father-Bishop-Pastor-Director of Music, in that order. Corporals don't give the orders unless everyone above in the chain of command has been killed or put "out of
commission."

I agree whole-heartedly with Adam in that the length of the music isn't the problem. I don't know what the "appropriate" length of the musical messes in Spirit and Song is, but I think it's less than one verse.

I think this whole idea of music "delaying" the Mass is just silly, too. A chant introit antiphon alone, at a comfortable tempo, would delay most of the lame, uninspired processions done at Novus Ordo churches. Should we cut those off too when the pastor gets to the chair? "Puer natus est nob-."

The music at liturgy doesn't stand on its own. But I say, if it isn't good enough to stand on its own, don't do it!!

I have never understood the instruction concerning the processional hymn:
are the faithful only to sing when they are feeling fraternal and ready to receive Christ in their midst, or should they sing until they so feel?

;)