GIRM 366-367: Choice of Chants

Music has come up again:

366. It is not permitted to substitute other chants for those found in the Order of Mass, for example, at the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God).

367. In choosing the chants between the readings, as well as the chants at the Entrance, at the Offertory, and at Communion, the norms laid down in their proper places are to be observed (cf. nos. 40-41, 47-48, 61-64, 74, 86-88).

As for 366, my sense is that American substitutions for the Order of Mass have never been widespread, with the possible exception of memorial acclamations. Much more of a problem in Europe, and even at the Vatican, according to what two touring choir directors told me in the 90′s.

 

GIRM 364-365: Choice of Eucharistic Prayers

One area of liturgical planning is still in the hands of the clergy. Choose well:

364. The numerous Prefaces with which the Roman Missal is endowed have as their purpose to bring out more fully the motives for thanksgiving within the Eucharistic Prayer and to set out more clearly the different facets of the mystery of salvation.

Did you know there are “norms” for choosing these prayers? Choose well …

365. The choice between the Eucharistic Prayers found in the Order of Mass is suitably guided by the following norms:

a) Eucharistic Prayer I, or the Roman Canon, which may always be used, is especially suited for use on days to which a proper text for the Communicantes (In communion with those whose memory we venerate) is assigned or in Masses endowed with a proper form of the Hanc igitur (Therefore, Lord, we pray) and also in the celebrations of the Apostles and of the Saints mentioned in the Prayer itself; likewise it is especially suited for use on Sundays, unless for pastoral reasons Eucharistic Prayer III is preferred.

I’ve heard the fussing in some internet quarters about the use of this prayer, or more accurately, its lack of use. I can’t say I’ve ever found that to be true. But of course my sample size is small and skewed toward pastors who hire liturgists to oversee good liturgy. I’ve heard it frequently on ordinary Sundays.

b) Eucharistic Prayer II, on account of its particular features, is more appropriately used on weekdays or in special circumstances. Although it is provided with its own Preface, it may also be used with other Prefaces, especially those that sum up the mystery of salvation, for example, the Common Prefaces. When Mass is celebrated for a particular deceased person, the special formula given may be used at the proper point, namely, before the part Remember also our brothers and sisters.

c) Eucharistic Prayer III may be said with any Preface. Its use should be preferred on Sundays and festive days. If, however, this Eucharistic Prayer is used in Masses for the Dead, the special formula for a deceased person may be used, to be included at the proper place, namely after the words: in your compassion, O merciful Father, gather to yourself all your children scattered throughout the world.

d) Eucharistic Prayer IV has an invariable Preface and gives a fuller summary of salvation history. It may be used when a Mass has no Preface of its own and on Sundays in Ordinary Time. On account of its structure, no special formula for a deceased person may be inserted into this prayer.

In relation to III, IV is definitely underused. Much less than I. Ordinary Sundays seem a good landing place for IV. What do you think?

 

GIRM 363: Choice of Orations

Prayers at Mass, and regarding the options for them:

363. In any Mass the orations proper to that Mass are used, unless otherwise noted.

On Memorials of Saints, the proper Collect is said or, if this is lacking, one from an appropriate Common. As to the Prayer over the Offerings and the Prayer after Communion, unless these are proper, they may be taken either from the Common or from the weekday of the current time of year.

On the weekdays in Ordinary Time, however, besides the orations from the previous Sunday, orations from another Sunday in Ordinary Time may be used, or one of the Prayers for Various Needs provided in the Missal. However, it shall always be permissible to use from these Masses the Collect alone.

In this way a richer collection of texts is provided, by which the prayer life of the faithful is more abundantly nourished.

However, during the more important times of the year, provision has already been made for this by means of the orations proper to these times of the year that exist for each weekday in the Missal.

The prayer life of the faithful would be even more abundantly nourished if these prayers were rendered in good, comprehensible English. But in theory, the principle here is a good one.

 

GIRM 360-362: Readings, Long and Short, One of the Other

More on readings:

360. At times, a longer and shorter form of the same text is given. In choosing between these two forms, a pastoral criterion should be kept in mind. On such an occasion, attention should be paid to the capacity of the faithful to listen with fruit to a reading of greater or lesser length, and to their capacity to hear a more complete text, which is then explained in the Homily.[General Introduction to the Lectionary (GILM) 80]

The ability to “hear” a text is more affected by the person proclaiming it–how it is presented–rather than its length. That said, the options given are sometimes useful.

361. When a possibility is given of choosing between one or other text laid down, or suggested as optional, attention shall be paid to the good of participants, whether, that is to say, it is a matter of using an easier text or one more appropriate for a given gathering, or of repeating or setting aside a text that is assigned as proper to some particular celebration while being optional for another,[GILM 81] just as pastoral advantage may suggest.

Such a situation may arise either when the same text would have to be read again within a few days, as, for example, on a Sunday and on a subsequent weekday, or when it is feared that a certain text might give rise to some difficulties for a particular group of the Christian faithful. However, care should be taken that, when choosing scriptural passages, parts of Sacred Scripture are not permanently excluded.

362. The adaptations to the Ordo Lectionum Missae as contained in the Lectionary for Mass for use in the Dioceses of the United States of America should be carefully observed.

And if you would like, you can consult the GILM, which we covered on these pages last year at this time.

 

GIRM 358-359: Choices of Readings

Regarding weekdays and special occasions:

358. In the Lectionary for weekdays, readings are provided for each day of every week throughout the entire course of the year; hence, these readings will in general be used on the days to which they are assigned, unless there occurs a Solemnity, a Feast, or Memorial that has its own New Testament readings, that is to say, readings in which mention is made of the Saint being celebrated.

Should, however, the continuous reading during the week from time to time be interrupted, on account of some Solemnity or Feast, or some particular celebration, then the Priest shall be permitted, bearing in mind the scheme of readings for the entire week, either to combine parts omitted with other readings or to decide which readings are to be given preference over others.

This option, to combine texts or to make choices on priorities, presumes a priest is watchful over several days of Lectionary activity. It seems to place a priority of the pastoral and spiritual needs of a particular community above the virtue of a unified Lectionary proclaimed “the same” from place to place.

In Masses for special groups, the Priest shall be allowed to choose texts more particularly suited to the particular celebration, provided they are taken from the texts of an approved Lectionary.

For special groups, I would presume communities that are not celebrating Mass on a daily basis. Possibly pilgrimages, retreats, and events like that.

359. In addition, in the Lectionary a special selection of texts from Sacred Scripture is given for Ritual Masses into which certain Sacraments or Sacramentals are incorporated, or for Masses that are celebrated for certain needs.

Sets of readings of this kind have been so prescribed so that through a more apt hearing of the Word of God the faithful may be led to a fuller understanding of the mystery in which they are participating, and may be educated to a more ardent love of the Word of God.

Therefore, the texts proclaimed in the celebration are to be chosen keeping in mind both an appropriate pastoral reason and the options allowed in this matter.

None of these prescriptions is much changed from the 1975 edition of the GIRM. All of these options have been in place for two generations. Anybody see anything worthy of comment?

 

GIRM 356-357: Readings

Chapter VII’s longer (356-367) of two sections treats the “Choice of Texts for the Mass.” Let’s read:

356. In choosing texts for the different parts of the Mass, whether for the time of the year or for Saints, the norms that follow should be observed.

The Readings

357. Sundays and Solemnities have assigned to them three readings, that is, from a Prophet, an Apostle, and a Gospel, by which the Christian people are instructed in the continuity of the work of salvation according to God’s wonderful design. These readings should be followed strictly. In Easter Time, according to the tradition of the Church, instead of being from the Old Testament, the reading is taken from the Acts of the Apostles.

For Feasts, two readings are assigned. If, however, according to the norms a Feast is raised to the rank of a Solemnity, a third reading is added, and this is taken from the Common.

One example of a feast being elevated to a solemnity would be the parish patronal feast. And the reading, obviously, would be added to complete the Old Testament/New Testament part of the trio to accompany the Gospel.

For Memorials of Saints, unless proper readings are given, the readings assigned for the weekday are normally used. In certain cases, particularized readings are provided, that is to say, readings which highlight some particular aspect of the spiritual life or activity of the Saint. The use of such readings is not to be insisted upon, unless a pastoral reason truly suggests it.

So there is some flexibility on a reading associated with a saint. When might such a reading “be insisted upon”? Maybe when there is an image of the saint in the parish–a window, perhaps. And there is an accompanying seed of devotion connected to that image.

 

GIRM 355: Optional Memorials

Once we’ve waded through the directives on solemnities, feasts, Sundays, and obligatory memorials, what happens when there’s a true choice for Mass texts? You can just let the ordo tell you what to do. Or you can learn the principles and solve it yourself. Let’s read:

355. On Optional Memorials,

a) On the weekdays of Advent from December 17 to December 24, on days within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord, and on the weekdays of Lent, except Ash Wednesday and during Holy Week, the Mass texts for the current liturgical day are used; but the Collect may be taken from a Memorial which happens to be inscribed in the General Calendar for that day, except on Ash Wednesday and during Holy Week. On weekdays of Easter Time, Memorials of Saints may rightly be celebrated in full.

b) On weekdays of Advent before December 17, on weekdays of Christmas Time from January 2, and on weekdays of Easter Time, one of the following may be chosen: either the Mass of the weekday, or the Mass of the Saint or of one of the Saints whose Memorial is observed, or the Mass of any Saint inscribed in the Martyrology for that day.

c) On weekdays in Ordinary Time, there may be chosen either the Mass of the weekday, or the Mass of an Optional Memorial which happens to occur on that day, or the Mass of any Saint inscribed in the Martyrology for that day, or a Mass for Various Needs, or a Votive Mass.

In addition to the above considerations for the important observances of the liturgical year, there is a value in maintaining the integrity of the daily Lectionary cycle. The principle harkens to Vatican II:

If he celebrates with the people, the Priest will take care not to omit too frequently and without sufficient reason the readings assigned each day in the Lectionary to the weekdays, for the Church desires that a richer portion at the table of God’s Word should be spread before the people.[Sacrosanctum Concilium 51]

Where I’ve served, I’ve not known a Mass for the Dead to be chosen, except for a funeral.

For the same reason he should choose Masses for the Dead in moderation, for every Mass is offered for both the living and the dead, and there is a commemoration of the dead in the Eucharistic Prayer.

Where, however, the Optional Memorials of the Blessed Virgin Mary or of the Saints are dear to the faithful, the legitimate devotion of the latter should be satisfied.

“Legitimate” may not be the best choice of words here. “Sincere” is widespread, but do such devotions develop to the point where there is true interest in delving deeper into the spirituality of the saint? Does it go beyond culture?

Moreover, as regards the option of choosing between a Memorial inscribed in the General Calendar and one inserted in a diocesan or religious Calendar, preference should be given, all else being equal and in keeping with tradition, to the Memorial in the particular Calendar.

Comments?

 

GIRM 353-354: Choices On Major Celebrations

Not very long, but full of common sense:

353. On Solemnities the Priest is obliged to follow the Calendar of the church where he is celebrating.

An obvious case of the priest bowing to the pastoral and spiritual need of the laity–not to mention the practice of the universal Church.

354. On Sundays, on the weekdays during Advent, Christmas Time, Lent, and Easter Time, on Feasts, and on Obligatory Memorials:

a) If Mass is celebrated with the people, the Priest should follow the Calendar of the church where he is celebrating;

See comment above.

b) If Mass is celebrated with the participation of one minister only, the Priest may choose either the Calendar of the church or his proper Calendar.

If the priest is on his own, he may choose the calendar of his religious order or diocese.

 

GIRM 352: The Choice of the Mass and Its Parts

GIRM’s Chapter VII covers “The Choice of the Mass and Its Parts,” numbered sections 352 through 367. As we’ve seen in other liturgical documents, the priest is called to sacrifice his own preferences and elevate the “spiritual good” of the laity.

352. The pastoral effectiveness of a celebration will be greatly increased if the texts of the readings, the prayers, and the liturgical chants correspond as aptly as possible to the needs, the preparation, and the culture of the participants. This will be achieved by appropriate use of the many possibilities of choice described below.

In the days ahead, we’ll carefully discuss the possibilities laid out in this chapter.

Hence in arranging the celebration of Mass, the Priest should be attentive rather to the common spiritual good of the People of God than to his own inclinations. He should also remember that choices of this kind are to be made in harmony with those who exercise some part in the celebration, including the faithful, as regards the parts that more directly pertain to them.

This was the way I was trained as a liturgist, from my days as an undergraduate in a Newman Center. The good of the people is always primary.

Since, indeed, many possibilities are provided for choosing the different parts of the Mass, it is necessary for the Deacon, the readers, the psalmist, the cantor, the commentator, and the choir to know properly before the celebration the texts that concern each and that are to be used, and it is necessary that nothing be in any sense improvised. For harmonious ordering and carrying out of the rites will greatly help in disposing the faithful for participation in the Eucharist.

Are meetings necessary? They might seem essential in some communities. Nothing substitutes for good organization of liturgy in context of a bigger plan.

 

GIRM 348-351: Other Things Intended For Church Use

The final subsection of Chapter VI:

348. Besides the sacred vessels and the sacred vestments, for which some particular material is prescribed, other furnishings that either are intended for direct liturgical use [Book of Blessings part III] or are in any other way admitted into a church should be worthy and in keeping with their particular intended purpose.

349. Special care must be taken to ensure that the liturgical books, particularly the Book of the Gospels and the Lectionary, which are intended for the proclamation of the Word of God and hence receive special veneration, are to be in a liturgical action truly signs and symbols of higher realities and hence should be truly worthy, dignified, and beautiful.

Public display is not required, but I’ve seen it in a few places, especially for the Book of the Gospels.

350. Furthermore, every care is to be taken with respect to those things directly associated with the altar and the celebration of the Eucharist, for example, the altar cross and the cross carried in procession.

351. Every effort should be made, even in minor matters, to observe appropriately the requirements of art and to ensure that a noble simplicity is combined with elegance.

Noble simplicity. Elegance. How would you see the Church, or more specifically your parish, cover these points?

 

GIRM 345-347: Colors of Vestments

Color my liturgical world:

345. Diversity of color in the sacred vestments has as its purpose to give more effective expression even outwardly whether to the specific character of the mysteries of faith to be celebrated or to a sense of Christian life’s passage through the course of the liturgical year.

You might be surprised on two facts here.

First, the Church permits colors other than the Big Four. The Roman approach would probably embrace something thoughtfully chosen, but not out-of-character for the season. “White” feasts have greatest leeway.

These colors are assigned to vestments. Not other decorations in the church building. Obviously, the overall use of color should be harmonious. But there’s nothing in the GIRM to suggest that, say, blue, silver and black wouldn’t complement Advent purple or red and brown don’t make good supportive colors for the Lent shade.

If you don’t have an ordo handy to tell your clergy how to vest, GIRM 346 tells it:

346. As regards the color of sacred vestments, traditional usage should be observed, namely:

a) The color white is used in the Offices and Masses during Easter Time and Christmas Time; on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity; and furthermore on celebrations of the Lord other than of his Passion, celebrations of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the Holy Angels, and of Saints who were not Martyrs; on the Solemnities of All Saints (November 1) and of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist (June24 ); and on the Feasts of St. John the Evangelist (December 27), of the Chair of St. Peter (February 22), and of the Conversion of St. Paul (January 25).

b) The color red is used on Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion and on Friday of Holy Week (Good Friday), on Pentecost Sunday, on celebrations of the Lord’s Passion, on the “birthday” feast days of Apostles and Evangelists, and on celebrations of Martyr Saints.

c) The color green is used in the Offices and Masses of Ordinary Time.

d) The color violet or purple is used in Advent and Lent. It may also be worn in Offices and Masses for the Dead.

You knew that white, black, or violet are all okayed for funerals, right:

e) Besides the color violet, the colors white or black may be used at funeral services and at other Offices and Masses for the Dead in the Dioceses of the United States of America.

f) The color rose may be used, where it is the practice, on Gaudete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent) and on Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent).

g) On more solemn days, festive, that is, more precious, sacred vestments may be used even if not of the color of the day.

And what would such solemn or festive days be? Parish and diocesan feasts. Special votive Masses. White feasts, certainly.

Metallic hues are fine for the US:

h) The colors gold or silver may be worn on more solemn occasions in the Dioceses of the United States of America.

What about your country?

347. Ritual Masses are celebrated in their proper color, in white, or in a festive color; Masses for Various Needs, on the other hand, are celebrated in the color proper to the day or the time of year or in violet if they have a penitential character, for example, nos. 31, 33, or 38; Votive Masses are celebrated in the color suited to the Mass itself or even in the color proper to the day or the time of the year.

Thoughts, observations, and especially opinions about any or all of this?

 

GIRM 344: Material and Design

A brief, but important section:

344. It is fitting that the beauty and nobility of each vestment not be sought in an abundance of overlaid ornamentation, but rather in the material used and in the design. Ornamentation on vestments should, moreover, consist of figures, that is, of images or symbols, that denote sacred use, avoiding anything unbecoming to this.

Ornamentation in abundance, that is: design aspects for the mere purpose of making something look busy instead of decorative–could be considered the easy and cheap way out. The authentic Roman Catholic judgment is to be found in the quality of the material and in the design–not the peripherals.

 

GIRM 342-343: Form and Fabric

Vatican II’s liturgy constitution, and hence the GIRM, allows some leeway with regard to the form of vestments:

342. As regards the form of sacred vestments, Conferences of Bishops may determine and propose to the Apostolic See adaptations that correspond to the needs and the usages of the individual regions.[cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium 128]

Since albs and chasubles are not really described in these pages, I suppose and white undervestment and any appropriate over-garment would suffice. There are a wide variety of forms of traditional chasubles between the apron-like fiddlebacks and the rain ponchos. Anything in between goes, right?

343. For making sacred vestments, in addition to traditional materials, natural fabrics proper to each region may be used, and also artificial fabrics that are in keeping with the dignity of the sacred action and the sacred person. The Conference of Bishops will be the judge of this matter.[cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium 128]

And alas, we have the polyester privilege. Most often though, vestments can be a blend of both.

 

GIRM 337-341: Various Vestments for Various Persons

Let’s finish up the matter of liturgical clothing:

337. The vestment proper to the Priest Celebrant at Mass and during other sacred actions directly connected with Mass is the chasuble worn, unless otherwise indicated, over the alb and stole.

I’m not sure how the stole came to be worn over the chasuble by a majority of clergy. It seems a rather minor point, but the GIRM is clear, as we read.

338. The vestment proper to the Deacon is the dalmatic, worn over the alb and stole; however, the dalmatic may be omitted out of necessity or on account of a lesser degree of solemnity.

I see more dalmatics these days here in the Midwest. What about you?

339. In the Dioceses of the United States of America, acolytes, altar servers, readers, and other lay ministers may wear the alb or other appropriate and dignified clothing.

Except for child, teen, and young adult servers (seminarians) and the very occasional choir, the alb is very rare for lay ministers. “Appropriate and dignified clothing” is far more common.

340. The stole is worn by the Priest around his neck and hanging down in front of his chest, while it is worn by the Deacon over his left shoulder and drawn diagonally across the chest to the right side, where it is fastened.

341. The cope is worn by the Priest in processions and during other sacred actions, in accordance with the rubrics proper to the individual rites.

I’ve seen the cope worn at the Rite of Election and the occasional wedding outside of Mass, though a chasuble seems more appropriate for either liturgy. Good Friday, a bit more common. Eucharistic Benediction, maybe more frequently.

What are you seeing on the backs of liturgical ministers, especially the clergy, in your church?

 

GIRM 335-336: Material and Design

A lot of fuss from Rome in the past decade or two about the blurring of roles at Mass. But honestly, except for children who are altar servers and the very occasional choir robe, in North America, vestments are all about clergy:

335. In the Church, which is the Body of Christ, not all members have the same function. This diversity of offices is shown outwardly in the celebration of the Eucharist by the diversity of sacred vestments, which must therefore be a sign of the function proper to each minister. Moreover, these same sacred vestments should also contribute to the decoration of the sacred action itself. The vestments worn by Priests and Deacons, as well as the attire worn by lay ministers, are blessed before being put into liturgical use according to the rite described in the Roman Ritual.[Book of Blessings 1070]

336. The sacred garment common to all ordained and instituted ministers of any rank is the alb, to be tied at the waist with a cincture unless it is made so as to fit even without such. Before the alb is put on, should this not completely cover the ordinary clothing at the neck, an amice should be used. The alb may not be exchanged for a surplice, not even over a cassock, on occasions when a chasuble or dalmatic is to be worn or when, according to the norms, only a stole is worn without a chasuble or dalmatic.