When I was first confronted with the notion of singing the Creed, I considered it a head-scratcher. It didn’t seem to make rational sense, given the other more lyrical moments in the liturgy. Then top it off with the thought that it’s a text that clearly, people should be professing collectively. Anyway, here’s the two-section legislation on professing faith at Mass:
67. The purpose of the Creed or Profession of Faith is that the whole gathered people may respond to the Word of God proclaimed in the readings taken from Sacred Scripture and explained in the Homily and that they may also honor and confess the great mysteries of the faith by pronouncing the rule of faith in a formula approved for liturgical use and before the celebration of these mysteries in the Eucharist begins.
68. The Creed is to be sung or said by the Priest together with the people on Sundays and Solemnities. It may be said also at particular celebrations of a more solemn character.
If it is sung, it is intoned by the Priest or, if appropriate, by a cantor or by the choir. It is then sung either by everybody together or by the people alternating with the choir.
If it is not sung, it is to be recited by everybody together or by two choirs responding one to the other.
The reference to “choirs” here means a split liturgical assembly. Not musical groups. The legislation here eliminates from regular consideration a “concert” Credo. Comments?
A cherished memory, from decades ago: I was a young graduate student, doing dissertation research in England. For Christmas I went to Midnight Mass at Westminster Cathedral with friends. We sang the old warhorse, Credo III, that night, the congregation trading lines with the cathedral’s famed choir, with strong, confident singing on both sides!