Sacred Music at Mass
Saint Augustine recounts an experience he had during the singing of the Mass: “How much did I weep during hymns and verses, greatly moved at the sweet singing of thy Church. Their sound would penetrate my ears and their truth melt my heart, sentiments of piety would well up, tears would flow, and that was good for me.”1
As a child, my family attended the Traditional Latin Mass, but only Low Masses. My first experience with a Sung Mass didn’t happen until I was 16. It left a strong impression on me; it was structured, beautiful, and seemed to bring the Mass to life for the attendees. Since I became an adult, my wife, children, and I have spent well over two decades loving and being involved with sacred music because of its beauty and the positive impact it has on souls. In our experiences directing the schola, choir, and playing organ, we’ve learned a lot about sacred music and what a wonderful gift it truly is.
Much has been said about the power of music in our lives. Our Holy Mother Church, the ultimate expert on human nature, understands this and has created a rich tradition of liturgical music to elevate us both emotionally and spiritually.
I hope that this article will help clarify why the Church desires that we attend Sung or Solemn High Masses when possible and participate as much as we can. Even more so, I hope it inspires an interest to learn more about sacred music, which is one of our most beautiful inheritances as Catholics.
What Is Sacred Music?
Sacred music is the music created to support, elevate, and express the words and actions of the liturgy. These words and actions are expressed in the Order of Mass (the unchanging framework of the Mass), the Ordinary of the Mass (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei), and the Propers of the Mass (Introit, Gradual, Tract, Alleluia, Offertory, and Communion Hymn).
Sacred music is distinct from the broader category of what we may call religious music, which aids and supports the faith but is not primarily a part of the sacred liturgy.
Sacred music has several attributes:
Beauty expressive of prayer. Sacred music is the Church’s liturgical prayer in sung form. When we hear sacred music, we hear prayer. We hear the liturgy itself. In the Mass, we hear that most beautiful of prayers: Christ’s prayer of self-offering to the Father. Music can express any number of things, but sacred music expresses something utterly unique: the saving and sacrificial prayer of Christ and the Church in the liturgy.
Unanimous participation. Sacred music aids us to have union of the heart and mind with whatever liturgical action is taking place exteriorly. “Unanimous” means “of one mind/soul”; thus, sacred music aims to unite us all to the soul of Christ in perfect love for the Father at every step of the Mass. It also has a secondary effect, namely the visible unification and shared prayer of the faithful.
Solemn character. In the sacred liturgy, Our Lord performs the work of our redemption through sacramental signs. The liturgy then is a solemn experience, and therefore sacred music bears this character. The solemnity of the liturgy does not mean that it is cold, unfeeling, or aloof; rather, the solemnity refers to its earnest, intense, and festive focus on the great Mystery that it serves: Christ’s redemptive and transformative love for His Church.
While religious music isn’t at the same level as sacred music, it is also an important aspect of our religion. Regarding religious music, Pope Pius XII wrote:
We must also hold in honor that music which is not primarily a part of the sacred liturgy, but which by its power and purpose greatly aids religion. This music is therefore rightly called religious music…As experience shows, it can exercise great and salutary force and power on the souls of the faithful, both when it is used in churches during non-liturgical services and ceremonies, or when it is used outside churches at various solemnities and celebrations.2
Participation in Sacred Music
The Church desires that attendees at Mass participate in liturgical music. Three papal documents in particular provide guidance on this question:
Some selected quotes from these papal documents can help us understand why we should sing during Mass.
Tra le sollecitudini
(§1) Sacred music, as a complementary part of the solemn liturgy, shares in the overall purpose of the liturgy: the glory of God and the sanctification, the edification of the faithful. Sacred music contributes to the decorum and the splendor of the ceremonies of the Church. Now, the principal function of sacred music is to clothe with suitable melody the liturgical text proposed for the understanding of the faithful. Therefore, its purpose is to add greater efficacy to the text. This is done so that, through the music, the faithful will be more easily inspired, better disposed to receive the benefits of the grace that comes from the celebration of the holy mysteries.
(§3)…Special efforts are to be made to restore the use of the Gregorian Chant by the people, so that the faithful may again take a more active part in the ecclesiastical offices, as was the case in ancient times.
(§27) Let care be taken to restore, at least in the principal churches, the ancient Scholae Cantorum, as has been done with excellent fruit in a great many places. It is not difficult for a zealous clergy to institute such Scholae even in smaller churches and country parishes, nay, in these last the pastors will find a very easy means of gathering around them both children and adults, to their own profit and the edification of the people.
Mediator Dei
(§24) It is, therefore, the keen desire of the Church that all of the faithful kneel at the feet of the Redeemer to tell Him how much they venerate and love Him. She wants them present in crowds—like the children whose joyous cries accompanied His entry into Jerusalem—to sing their hymns and chant their song of praise and thanksgiving to Him who is King of Kings and Source of every blessing.
Musicae Sacrae
(§8) St. Paul showed us clearly that sacred chant was used and held in honor from the very beginning in the Church founded by the Divine Redeemer when he wrote to the Ephesians: “Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” (Eph. 5:18). He indicates that this custom of singing hymns was in force in the assemblies of Christians when he says: “When you come together each of you has a hymn” (I Cor. 14:26).
(§66) Hence We can do no less than urge you, venerable brethren, to foster and promote diligently popular religious singing of this kind in the dioceses entrusted to you. There is among you no lack of experts in this field to gather hymns of this sort into one collection, where this has not already been done, so that all of the faithful can learn them more easily, memorize them, and sing them correctly.
(§68) May it thus come about that the Christian people begin even on this earth to sing that song of praise it will sing forever in heaven: “To Him who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb, blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever” (Apoc. 5:13).
Sacred Music at Mass
During the principal parts of Sung or Solemn High Masses, there are several times when the entire congregation should respond to the priest. These include:
- Responses to the “Asperges” or “Vidi Aquam”
- “Amen” and “Et cum spíritu tuo”
- In addition to these, various other responses:
- Before the Gospel & Preface
- At the Pater Noster and Pax Domini
- After “Ite, missa est”
- Before the Last Gospel
The rule of thumb is: if the full choir is responding to the celebrant, then the congregation should also sing the response.
The Ordinary of the Mass
The Ordinary of the Mass consists of the parts that do not generally change. These include the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus and Benedictus, Agnus Dei, and Ite Missa Est/Benedicamus. In Sung or Solemn High Masses, these parts are sung, usually to one of the settings of the Kyriale, which is the commonly used collection of chant settings for the Ordinary. Most hymnals contain some or all of the Kyriale.
On the music board at the front of the church, you may see something like “Kyriale VIII” or “Kyriale XI,” this denotes which setting will be used. However, if polyphonic arrangements are sung, the congregation will generally not participate.
The Credo, while part of the Ordinary, has different settings. You will usually see something like “Credo I” or “Credo III.” The Credo is sung on all Sundays, first-class feasts, second-class feasts of Our Lord and Our Lady, and on several other occasions, such as within the octave of major feasts and feasts of Apostles and Evangelists.
In addition to the Kyriale, the Asperges Me (outside Paschaltide) or Vidi Aquam (during Paschaltide) is usually sung before the principal Sunday Mass.
One common element of the Kyriale is antiphony. This is a “call and response” style of singing, where two choirs alternate phrases. A good example of this is the Kyrie, which starts with the first choir (Schola Cantorum, the singing group that focuses on chant) singing and then the full choir and congregation responding, the same way the priest and servers respond to each other during Mass.
The Kyrie, Gloria, and Credo follow this pattern. The simplest rule of thumb for the congregation to know when to sing is to always sing when the full choir sings. In addition, the organ usually is louder when the entire congregation should be singing.
The Asperges Me, Vidi Aquam, Gloria, Credo, and Ite Missa Est/Benedictus are intoned (started alone) by the priest or deacon. The Schola Cantorum and choir/congregation then respond for the rest of the text.
The Propers of the Mass
The Propers of the Mass consists of the Introit, Gradual, Alleluia or Tract/Sequence, Offertory, and Communion.
In a Sung or Solemn High Mass, the propers are sung by the Schola Cantorum. If you’ve ever heard the term “Schola,” that’s what it refers to. Originally the Schola Cantorum only consisted of clerics, but in modern times, lay people often fill the role.
Depending on the time within the Liturgical Year, different Propers are sung. For example, during Lent, there is no Alleluia; it is replaced with a Tract.
Sequences are poetic hymns which were once common, though most were suppressed by St. Pius V. Only a few sequences remain today, but they are among the most beautiful musical poems ever written. They include:
These propers are sung in Gregorian chant and require practice to sing well (especially since they change for each feast), so the congregation does not usually sing these parts.
The Introit consists of an Antiphon and Psalm Verse, ending with a repetition of the Antiphon. In the past, many verses were sung, allowing for long processions. The Communion also followed the same pattern.
Sacred Hymns
There is no doubt that sacred settings have been the inspiration for some of the most beautiful and moving works of art ever created. Palestrina, Victoria, Byrd, Lasso, de Prez, Allegri, and many others composed music that transcends our daily lives. These pieces can edify, enrich, and enliven our worship and experience at Mass.
Choirs often sing pieces during the Offertory, and especially during Communion. These are sung in Latin and are appropriate ornamentation and support for the beauty of the Mass.
It is also very common to sing a processional and recessional hymn at the beginning and end of Mass. These are not part of the Mass per se and are often sung in the vernacular.
Musicae Sacrae does a magnificent job of explaining why hymns are so important. They teach us the truths of the faith, they are a tremendous help to our families, and they unite worshipers together:
The tunes of these hymns, which are often sung in the language of the people, are memorized with almost no effort or labor. The mind grasps the words and the music. They are frequently repeated and completely understood. Hence, even boys and girls, learning these sacred hymns at a tender age, are greatly helped by them to know, appreciate, and memorize the truths of the faith. Therefore they also serve as a sort of catechism. These religious hymns bring pure and chaste joy to young people and adults during times of recreation. They give a kind of religious grandeur to their more solemn assemblies and gatherings. They bring pious joy, sweet consolation, and spiritual progress to Christian families themselves. Hence these popular religious hymns are of great help to the Catholic apostolate and should be carefully cultivated and promoted.3
These hymns form a vast treasure of Catholic music that we can use to our benefit. It is truly moving and edifying when an entire congregation, consisting of hundreds or thousands of souls, sings in unison to proclaim the truths of our Faith. It also makes a powerful impression on children, developing a spirit of piety in their souls, which is why it is important that they be taught to sing and love Church music.
Conclusion
Our Lord has gratuitously provided innumerable gifts to us as Catholics: Sacred Scripture, Apostolic Tradition, the priesthood and religious orders, the liturgy of the Church, sacred music, and many more. The gifts of sacred and religious music are beautiful. Music moves us, and sacred music can change souls. In our family, sacred music has become a unifying and much-loved part of our lives.
St. Augustine is often credited with the phrase “To sing [well] is to pray twice.” While that specific phrase isn’t to be found in his writings, it’s clear that it is the essential message when he discusses sacred music. Even if you can’t carry a tune, or feel embarrassed, the Church asks you to participate in liturgical music. I would invite everyone to try to attend Sung or Solemn High Masses as much as possible, and to be generous and bold enough to do their best to participate. Few things are as beautiful and unifying as being part of a large group that is publicly worshiping Our Lord in mind, soul, and body. Music is a powerful agent of cooperation and unity and is truly one of our greatest gifts as Catholics.
Endnotes
1 St. Augustine, Confessions, Book IX, chapter 6.
2 Pius XII, Musicae Sacrae, §36.
3 Pius XII, Musicae Sacrae, §7.
