Instructions on Music in the Liturgy

FROM THE VATICAN II DOCUMENTS:

SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM
MUSICAM SACRAM AND
THE GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS OF
THE ROMAN MISSAL 2002
LITURGY
CULMEN ET FONS
Source and Summit of our Christian Life.
LITURGY IS PUBLIC PRAYER
At the Last Supper, on the night when He was betrayed, our Saviour instituted the eucharistic sacrifice of
His Body and Blood. He did this in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the Cross throughout the
centuries until He should come again, and so to entrust to His beloved spouse, the Church, a memorial
of His death and resurrection...SC47
SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM
The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even
than that of any other art. The main reason for this pre-eminence is that, as sacred song united
to the words, it forms a necessary or integral part of the solemn liturgy.
VI Sacred Music
BENEDICT XVI
The importance of music in biblical religion is shown very simply by the fact that the verb to
sing is one of the most commonly used words in the Bible it occurs 309 times in OT and 36 in
NT. When man comes into contact with God, mere speech is not enough. Areas of his
existence are awakened that spontaneously turn into song. II Spirit of the Liturgy
PAUL VI
"if music - instrumental and vocal - does not possess at the same time the sense of prayer,
dignity and beauty, it precludes the entry into the sphere of the sacred and the religiousAddress to the Participants in the General Assembly of the Italian Association Santa
Cecilia (18 September 1968)
BEATO JOHN PAUL II
In continuity with the teachings of St Pius X and the Second Vatican Council, it is necessary first
of all to emphasize that music destined for sacred rites must have holiness as its reference
point: indeed, "sacred music increases in holiness to the degree that it is intimately linked with
liturgical action. 4-Chirograph on Tra le sollecitudini

Musicam Sacram
#5. Liturgical worship is given a more noble form when it is celebrated in song, with the
ministers of each degree fulfilling their ministry and the people participating in it.
Indeed, through this form, prayer is expressed in a more attractive way
the mystery of the Liturgy, with its hierarchical and community nature, is more openly shown,
the unity of hearts is more profoundly achieved by the union of voices,
minds are more easily raised to heavenly things by the beauty of the sacred rites, and
the whole celebration more clearly prefigures that heavenly Liturgy which is enacted in the holy
city of Jerusalem.
The practical preparation for each liturgical celebration should be done in a spirit of
cooperation by all parties concerned, under the guidance of the rector of the church, whether it
be in ritual, pastoral or musical matters.
Benedict XVI
Liturgy is for all. It must be catholic i.e., communicable to all the faithful without distinction of place,
origin and education. Thus it must be simple. But that is not the same as being cheap. There is a banal
simplism there is the simplicity which is the expression of maturity.
The Feast of Faith
p. 122
The Church must maintain high standards; she must be a place where beauty can be at home Thus to
ask what is suitable must always be the same as asking what is worthy; it must constantly challenge
us to seek what is worthy of the Churchs worship.
The Feast of Faith
p. 125

#9. In selecting the kind of sacred music to be used, whether it be for the choir or for the
people, the capacities of those who are to sing the music must be taken into account.

No kind of sacred music is prohibited from liturgical actions by the Church as long as:
it corresponds to the spirit of the liturgical celebration itself and
the nature of its individual parts,
and does not hinder the active participation of the people.

Music corresponds to the spirit of the liturgical celebration

ADVENT 4 Sundays before Christmas
CHRISTMAS Nativity of Christ
LENT 40 Days before Easter

HOLY WEEK (Inclusive of Lent)

EASTER Resurrection of Christ
ASCENSION AND PENTECOST
(Inclusive of Easter)
SOLEMNITIES OF OUR LORD Trinity, Corpus Christi etc.
ORDINARY TIME
SOLEMNITIES AND FEASTS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
FEAST OF ANGELS AND NON-MARTYR SAINTS
FEAST OF MARTYRS
CELEBRATION OF SACRAMENTS AND SACRAMENTALS

Music corresponds to the nature of the individual parts of the rites

PROCESSIONS IN THE MASS
- Entrance GIRM#47
- Presentation of the Gifts (Offertory)GIRM#73-74
- Communion GIRM#86
Entrance Hymn
#47. After the people have gathered, the Entrance chant begins as the priest enters with the
deacon and ministers. The purpose of this chant is to open the celebration, foster the unity of
those who have been gathered, introduce their thoughts to the mystery of the liturgical
season or festivity, and accompany the procession of the priest and ministers.
Preparation of the Gifts
#74. The procession bringing the gifts is accompanied by the Offertory chant (cf. above, no.37b),
which continues at least until the gifts have been placed on the altar. The norms on the manner
of singing are the same as for the Entrance chant (cf. above, no. 48). Singing may always
accompany the rite at the offertory, even when there is no procession with the gifts.
Communion
#86. While the priest is receiving the Sacrament, the Communion chant is begun. Its purpose is
to express the communicants union in spirit by means of the unity of their voices, to show joy
of heart, and to highlight more clearly the communitarian nature of the procession to receive
Communion. The singing is continued for as long as the Sacrament is being administered to the
faithful. If, however, there is to be a hymn after Communion, the Communion chant should be
ended in a timely manner. Care should be taken that singers, too can receive Communion with
ease.
ORDINARY OF THE MASS
-KYRIE GIRM#52
-GLORIA GIRM#53
-CREDO GIRM#67
-SANCTUS-BENEDICTUS GIRM#79b
-AGNUS DEI GIRM#83
KYRIE ELEISON=LORD HAVE MERCY
#52. After the Act of Penitence, the Kyrie is always begun, unless it has already been included as
part of the Act of Penitence. Since it is a chant by which the faithful acclaim the Lord and
implore his mercy, it is ordinarily done by all, that is, by the people and with the choir or cantor
having a part in it.
As a rule, each acclamation is sung or said twice, though it may be repeated several times, by
reason of the character of the various languages, as well as of the artistry of the music or of
other circumstances. When the Kyrie is sung as a part of the Act of Penitence, a trope may
precede each acclamation.
GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO
= PAPURI SA DIYOS
#53. The Gloria is a very ancient and venerable hymn in which the Church, gathered together in
the Holy Spirit, glorifies and entreats God the Father and the Lamb. The text of this hymn may
not be replaced by any other text.
The Gloria is intoned by the priest or, if appropriate, by a cantor or by the choir; but it is sung
either by everyone together, or by the people alternately with the choir, or by the choir alone. If
not sung, it is to be recited either by all together or by two parts of the congregation responding

one to the other. It is sung or said on Sundays outside the Seasons of Advent and Lent, on
solemnities and feasts, and at special celebrations of a more solemn character.
CREDO = SUMASAMPALATAYA AKO
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 begun by the priest or, if this is appropriate, by a cantor or by the choir. It is
sung, however, either by all together or by the people alternating with the choir. If not sung, it is
to be recited by all together or by two parts of the assembly responding one to the other.
SANCTUS = SANTO
#79b. Acclamation: In which the whole congregation, joining with the heavenly powers, sings the
Sanctus. This acclamation, which is part of the Eucharistic Prayer itself, is sung or said by all the
people with the priest.
AGNUS DEI = KORDERO NG DIYOS
The priest breaks the Bread and puts a piece of the host into the chalice to signify the unity of
the Body and Blood of the Lord in the work of salvation, namely, of the living and glorious Body
of Jesus Christ. The supplication Agnus Dei, is, as a rule, sung by the choir or cantor with the
congregation responding; or it is, at least, recited aloud. This invocation accompanies the
fraction and, for this reason, may be repeated as many times as necessary until the rite has
reached its conclusion, the last time ending with the words dona nobis pacem (grant us peace).
ACCLAMATIONS
- GOSPEL ACCLAMATIONS GIRM# 62
- (SANCTUS)
- MEMORIAL ACCLAMATION GIRM#79e
- GREAT AMEN GIRM#79h
- DOXOLOGY GIRM#81
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
#62. After the reading that immediately precedes the Gospel, the Alleluia or another chant
indicated by the rubrics is sung, as required by the liturgical season. An acclamation of this kind
constitutes a rite or act in itself, by which the assembly of the faithful welcomes and greets the
Lord who is about to speak to them in the Gospel and professes their faith by means of the
chant. It is sung by all while standing and is led by the choir or a cantor, being repeated if this is
appropriate. The verse, however, is sung either by the choir or by the cantor.
a. The Alleluia is sung in every season other than Lent. The verses are taken from the Lectionary
or the Graduale.
b. During Lent, in place of the Alleluia, the verse before the Gospel is sung, as indicated in the
Lectionary. It is also permissible to sing another psalm or tract, as found in the Graduale.
SEQUENCE
#64. The Sequence, which is optional except on Easter Sunday and on Pentecost Day, is sung
before the Alleluia.
Memorial acclamation
#79e Anamnesis: In which the Church, fulfilling the command that she received from Christ the
Lord through the Apostles, keeps the memorial of Christ, recalling especially his blessed Passion,
glorious Resurrection, and Ascension into heaven.
AMEN
#79h. Final doxology: By which the glorification of God is expressed and is confirmed and
concluded by the peoples acclamation, Amen.

PATER NOSTER = AMA NAMIN

#81. In the Lords Prayer a petition is made for daily food, which for Christians means preeminently the eucharistic bread, and also for purification from sin, so that what is holy may, in
fact, be given to those who are holy. The priest says the invitation to the prayer, and all the
faithful say it with him; the priest alone adds the embolism, which the people conclude with a
doxology.

Music promotes active participation

#15. The faithful fulfill their liturgical role by making that full, conscious and active participation
which is demanded by the nature of the Liturgy itself and which is, by reason of baptism, the
right and duty of the Christian people.
Active Participation
This participation
(a) Should be above all internal, in the sense that by it the faithful join their mind to what they
pronounce or hear, and cooperate with heavenly grace,
(b) Must be, on the other hand, external also, that is, such as to show the internal participation
by gestures and bodily attitudes, by the acclamations, responses and singing.
The faithful should also be taught to unite themselves interiorly to what the ministers or choir
sing, so that by listening to them they may raise their minds to God.
Fr. Antonio Bermejo
Worshippers are not passive, for instance, when listening to the readings or the homily, or following the
prayers of the celebrant, and the chants and music of the liturgy. These are experiences of silence and
stillness, but they are in their own way profoundly active.
In a culture which neither favours nor fosters meditative quiet, the art of interior listening is learned
only with difficulty. Here we see how the liturgy, though it must always be properly inculturated, must
also be counter-cultural.
The New Roman Missal and its Pastoral Dimension: Implications and Complications
Some of the people's song, however, especially if the faithful have not yet been sufficiently instructed,
or if musical settings for several voices are used, can be handed over to the choir alone, provided that
the people are not excluded from those parts that concern them
But the usage of entrusting to the choir alone the entire singing of the whole Proper and of the
whole Ordinary, to the complete exclusion of the people's participation in the singing, is to be
deprecated.
MS 16c
At the proper times, all should observe a reverent silence
MS 17
#43. Certain celebrations of the Sacraments and Sacramentals, which have a special importance in the
life of the whole parish community, such as confirmation, sacred ordinations, matrimony, the
consecration of a church or altar, funerals, etc., should be performed in sung form as far as possible, so
that even the solemnity of the rite will contribute to its greater pastoral effectiveness.
Nevertheless, the introduction into the celebration of anything which is merely secular, or which is
hardly compatible with divine worship, under the guise of solemnity should be carefully avoided: this
applies particularly to the celebration of marriages.
#51. Pastors of souls, having taken into consideration pastoral usefulness and the character of their own
language, should see whether parts of the heritage of sacred music, written in previous centuries for
Latin texts, could also be conveniently used, not only in liturgical celebrations in Latin but also in those
performed in the vernacular. There is nothing to prevent different parts in one and the same
celebration being sung in different languages.
#65. In sung or said Masses, the organ, or other instrument legitimately admitted, can be used to
accompany the singing of the choir and the people; it can also be played solo at the beginning before
the priest reaches the altar, at the Offertory, at the Communion, and at the end of Mass.
#66. The playing of these same instruments as solos is not permitted in Advent, Lent, during the Sacred
Triduum and in the Offices and Masses of the Dead.

SPIRITUALITY OF MUSIC MINISTERS

#24. Besides musical formation, suitable liturgical and spiritual formation must also be given to the
members of the choir, in such a way that the proper performance of their liturgical role will not only
enhance the beauty of the celebration and be an excellent example for the faithful, but will bring
spiritual benefit to the choir-members themselves.

Musical Formation
RUDIMENTS OF MUSIC
Elements of Musical Notation;
Scales and Triads;
Note reading;
Solfeggio; Elementary Harmony
and Keyboard
LITURGICAL FORMATION
BASIC CATECHESIS
-Basic Prayers; Creed; Commandments
and Laws of the Church.
-The Mass
-Sacraments and Sacramentals
-Liturgical Year
-The Psalms
-Vatican II: Documents on Liturgical Music
SPIRITUAL FORMATION
Sacrament of Confession
Adoration of the Sacrament
Rosary, Meditations and Devotions
Monthly or Quarterly Recollections
Annual Retreat and Group recreation
Spiritual Direction/ counselling
Talks/seminars on Spirituality.
Pilgrimages

IUBILATE DEO OMNIS TERRA. SERVITE DOMINO IN LAETITIA! Psalm 100

SING JOYFULLY TO THE LORDSERVE THE LORD WITH GLADNESS!
ferdzmb@yahoo.com

From the PowerPoint presentation of Sir Ferdinand Ferdz Bautista