Introduction
Christianity is rooted in the primacy of grace and poverty of spirit. It is a religion whose fundamental mark is ‘thanksgiving’. One of the main ways Christians express their gratitude is through ‘singing’ the praise of God. We sing and proclaim the mighty acts of God who created us and has called us out of the darkness of sin into his marvellous light to be a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people (cf. 1 Pet 2:9).
Liturgical Singing
As a Church, our utmost occasion for singing and praising God is the liturgy.
We sing (ecclesia cantans) for creation, redemption and sanctification: Grace of Christ, Love of God, and Communion of the Holy Spirit (cf. 2 Cor 13:13). Through musical instruments – the organ, guitar, trumpet, lute, harp, tambourine, strings and pipe and clashing cymbals – we sing and praise God for his mighty deeds and his surpassing greatness (cf. Ps 150).
We have public, official and communal ritual worship involving songs. Called ‘liturgy’, it is the Church’s celebration of her redemption by offering due glory to God and receiving his sanctification. Hence, liturgical singing aims at animating the faithful and promoting their full, conscious and active participation in divine worship as “the singing Church”.
Therefore, during the unfolding of the liturgical actions, the Church often relies on a competent Choir. She has high expectations of the choristers as good singing helps the Church achieve acceptable divine glorification. Moreover, as proper liturgical singing has capacity to evangelize people, liturgical singing must meet the triple criterion of beauty, genuineness and pastoral efficacy.
Beautiful Singing
So that singing touches the heart of the singer and listener, it must be harmonious and beautiful. The words of the music can attract listeners if they are beautiful. However, this attraction is heightened when the words are accorded sweet and harmonious melody. Therefore, Choirs will render invaluable service to the liturgy as they sing beautifully.
Descent liturgical space, materials, and participants express the dignity, honour, beauty of the mysteries of Christ. Similarly, beautiful music is a decoration in songs and hymns for the unfolding liturgical celebration. The Fathers of Vatican II noted this value of music:
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. It adds delight to prayer, fosters unity of minds, or confers greater solemnity upon the sacred rites (SC n. 112).
Genuine Singing
Genuineness in liturgical singing is judged by how the songs express the mood of the Church for the seasons, actual days or theme of scripture readings. The Choirs must not only ensure the beauty of songs, but importantly choirmasters are earnestly required to select genuine ones. Genuine-beautiful singing stirs up and rouses faith and piety, hence the Church stated:
Composers…should feel that their vocation is to cultivate sacred music and increase its store of treasures. The texts to be sung must always conform to Catholic doctrine and inspired mainly by sacred Scripture and liturgical sources (SC n. 121)
Pastoral Singing
Singing must nourish the faith and raise our minds to God and offer Him our rational service and more abundantly receive His grace (cf. SC 33). The Choir must facilitate an encounter of the congregation with the Lord. Therefore, Choirs must exercise singing leadership and for active participation and avoid rendering some participants passive spectators (cf. SC # 48).
Pastoral singing by the Choir is reflected in its service and direction. This means that apart from their specific songs, the Choir must lead in the congregational singing, dictating the appropriate musical pace and rhythms. In this way the congregation can be brought up to singing and doing so well. The Choir links up with the priest and takes responsibility of the Ordinary of the Mass (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei).
Conclusion
Besides integration and the establishment of interpersonal relationships, music is an integral part of community worship. It purifies, elevates and saves from selfishness to turn toward universal horizons. The challenge to all—musician, presider, each member of the assembly—is how to get all to sing, how to sustain our singing and how to improve the singing.
We must nurture an attitude of thankfulness in each and in all believers. Though music is not constitutive of the liturgy, singing truly enhances it. For choristers, music unites minds and hearts in love and voices and attires in identity. Choirs play a ministerial role, and choristers must be trained, imbued with the spirit of the liturgy so that with sincere piety and decorum, they sing can beautifully, genuinely and orderly (cf. SC n. 29).
Sources consulted:
Catechismus Catholicae Ecclesiae, Editio typica, Liberia Editrice Vaiticana, 1992. English Translation, Catechism of the Catholic Church, Geoffrey Chapman, London 1994.
Guardini, Romano, The Spirit of the Liturgy (transl.) Joanne M. Pierce, Von Geist der Liturgie, Sheed & Ward, London 1997
Lang, Jovian, OFM, Dictionary of the Liturgy, Catholic Book Publishing Company, New York 1989.
The Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, Catholic Truth Society, London 1966.
Vatican Council II, ‘Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy’, Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963) in The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents (ed.), Austin Flannery, OP, Dominican Publications, Dublin 1992.
BY REV. FR. PROSPER ABOTSI
