Sacred Music 1

Group Assessment October 24, 2022

Members: SALTERAS, SANTOS, SUMACOT, VENEZUELA

A. Familiarize yourself with the articles and try to answer individually.

B. Meet as a group online. Once you are in the group, you may choose a facilitator.
C. Share your answers with the group.
D. The facilitator will be the one to submit your answers together with a picture or a video of the group
during the meeting.

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. 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.

● What could be some of the possible reasons that as demanded by the nature of the
liturgy, the faithful should participate fully, consciously, and actively in the liturgical
celebrations of the Church?

The group discussed that the people want to consciously understand the liturgy for it to
be applied in their life. The Church, as a place of worship and faith, demands its
participants to actively participate to feel God’s presence in mass celebrations and
receiving sacraments such as baptism and confession. The group agreed that by being
active during the Church’s liturgical celebrations, we need to be baptized in order to unite
as one community in order to grow together with God.

● What are some examples of internal and external participation of the faithful in the
celebration of the Holy Mass?

The group enumerated that internal participations include aligning our minds with faith to
cooperate with the heavenly grace and joining our minds with what we sing and respond
in the Church. On the other hand, external participation includes singing with the choir,
responding to the gospel, actively participating in responsorial psalms, giving donations
 during masses, giving full attention to the priest, listening well to the readings and not
falling asleep.

19. Because of the liturgical ministry it performs, the choir—or the Capella musica, or schola
cantorum—deserves particular mention. Its role has become something of yet greater
importance and weight by reason of the norms of the Council concerning the liturgical renewal.
Its duty is, in effect, to ensure the proper performance of the parts which belong to it, according
to the different kinds of music sung, and to encourage the active participation of the faithful in
the singing. Therefore:

(a) There should be choirs, or Capellae, or scholae Cantorum, especially in cathedrals and
other major churches, in seminaries and religious houses of studies, and they should be
carefully encouraged.

(b) It would also be desirable for similar choirs to be set up in smaller churches.

● What does this article from the Musicam Sacram tells us about the presence and the
importance of choir in major churches, in seminaries, and in religious houses of studies
(convents of religious sisters and brothers)?

The group answered that a choir is essential as it encourages active participation of the
Church goers during the mass; its presence plays a vital role because it ensures the
proper performance of the parts of the mass and it also gives life and color to the mass
itself. The group also answered that choir is necessary because the responses during
the mass should be sung not just recited or pronounced. Lastly, the group believes that
the choir can also serve as a guide for the participants to know which specific part of the
mass they are in through the songs.

20. Large choirs (Capellae musicae) existing in basilicas, cathedrals, monasteries and other
major churches, which have in the course of centuries earned for themselves high renown by
preserving and developing a musical heritage of inestimable value, should be retained for
sacred celebrations of a more elaborate kind, according to their own traditional norms,
recognized and approved by the Ordinary.

However, the directors of these choirs and the rectors of the churches should take care that the
people always associate themselves with the singing by performing at least the easier sections
of those parts which belong to them.

● What does the last paragraph of this article would like to tell us?

The group believes that the last paragraph means that the participants of the ass should
be able to sing easier sections of songs sung in the Church. Since choirs are retained for
sacred celebrations, it is important to at least have an active participation in singing the
Gospel songs with them in order to consciously express our faith in God. The group
believes that by retaining the easier sections of the songs, they are somehow still
 encouraging the ordinary people to sing together with the choir and the active
participation.

● Why is the role of the choir directors of the churches or parishes important in relation to
the active, full, and conscious participation of the faithful during the liturgical
celebrations?

The group answered that the role of the choir directors are important in relation to the
active participation of the Church goers because they maintain the community as they
sing together with the choir. Also, they encourage the community to join the choir as they
sing during the mass.

21. Provision should be made for at least one or two properly trained singers, especially where
there is no possibility of setting up even a small choir. The singer will present some simpler
musical settings, with the people taking part, and can lead and support the faithful as far as is
needed. The presence of such a singer is desirable even in churches which have a choir, for
those celebrations in which the choir cannot take part but which may fittingly be performed with
some solemnity and therefore with singing.

● What is the meaning of ‘properly trained singers’ in this article?

The group answered that the properly trained singers refer to those who are trained to
sing and are knowledgeable of the tune of the songs. Because they are the ones who
will lead and support participants of the mass, the singers should receive proper training
so that they can portray the message of the song and in order to perform well with
solemnity during the mass. The group also answered that it is simply not enough to
simply know every melody for it could either lead you into worship or
distraction/mediocrity.

● What could be some of the training that they need to be equipped with to render proper
service in their role as church singers?

The group answered that the training of Church singers should include vocalizations,
practicing diction and pronunciation of lyrics, proper breathing techniques, and learning
how to be in sync with the accompaniment. Additionally, a member of the group
suggested that joining a choir is beneficial for church singers. It trains them how to have
prior musicality in a small to even a large scale of singing among a group of singers.
Being in a choir teaches singers how to properly harmonize, blend, and efficiently lead
people into worship.

22. The choir can consist, according to the customs of each country and other circumstances, of
either men and boys, or men and boys only, or men and women, or even, where there is a
genuine case for it, of women only.

● What does this article like to tell us about the composition of church choirs?
 The group answered that depending on the country and its culture, persons with any sex
or gender can join the choir in the mass. This particularly means that the composition of
the church choirs are not only limited to male, nor female. With this, any trained singer,
male or female, can be a member of the choir and sing during the mass.

● Did you experience being a member or director or instrumentalist of the church choir?
What are some of your beautiful experiences?

3 of the 4 members of the group had experience being a member of a church choir. The
3 members shared that it was fun singing together with their choirmates and having
rehearsals during the weekend, had experienced learning the musical aspects of being
in a choir, and enjoyed it because of meeting new people along the way.

23. Taking into account the layout of each church, the choir should be placed in such a way:

(a) That its nature should be clearly apparent—namely, that it is a part of the whole
congregation, and that it fulfills a special role;

(b) That it is easier for it to fulfill its liturgical function;[20]

(c) That each of its members may be able to participate easily in the Mass, that is to say by
sacramental participation.

Whenever the choir also includes women, it should be placed outside the sanctuary
(presbyterium).

● Why is it important for the choir to be placed as part of the congregation?

The group answered that the choir as part of the congregation fulfills a special role,
because it encourages active participation. Mentioned in the articles 19, and 20, the role
of the choir is to encourage active participation of the faithful in the singing. With that, we
must also remember that performing easier sections of the songs would lead ordinary
people to sing with the choir.

● What is the meaning of the statements in letters b and c?

The group discussed that letter b points out that it is easier for it to fulfill its liturgical
function, and letter c is about the participation of the members of the church. These two
points basically boil down to active participation. With that, it is easier for the church to
fulfill its goal and function.

● How do you understand the last sentence of this article about the choir that includes
women?

The group answered that in terms of the Culture, the Presbyterium is a modern term
used in the Catholic and Eastern Catholic Churches after the Second Vatican Council.
 There are circumstances that the church requires an all boys choir, but some does not.
This can be connected to the gender inequality back then, wherein the men and women
were not treated equally.

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.

● If you were to prepare a musical formation for the choir, what could be the possible
topics that you think can help the choir members fulfill their role as ‘church choir’? [Name
3]

The group emphasized on three topics that they think would help choir members fulfill
their role as “church choir”. The first is proper blending and accuration intonation, second
is discipline which includes consistent in fulfilling responsibilities as a choir member,
practiced pieces beforehand, and third is teamwork which means that the choir must
learn how to work or sing together as a group because a choir is not complete when a
part of it is missing.

● From our past topics about liturgy, liturgical year, or liturgical seasons, can you name at
least 2-3 topics that you think can help the church choir to understand what liturgy is?

From the past topics about liturgy, the group thought that the topics Liturgy as an Action
and as an Event, Catechism of the Catholic Church, and Music should wed itself to the
liturgical action will be helpful to the church choir’s understanding of the liturgy.

● Why did you choose these topics?

The group believes that the topics discussed in our Sacred Music 1 class have been of
great help in opening up the doorway to understanding the concept of liturgy. It would be
beneficial for a choir to have access to these topics in order for them to appreciate the
role they play in liturgy

25. In order that this technical and spiritual formation may more easily be obtained, the
diocesan, national and international associations of sacred music should offer their services,
especially those that have been approved and several times commended by the Holy See.

● What could be a possible topic for sacred music would you like to ask from a diocesan
association of sacred music that you think could help in the formation of church
musicians?

The group decided that Musicam Sacram no.9 is a possible topic that can help in the
formation of church musicians. M.S. 9 basically has three elements: music should
correspond to the authentic spirit of the liturgy, it should correspond to the nature or
meaning of the individual parts of the celebration, and it should not hinder the active
 participation of the people. M.S. 9 also discusses that no sacred music is prohibited
when selecting what music should be used for a specific liturgical celebration as long as
the music is appropriate for the celebration and it corresponds to the spirit of the liturgical
celebration itself. The group believes that this topic should be taught because it helps
church musicians to understand the process behind selecting sacred songs for different
liturgical celebrations and understand its role for the whole celebration.

● How about from national and international associations of sacred music?

The group believes that the best way to reach national and international associations of
sacred music is through the means of technology. With easy access to the internet,
reaching out to associations domestically and internationally have become easier with
the fast advancement in technology most notably through the internet. A topic that our
group wishes for the associations of sacred music to discuss apart from M.S. 9 is using
social media as means to spread more lessons about the liturgy. Everyone basically is a
member of social media outlets and it is through those outlets that the people can
receive knowledge on the liturgy as social media has also become an outlet for
disinformation.

36. There is no reason why some of the Proper or Ordinary should not be sung in said Masses.
Moreover, some other song can also, on occasions, be sung at the beginning, at the Offertory,
at the Communion and at the end of Mass. It is not sufficient, however, that these songs be
merely "Eucharistic"—they must be in keeping with the parts of the Mass, with the feast, or with
the liturgical season.

● What does this article tell you about music in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist or the
Mass?

The group answered that this article entails that music used in the celebration of the Holy
Eucharist or the mass should be aligned with the feast, or the liturgical season, or the
parts of the mass itself. Specifically, some Gospel songs can be sung in the mass, may it
be the entrance song, or the offertory, Communion, and at the end of the mass as long
as the songs are Eucharistic.

● What are the proper or ordinary parts of the Mass?

The proper or ordinary parts of the Mass are the Kyrie (Lord have mercy upon us), Gloria
(Glory be to thee), Credo (I believe in God the Father), Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy) and
Agnus Dei (O Lamb of God). On the other hand, the proper parts of the mass consists of
the Introit, Gradual, Alleluia or Tract, Sequence, Offertory, and Communion. In other
words, all the variable portions of a mass which are spoken or sung by the choir or the
people.
Group call screenshot (taken by Venezuela)