New liturgical music will enhance the celebration of the Eucharist

By Marty Denzer
Catholic Key Reporter
KANSAS CITY — You’ve figured out that GIRM stands for General Instruction of the Roman Missal, in other words, GIRM is the official Vatican document that explains how we celebrate the Eucharist in the Catholic Church. You’ve gotten used to the idea that many of the familiar words of the Mass are changing, and you’ve finally wrapped your mind around the fact that as of the first Sunday of Advent this year, Mass will sound different. But did you know that liturgical music will be changing also, to fit with the new translations?

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Wait, the music also? But what about my favorite hymns and psalms? The familiar hymnals will still be in the pews, and the congregation will still be invited to sing with the cantor or choir during the offertory, communion and the closing. It’s the music of the Mass itself that will change — the Gloria, the Sanctus, the Memorial Acclamation, parts of the Mass that may or may not be sung such as the Our Father and parts of the Mass sung by the celebrant. The music for those parts is called a setting.

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Parishes will be encouraged to select new or revised music settings for the Mass that are appropriate to their community, Beyers said. There are several to choose from. Earlier this summer, several members of the subcommission reviewed the settings and shared their impressions and opinions of the settings to aid parish music directors in choosing features of the individual settings that will best suit their parish congregation. The selections may change from parish to parish.

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Another change that may surprise U.S. Catholics is the Mystery of Faith, formerly called the Memorial Acclamation. The familiar text, “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again,” has not been approved for continued use. All forms of this text must not be used during Mass after Nov. 26.

Full article at the Catholic Key