Why Catholics Sing!

          The July 2008 parish music survey results show that 63% of people surveyed sing at Mass most of the time. The other 37% do not sing at Mass or sing only occasionally. This means that we, as a parish, have some work to do! 
          Christian religious singing began with Christ himself; for example, he and the apostles sang a hymn before their journey to the Mount of Olives (Mt. 26:30). St. Paul also recognized the importance of singing, as he instructed the Ephesians (5:19) to "[address] one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts." Three centuries later, St. Augustine expressed that "Singing is for the one who loves." This means that music is a sign of God's love for us and of our love for him; singing together in church expresses the sacramental presence of God to his people (Sing to the Lord §2).
          Our common, sung expression of faith in the liturgy strengthens our faith when it becomes weak, and makes the liturgical prayers of the community more "alive and fervent so that everyone can praise and beseech the Triune God more powerfully, more intently and more effectively" (STL §5). As St. Augustine so aptly remarked, "One who sings well prays twice."
          Singing "well" in the context of liturgy comes less from our vocal ability than from the desire of our hearts to sing together of our love for God (STL §13). Christ always invites us to enter into the song, to rise above our own limitations and preoccupations, and to give ourselves wholly to the "hymn of his Paschal Sacrifice" for the glory and honor of God (STL §14).
          Why do Catholics sing? We sing because we have heard the song of God's love for us, and having become part of this song, we sing in response, in love, joy, and thanksgiving. In this light, the question is no longer "Why sing?" but "How can I keep from singing?"
          To read more on this topic, see the Bishops' most recent document on
sacred music, Sing to the Lord.

Why Do We Sing Communion Songs? 

          Isn't it more appropriate to be praying quietly instead? At many parishes, fewer people sing during Communion than during other parts of the Mass. This may be due, in part, to a lack of understanding of the Communion Rite and the Communion song.
          Consider the unitive power of congregational song. According to the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (§86), the purpose of the Communion song 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." In receiving the Eucharist, we are not only united more closely to Christ, but are also united to all the faithful in the one body that is the Church (CCC §1396). While the Sacrament is the means of this unification, there are also certain signs or symbols which are an outward expression of this unification. These include moving together in the Communion procession, other common postures and gestures during Communion, and singing together.
          While singing is important during Communion, silence has its place as well. Ideally, the music should be ended in a timely manner so that everyone has an opportunity to pray quietly together.
          When it is time for Communion at the next Mass you participate in, ponder the meaning of our unification in the Body of Christ, and when you are moved with "joy of heart," feel free to sing along!