Announcing hymns
Any opinions out there about this topic? For example, "Please join in singing our offertory hymn, number 678, "Welcome to the Jungle", number 678."
Brian had posted a while back that he was phasing the practice out in his parish; he went from the above, to just the number, then finally to announcing before mass that the hymns would not be announced and that they should use the music board up front.
On one hand, I hate to break the atmosphere of reverence that is created by the liturgy by announcing a hymn; on the other hand, I like it when people actually sing the hymns I've chosen, which they are more apt to do when I remind them.
It makes me chuckle every week after the First Reading when I announce the responsorial psalm. Not a hymnal is disturbed until I announce it; it's like the people don't know what's coming next, even though they've been coming to Sunday mass their whole lives.
posted by Praying Twice @ 12:28 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Well, I never use resp. psalms that are in Gather anyway. :) Even the non-metrical settings use a gender-neutered translation.
I have the same situation in my parish. The solution I am looking into is weekly worship aids that have all the music printed in them. The nice part here is that I can include music for the Ordinary.
I think if people are reminded before Mass just to check the hymn board as they progress through, it might be ok. I know I am not in a situation where I feel anything like changing our announcements; I’ve got enough on my plate arguing for use of the choir loft, even incidentally.
I only use the Lectionary and Grail translations for Psalms. So if it's Haugen's own, or Haas' own, or anyone's own except for the two that are still approved for use, it does not get used, at least not for the Responsorial Psalm. Offertory or Communion, maybe.
For now, I simply remind the people to check the board. Singing is a little better, not much, but it's slow, just like any other change. They'll get over it. ;)
BMP
We announce the "processional" and "recessional" and sometimes something else if it is different from the usual, but keep the Psalm simple enough so that no one has to look it up. But I'm with you: announcements would not happen at all in an ideal setting. Still, there are good and bad ways to go about it. Sometimes they are a supposedly friendly greeting, as in "welcome to Holy Spirit Catholic Community, where our Gathering Song is..." -- or it can be more dignified: "This is the Third Sunday of Easter. The processional hymn is..."
We just have a hymn board where I sing now. But I had a flashback yesterday to a parish where I could say "Today is the solemn feast of Pentecost." That was a pretty nice thing to be able to say out loud.
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