Interestingly, though, the ceremonies of the usus antiquior provide little in the way of pauses for silence. The "silence" that people love so much is mostly when the priest is praying secreto, that is to say, he vocalises the words in such a way that he can hear them but others don't. Thus the "silence" is a more or less determined length of time which comes to an end when the priest reaches the next part that is to be said out loud or sung.
In the older form of Mass, there are three moments where the priest pauses in silence. At the memento of the living in the Canon, he remains for a short time in silence, remembering those for whom he wishes to pray (stat paulisper in quiete). In this case, the rubric explicitly says that he does not need to express the names but may remember them in his mind. The instruction for the memento of the dead says that he remembers them in the same way (though now that the sacred host has been consecrated, he is instructed to look at the host.) In fact, the priest may have many names or classes of people he wishes to remember and may simply recall in general those for whom he has made an intention to pray during his preparation for Mass. When people ask for my prayers, I usually promise to remember them at my Mass in this way.
The third pause for silence in the usus antiquior is after the priest has consumed the sacred host (not after he has received Holy Communion from the chalice.) He is instructed to be quiet for a short time in meditation on the most holy Sacrament (aliquantulum quiescit in meditatione sanctissimi Sacramenti).
The Missal of Pope Paul VI provided for more pauses for silence; though you might not realise this since the overall impression of the Mass is that there is virtually no silence since the Eucharistic Prayer is said out loud, something that Gueranger deplored: Cardinal Ratzinger suggested that an option should be provided for saying it quietly. Very often the Offertory is also said out loud as well, so that the only time when there is a prayer of any length said secreto is before the priest's Communion. In fact, many priests, I think, feel slightly embarrassed at this and rush the prayer or say it out loud. The pauses for silence are detailed in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM - I will refer to the edition promulgated with the 3rd edition of the Missale Romanum in 2002)
In the section on the Liturgy of the Word, there is a heading "Silence" and the monition that it is appropriate to have "brief periods of silence" (brevia momenta silentii) before the Liturgy of the Word begins, after the first and second readings and after the homily. (GIRM 56) The priest's own pause for silence after consuming the sacred Host is not in the rubrics though I think we might allow it to the priest without denouncing him as being just as bad as priests who say clown Masses and make up their own Eucharistic Prayer.
In the section headed "Communion", the Instruction says that when the distribution of Communion is finished, if appropriate (pro opportunitate), "the priest and faithful spend some time praying quietly." (sacerdos et fideles per aliquod temporis spatium secreto orant). (GIRM 88)
This silence for "some time" is an innovation: in Italy, it is known as the pausa. I am not sure that it always works very well. One danger is that it becomes an impromptu directed meditation. Paulinus has an amusing account of this in his post Witter, witter, witter... which prompted me to write this post.
The other problem is that if the pausa is genuinely quiet, nobody knows how long it will last. It is very much at the discretion of the priest, and people are left wondering "When is he going to start again?" rather than engaging in considerations, affections and resolutions, or resting in infused contemplation, depending on their spiritual state.
My own practice is to consider (as I suspect most parish clergy do) that the four pauses at the Liturgy of the Word are not really suited to the normal parish Mass. In particular, at the conclusion of my sermon, rather than sit and ponder my words of wisdom (howsoever brilliant they may be) I feel it better to direct people to the "action of God" that is to take place, "Conversi ad Dominum!" as St Augustine would say, (it was the beginning of a prayer) reminding them that the Sacred Liturgy is focussed on God.
After Communion, though, it seems to be a more general practice to have some time for silent prayer. My own practice is to purify the vessels with wine and water, using the option provided in GIRM 279. This paragraph does not specify how this is to be done but we are fortunate to have older books which give the instructions in greater detail; there is also an extra prayer which it is surely legitimate to use quietly if there is time (there always is). Again, I feel reasonably sure that this is not the first step on the road to dressing up as Barney the Bear.
The purification all being done quietly (the prayers said secreto), there is a reasonable time of silence for the people. In order to keep to the letter and spirit of the pausa instruction, I then remain at the altar and say quietly the Placeat tibi prayer so that the pausa is observed but of a determinate length. I remain at the altar because I have observed that if the priest goes to sit down, everyone who was formerly kneeling follows suit as though it were a form of instruction to them. If the priest remains standing at the altar, it leaves the People of God greater freedom in the Spirit, surely?
Let me conclude with a passage from the writings of Cardinal Ratzinger that was quoted by Mgr Marini in his address to the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy in Rome this year:
Fish live in the sea and are silent. Terrestrial animals cry out, but the birds, whose vital space is the heavens, sing. Silence is proper to the sea, crying out to the earth, and singing to the heavens. Man, however, participates in all three: he bares within him the depth of the sea, the weight of the earth, and the height of the heavens; this is why all three modes of being belong to him: silence, crying out, and song. Today...we see that, devoid of transcendence, all that is left to man is to cry out, because he wishes to be only earth and seeks to turn into earth even the heavens and the depth of the sea. The true liturgy, the liturgy of the communion of saints, restores to him the fullness of his being. It teaches him anew how to be silent and how to sing, opening to him the profundity of the sea and teaching him how to fly, the nature of an angel; elevating his heart, it makes that song resonate in him once again which had in a way fallen asleep. In fact, we can even say that the true liturgy is recognisable especially when it frees us from the common way of living, and restores to us depth and height, silence and song. The true liturgy is recognisable by the fact that it is cosmic, not custom made for a group. It sings with the angels. It remains silent with the profound depth of the universe in waiting. And in this way it redeems the world.”
10 comments:
Good post, Father.
I think it is silence of the 1962 missal that I "hear" out in the pew, which draws me to this Mass. I like the low Mass at times because I hear even less.
This may sound strange, but if one is following along in a missal, or has followed long enough to understand what is happening when (the posture of the priest, arm and hand position, and even the right elbow movements are great indicators... the latter indicating when the sign of the cross is taking place, and how many times).
Because of the silence and lack of interaction in the usus antiquior, I think it is easier to prepare oneself for the contemplative dimension of the Mass, should God grant such an experience.
I love the words of Pope John Paul II in point 4 about silence in this ad limina address given out west some years ago here in the US. I will only quote one portion (the whole piece is worth reading):
Active participation certainly means that, in gesture, word, song and service, all the members of the community take part in an act of worship, which is anything but inert or passive. Yet active participation does not preclude the active passivity of silence, stillness and listening: indeed, it demands it. Worshippers are not passive, for instance, when listening to the readings or the homily, or following the prayers of the celebrant, and the chants and music of the liturgy. These are experiences of silence and stillness, but they are in their own way profoundly active....
The problem is when silence is manufactured it's fake and it doesn't work. When silence is used at the NO it's imposed and not something that flows.
I was a guest at a St. John's Day Mass celebrated by Francis Cardinal George in English using the Missal of Paul VI. After Communion, he allowed a period of silence, and it was complete silence with complete stillness. In a time when Liturgy is ruled by Dramaturgy, it was a dramaturgically unpardonably long pause, but from the point of view of worship, it was, appropriately, heavenly.
The moments of silence in the EF Mass are opportunities for wonder and reflection, but I can't help but think that one treasures those moments even more if there are other times of singing and interaction.
If the Mass were all silent, as some propose as the norm for the Low Mass, then one might become lost and unfocused.
If on the other hand it were all singing and external actions, one might become fatigued.
It is the balance between the silence and activity/sound that is the goal, I suspect.
It's interesting that the pre-conciliar Popes, particularly Pope Pius XII spoke often of the need to prevent the people from being "mute," "silent," "dumb," "detached," "idle" "spectators" or "onlookers" at the Mass.
It doesn't seem like they wanted the people to be silent all during Mass. Periods of silence, yes, but not the entire Mass.
The pause after the Readings are much appreciated by people where it is introduced, and very much missed when an ignorant person...layperson or priest... come along and omit them. I speak from exzperience as one who trained the readers to observe the pauses. Even some visitors remarked on the prayerful silence after the Readings.
It pains me that so many priests have not learnt to celebrate the Liturgy properly in either the New Form or Old form.
EF Pastor Emeritus wrote:
The pause after the Readings are much appreciated by people where it is introduced, and very much missed when an ignorant person...layperson or priest... come along and omit them. I speak from exzperience as one who trained the readers to observe the pauses. Even some visitors remarked on the prayerful silence after the Readings.
It pains me that so many priests have not learnt to celebrate the Liturgy properly in either the New Form or Old form.
(Sorry - deleted the comment by accident)
Silence is essential - as well as golden.
In particular, could we have silence, without congregational singing, while we approach the altar, so we can prepare, without intrusion, for what we are to receive, as well as after Communion while we contemplate the profound mystery of receiving and consuming the very Body Blood Soul and Divinity of our Lord. This is surely a time for prayerful wonder and silence.
I would ask all priests to take as long as they want on purification of the vessels, if necessary, to ensure this silence, and if there are murmurings in the ranks as a result, then perhaps a bit of clarification from the pulpit is in order.
One further point Father. A number of us in my parish have adopted the custom of bowing before receiving the Host. This is not about showing how holy we are, but rather it is a plea that we be given the facilities to receive the Sacred Host kneeling.
Jacobi - one of the elements of Novus Ordo "liturgical correctness" in England and the US is to speak of a "communion procession" which is accompanied by a song. Of course, it is generally nothing of the sort, nor in fact should it be, since there are likely to be plenty of people who should not receive Holy Communion at any given Sunday Mass.
The communicant is directed to make a sign of reverence before receiving Holy Communion. The book "Celebrating the Mass" from the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales says that in England and Wales the act of reverence is to walk solemnly in procession(!)
Those guidelines do not have recognitio from the CDW so you are entitled to bow, or to genuflect.
The Holy See has also clarified in cases brought to it from the US, that nobody may be refused Holy Communion simply because they kneel down.
A very helpful post. Occasionally I have sat down after the Gospel or homily and more often after Holy Communion. Yes, I can understand the 'tension' that this may cause in the congregation, it being, perhaps, an 'artificial' silence. I usually stand at the altar, however, when I've purified the vessels.
There's no singing at my weekday Masses in the local chapel but on occasions when there is, if I think of it in time, I will ask the choir not to sing more than one hymn at Communion time. It seems that most Filipino congregations have been led to believe that it's practically a 'mortal sin' to have any silence whatever!
I normally have a silent offertory, having discovered only two or three years ago that the 'default' mode is 'secreto' or 'quietly'. No one has ever commented or complained. When I'm celebrating Mass when there is singing I sometimes ask that the Offertory be totally silent. This is a totally natural, or 'supernatural' silence and nobody wonders when it will end.
I have found too that Holy Hours here tend to lack silence and the time must be filled up with readings of long prayers and the singing of long hymns. Years ago, when giving a retreat to some seminarians in a parish setting, we had a silent hour of adoration every night, with singing only at the beginning and end, for Benediction, and the reading of a Gospel passage. I invited the parishioners and many came every night and appreciated the silence.
In contrast to that, contemplative orders, especially for women, are thriving here.
At Lourdes a few years ago a recently retired Bishop said...."And now we will have a few moments silent prayer"......then a nano second later....."I just want to interrupt this silence to say.....Blah...Blah....Blah...."
The Mass without proper silence is just Blah....Blah....Blah.....an industrial process, that if it were said in a factory setting would be shut down on Health and Safety grounds. As it would be seen to do harm to all who attend......ie it eventually wipes out the Catholic Faith.
Post a Comment