Bad practice is resolved through good theory

Last year, the SSG’s Annual Crichton Lecture was given by Cardinal Roche.  One point that he made stuck with me; bad practice is resolved through good theory.

And a recent personal epiphany moment has illustrated this point very well indeed.

I have had a growing awareness that there are members of our community who do not appreciate the significance of the Offertory Prayers – the fact that it's linked with, for example, Temple practices; we bring our gifts, bread and wine, and they are offered up to God by the priest for sacrifice.  That is what priests do.  This lack of appreciation of the importance of the offertory is perhaps not helped by the fact that most priests, in my experience, seem to pray them inaudibly.  I have been racking my brain what to do about this.  Then it dawned on me.

I had forgotten that the offertory song is essentially a processional song – it’s purpose is to accompany the procession only, until the gifts are placed on the altar.  It’s sobering how you get into a way of doing things without challenging why you are doing them.  I knew the theory; I had just been ignoring it.

So, one weekend, we only sang from the start of the collection to the end of the preparation of the altar; then the organ took over with some beautiful, reflective music while we focussed on the Celebrant saying the Offertory Prayers.  It meant just two verses were sung.  I feared that some wouldn’t like this, because many people like to ‘do’ things rather than watch attentively in silence.  But feedback has been very positive, even though the Offertory Prayers were inaudible.

This has reminded me of another general principle of music in the liturgy: the music is there to serve the liturgy; the liturgy isn't there to serve the music.  In other words, we choose the music that is appropriate for and serves Holy Mass.

We are blessed that our PP celebrates Holy Mass reverently and with dignity.  I suspect that many critics of the so-called Novus Ordo would find their concerns assuaged by the manner in which he celebrates.  One cannot help but be drawn in to the Offertory Prayers and the Purification after Communion.  I have often likened it to a Chinese tea ceremony; something not to be ignored but by which to be prayerfully absorbed.