The following are highlights from the Music Ministers’ meeting held on August 11, 2010.
The following representatives of our Music Ministers were present: Msgr. Mike Yarbrough, Fr. Alex Pereida, Darnell Waun, Monica Marrufo, Fred Bueche, Brenda Franckowiak, Sheila Morse, Mireya Martinez, Ryan Demmer, Guy Kukla.
Opening Prayer: Msgr. Mike opened the meeting with a prayer.
Agenda was handed out with the following items: Opening Prayer; Introductions; Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship (Handout); ?Slow Walk Through? the Eucharistic Liturgy; Sacred Silence; Eucharistic Prayer: Chief Elements (Handout); Liturgical Planner for Music Ministers; Reception of Communion for Music Ministers (Discussion); Questions & Comments and Closing Prayer.
Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship (Handout) – This is the most recent document from the US bishops for music in Catholic worship. It provides a common resource for all of the music ministers.
"Slow Walk Through" the Eucharistic Liturgy: Msgr. Mike gave the MM a ?slow walk? through the Eucharistic Liturgy. Some of the highlights included:
1. Use ?Gathering Song? rather than ?Entrance Song? in announcing it to the Assembly. The purpose of the hymn is to gather
us together as one.
2. Use a Gathering Song that is common and that the Assembly can join in to sing.
3. Use three (3) verses for the Gathering Song: one to gather, one to walk and one to be at the chair. This assists the ministers who process in to get into place.
4. If a ?Sprinkling Rite? is used, music should cover this action, be it an instrumental or song.
5. If the deacon uses the ?I confess? form of the Act of Penitence, remember the tri-fold ?Mercy? will follow the concluding prayer by the celebrant.
6. Glory to God should be sung rather than recited.
7. Sacred Silence is a valued part of celebrating the Eucharistic Liturgy. This should occur at various times in the liturgy:
After Invitation to the Penitential Rite, After Invitation to the Opening Prayer; After First Reading concludes; After Second
Reading concludes OR Prior to the Gospel Acclamation; After the Homily; After General Intercession when we are
invited to pause and add our own in silence; After Communion OR Prior to Communion Prayer. The amount of time for
silence will vary from about 15 seconds to 40-45 seconds, depending on what part of the Liturgy is requiring silence. This
can be found in the General Instruction on the Roman Missal, #118.
8. The Responsorial Psalm should be sung entirely. This includes the refrain as well as all of the verses. We have a booklet, ?Respond & Acclaim? to assist in helping with this. More information on this part of the Liturgy can be found in General Instruction on the Roman Missal, #156-160.
9. The Gospel Acclamation is sung. If not, it is dropped. There should be four parts to the Gospel Acclamation: (1) Alleluia; (2) Repeated by the Assembly; (3) Verse; (4) Repetition of the Alleluia a second time by the Assembly.
10. The Preparation of the Gifts is a time to prepare the altar for the Eucharistic Prayer. This is also a time when the music ministers can do something alone without the Assembly participating, if they so choose.
11. The three (3) acclamations in the Eucharistic Prayer: Holy, Holy, Memorial Acclamation and the Great Amen /
Doxology MUST BE SUNG at all Liturgies.
12. The Lord’s Prayer is usually recited but may be sung.
13. Msgr. Mike prefers singing the Embolism – the prayer after the Lord’s Prayer – and then to conclude with everyone
joining in and singing the Doxology to the Lord’s Prayer.
14. Fraction Rite (Lamb of God) is to assist with the breaking of the bread and the distribution of the sacred species into
various ciboria for the Assembly. A minimum of three (3) parts of the litany need to be sung. Additional ones can be done
if needed for the Fraction Rite.
15. Communion Song is TO BEGIN right after the Celebrant receives communion.
16. Music Ministers decide when it is best for them to come forward to receive communion as long as there is some musical
accompaniment with the communion procession of the Assembly.
17. Deacons will purify the sacred vessels AFTER the liturgy. Sometimes a Communion Meditation will no longer be needed.
18. Sending Forth Song concludes the Eucharistic Liturgy.
Eucharistic Prayer: Chief Elements: Msgr. Mike gave a handout to the MM to remind them of the eight (8) chief elements that make up all Eucharistic Prayers. They are: Thanksgiving, Acclamation, Epiclesis, Institution Narrative and consecration, An-amnesis, Offering, Intercessions and Final doxology. The ?epiclesis? is asking the Holy Spirit to come upon the gifts we are of-fering. The celebrant’s gesture is the placing of his hands, palms down, over the gifts. The deacons bow at this point as well. The anamnesis basically means memorial, a remembrance. This can be found in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, #79.
Questions & Comments: Several of these took place at the meeting and were responded to…Msgr. Mike also complimented and thanked the MM for their commitment and gift of music to the parish and its celebrations. He also thanked Darnell Waun for his time and energy as Director of Music for the parish.
Closing Prayer: Fr. Alex led the meeting in a closing prayer.