The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-04-19
CONGREGATIONAL SINGING

Those who attended the inves-
titure of Mgr. Guillot in the
Church of Notre Dame de LOur-
DIES, Minneapolis, were not only
highly pleased but much edited
with the congregational singing
which was so important a feature
of the religious celebration. AS
the procession entered the church
the choir sang the opening stanza
of a French hymn appropriate to
the occasion and the refrain was
taken up by the entire congrega-
ton which continued to alternate
with the choir during the rendi-
ton Of the hymn. In this manner
several hymns were sung before
and after the Mass, and the visit
ing prelates and clergy were loud
in their praise of the inspiring
effect produced by this method of
participating in the services. The
congregation seemed to enter into
the spirit of the occasion, each one
vying with his neighbor in infus-
ing the sentiments Of his heart
into the words of the familiar
hymns which many Of them had
learned In the days Of their youth
hymns which recalled the glori-
Gus heritage of Catholicity which
has come down to them from their
devout ancestors of other days.
hymns in which the Eldest
Daughter of the Church" voiced
her chivalric devotion to the Vir-
gin Mother and the Divine
Saviour.
All who were present on this
occasion realized, perhaps, more
than ever before, the latent posi-
bilities of congregational singing
which have been so generally neg
lected in our churches. Our
separated brethren long ago rea-
liked the advantages of congrega-
tional singing, and have made the
fullest possible use of this ancient
custom which owes it's origin to
Catholic piety, but which is now
characteristic of all their serv-
ices. Congregational singing has
been a feature Of the services in
Notre Dame de Lourdes Church
for long time. Every Sunday
French hymns are sung by the
congregation before and after
Mass, as we'll as before the ser
mon. Mgr. Guillot is now engaged
in training the pupils of his paro-
chial school to sing Vespers and,
in the course of a few weeks. he
hopes to make them so familiar
with the Gregorian Chant that
they will be able to sing the
psalms and hymns and responses.
Gradually, the congregation will
join in with them and thus par
ticipate in the singing of the litur-
gical services.
This is but one example of an
effort which is being made in
many quarters to revive congre-
gational singing in Catholic
churches. Up to the present time,
however, the attempt has not been
very generally successful, notwith-
standing the efforts put forth.
That the value Of this method of
participating in the services of
| the Church has long been recog-
nized by the ecclesiastical authori-
ties in the United States is evident
from the DEGREES of the Second
Plenary Council of Baltimore held
in 1866, in which the Bishops who
participated in it's deliberations
expressed the earnest wish that
the rudiments Of Gregorian chant
should be taught in the parish
schools, in order that "the num-
Der of those who can sing the
chant well having increased more
and more, gradually the greater
part, at least, of the people should,
after the fashion still existing in
some places Of the Primitive
Church, learn to sing Vespers and
the like together with the sacred
ministers and the choir" The
Third Plenary Council of Balti-
more, held in 1884, confirmed
these words Of its predecessor
which clearly refer to the strictly
liturgical offices Of the Church,
such as High Mass, Vespers and
Benediction. While it may be
somewhat difficult to bring about
in the near future general par
ticipation in the singing Of High
Mass and Vespers, there il nc
reason why congregational sing.
ing should not be the rule at Bene-
diction, where the hymns are
simple and easily learned. When
the Gregorian Chant, which is
strictly prescribed in this Diocese
by the Most Reverend Archbishop
is followed, it is comparatively
easy matter for the congregation
to join in the singing and thus
play a more important role in the
service.
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