Double Duty as Reader and Cantor
Date: December 22, 2024
Author: Fr. Edward McNamara, LC
Question: I am both a reader and a cantor in my parish. Occasionally, both ministries coincide when there is no one else available. Is it okay for me to include singing the psalm rather than proclaiming it when I am reading from the ambo? – E.M.W., Motherwell, Scotland
Answer: I would say that while both ministries are preferably distinct, they are compatible and may be carried out by the same person.
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) describes the distribution of duties during Mass in the following way:
“109. If there are several persons present who are able to exercise the same ministry, nothing forbids their distributing among themselves and performing different parts of the same ministry or duty. For example, one deacon may be assigned to take the sung parts, another to serve at the altar; if there are several readings, it is well to distribute them among a number of lectors. The same applies for the other ministries. But it is not at all appropriate that several persons divide a single element of the celebration among themselves, e.g., that the same reading be proclaimed by two lectors, one after the other, except as far as the Passion of the Lord is concerned.
“110. If only one minister is present at a Mass with a congregation, that minister may exercise several different duties.”
With respect to the preference for singing the responsorial psalm, the GIRM states:
“61. After the First Reading comes the responsorial Psalm, which is an integral part of the Liturgy of the Word and holds great liturgical and pastoral importance, because it fosters meditation on the word of God.
“The responsorial Psalm should correspond to each reading and should, as a rule, be taken from the Lectionary.
“It is preferable that the responsorial Psalm be sung, at least as far as the people’s response is concerned. Hence, the psalmist, or the cantor of the Psalm, sings the verses of the Psalm from the ambo or another suitable place. The entire congregation remains seated and listens but, as a rule, takes part by singing the response, except when the Psalm is sung straight through without a response. In order, however, that the people may be able to sing the Psalm response more readily, texts of some responses and psalms have been chosen for the various seasons of the year or for the various categories of Saints. These may be used in place of the text corresponding to the reading whenever the Psalm is sung. If the Psalm cannot be sung, then it should be recited in such a way that it is particularly suited to fostering meditation on the word of God.
“The following may also be sung in place of the Psalm assigned in the Lectionary: either the responsorial gradual from the Graduale Romanum, or the responsorial psalm or the Alleluia psalm from the Graduale Simplex, in the form described in these books.”
This theme is also emphasized in the Introduction to the lectionary issued in 1981 and which served as inspiration for the revised text of the GIRM:
“b Responsorial psalm
“19. The responsorial psalm, also called the gradual, has great liturgical and pastoral significance because it is ‘an integral part of the liturgy of the word.’ Accordingly, the people must be continually instructed on the way to perceive the word of God speaking in the psalms and to turn these psalms into the prayer of the Church. This, of course, ‘will be achieved more readily if a deeper understanding of the psalms, in the meaning in which they are used in the liturgy, is more diligently promoted among the clergy and communicated to all the faithful by means of appropriate catechesis.’ A brief remark may be helpful about the choice of the psalm and response as well as their correspondence to the readings.
“20. As a rule the responsorial psalm should be sung. There are two established ways of singing the psalm after the first reading: responsorially and directly. In responsorial singing, which, as far as possible, is to be given preference, the psalmist or cantor of the psalm sings the psalm verse and the whole congregation joins in by singing the response, In direct singing of the psalm there is no intervening response by the community; either the psalmist or cantor of the psalm sings the psalm alone as the community listens or else all sing it together.
“21. The singing of the psalm, or even of the response alone, is a great help toward understanding and meditating on the psalm’s spiritual meaning. To foster the congregation’s singing, every means available in the various cultures is to be employed. In particular, use is to be made of all the relevant options provided in the Order of Readings for Mass regarding responses corresponding to the different liturgical seasons.
“22. When not sung, the psalm after the reading is to be recited in a manner conducive to meditation on the word of God. The responsorial psalm is sung or recited by the psalmist or cantor at the lectern.”
Therefore, in the light of the above documents we can also respond affirmatively to the second part of our reader’s question as to the possibility, and I would even hazard to say the preference, for the responsorial psalm being sung from the ambo.
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