Thursday, December 13, 2007

Liturgy question: can a Gloria or Creed be added?

This is a shout-out to all who read this blog, and are familiar with the ins and outs of the Roman liturgy.

Question: could a Gloria be included, at a daily Mass, when it is not called for -- say, during Christmas or Easter season? Same with the Creed?

The reason for doing it would be two-fold: added solemnity and also didactic -- we are doing a monthly Mass in Latin, and it would be good to give people a chance to experience it.

But my thought is it isn't legitimate to do so. However, perhaps someone knows different? Please let me know.

10 comments:

Father Cory Sticha said...

Glancing at the GIRM, it sounds like it could be justified, but it might be a bit of a stretch. #53 says that the Gloria is to be "sung or said on Sundays outside the seasons of Advent and Lent, on solemnities and feasts, and at special celebrations of a more solemn character." #68 gives similar guidelines for the Creed, omitting the prohibition during Advent and Lent.

My opinion (seminarians are always full of opinions, right?) is that you want the Latin Mass to be a "celebration of a more solemn character". A counter argument could be made that this should be part of a community celebration, not merely a more solemn Mass, as the rubrics in the Sacramentary state that it should be used for "solemn local celebrations".

Unfortunately, I have to agree with you that adding the Gloria and Credo at daily Mass outside of a special feast day or parish celebration is not permitted.

Wolfie said...

Stick to the GIRM; when in doubt, go with your gut or ask your bishop.

Tc said...

Is the Christmas octave not a feast? Like, every day of it? If not for a saint, at least because it's the Christmas octave? Please correct me if I'm mistaken.

Fr Martin Fox said...

Thom:

Each day of the Octave is at the level of a feast or solemnity, I can't recall just now, but that doesn't help me, as the Mass I'm thinking about falls outside the Octave, on Jan. 2.

Tc said...

Ah, OK Father.

James Straight said...

Fr. Fox,
I found something interesting on wikipedia of all places.

In the article on the Mass:

"In accordance with that rule, the Gloria is omitted at funerals and is considered optional at weddings. It is also omitted for ordinary feast-days of saints, weekdays, and Votive Masses. It is also optional, in line with the perceived degree of solemnity of the occasion, at Ritual Masses such as those celebrated for Marriage ("Nuptial Mass"), Confirmation or Religious Profession, at Masses on the Anniversary of Marriage or Religious Profession, and at Masses for Various Needs and Occasions."

So, I would think that the solution would be to offer one of the Masses for Various Needs and Occasions. That would qualify as a celebration of a more solemn character.

Unfortunately, I don’t believe that will help you on Jan 2. If I am reading GIRM 354-355 right then since Jan 2 is an obligatory Memorial instead of an optional Memorial you will have no choice as to the Mass offered.

Of course, I could be completely misunderstanding something and in that case I hope someone corrects me.

James

Anonymous said...

i expect the Oratory Fathers would know..sorry i haven't a clue..

Anonymous said...

I agree that adding it would be probably wrong, but I have 0 canonical references to back that up.

It seems to me, however, that there's no reason you couldn't sing it after Mass as a general "hymn". I'd avoid it during Advent or Lent naturally, but let's keep in mind it is a HYMN first and foremost. It's certainly common enough to have a part of the Hours (such as a hymn) sung at Mass.

Tc said...

Another thought I had.. do you recite the Propers at the Latin Mass? If not, the Gloria might be nicely sung for a Processional or Offertory piece. Many times we will sing the Litany of the Saints at an All Saints' Mass, even though it's not called for in the liturgy. We sing it in place of the Offertory. Anyway, just a thought, though a late one.

Pax.

Jeffrey Pinyan said...

I was at a Mass this evening... we said the Gloria (but not the Creed). Is it still the Christmas season? CatholicCulture.org says today is a "Thursday Christmas Weekday".

So yeah, I ask the same thing I guess... is it appropriate to say the Gloria today? If the Gloria is said, must the Creed be said too?