Speak Up, Please!

A reader writes:

OK, so tell me where it says that this priest who says the whole Eucharistic part of the mass under his breath is wrong.  The only parts you can hear are where you need to have a response from the people. Other than that, he is whispering to himself.  Its very annoying.  The kids are like, "Mom — what is he doing up there??".

The priest might be imitating the way it was done under the former rite of Mass (prior to 1970), when there was much more of the liturgy said in a low tone, but in the current rite of Mass these prayers are supposed to be said loudly enough that they can be easily heard.

From the current edition of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal:

30. Among the parts assigned to the priest, the foremost is the Eucharistic Prayer, which is the high point of the entire celebration. Next are the orations: that is to say, the collect, the prayer over the offerings, and the prayer after Communion. These prayers are addressed to God in the name of the entire holy people and all present, by the priest who presides over the assembly in the person of Christ.   It is with good reason, therefore, that they are called the "presidential prayers."

32. The nature of the "presidential" texts demands that they be spoken in a loud and clear voice and that everyone listen with attention.   Thus, while the priest is speaking these texts, there should be no other prayers or singing, and the organ or other musical instruments should be silent.

Author: Jimmy Akin

Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."

16 thoughts on “Speak Up, Please!”

  1. “32. The nature of the ‘presidential’ texts demands that they be spoken in a loud and clear voice and that everyone listen with attention.”
    This includes most of the priest’s prayers, but there are several inaudible prayers said by the priest during Mass per the rubrics: before he proclaims the gospel, before he washes his hands and during the washing, one after the Agnus Dei, and one right before he takes communion.
    If your priest is praying the actual consecration prayer under his breath…well, that’s just weird. Liturgical pet peeve: priests who pray “inaudible” prayers out loud.
    Fr. Philip Neri, OP

  3. we just got a new priest and while he says the words of consecration out loud, the “blessed are you lord, God of all creation …” he doesn’t even mumble – keeps lips closed and just moves the vessels – I take it, that’s not good.

  4. This question has been nagging at me for a long time, and I’ve never seen a good answer for it: WHY was so much of the Tridentine Mass said in a low tone?
    Presumably this was thought to be a good thing in some way, but I don’t get it. I’m not trying to be hostile towards anyone who prefers the old Mass, I’m just trying to understand…

  5. To expand on Margret’s question, I wonder why the inauduble prayers in hte mass are … inaudible. It doesn;t make any sense to me.

  6. The Liturgy of St. John Chrysystom also has a lot of inaudible prayers. The priest is addressing God directly. Seems this is probably ancient practice.

  7. Cathy,
    That is not a bad sign. The order of mass gives the option to the priest and even gives preference for the priest to say these prayers inaudibly if the there was an offeretory sung. In my personal expereince, this has meant that I usually hear these prayers on weekdays, and not on Sundays.

  8. The Mass is the unbloody sacrafice offered to God.
    It is not a community celebration or table blessing of food to be shared.
    The prayers are silent because that is the way Jesus said Mass.

  9. Another reason I’ve heard and read is that the Church once sought to keep unbelievers from hearing certain parts of the Mass, lest they should bring scandal by mocking them (e.g., “hocus pocus”, et al.). This is also part of why those not yet members of the Church would be escorted out after the Mass of the Catechumens (before the consecration).

  10. CD,
    Can you offer a little more documentation on how Our Blessed Lord said Mass, besides your saying so?

  11. What about a priest who sings the consecration with a quiet piano in the background? Not chants, sings, like a Broadway ballad.

  12. CD,
    I know what the Mass is. Aside from your claim that Jesus said Mass soto voce, how does it’s being an unbloody sacrifice and not a table blessing of food logically mean it must be said in a low voice??

  13. Yes, with CW, I want to know if the priest singing the consecration is proper.
    Not chanting… singing.

  14. The Tridentine (pre-1970) mass was said in low tones generally in two countries: Ireland and America. Throughout Europe (especially Italy and France), the “silent” mass was rarely to be found. The reason? After the English reformation and the ensuing persecution of Catholic priests, centuries of Irish priests had to say the Mass in near-silence, hiding in back rooms of houses with hushed congregations. American Catholicism began as largely Irish. Italian immigrants came later, and adapted to the (low) tone that the Irish had set in this country. On the other hand, the silent canon (the consecration) is, as someone else has pointed out, an ancient practice (although the canon was said aloud at many points in the ancient church as well). The silent canon was also the Byzantine practice during the 13th century (until when, I am not sure) and was explained by Nicholas Cabsilas (a Byzantine saint) as manifesting the wordless inner dialogue of Father and Son within the Holy Trinity–the priest standing in the place of the Son ineffably beseeches the Father on our behalf. Pretty neat. So, if the kiddies ask what the priest is doing, tell them that this part of the mass is so majestic, so important, that the priest hardly dares speak the words aloud. Such was the theological sentiment which prompted the continuation of the Irish “quiet Mass” practice in America even when it was manifestly unnecessary. Think of Moses taking off his sandles and hiding his face before the burning Bush; that is what the priest can be considered to be doing when he recites the canon almost inaudibly. A loud-voiced consecration has its advantages as well, but this spiritual interpretation of the low-voiced canon might help your kids to be drawn into the mystery.

  15. In 2006, I attended a Tridentine Mass in Phoenix. It was beautiful in its own way, but I can see why change was necessary.
    During the Canon, the priest has his back to the people. You can tell he is doing something up there, but you cannot see anything or hear anything. All of a sudden, he genuflects, the bell rings, the host is elevated, the bell rings, he genuflects again, and the bell rings. A few seconds later, the same thing with the chalice.
    If I did not know, I would have no idea what was going on.
    My best description of the Tridentine Mass is as follows:
    The priest and the acolytes are having a private prayer service. As long we behave ourselves, we may watch them. If we become bored, we can occupy ourselves by praying the rosary. Or by counting the ladies’ hats. Or the ceiling tiles, well you get my point.

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