Sacred Music History
with Rhonda Rossano
We sing at least one Psalm at nearly every Mass-the Responsorial Psalm between the reading of the Old Testament Scripture and the Epistle or Gospel. We also sing a Psalm every time we sing the Communion antiphon. Recently, we have heard additional Psalms prayed in chant as Mass begins and during the Offertory as directed by the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. Why are the Psalms so important to our liturgy? The Book of Psalms comprised the hymnal of the Jewish people from the Old Testament to the New, and even into contemporary times. The worship practices of the early Christians, including the singing of the Psalms, grew organically from these Jewish roots. In this 6-wk study, we will explore the importance of the Psalms in our Liturgy and learn why the Psalms were sung, how they may have sounded in Old Testament times, and the meaning of the music of the Psalms; it’s more than musical taste.