- Creates an adequate environment and motivates participation, promoting unity among people. It should be a consistent song that people could sing without difficulty. Should be an hymn or march - not a meditation song - that accompanies the Priests and his ministers.
- It's the summary of the repentant act. Realize our sinning condition and put ourselves in His hands as the only soul healer.
- It is a joyful and festive worship hymn. If not sang, loses a good part of its meaning. It should be sung at Christmas time. It is not sung during the Advent.
- When sung, it should be the correct passage and its proclamation should stimulate listening and response to it. The best way is to sing the text and the response, but it is also valid to read the text and sing the response.
- It's a proclamation chant, of strong and simple musical structure, joyful and festive. It should be sung by the whole community, not only the Music Ministry.
- Accompanies the procession of the gifts to the Altar. We are offering to God His son Jesus, and ourselves along with Him. We all become gifts that praise His Glory.
- This is the most important chant of the Liturgy. We are all invited to participate together. It should never be left out of a Mass.
- This prayer, the Holy chant and the Lamb of God chants, should NOT be changed in its literary structure because they are part of the Liturgy.
- After exchanging the peace greeting, we sing the Lamb of God. The chant is a rite in itself. The phrase is the one which John the Baptist used to point at Christ (John 1:29). It is sung by the whole community.
- It should express the spiritual unity of those receiving communion. Expresses the joy of the heart and makes more fraternal the procession of those who are about to receive the Body of Christ. It should be a strong and expressive song.
- These songs stress the mission that we are called for: to be His witnesses. These songs are joyful, strong and alive, and are sung by grateful people at the end of the celebration.
- The songs should stress the Liturgic time to aid the Celebration. Songs for the Ordinary time, Advent, Christmas, Lent or Easter times. Also, know songs for special celebrations or liturgic festivities, for example Corpus Christi, or those celebrations dedicated to the holy Virgin Mary. The Ministry should know when to sing certain songs and when not to.
- We should have consideration to the people listening to the Mass. It could be a complete adult audience, young people or both, a wake, First Communion, a wedding, etc.
- The use of sound equipment as of the music instruments associated with them are very useful in the Liturgic celebration. Their use, however, should be in a moderate and orderly fashion. They should not disturb the spirituality of the people or the Celebration itself.
- The Music Ministry should agree with the Priest about the songs to be performed so everything flows according to the Holy Spirit. The Ministry, therefore, should have a
wide variety of songs to enrich the Liturgic celebration.
The Music Ministry should have adequate knowledge and preparation to participate effectively in the Mass. As the participation becomes more profound, the invisible reality will show with the visible sign of the Sacrament, will be more genuine and will fulfill its mission as sacred music which is the glory of God and the santification of the community.
