SUBSTITUTING SONG FOR THE SIGN OF PEACE

QUESTION: “Do the norms of liturgy permit the parish choir to sing a ‘peace song’ substituting for the Sign of Peace in the celebration of the Mass?"

ANSWER:

YOUR REQUEST for information regarding the Sign of Peace shows how much you and your parish choir members care for the Mass. I appreciate your personal devotion to the liturgical norms that support the Holy Sacrifice. Your parish is blessed by your service.

LITURGICAL NORMS

LET ME begin by saying that I do not possess an advanced degree in liturgy or its related fields. Nevertheless, as pastor of St. Philip the Apostle parish, I am the principle liturgist in residence—subject always to competent authority in the Church.

LIKE YOURSELF, I care very much about the Mass and the liturgical norms that magnify and protect its integrity. I constantly read, study, and pray about liturgy of the universal Church here at St. Philip. The information is available to us if we search for it. Very often, I’ve had to make a great effort to find answers and understand the venerable reasoning of the Church.

REFER TO THE GIRM

WITH THIS in mind, I include some quoted material supporting my answer to your question. You should read it for yourself and possibly read the full length articles by using web links I’ve provided. Always refer to the GIRM (General Instruction on the Roman Missal) and REDEMPTIONIS SACRAMENTUM (Instruction on the Eucharist).

YOUR QUESTION is, “Do the norms of liturgy permit the parish choir to sing a ‘peace song’ substituting for the Sign of Peace in the celebration of the Mass?" I would answer, No. Several thoughts come to mind.

"LOCAL CUSTOM"

FAIRLY OFTEN, an appeal to “local custom” is made to justify various innovations or deviations in the liturgy of the Eucharist. “Local custom”, however, does not mean “local parish”. Section 72 of REDEMPTIONIS SACRAMENTUM makes clear that the proper authority for changing the “Sign of Peace” resides not with the local parish or diocese but rather with the Conference of Bishops. The national conference governs the manner of the sign to be exchanged subject to explicit approval by the Holy See:

“AS REGARDS the sign to be exchanged, the manner is to be established by the Conference of Bishops in accordance with the dispositions and customs of the people”, and their acts are subject to the recognitio of the Apostolic See. [REDEMPTIONIS SACRAMENTUM Section 72]

(See also: THE GENERAL INSTRUCTION OF THE ROMAN MISSAL 2003 sections 82, 154)

ONLY OPTION

FATHER EDWARD McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university in Rome, writing for Zenit July 11, 2006 clarifies that the only option regarding the Sign of Peace belongs to the celebrant of the Mass (and clearly to the bishop as chief liturgist of his diocese!). The celebrant may omit the invitation to the people in the liturgy of the Eucharist:

IF FOR some good reason the celebrant decides to omit the invitation, then the faithful are not required to exchange the sign of peace among themselves. . . . The peace exchanged is the Lord's peace coming from the sacrifice of the altar. An exchange of the sign of peace without an invitation from the altar in a way changes the symbolic value of the rite and could reduce it to signify merely human benevolence. [“Sign of Peace”, Zenit, ZE06071115, http://www.zenit.org/article-16556?l=english ]

"FORTHCOMING COMMUNION"

IN AN earlier Zenit article dated October 28, 2003 Father McNamara explained that the meaning and context of the Sign of Peace is to be found precisely in the “forthcoming Communion” we ask to receive from Jesus Christ in the Mass:

THE REASON the GIRM dwells on this point is to put the kiss of peace into its proper context as a brief, and relatively unimportant rite in preparation for Communion; in fact, few realize that it is actually optional. It is the forthcoming Communion, not the priest, nor the good feelings we harbor toward our neighbors, that is the reason and source of the peace we desire for our fellows and the peace we receive from them. As GIRM 82 says, in the Rite of Peace: "the Church asks for peace and unity for herself and for the whole human family, and the faithful express to each other their ecclesial communion and mutual charity before communicating in the Sacrament." [“Can the Priest Go Down the Aisle at the Kiss of Peace?”, Zenit, ZE03102822, http://www.zenit.org/article-8549?l=english ] 

VALIDITY OF THE MASS

I WILL summarize as best I can for you:

          -YOUR BISHOP is certainly within his authority to ask and expect his priests to omit the invitation to the Sign of Peace in the celebration of the Mass for the public health reason he stated. His request does not involve a change in the liturgy. If your parish were to start singing a special song during the Sign of Peace, however, it would be an innovation—a misreading of his instruction on the subject. Innovations are not permissible just because the validity of the Mass is not affected.  

          -SINGING A special song during the Sign of Peace has never been permitted by our National Conference of Catholic Bishops or approved by the Holy See for parishes in the United States. The local parish is not free to add or omit anything it wishes to the liturgy just because the competent Church authority hasn’t yet written anything about it.   

BE AT PEACE!

I HOPE my answer will be of help to you. The choir members who suggested singing the “Peace” song obviously are caring persons. They are attentive to the feelings of their fellow parishioners in the celebration of the Mass. Encourage them not to worry, however. Help them to be at peace with the Sign of Peace!

WHEN THE priest celebrant says in the Mass “The peace of the Lord be with you always”, and the people respond “And also with you”, the Body of Christ has fulfilled its duty of “expressing to each other their ecclesial communion and mutual charity before communicating in the Sacrament” [GIRM 82]. All is well. I can imagine the joy your parish family will experience when the public health concern is past and your bishop once again permits the congregants of his parishes to personally exchange the Sign of Peace!