Let the People Hear Themselves Sing!

Political commentaries abounded when Pope Francis made his first visit to the United States.  But there were liturgical commentaries too.  The ones that struck me the most were comments made on social media by well-known Catholic liturgical composers about the cantors who served at the Papal liturgies.  These came from Facebook:

Even rock stars get off the mic when they want the people to sing. Why can't cantors? Tony Alonso

Watching Papal Mass in Philadelphia from here in Southern Turkey. Why do cantors sing the assembly's parts into the microphone? Gerry Galipeau

These comments prompted me to reexamine the role of the cantor.  According to the Church,

As a leader of congregational song, the cantor should take part in singing with the entire gathered assembly.  In order to promote the singing of the liturgical assembly, the cantor’s voice should not be heard above the congregation. As a transitional practice, the voice of the cantor might need to be amplified to stimulate and lead congregational singing when this is still weak. However, as the congregation finds its voice and sings with increasing confidence, the cantor’s voice should correspondingly recede. At times, it may be appropriate to use a modest gesture that invites participation and clearly indicates when the congregation is to begin, but gestures should be used sparingly and only when genuinely needed. Cantors should lead the assembly from a place where they can be seen by all without drawing attention from the liturgical action. When, however, a congregation is singing very familiar responses, acclamations, or songs that do not include verses for the cantor alone, the cantor need not be visible.  Sing To the Lord:  Music in Divine Worship. (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)

The comments regarding the cantors were right on.  The cantor helps remind the assembly that the only voice that counts is theirs.  In other words, it’s not about the cantor, as wonderful as a cantor’s voice might be.  It’s about you, the assembly!   It’s about your voices, (no matter how well or badly you think you sing) united as one body in the praise of the living God.  No sound is sweeter!