“Sing to the Lord”

In Paul Turner's Blog by Paul Turner

Q:  Would you please help me with “Sing to the Lord”, chapter IV, section A, paragraph d: Hymns.

  1. What are the “strophic hymns” from the Roman Missal?  Where can I find them?
  2. Does the USCCB have an approved  list of “congregational hymns”?
  3. Please define “vernacular hymns” as it is used here.

Thank you!

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A:

1.  I can’t find them either. Unless you count the sequences, which are in the Lectionary for Mass, which is part of the Roman Missal in its broadest definition. There is a hymn for the Chrism Mass, but it is found in the Roman Pontifical. And there is a Hymn to Christ the King for Palm Sunday, but it is not strophic.

2.  No, but implicitly they approve the list published in congregational aids.

3.  The expression “vernacular hymns” probably refers to the great body of music that we typically sing at the entrance, offertory, communion and closing of the mass. Most of them were composed in vernacular languages.