Traditional Anglo-Papist

14 March 2006

Glory of the Silent Canon

I wonder how many parishes say (or have in the past said) the Canon of the Mass in a 'silent voice'.

Here is a quote from an article, The Glory of the Silent Canon:
The reason for the silence is, that at a very early stage in the Church's liturgical awareness, it was realized that the miracles of grace which occur during the canon should not risk trivialization by being spoken out loud as if the sacred words which effected these miracles were simply in the normal run of ordinary speech. The mystery of the Real Presence, the miracle of transubstantiation, the subsequent pleading of the oblation, all this is the stuff of heaven, heaven come down to earth. Perhaps we would better say that in the canon, earth is raised to heaven. In the canon, the worshipping Church does not sink into silence. No, the truth is, that we rise into silence, a contemplative, anointed silence, over which the Holy Ghost is hovering, a timeless silence which breathes the life of heaven.

2 Comments:

  • I have said the Canon in the low voice from time to time. Weekday Masses or when hoarse on a Sunday. I'd like to do it all the time but don't think it would fly here. (churchoftheadvent.org)

    I know that when Fr Swain was at S. Clement's, they did it when a there was a long musical Sanctus.

    By Blogger frbader, at Saturday, March 18, 2006 6:59:00 AM  

  • If I ever could ever properly catechize a parish concerning the silent canon I would love to use it.

    Fr. A.R. Bayles

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Sunday, March 19, 2006 11:38:00 AM  

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