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“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Ministry of Consolation • A Case for Congregational Singing at Funerals

Richard J. Clark · August 21, 2017

UNERALS ARE some of the trickiest and most sensitive parts of a church musician’s job. They warrant much pastoral attention and care. This can be a challenge for parishes with many funerals. For some parishes, it is not unusual to have over one hundred per year. As a result, funerals can become rather routine and ho-hum. But for the family and loved ones, it is anything but.

The importance of congregational singing is generally well understood as an important aspect of “full and active participation.” The Ministry of the Assembly, is emphasized in Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship (SttL):

“Holy Mother Church clearly affirms the role within worship of the entire liturgical assembly…Within the gathered assembly, the role of the congregation is especially important. “The full and active participation by all the people is the aim to be considered before all else, for it is the primary and indispensable source from which the faithful are to derive the true Christian spirit.” (SttL § 10-11)

This is all very well and good, but when it comes to funerals, asking for the congregation to sing is a tall, if impossible order. So why bother?

SttL goes on to elaborate about internal and external participation, even quoting Pope St. John Paul II with regard to interior participation:

Participation in the Sacred Liturgy must be “internal, in the sense that by it the faithful join their mind to what they pronounce or hear, and cooperate with heavenly grace.” Even when listening to the various prayers and readings of the Liturgy or to the singing of the choir, the assembly continues to participate actively as they “unite themselves interiorly to what the ministers or choir sing, so that by listening to them they may raise their minds to God.” (SttL §12)

But again, when loved ones are grieving, is it not obnoxious to “make them sing,” especially if many are not regular churchgoers? So, again, why bother?

If there ever was a liturgy in which the entire assembly is participating in some fashion—if only interiorly—it is a funeral. The intensity of the emotion, especially for very difficult cases, draws in all present in whatever way they are capable.

• Four Real Reasons for Roman Catholic Funerals

Y SUGGESTION IS TO ALWAYS PROVIDE a means for participation, regardless of what one might think will or will not transpire. Enormously helpful is even a simple one-page worship aid with numbers listed for a hymnal. Better yet, sing very simple settings of the Acclamations, Responsorial, Gospel Acclamation, and dare I say—even a communion antiphon.

If you do so, will the assembly sing? The grieving families? Unlikely.

Unless, they are parishioners. I have found that when regular parishioners are in attendance, the opportunity for congregational singing is ripe! And even if only ten percent of the congregation sings, it brings extraordinary consolation to the bereaved.

And getting a congregation to sing is not an end in of itself.

Congregational singing at a funeral (no matter how feeble) sends a beautiful message: If you, the bereaved cannot give voice to your grief in this moment, we shall do it for you. To sing for another sends a message of love: We are with you. We pray with you, for you, and for the deceased whom we love.

The Order of Christian Funerals has much to say about the role of the community in the Ministry of Consolation.

“If one member suffers in the body of Christ which is the Church, all the members suffer with that member.” (1 Corinthians 12:26). For this reason, those who are baptized are responsible for one another.” (OCF #8)

As such, “[t]he responsibility of the Community for the ministry of consolation rests with the believing community…Each Christian shares in this ministry according to the various gifts and offices in the Church.” (OCF #9)

As such, if one has the capacity to assist the congregation with singing, one should make every effort. Likewise, the pastoral musicians must make that possible—even if congregational singing is unlikely. One must not judge beforehand!

“The Community’s principal involvement in the ministry of consolation is expressed in its active participation in the celebration of the funeral rites…” (OCF #11)

HAVE ALWAYS FOUND congregational singing at funerals to be an extraordinarily uplifting and consoling experience. I say this from the choir loft, and I say this from the pew. I have felt great consolation and love from strangers who came to pray (and sing those prayers) for a loved one. As the recipient of such generosity, my heart is full.

The more difficult the funeral (especially in cases of unexpected or tragic loss), the more important it is for the community to join together in support in its ministry of consolation. This ministry extends long after the funeral, sometimes for a lifetime.

This message of consolation is most profound and joyful! Our sacred music at a funeral must express “a spirit of hope in the Christian’s share in Christ’s victory over death.” (OCF #31)

Oremus pro invicem
Let us pray for each other.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Richard J. Clark

Richard J. Clark is the Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    This coming Sunday—13 July 2025—is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). All the chants have been conveniently assembled and posted at the feasts website. The OFFERTORY, Ad Te Levávi, is particularly beautiful.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Music Director Job • $80,000 per year
    Our readers will be interested in this job offering for Music Director at Saint Adalbert’s Basilica, located 40 minutes from where I live. My pastor was recently elevated to this basilica. He is offering $80,000 per year, plus benefits. I’m told Saint Adalbert’s Basilica is utterly gorgeous and contains one of America’s most magnificent pipe organs. It would be fantastic to have a colleague nearby!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

“Gregorian chant is the sacred chant, proper and principal of the Roman Church. Therefore, not only can it be used in all liturgical actions, but unless there are mitigating circumstances, it is preferable to use it instead of other kinds of sacred music.”

— §16, De Musica Sacra (1958)

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