Sacred Music (Musicam sacram) Seminar

By Evelyn Jock-Lagan

The St Mary’s Cathedral of the Diocese of Sandakan conducted its very first faith formation seminar on Sacred Music from 5-6 April 2019. The previous one was held way back in 1999, about 20 years ago. 190 choir members from the various choir groups, as well as interested individuals of St. Mary’s Cathedral, St. Joseph’s Church and St. Mark’s church, attended the seminar. Our guest speaker is none other than Mr Neil Mah, Secretary of the Liturgical Committee of the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu and Member of the Liturgical Music Committee of the Episcopal Regional Liturgical Commission of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

What is Sacred Music? Sacred means that which is set apart, special!  Musicam Sacram is music which exists solely for use within the Church and Her Sacred Liturgies. Music in the catholic church is not about entertainment but that it is a prayer. The Church belongs to God. The 1-1/2 day seminar introduced the participants to the mystery of the saving works of God, in topics as follows: Why celebrate Sunday?; The role of Music and Singing according to the GIRM, Catechism of the Catholic Church and Sacrosanctum Concilium; Criteria in the Choice of Liturgical Music, Singing of Psalm and the Dynamics of Singing in a Choir. 

The participants were also made aware of their precious role and the importance of sacred and liturgical music to create active and intense participation of the congregation during worship. God’s blessings are overflowing. We can become a people of praise and thanksgiving. Music, too, is a vehicle in which God’s glory is revealed. It expresses beauty, joy and life as well as being a symbol of unity between the people and God and also among themselves as a worshipping community. We need to renew in the way we worship God so that we discover God, again, afresh.

There are no proper instructions on the use of liturgical music in the Cathedral. It is timely that the use of sacred music during liturgical services is being reviewed. There are no written guidelines for reference and further more the liturgical music featuring Gregorian chant or polyphony has never been practiced. Most of the participants in the seminar were born in the Millenial age and as such, never been exposed to sacred music and its importance in the Catholic Church. The church congregation has become passive participants, hence, there is an urgent need for the revival of the use of sacred music and liturgical chant and that it be incalcated in our church. As St Augustine said, “To sing is to pray twice”.