Cantor Ministry
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In confident dialogue with the Assembly, cantors offer musical support as a gift of service to the people of Saint Pius X. Through sung prayer, they help lead people to full, conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations.
Through sung prayer, cantors enjoy praising God, growing musically and spiritually, and enjoying each other’s friendship. Cantors help the members of Saint Pius X (the gathered Assembly) to rightfully claim their role as full, conscious, and active participants in the liturgy through their gift of singing. Cantors experience a deeper involvement in scripture and liturgy.
How the Ministry Works:- The cantor:
- proclaims the responsorial psalm in dialogue with the assembly.
- sings the Gospel verse.
- prays the general intercessions during Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter.
- leads dialogical music throughout liturgy: litanies, psalms, call and response pieces, and songs in responsorial form.
- sings verses at communion, allowing people to process without books.
- teaches new music and supports the assembly on songs in the learning stage.
Expectations:- Among music ministers, the cantor has come to be recognized as having a crucial role in the development of congregational singing. Besides being qualified to lead singing, he or she must have the skills to introduce and teach new music, and to encourage the Assembly. This must be done with sensitivity so that the cantor does not intrude on the communal prayer or become manipulative (Liturgical Music today, 68).
- Cantors attend rehearsal on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. before their scheduled Mass.
- Cantors arrive 30 minutes before their scheduled Mass to warm-up with other musicians.
- Psalmists are cantors that proclaim the Psalm in song each weekend. A Psalmist is assigned to 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m. every Sunday.
- Cantors submit Mass preference information and dates of unavailability for each 3-month schedule period per timing requested by the Liturgy and Music Office.
- When a cantor is not able to minister at their scheduled time, he/she needs to find a substitute and notify the Liturgy and Music Office of the change.
- Cantors must live in conformity with the teachings of the Catholic Church.
- Cantors must not have anything in their lives that should cause scandal or embarrassment to anyone by serving in this ministry.
- The cantor: