Roman Catholic Liturgy Is Sung We sing the liturgy because internal participation of mind and heart, expressed in and strengthened by external participation through all our senses, is both our right and our duty by reason of our baptism (see the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, 14). Singing is one of the best ways to express both kinds of participation, because authentic song emerges from authentic faith and our love for God: Singing is something that lovers do, St. Augustine tells us. Each member of the liturgical assembly joins the sing ing in a particular way, according to that person’s role and responsibilities, from the bishop (STL, 16), the priest celebrant (STL, 18–19), and the deacon (STL, 23), through the ministers of liturgical music (STL, 22–23; 28–47) and, indeed, every member of the assembly. “Singing is one of the primary ways that the assembly of the faithful participates actively in the Liturgy” (STL, 26). Copyright © 2008 National Association of Pastoral Musicians.