"We are realizing more and more clearly that silence is part of the liturgy. We respond, by singing and praying, to the God who addresses us, but the greater mystery, surpassing all words, summons us to silence. It must, of course, be a silence with content, not just the absence of speech and action. We should expect the liturgy to give us a positive stillness that will restore us. Such stillness will not be just a pause, in which a thousand thoughts and desires assault us, but a time of recollection, giving us an inward peace, allowing us to draw breath and rediscover the one thing necessary, which we have forgotten. That is why silence cannot be simply 'made', organized as if it were one activity among many. It is no accident that on all sides people are seeking techniques of meditation, a spirituality for emptying the mind. "
-"The Spirit of the Liturgy", Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict on Silence
"Fish live in the sea and are silent. Terrestrial animals cry out, but the birds, whose vital space is the heavens, sing. Silence is proper to the sea, crying out to the earth, and singing to the heavens.
Man, however, participates in all three: he bares within him the depth of the sea, the weight of the earth, and the height of the heavens; this is why all three modes of being belong to him: silence, crying out, and song. Today...we see that, devoid of transcendence, all that is left to man is to cry out, because he wishes to be only earth and seeks to turn into earth even the heavens and the depth of the sea.
The true liturgy, the liturgy of the communion of saints, restores to him the fullness of his being. It teaches him anew how to be silent and how to sing, opening to him the profundity of the sea and teaching him how to fly, the nature of an angel; elevating his heart, it makes that song resonate in him once again which had in a way fallen asleep. In fact, we can even say that the true liturgy is recognisable especially when it frees us from the common way of living, and restores to us depth and height, silence and song. The true liturgy is recognisable by the fact that it is cosmic, not custom made for a group. It sings with the angels. It remains silent with the profound depth of the universe in waiting. And in this way it redeems the world."
Pope Benedict on Silence
Pope Benedict pointed out in Sacramentum Caritatis that occasionally, even with the best intentions, the goal of participation in the Liturgy is sometimes misunderstood primarily as something external, as though the goal is to engage as many people as possible as often as possible in the celebration of the Liturgy. (SacCar no. 52). Certainly such concrete forms of participation are helpful in that they can immerse people in the liturgical action.
The Holy Father, however, states that authentic participation must be first and foremost an interior participation that engages the heart, soul, and mind in the action of the Liturgy in a way that expresses the faithful's love of the Lord with all their 'heart, mind, soul, and strength' (see Mark 12:30). In this way, silence within the Liturgy plays a central part, for it is in silence that all who are gathered to celebrate the Liturgy – priest and people – are able to reflect on the mysteries being celebrated with an awareness of the abiding presence of Christ. In this way the faithful come to be more authentically present before the Lord who is truly present in the Liturgy. - USCCB Newsletter Committee on Divine Worship Volume XLVI
The Place and Function of Silence Within the Liturgy
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) observes:
"Sacred silence also, as part of the celebration, is to be observed at the designated times.
Its purpose, however, depends on the time it occurs in each part of the celebration. Thus within the Act of Penitence and again after the invitation to pray, all recollect themselves; but at the conclusion of a reading or the homily, all meditate briefly on what they have heard; then after Communion, they praise and pray to God in their hearts. (no. 45)"
The Place and Function of Silence Within the Liturgy
The General Instruction (GIRM) goes on to indicate the particular parts of the Mass when silence is most appropriate:
1. Silence should be observed before the Mass begins. "Even before the celebration itself, it is commendable that silence to be [sic] observed in the church, in the sacristy, in the vesting room, and in adjacent areas, so that all may dispose themselves to carry out the sacred action in a devout and fitting manner."
2. During the Act of Penitence, "a brief pause for silence" is prescribed (no. 51).
3. The Collect (opening prayer) is preceded by silence. After the priest's invitation, Let us pray, all "observe a brief silence so that they may be conscious of the fact that they are in God's presence and may formulate their petitions mentally" (no. 54).
4. During the Liturgy of the Word, "brief periods of silence" are appropriately observed before the Liturgy of the Word itself begins, following the readings from Scripture, and after the homily, so that all may allow the Word of God to take root in their hearts (no. 56). In particular, no. 56 states that a sense of haste in the rite is to be avoided.
5. During the Prayer of the Faithful (General Intercessions), silence may be observed as an alternative to an invocation or response (e.g., Lord, hear our prayer) to each intention (no. 71).
6. In the Eucharistic Prayer, the people associate themselves to the words and actions of the priest "in faith and in silence" as a form of participation in the liturgical action (no. 147).
7. After Holy Communion, the priest and the faithful are to "spend some time praying privately" in thanksgiving for what they have shared. Even if a psalm or other song of thanksgiving is to be sung, a period of silence should still be observed (no. 88).
Silence in the Liturgy cannot be merely the absence of any action, spoken words, or music. Such silence can appear as nervous or awkward silence as though something has been forgotten or someone has missed a cue to say or do something. Sacred silence is created when those gathered understand what it is that ought to be happening in silence: prayer, reflection, and thanksgiving.
If a particular parish is not accustomed to such moments in the Liturgy, then to introduce it will require catechesis and practice. The faithful might not at first be comfortable with silence, so it might be helpful to "start small" at certain periods in the Liturgy: a longer period of silence during the Act of Penitence or before the opening Collect.
It should also be noted that periods of silence are not merely to accompany or wait for the movement of the lector after the reading, the server bringing the Missal to the priest for the orations, or for the purification of sacred vessels after Holy Communion. The ministers should participate in the stillness of sacred silence as well and therefore lead by example.- USCCB Newsletter Committee on Divine Worship Volume XLVI
