Ireneusz Pawlak’s Concept of Congregational Singing as an Element of Active Participation in the Liturgy
Ireneusz Pawlak’s Concept of Congregational Singing as an Element of Active Participation in the Liturgy

Summary/Abstract: This article addresses the issue of the congregation’s singing in the liturgy after the Second Vatican Council, understood as a sign and instrument of active participation. The topic is presented based on the publications of Rev. Ireneusz Pawlak (1935–2020), a distinguished Polish musicologist, professor, and composer, published in the monthly magazine Msza Święta between 1966 and 1990. The analysis primarily concerns the meaning, tasks, and ways of shaping the congregation’s singing in the liturgy. It highlights the significant role of the assembly’s participation in liturgical singing. The article further outlines the functions of communal singing in various parts of the Mass. From the analysis and synthesis of sources, the need for comprehensive musical formation of all community members emerges. Properly performed congregational singing offers an opportunity for every participant to engage actively and fruitfully in the sacred rites.

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