Bishop Fabbro has asked us, as a diocese, to re-examine the way we celebrate Mass.
The Constitution on the Liturgy says, the Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to fully conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations and that silence is a privileged means of promoting the participation of the people of God in the liturgy. Sacred silence is not an empty absence of noise but an active and integral part of the liturgy. The purpose of silence changes depending on when it occurs:
Before Mass begins to allow us to prepare for the sacred action.
In the penitential act, when we are invited to recall what separates us from God and remembering our dependence on God’s mercy.
At the Collect, when the presider says, “Let us pray”, we reflect on what we bring to the liturgy, and for whom we wish to offer the Mass; the presider then collects all of our prayers into one and offers them to God.
After the first and second readings, the Gospel, and the homily, silence allows us to grasp the sense of what was proclaimed in the word and to internalize it so as to better respond to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
After the Communion procession is finished, all may sit or kneel to reflect on the gift of the Eucharist and to offer our personal thanksgiving.
As we implement these periods of silence in the coming weeks, we may need to fight the urge to be uncomfortable. We should be able to see the silence as opportunities for greater participation to actively offer our prayers and to more deeply absorb the word of God ateach Mass.