The Role of Music as a Liturgical Practice for Transforming the Spirituality of Choir Members in the Light of Sacrosanctum Concilium in Mpiri Deanery, the Catholic Diocese of Mangochi, Malawi.

Abstract

This study investigates the role of music in the liturgy to bring about the spiritual transformation of the choir members during the liturgy in Mpiri deanery of Mangochi with the guidance of the second Vatican council's teaching known as sacrosanctum concilium. It is based on the conviction that, on the one hand, sacred music, as a performance art, could lose its formative effect, and, on the other, when it is based on theological reflection becomes an instrument of prayer, formation and evangelization. The study places emphasis on a transdisciplinary approach by accessing the data obtained in the study through the Sacred Scriptures, theological reflections and anthropological approaches as well as by distributing a questionnaire to the choir members and the leaders of the church. It emphasises the Bible and ecclesiological basis of the use of sacred music for spiritual formation, moral development and communal identity. The results show that sacred music could have a positive role in the level of participation that attendants have in the liturgy and impacts the moral and social behavior of its members. Despite this, there are some important weaknesses, such as limited theological preparation, performance-driven practices, and inadequate application of Church teaching and problems in leadership and inculturation. The study finds there is a need for intentional formation, reflection and pastoral guidance, and that music in the choir may become a way of discipleship and evangelization.