Question:
Answer:
The rubrics of the Ordinary Form do not indicate this at all. On the contrary, they indicate that the eucharistic prayer is to be said aloud. However, Pope Benedict XVI, with his notion of the two forms enriching each other, has written that it may be appropriate on occasion to say the eucharistic prayer secretly in the Ordinary Form as well as the Extraordinary Form. He himself did this as a cardinal in Rome on a number of occasions. It is also true that the Carthusian monks, using the Ordinary Form, still say the eucharistic prayer secretly, unless there is a concelebration.
And as far as the Extraordinary Form is concerned, the eucharistic prayer was said aloud at ordinations, both priestly and episcopal, since those Masses were concelebrated. Further, when Masses began to be broadcast by radio before the liturgical changes, the Holy See gave permission that the eucharistic prayer or canon be recited out loud so that those who could only listen and not see the movements of the Mass could participate.
Even today, in Germany and Austria especially, the eucharistic prayer is recited inaudibly during the singing of the Sanctus when there is a long orchestral Mass, with only the consecration, recited between the Sanctus and Benedictus, being said out loud so as to be heard by the people.
So the basic rule is eucharistic prayer out loud for the Ordinary Form and secretly for the Extraordinary Form, but there have been and are slight occasional exceptions to this norm.