Communion Song In Worship

Singing during Communion is an ancient practice that has been restored in renewal worship. This article presents common guidelines for the restoration of Communion song.

There is evidence that Christians sang hymns and song refrains during Communion from the earliest days of Christianity. St. Augustine mentions that the singing of psalms during Communion processions was introduced in North Africa in his time. In time, however, this ancient custom changed in the West, although Orthodox Christians have retained this custom to the present day. Many parts of the liturgy—gestures, actions, and prayers—were taken away from the people and placed with the clergy. Congregational singing, too, was given to the scholas, which were choirs made up of men in minor orders. The time has come to restore these elements to the churches in the West, so they may celebrate their faith in as many different ways as possible. Serious obstacles can stand in the way of restoring congregational singing during Communion. The most common objection is that people "do not want to sing" because they perceive receiving Communion as a "private time." There is a lack of awareness among people, including many priests and liturgical musicians, that liturgical services are not private functions, but are celebrations of the church, which is the sacrament of unity. (This is stated in paragraph 26 of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy.) The same document terms the Eucharist "a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity," and says: "Christ's faithful, when present at this mystery of faith, should not be there as strangers or silent spectators." The Mass is a public and social event, and failure to understand this must be dealt with through great patience, consideration, and education. This does not mean, however, that we must wait for the whole church to understand that the Communion rite is not a private happening before we can introduce congregational singing at this time. Rather, Spirit-filled prayer, expressed in song, provides good liturgical prayer experiences that can do much to help people to accept the above truths. The document Music in Catholic Worship provides us with some guidelines for the re-establishment of congregational singing at Communion. 1. The Communion should foster a sense of unity. It should be simple and not demand great effort. In essence, we violate this principle many Sundays by asking our people to sing the wrong songs. We expect them to carry a hymnbook, watch where they are going, receive Communion in the hand while holding a hymnbook, and still sing a Communion hymn. This is patently impossible. Responsorial songs, in which a cantor or choir sings the verses while the people join in on a refrain, are the best types of music to use during Communion. The text should be short, not too long to remember, and the melody should be easy to sing. Whether the verses are sung by a cantor or choir, there should always be someone up front to bring in the congregation when it is their turn to sing. 2. The Communion gives expression to the joy of unity in the body of Christ and the fulfillment of the mystery being celebrated. Communion songs can do this best when they speak of praise and thanksgiving and are joyful in nature. No dirges here! 3. Most benediction hymns, by reason of their concentration on [private] adoration rather than on Communion, are not acceptable [during Communion]. 4. In general, during the most important seasons of the church year (Easter, Lent, Christmas, and Advent) it is preferable that most songs used at the Communion be seasonal in nature. Finding good responsorial music which speaks of Communion in a congregational way and yet is also seasonal is often difficult to do. Sometimes the best we will be able to do is to use songs that fit the "sound" of a particular season. However, by studying the Communion antiphons in the Sacramentary, one can often obtain some help in choosing music to fit the season. 5. During the remainder of the church year, however, topical songs may be used during the Communion procession, providing these texts do not conflict with the paschal character of every Sunday. Among the most appropriate texts for general Communion songs are some of the psalms. Lucien Deiss, in his Spirit and Song of the New Liturgy, lists a number of the Psalms that have eucharistic themes: Psalms 23, 34, 42, 43, 84, 104, 116, 128, 136 145, and 147 (common numbering). However, Marian hymns and patriotic songs certainly do not express the paschal mystery. Pastors and liturgical musicians would do well to correct these abuses immediately. Although Communion music should begin when the priest and other ministers communicate, this does not necessarily mean that the congregational song must begin. We all know that there is an unavoidable awkwardness at the beginning of Communion, as people stand and turn and move forward. This is not at all conducive to singing. The liturgical musician should consider starting with a short choir piece or organ piece and begin the congregational song after the procession is well established. Plan the music during Communion time as carefully as a recital program, balancing choir anthems with congregational songs and organ or other instrumental interludes. The congregational songs should be long enough to enhance the moment's unity. Avoid music that is too complicated or showy early in the procession as this can easily be distracting. Avoid elaborate commentaries explaining why a song was chosen. If a song is sufficiently vague or strange as to require an explanation, then it should not be done at this time. Ministers of music should realize that while it is important for them to play, sing, and lead with skill, they are there to help the congregation pray, not to indulge in musical performances for an audience. "The Eucharist is (designed to promote) the unity of the Body of Christ, Christians loving Christ through loving one another" (Ministries in Catholic Worship, paragraph 48). Each parish will need to explore the best time for the music ministers to receive Communion without disturbing the flow of the music. The choir or cantor might receive at the very beginning, while the organ is playing, or might elect to wait until the end, right before the period of silence. It is important for liturgical musicians not to intrude in the silent time after Communion. Sacred silence is provided for not only in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, but also in the revised Order of Mass. The Communion vessels may be set aside or returned to the sacristy to be purified later, so that the celebrant and other ministers can participate in the silence without interrupting the flow of the service. We have only begun to touch the surface of human experience in prayer. Singing together is one central action which, when done in the context of the blessing, giving thanks, breaking and sharing food, has the capacity to elevate our human spirits and unite us with our Lord. We must care enough about this kind of prayer to try harder.