I recently saw a brief video of a Franciscan priest, and a young one at that, saying that Catholics must sing at Holy Communion time from the moment the priest receives until the last person has received.
He was rather dogmatic about that and based his dogmatism on the fact that receiving Holy Communion is not a private act between the person and God whom they receive. No-it is communal and singing at Holy Communion time by everyone emphasizes the communal nature of Holy Communion.
He then shows what the General Instruction of the Roman Missal says about the communal nature of receiving Holy Communion during Mass but he omits what I highlight in large letters in red!
The Modern Mass allows for just about anything you want to do as the options are numerous. You can sing or say the Introit, Offertory and Communion Antiphons, or omit them and sing something else, or don’t sing any of them at all.
At any rate, this is what the General Instruction of the Roman Missal says and reading the entire thing, tells me and should tell that Franciscan priest there is nothing dogmatic about this nor is it required under the penalty of venial or mortal sin:
86. While the priest is receiving the Sacrament, the Communion chant is begun. Its purpose is to express the communicants’ union in spirit by means of the unity of their voices, to show joy of heart, and to highlight more clearly the “communitarian” nature of the procession to receive Communion. The singing is continued for as long as the Sacrament is being administered to the faithful.[74] If, however, there is to be a hymn after Communion, the Communion chant should be ended in a timely manner.
Care should be taken that singers, too, can receive Communion with ease.
87. In the dioceses of the United States of America there are four options for the Communion chant: (1) the antiphon from The Roman Missal or the Psalm from the Roman Gradual as set to music there or in another musical setting; (2) the seasonal antiphon and Psalm of the Simple Gradual; (3) a song from another collection of psalms and antiphons, approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops or the diocesan Bishop, including psalms arranged in responsorial or metrical forms; (4) a suitable liturgical song chosen in accordance with no. 86. This is sung either by the choir alone or by the choir or cantor with the people.
If there is no singing, however, the Communion antiphon found in the Missal may be recited either by the faithful, or by some of them, or by a lector. Otherwise the priest himself says it after he has received Communion and before he distributes Communion to the faithful.
88. When the distribution of Communion is finished, as circumstances suggest, the priest and faithful spend some time praying privately. If desired, a psalm or other canticle of praise or a hymn may also be sung by the entire congregation.
13 comments:
I was a cantor for over 40 years and singing during Communion by the congregation is idiotic since you almost would always need to carry the hymnal with you. Instead you should be focusing on receiving Holy Communion. Communion is the perfect time for a cantor or choir to sing the propers followed by a beautiful chant or polyphonic piece drawn from the Church's treasury sacred music.
I agree, TJM. The people don't want to sing during Communion. They want to concentrate on receiving Jesus. Beside Chant, sometimes it's nice to have the organ play during Communion without singing.
Daniel Martin,
That works too!!
Father,you must be referring to Father Casey, OFM. I respectfully think he overlooked GIRM #87. I agree with Daniel Martin and TJM on this. In our Byzantine Tradition the cantoe and choir do the singing, the congregation, assembly, communicants, or whatever you want to go them joining in if they wish.
When i play my banjo at farmers markets i put out a sign that asks for money.
‘Will sing your favorite song for a dollar.
Will stop singing for $5.
Lucrative.
After 60 years of seeing Priests do whatever they want to do at Mass regardless of the rules, I think that I will do whatever I want to do regardless of when Father Overbearing thinks I should sing.
I remember in the early 1980s at our church, a priest who had just returned from seminary in America had the people standup and the choir sing the hymn all over again during communion because the congregation just did not sing the first time. Even the second time very few of them sang.
That priest’s attitude was that he was superior because he had studied in America and the congregation was just country bumpkins,
People do not understand. The Entrance, Offertory, and Communion antiphons are not congregational pieces. They are occasional music to cover the silence of the processions.
At the time the current Altar Missal was introduced, the late and much lamented Archbishop of Chicago sent a Dubia to the appropriate Dicastery in Rome; requesting clarification on the presumed posture of the Faithful from the time of the Celebrants Communion,until the end of Communion of the faithful.The reply was that the presumed position of the faithful was either sitting or kneeling, not standing.Several Episcopal Conferences, and not a few Individual bishop's had to adjust their instructions! You cannot be forced to stand.
Queritur: Can a priest arbitrarily decide what is or is not a mortal sin? If so, I have to make a general confession for I have consistently refused to sing one of those raunchy songs during Communion. My soul is otherwise engaged.
Off topic but the next time the Vatican slobbers over Islam, they should acquaint themselves with reality:
https://pjmedia.com/aj-christopher/2026/08/22/who-needs-islam-n4956418
In the East, and after approaching the chalice, we become living tabernacles of the Lord. To be cognizant of this is appropriate and our posture and demeanor should be reflective of the received gift and mystery.
Ideally, we chant Psalms during communion. Some parishes sing hymns, eucharistic in tone. I tend to do both when at the Kliros with Psalms being emphasized. That said, every second does not have to be filled with uninterrupted song, or chant. Sacred silence is both appropriate and it fosters a reflective atmosphere. In other words, communion isn't an intermission of sorts that must have song for the sake of not having "dead air". I find there to be something beautifully quiet and serene about silence while the priest communes the last who approach and before the benediction "Save your people, O Lord, and bless your inheritance!".
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