Communion Antiphon

[afvw]

hello,

I would absolutely like to recite the communion antiphon when no one else does during our weekday Mass. Can I get in trouble for this. Must they allow me to do it if no one else does?? Normally it is ignored even though there is no music.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

hello,

I would absolutely like to recite the communion antiphon when no one else does during our weekday Mass. Can I get in trouble for this. Must they allow me to do it if no one else does?? Normally it is ignored even though there is no music.

One of the things about Mass is that we worship as a body. We use the same postures and we say the same prayers at the same time.

If you want to say the antiphon talk to the priest and see if he won’t start including it. But no, we don’t do our own thing when we’re at Mass.

But you didn’t really need to ask that question, did you?

 

[jmcrae]

hello,

I would absolutely like to recite the communion antiphon when no one else does during our weekday Mass. Can I get in trouble for this. Must they allow me to do it if no one else does?? Normally it is ignored even though there is no music.

Ultimately, it is the priest who decides what happens at Mass, within certain limitations - not us. As a gesture of courtesy, he usually goes with whatever the congregation is already used to. But he doesn’t have to.

If he’s not asking the people to use the Communion Antiphon, not using it himself, and not including it in the instructions for the Commentator or in some other way making it known that he would like it used, then it is omitted.

 

[afvw]

ahh well, I’m off the hook. I’ll just go back to being my usual self and keeping out of trouble then. I can always recite the antiphons mentally.
Thanks.

 

[DixitDominus]

There’s no reason why you couldn’t recite the antiphon. I personally pray the responses aloud in Latin when assisting at Mass according to 2002 Missale Romanum, even if everyone else says them in English, which is different that what others are doing, but is certainly not unacceptable.

 

[NPC]

I was under the impression that the Communion Antiphon is supposed to be recited before the priest begins to distribute Communion. I’m afraid I cannot remember where I heard that, though. I think it may be omitted (though it wouldn’t have to be) if the choir is singing the text of the antiphon or some other appropriate Eucharistic text, however if there is no choir or if it is an “organ Mass” (where there will be only organ-music) it should be recited by the priest (although perhaps a lay-person could be appointed to read the antiphon of the day).

 

[Phemie]

I was under the impression that the Communion Antiphon is supposed to be recited before the priest begins to distribute Communion. I’m afraid I cannot remember where I heard that, though. I think it may be omitted (though it wouldn’t have to be) if the choir is singing the text of the antiphon or some other appropriate Eucharistic text, however if there is no choir or if it is an “organ Mass” (where there will be only organ-music) it should be recited by the priest (although perhaps a lay-person could be appointed to read the antiphon of the day).

This is what the GIRM says on the topic:

87…
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.

I would suggest asking the priest if he would like you to recite it as he’s receiving Communion – where the Communion hymn would normally start. If you start, others may follow your lead.

What I’ve noticed in my parish is that some priests will recite it AFTER Communion, before a short period of silent reflection after which comes the Prayer after Communion.

 

[japhy]

I was under the impression that the Communion Antiphon is supposed to be recited before the priest begins to distribute Communion.

This is what the GIRM says on the topic …

I too would like to hear the Entrance and Communion antiphons at daily (spoken) Masses. One visiting priest says them, but our pastor does not.

What I’ve noticed in my parish is that some priests will recite it AFTER Communion, before a short period of silent reflection after which comes the Prayer after Communion.

That’s how it’s done in the Extraordinary Form.

 

[benedictgal]

My parochial vicar started reciting the entrance antiphon and the communion antiphon about 18 months ago. Needless to say, it’s been refreshing, especially when you don’t have to hear Pescador de los Hombres on a daily basis (which was one of the reasons why he started the recitation in the first place).

What is interesting is that at the parish Mass (he celebrates Mass at the local hospital, as well), all of us are joining in on the recitation of the antiphons. I only wish my pastor would start doing this.

 

[jmcrae]

There’s no reason why you couldn’t recite the antiphon. I personally pray the responses aloud in Latin when assisting at Mass according to 2002 Missale Romanum, even if everyone else says them in English, which is different that what others are doing, but is certainly not unacceptable.

Do you go to my parish? We have a guy who does that - I don’t like to sit near him, because he throws me off.

 

[hilde_the_dog]

We do both antiphons at my home parish daily mass but not the mass near my office on Cap Hill. Home parish recites the prayer to St Michael after mass, near work they do not.

 

[Mike_Cooksey]

If you want to do the antiphons quietly there should not be any problem. If you want to do them verbally then you contrast with the existing worship and cause discord / pride temptations.

Should you feel the pastor is not following what you want in the mass do 2 things. 1st Check out what the mass actually is required to have and what it is not required to have (or is optional). I would suggest you go to an order priest for this information instead of a diocese one. (personal preference from earlier experiences)

2nd if you find it should be there and is being intentionally ignored for whatever reason, visit other Catholic churches in your area that do not provoke your conscience.

Just be sure that you keep looking until you actually know what is required. It will be a good general study anyway!!

 

[hopefull]

I am really glad to find this discussion as it has been on my mind for some time. The “Communion” Prayer found in the missalette for daily Mass is what I presume we are discussing. At one parish, everyone present reads it as the priest drinks from the chalice. But in my parish we don’t, so even though I’d like to, I didn’t. Then all of a sudden one person started saying the “Communion” prayer after everyone has received Communion, either while the priest is cleansing the sacred vessels or when he finishes. Or when he sits down. Isn’t this the “post-communion” which is NOT in the missalette? Somebody must be wrong here…but who? Thanks for any additional help.

 

[Phemie]

I am really glad to find this discussion as it has been on my mind for some time. The “Communion” Prayer found in the missalette for daily Mass is what I presume we are discussing. At one parish, everyone present reads it as the priest drinks from the chalice. But in my parish we don’t, so even though I’d like to, I didn’t. Then all of a sudden one person started saying the “Communion” prayer after everyone has received Communion, either while the priest is cleansing the sacred vessels or when he finishes. Or when he sits down. Isn’t this the “post-communion” which is NOT in the missalette? Somebody must be wrong here…but who? Thanks for any additional help.

In the OF, as shown by the above quote from the GIRM, the Communion antiphon is supposed to come before the assembly’s Communion whether it’s said by the assembly, a cantor or the priest.

But, as I said, in my parish it’s usually read by the priest when he comes back to the chair, then we have a period of silence, then comes the Prayer After Communion, final blessing and dismissal.

 

[jmcrae]

In the OF, as shown by the above quote from the GIRM, the Communion antiphon is supposed to come before the assembly’s Communion whether it’s said by the assembly, a cantor or the priest.

But, as I said, in my parish it’s usually read by the priest when he comes back to the chair, then we have a period of silence, then comes the Prayer After Communion, final blessing and dismissal.

They do this at our Cathedral here in Calgary, too, during the weekday Masses. I wonder if it’s a Canadian anomaly? But in my home parish, we do it while or just directly after the priest is consuming the Blood.

 

[Sarabande]

In my parish, they have begun chanting the Communion antiphons at all the masses (we have 6 masses on the weekend).

Prior to this, I had never heard the antiphons chanted or recited except for at my little, country farming parish in the mountains. They were never sung or chanted, but recited. When I was a little girl, I didn’t know that it was the communion antiphon. It was just something that this lone parish seemed to do. (It was the only parish that I knew of which still used the communion paten in the 80s and 90s when I was growing up - some people would have called it an “old-fashioned” church.) Not until I became an adult did I realize what those recitations were, since it was never taught in Catholic school and it was surprisingly (for me) one of the things I never thought to ask why they did it. And now, they are doing it at my parish in chant along with antiphons for the procession and the offertory.