Song After First Communion

[WAVRIDR55]

A friend of mine is a CCD teacher. She is currently arguing with the Nun who runs it and ran this past me: She wants to have all the children line up in front of the alter facing the congregation, and sing a song right after receiving their first communion. This put a bad feeling in me and I told her I didn’t think it was appropriate either. I would like to see what others think of this. It is my personal belief that you should be silent, as to here the Lord after receiving, but I am not sure this goes against liturgy or if I am being too traditionalist or conservative.

 

[smswife]

The children do this at my parish and I’m not a big fan either.

They have sung “One Bread, One Body” with hand motions. It was done as a post-communion meditation.

I don’t like it b/c the time they take to learn to do this “performance” could be better spent reinforcing the idea of reverence for the Eucharist.

 

[NHInsider]

I don’t know why this has to be an either-or. The rubric calls for both a “Communion Song” during the congregation’s reception and a “period of silence or song of praise” after. So I would think if the children are receiving as a group, they could kneel in place for their prayer and then stand and sing while the rest of the congregation receives. Or, if they are receiving with their families, as they do in my parish, they could return to the pews and then come forward after everyone has received and offer their hymn then.

Personally I’d prefer they stood to one side or the other rather than lining up in front of the altar, but I don’t think there is any rule that says they shouldn’t - I just don’t like people standing with their backs to the altar as if they supplant the altar in importance.

 

[Reuben_J]

Agreed. It got to do more with inculturation. GIRM is pretty clear on this and so let’s see how it goes. The other side of the argument however, is the call for balance which basically is the spirit of Vatican II.

Can we maintain reverance of the Eucharist but at the same time introduce inculturation to suit local needs? There is good argument on both sides and we can only wait that God will guide our church in this.

 

[puzzleannie]

there is plenty of time between now and May to teach them Pange Lingua but a nun that wants to do this performance is not going for traditional

If I suggested such a thing I would hope my catechists would be smart enough to do an end run around me and go to Father (who would have 17 fits if I suggested it)

DGD’s class did Shine Jesus Shine, yes with hand movements, but before Mass, then they lined up for the procession
evidently school and PSR classes practices separately for this performance and did not have a chance to rehearse together. pitiful

 

[nodito]

Mass is not a performance, it is a sacrament. What message does it send to children who have just received the Body and Blood of Christ for the first time if they’re asked to sing and dance afterwards while their parents video tape it and applaud?

What if the children sang at a reception afterwards? When I made my First Communion, there was a reception in the chuch basement with cake and juice afterwards. Your friend can ask the kids to sing, dance, or sign then.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

This is a performance. Let the kids do one thing at a time. It would be too bad for them to receive communion while thinking or worrying about the performance to immediately follow. Let’s hope the nun stands her ground.

 

[Like]

This is a performance. Let the kids do one thing at a time. It would be too bad for them to receive communion while thinking or worrying about the performance to immediately follow. Let’s hope the nun stands her ground.

I could be mistaken, but I think it is the nun who wants to do this?