Use of antiphons during mass

[shawnbm]

I have a question, for I am confused by what does and does not occur during mass–depending upon which celebrant in my parish is celebrating. Every weekday mass (I go to as many as I can) has an entrance antiphon and a communion antiphon. Some priests say both or only one (usually the communion antiphon whilst seated in the chair before the prayer after communion), but the majority say neither for the most part. Are the recitations of the antiphons solely for the laity and religious to say silently unless the priest decides to orally voice same? Are they mandatory at all masses, i.e., the celebrant is to say them aloud at every mass (or perhaps certain masses)? Can someone give me guidance on this? Thank you and shalom!

 

[Theophorus]

If singing does not occur then then the antiphons should be used, either the priest, a cantor or the faithful as a whole should say/sing them both. Alas this doesn’t always happen. The general instruction of the Roman missal(GIRM) gives further guidance on this in and around paragraph 48.

God bless

 

[puzzleannie]

here the congregation say both antiphons, one as Father enters the sanctuary, the other when he sits after communion. I guess the regulars have somebody chosen to lead it because somebody starts it.

 

[shawnbm]

Thanks for the two responses. When we have a choir on Sundays, the antiphons are never said, for some reason. It is the weekday masses that are smaller and have no choir that perplex me. It seems at least one of the responders is saying the antiphons should be recited during the mass, unless there is singing of a hymn. So, is the entrance and/or communion antiphon something that is akin to a hymn and the discretion to recite them is broadly given to the pastor of a given parish?

 

[John_Lilburne]

I have a question, for I am confused by what does and does not occur during mass–depending upon which celebrant in my parish is celebrating. Every weekday mass (I go to as many as I can) has an entrance antiphon and a communion antiphon. Some priests say both or only one (usually the communion antiphon whilst seated in the chair before the prayer after communion), but the majority say neither for the most part. Are the recitations of the antiphons solely for the laity and religious to say silently unless the priest decides to orally voice same? Are they mandatory at all masses, i.e., the celebrant is to say them aloud at every mass (or perhaps certain masses)? Can someone give me guidance on this? Thank you and shalom!

Probably at weekday Mass there is no singing, so it is correct to have the Entrance Antiphon and Communion Antiphon said on those days.

From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :

“48. … If there is no singing at the entrance, the antiphon in the Missal is recited either by the faithful, or by some of them, or by a lector; otherwise, it is recited by the priest himself, who may even adapt it as an introductory explanation (cf. above, no. 31).”

“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.”