Your suggestion for songs for First Communion Mass

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maryjk said:
Just something to think about.

I asked my son, age 13, about the songs at his First Communion. He is being Confirmed this year. He is an Altar Server. We home school. He attends daily Mass at least once a week. He seems to be the “on call” Altar server for funerals. And we are pretty traditional. (minus the Latin.) Just to give you an idea of where we stand.

He doesn’t remember any of the songs. He really doesn’t remember anything about the day.

Now, at the time, we attended a VERY liberal church. They had some of the children around the altar during the consecration!! There were songs with hand/arm movements. The children made the bread for communion. :eek: And that wasn’t all.

BUT he doesn’t remember any of it. Now, I know that it is a very important day. But we also need to remember that the children are 7 or 8 and in a few years, they won’t remember it.
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I admit to being a tad bit strange, but, I do remember my First Holy Communion Day. My grandma and stepgrandfather made the trip from Austin to attend. My maternal grandparents were also there, as were my favorite aunt and other relatives. The music was traditional “At that First Eucharist” and such. We received First Holy Communion kneeling at the communion rail and on the tongue. This was in 1976. After Mass, my parents took me to the chapel of our Salesian school so that I could personally thank Mary Help of Christians. My second grade teacher, a nun, was waiitng for me at the chapel and she gave me a hug. And yes, I remember the date: May 2, 1976. You can’t tell me that for some, these things don’t stay in the memory banks.
 
agapewolf said:
In the old Testement, many times a lector reads God’s words. Such as First Monday of Lent this year…leviticus.
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We’re losing sight of the point. Again, we still have the “God said,” or “Jesus said,” woven into the context.

I thought I was reading somewhere that the Vatican has already either forbidden or else strongly discouraged the “I” and “me” songs. 🤷
 
armywife said:
I’m the Rel. Ed teacher for our 2nd grade class this year and I’m working on the music. Our DRE has asked for my (name removed by moderator)ut but we don’t really see eye-to-eye. (She want’s clapping and sign language… I do not:rolleyes:)

I’ve already taught my class Panis Angelicus for them to sing after communion but was looking for ideas for the rest of Mass.

Thanks and let the ideas flow
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How about:​

  • My God, I love Thee: not because
 
jmcrae said:
We’re losing sight of the point. Again, we still have the “God said,” or “Jesus said,” woven into the context.

I thought I was reading somewhere that the Vatican has already either forbidden or else strongly discouraged the “I” and “me” songs. 🤷
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Not the same thing. God is singing “Here I am” to us. Its plain and simple.

Your point was that the lector is quoting paul who is quoting Christ. I simple refuted that point.
 
May I recomend Soul of my Saviour 👍 but also Godhead here in hiding whom I do adore.

If you can do Latin… then

-Anima Christi (Soul of my Saviour)
-Adoro Te Devote (Godhead here in hiding)
-Tantrum Ergo (Down in adoration falling)
-Panis Angelicus (Bread of angles)
-O Salutoris Hostia (O saving Victim open wide)
 
agapewolf said:
Not the same thing. God is singing “Here I am” to us. Its plain and simple.

Your point was that the lector is quoting paul who is quoting Christ. I simple refuted that point.
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No, God is not singing Here I am. That comes from the prophet Samuel’s first encounter with God, after the priest tells him that he’s not the one calling Samuel, God is. Furthermore, “Here I am” doesn’t even accurately reflect what God actually said. It’s as though the author is putting words into God’s mouth, quite radically different than accurately quoting sacred scripture.
 
benedictgal said:
No, God is not singing Here I am. That comes from the prophet Samuel’s first encounter with God, after the priest tells him that he’s not the one calling Samuel, God is. Furthermore, “Here I am” doesn’t even accurately reflect what God actually said. It’s as though the author is putting words into God’s mouth, quite radically different than accurately quoting sacred scripture.
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Um, yes he is. I already mentioned I’ve heard the author talk about that.

I am very aware about samuel, and that is NOT what this song is referring to.

The references in this song are as if God is singing, and they are based on scripture “Here I am, do not be afraid”. Here I am, I have conquered evil"

Its not hard to see.
 
jmcrae said:
No. WE are singing. WE are not God. God isn’t singing anything. God is the listerner; not the singer.
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Oh for goodness sake…It is music! which is art!

Yes, we are singing God’s words. Its not that hard to figure it out. God speaks to us in many ways through scripture, and by taking what he says in Scripture “I am the bread of life” and quoting it.

What is so hard to understand about it?

Also, I was getting this thread iwth the other one mixed up, my apologies, but the same point is being discussed.

“I am the bread of life” was the orginal discussion here, sorry for throwing the wrench in.
 
agapewolf said:
Oh for goodness sake…It is music! which is art!
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And art has standards! Not the least of which is knowing who is the artist and who is the audience, and speaking in one’s own voice, and not presuming to speak for others - you do realize that appropriation of voice is generally considered to be in extremely poor taste, among artists? 🤷
 
jmcrae said:
And art has standards! Not the least of which is knowing who is the artist and who is the audience, and speaking in one’s own voice, and not presuming to speak for others - you do realize that appropriation of voice is generally considered to be in extremely poor taste, among artists? 🤷
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A very important, often ignored, detail is that the Church does have her standards for music. These are found in Musicam Sacram and reiterated in the Chirograph on Sacred Music that Pope John Paul II wrote and re-inforced, to a certain extent, in Liturgiam Authenticam.

Anyone planning music, whether it is for First Holy Communion or the regular Sunday Mass, should become familiar with these documents and toss the publishing houses’ liturigcal planning guides aside.
 
Where could I find the suggested readings for First Communion Mass? :confused:
 
SmileyPR said:
Where could I find the suggested readings for First Communion Mass? :confused:
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If the First Communion Mass takes place on a Sunday (or a Saturday evening Mass in anticipation of Sunday), the usual readings for that Sunday are used. Sunday readings cannot be changed except in extraordinary situations with the bishop’s permission. You can find them here, just click on the date of First Communion: usccb.org/nab/

If First Communion is on a weekday with no particular feast attached to it, you might have some leeway in selecting readings. But I have never heard of First Communion on a weekday.
 
This I thought, but in our parish (English speaking in Europe) they have been using some for First Communion or Confirmation and yet I don’t know from what official list they had taken them from. Parents see the ones used in years before and then they choose! I thought that, at least, the readings would be related to the celebration, but I cannot understand how Isaiah 43,1-5 could be related to First Communion.

The thing is that, since we are not under the USA conference, I don’t know how could I express my thoughts to the Parish Council. I am only in charge of the Music Ministry and not of Liturgy, but those in charge of Liturgy don’t know much about this and the priest is more a theologian and a liturgist.
 
Sorry… I was looking up via the Internet for the information I read above regarding the readings, yet it is different.

General Instruction of the Roman Missal (4th Edition)

Chapter VII-B. Choice of Individual Texts

In Masses with special groups, the priest may choose texts more suited to the particular celebration, provided they are taken from the texts of an approved lectionary.
  1. The Lectionary has a special selection of texts from Scripture for Masses that incorporate certain sacraments or sacramentals or that are celebrated by reason of special circumstances.
These selections of readings have been assigned so that by hearing a more pertinent passage from God’s word the faithful may be led to a better understanding of the mystery they are taking part in and may be led to a more ardent love for God’s word.

Therefore the texts for proclamation in the liturgical assembly are to be chosen on the basis of their pastoral relevance and the options allowed in this matter.

catholicliturgy.com/index.cfm/FuseAction/documentText/Index/14/SubIndex/0/ContentIndex/197/Start/1
 
SmileyPR said:
In Masses with special groups, the priest may choose texts more suited to the particular celebration, provided they are taken from the texts of an approved lectionary.
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This is from the section referring to weekday Masses.
 
318 Sunday Mass
319 Week Mass
320 Special celebrations, including Sacraments
 
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