Your suggestion for songs for First Communion Mass

[benedictgal]

I don’t feel jumped on . In fact I was just debating the practicality of using ‘again we keep this solemn fast’ which is the same tune as ‘the glory of these 40 days’…with the practice time I have and the people who show up

I love Again We Keep This Solemn Fast, which, as you noted, has the same tune as “The Glory of These Forty Days.” I am going to be watching the telecast of the Papal Mass for Ash Wednesday. I think that they chant the Litany of the Saints as the Holy Father is walking to Santa Sabina in procession. They also chant the Attende Domine as the offertory. The organ is pretty much non-existent. You can barely hear it. I wish Lent were already here.

 

[JPUSC]

Here is a great contemporary setting of the Litany of the Saints by John Becker.

youtube.com/watch?v=4SlGfHwyC-M
ocp.org/songs/1605

 

[Elizabeth502]

I wish someone would change the words of this song to “Jesus is the bread of life,” since “I” am certainly not the bread of life - Jesus is.

(Isn’t making ourselves to be God the sin of Adam and Eve?)

You don’t understand that the First Person Jesus is “speaking” in that song? It’s intended to be his statements, his voice? It’s lifted from The Fourth Gospel, when he speaks about himself. I think children have no problem with this concept.

(Apparently some adults do.)

No, I don’t wish “someone would change [Jesus’] words.”

(I see that post 33 beat me to it.)

 

[Feanor]

I think she meant those annoying hand gestures teachers make children do to make them look cute so the parents could say “aww how cute” and take pictures.

Ah- I got you- that is a little weird. I did have a sign language interpreter at my wedding as the parents of my best man were deaf. Kind of funny that the cost of hiring her was more than what they gave us for a present. In the end I felt great to do this for them though.

 

[agapewolf]

One Bread One Body is based not only on Scripture but the didache. It IS the deep history of the faith.

 

[Feanor]

Well kind of. Our DRE is a special ed teacher, which is great… but none of our kids or any of our congregation is deaf, so it would be kind of just a show off type of thing. She wanted to teach them a song in sign language and I said how about Latin, she about fell out of her chair saying that would be way too hard. Half my kids speak Spanish so I told her Latin wouldn’t be that difficult.

On a side, I’m perfectly fine with an sign interpreter.

She might have said that because in American sign language you have to spell words for which there is no equivalent. She should have stated this though. Sometimes I wonder about the EF and sign language but that’s A WHOLE 'NOTHER THREAD.

As a visually impaired person I tend to think about issues of disability.

On a side note I also don’t feel comfortable with singing “I” in hymns when referring to Christ or the Father.

 

[jmcrae]

You don’t understand that the First Person Jesus is “speaking” in that song?

And also that I am not Jesus, nor am I a stand-in for Jesus.

It’s intended to be his statements, his voice? It’s lifted from The Fourth Gospel, when he speaks about himself. I think children have no problem with this concept.

Actually, many adults think it is themselves who are the Bread of Life. They have apparently got no idea that this is the words of Jesus taken from Scripture, or even that the song is supposed to be about Jesus. They tell people to listen to the song and ask themselves “how can I be bread for others?” (This is an actual exercise on an RCIA pamphlet.)

No, no, no, no. You are not the bread. You do not have to be broken and shared. Jesus is the bread. Jesus is already being broken and shared.

 

[agapewolf]

And also that I am not Jesus, nor am I a stand-in for Jesus.

Actually, many adults think it is themselves who are the Bread of Life. They have apparently got no idea that this is the words of Jesus taken from Scripture, or even that the song is supposed to be about Jesus. They tell people to listen to the song and ask themselves “how can I be bread for others?” (This is an actual exercise on an RCIA pamphlet.)

No, no, no, no. You are not the bread. You do not have to be broken and shared. Jesus is the bread. Jesus is already being broken and shared.

Well, then, we shouldnt’ read the gospels out loud then should we? (and I’m not talking about inside the mass either). because we would be a “stand in” for Jesus. Singing a song as God words does not make us “stand ins.”

There is nothing misleading about singing scripture…like “I am the bread of life”. It is direct quoting for scripture. I know of NO ONE who doesn’t understand who the person speaking is. I am a music director at a church so I come in contact with lots of people in regard to music at Mass.

And yes, we lay ourselves down as living sacrifices…that is how we are broken and shared. That’s the whole point that we offer Bread (crushed wheat) and wine (crushed grapes). That is the symbol of our brokenness. We offer ourselves at the offertory. Thats what that means.

 

[jmcrae]

Well, then, we shouldnt’ read the gospels out loud then should we? (and I’m not talking about inside the mass either). because we would be a “stand in” for Jesus.

Why do you think it is only the priest, deacon, or Bishop (ie: the one who is in persona Christi) who is allowed to read the Gospels out loud at Mass?

 

[agapewolf]

Why do you think it is only the priest, deacon, or Bishop (ie: the one who is in persona Christi) who is allowed to read the Gospels out loud at Mass?

Except that lay readers read the pauline letters, who quotes Christ’s words.

 

[jmcrae]

Except that lay readers read the pauline letters, who quotes Christ’s words.

And the reader is speaking in Paul’s voice, quoting Christ. He is not speaking in Christ’s own voice, as in the Gospels.

 

[Joan_REDirector]

Loved following this thread …

Having been both a music director and RE director, I can relate. It’s been my experience that kids LOVE Latin and chant.

I don’t think you can appreciate the power of music too much when teaching children. I read someplace that the gnostic heresies spread in the early Church through hymns. In my opinion, BAD hymns have done similar harm to the Church in the last forty years.

I want to put in a word of caution about “traditional” hymns. In the pre-Vatican II church, “traditional” hymns were all Latin, either Gregorian chants or motets. At a “high” Mass, vernacular hymns were premitted only at the beginning and end of Mass. At “low” Masses the faithful could and did sing vernacular hymns at different points of the Mass. Some of these hymns were very good, some not so good … questionable theology or poor musical quality.

When we had the Latin rug pulled out from under our feet in the late 60’s, we grasped at whatever musical straws we could. The first hymnals of that era were heavy on vernacular hymns from the Protestant tradition. They had five hundred years to think about these things. These hymns were usually good pieces of music but not necessarily good statements of what the Catholic Church believed and celebrated on Sunday morning. It wasn’t so much what the text said but what it didn’t say.

So be careful. A hymn isn’t good just because it was written before 1960. You still have to look at these hymns carefully too.

I want to make one more point. Part of the job of Religious Education is to make your children full and active participants the worship of the parish. Don’t make your program a kids’ music ghetto. Use the hymnal they will see in Church on Sunday morning as much as you can. DO NOT WASTE THEIR PRECIOUS TIME ON SILLY STUFF. Pick out the best. Even the ubiquitous but much maligned OCP has lots of good Latin Hymns and chants and they would have more if you’d ask for it. I’ll bet your parish has lots of popular hymns that are good too. Build on that.

REDirector

 

[PhilotheaZ]

I still remember the hymn we sang at my First Communion (1964?). Lovely and simple!

“Jesus, Jesus, Come to Me,” #131 in the St. Gregory Hymnal gutenberg.org/files/23673/23673-h/images/N131_P204.gif

 

[Pax_Vobiscum_57]

Processional: All Creatures of Our God and King

Offertory: Ave Verum Corpus
(you can also put a Marian hymn in the Offertory if you want)

Communion: O Lord I am Not Worthy/O Sacrament Most Holy

Post-Communion: Panis Angelicus

Recessional: Jesus Christ is Risen Today

Other selections:

Jesus Christ, Bread of Life (Schaubel/Dvorak)
World Library Publications

Take and Eat (Michael Joncas)
GIA

Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All (Traditional)

Sweet Sacrament Divine (Traditional)

Soul of My Savior (Traditional)

These are 7-8 year olds. Traditional, easy melodies would be good for them. Jesus My Lord, My God, My All is perfect!

Please, please, please don’t let them play Lord of the Dance!

 

[puzzleannie]

Ah- I got you- that is a little weird. I did have a sign language interpreter at my wedding as the parents of my best man were deaf. Kind of funny that the cost of hiring her was more than what they gave us for a present. In the end I felt great to do this for them though.

that was exceedingly kind, wish more brides were so thoughtful

if I ever want to get fired, I will start teaching the children to sing in church with hand gestures(not ASL) (as opposed to the legit ASL interpreter we have for some Masses.)

 

[Feanor]

that was exceedingly kind, wish more brides were so thoughtful

if I ever want to get fired, I will start teaching the children to sing in church with hand gestures(not ASL) (as opposed to the legit ASL interpreter we have for some Masses.)

Sorry Puzzleannie- I’m a boy. . .

 

[benedictgal]

Loved following this thread …

Having been both a music director and RE director, I can relate. It’s been my experience that kids LOVE Latin and chant.

I don’t think you can appreciate the power of music too much when teaching children. I read someplace that the gnostic heresies spread in the early Church through hymns. In my opinion, BAD hymns have done similar harm to the Church in the last forty years.

I want to put in a word of caution about “traditional” hymns. In the pre-Vatican II church, “traditional” hymns were all Latin, either Gregorian chants or motets. At a “high” Mass, vernacular hymns were premitted only at the beginning and end of Mass. At “low” Masses the faithful could and did sing vernacular hymns at different points of the Mass. Some of these hymns were very good, some not so good … questionable theology or poor musical quality.

When we had the Latin rug pulled out from under our feet in the late 60’s, we grasped at whatever musical straws we could. The first hymnals of that era were heavy on vernacular hymns from the Protestant tradition. They had five hundred years to think about these things. These hymns were usually good pieces of music but not necessarily good statements of what the Catholic Church believed and celebrated on Sunday morning. It wasn’t so much what the text said but what it didn’t say.

So be careful. A hymn isn’t good just because it was written before 1960. You still have to look at these hymns carefully too.

I want to make one more point. Part of the job of Religious Education is to make your children full and active participants the worship of the parish. Don’t make your program a kids’ music ghetto. Use the hymnal they will see in Church on Sunday morning as much as you can. DO NOT WASTE THEIR PRECIOUS TIME ON SILLY STUFF. Pick out the best. Even the ubiquitous but much maligned OCP has lots of good Latin Hymns and chants and they would have more if you’d ask for it. I’ll bet your parish has lots of popular hymns that are good too. Build on that.

REDirector

Thank youi for that informative post. OCP does, in my opinion, deserve its maligned repuation. If you examine their “liturgical planning guide”, they only promote their stuff, as opposed to what constitutes genuine, Sacred Music, as defined by the Church.

The big problem in a lot of the Masses for Children is that the silly stuff makes its way into the rotation and the parents gush at how “cute” the kids are when they perform these numbers. What is also troubling is that even the Mass parts supposedly comoposed for children take fast and loose liberties with the parts of the Mass such as the happy, clappy Gloria and an Agnus Dei that isn’t even a loose paraphrase of the prayer. And, these are included in the OCP children’s booklet.

Each song needs to be examined thoroughly to ensure that it is both doctrinally and liturgically appropriate for use in the Mass. Just becuase OCP and GIA have failed in doing their homework, that does not absolve us from taking on the responsibility and making sure that what we put out for the faithful to sing is an authentic Sensus Fidei.

 

[Joan_REDirector]

Thank youi for that informative post. OCP does, in my opinion, deserve its maligned repuation. If you examine their “liturgical planning guide”, they only promote their stuff, as opposed to what constitutes genuine, Sacred Music, as defined by the Church.

The big problem in a lot of the Masses for Children is that the silly stuff makes its way into the rotation and the parents gush at how “cute” the kids are when they perform these numbers. What is also troubling is that even the Mass parts supposedly comoposed for children take fast and loose liberties with the parts of the Mass such as the happy, clappy Gloria and an Agnus Dei that isn’t even a loose paraphrase of the prayer. And, these are included in the OCP children’s booklet.

Each song needs to be examined thoroughly to ensure that it is both doctrinally and liturgically appropriate for use in the Mass. Just becuase OCP and GIA have failed in doing their homework, that does not absolve us from taking on the responsibility and making sure that what we put out for the faithful to sing is an authentic Sensus Fidei.

I think you feel some of the frustration and anger that I’ve felt. As an RE director I told parents I didn’t do “cute” because I considered it a form of child abuse. By that I mean, using our power as teachers to take advantage of our children’s innocence and simplicity so we can make a spectacle of them for our amusement.

Thank God my Archdiocese of Seattle has a strict policy that forbids First Communicants from any kid of performance. In their words, at this occasion children should “focus on the reception of the sacrament.” The children may not sing a group song, bring up gifts, take up collection, usher, be readers, offer prayers of the faithful or other similar “cute” things.

I don’t always agree with all the stuff that comes out of the Chancery but I am grateful for this.

PS Who’s running our programs? It should be the Bishop, your pastor and you as their delegate.

 

[maryjk]

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. 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.

 

[agapewolf]

And the reader is speaking in Paul’s voice, quoting Christ. He is not speaking in Christ’s own voice, as in the Gospels.

In the old Testement, many times a lector reads God’s words. Such as First Monday of Lent this year…leviticus.