Choir Loft Reception of Holy Communion in OF Chant Mass?
  • janet
    Posts: 3
    This question is launched on behalf of a Schola that has been singing a monthly OF Gregorian Chant Mass. We sing from the loft and for some time have struggled with the manner of receiving Holy Communion. If we are part of the Reform of the Reform, our meager solutions still seem wanting. The attendance at this Mass, 4 p.m. on Sunday is usually no more than 50-100 people. Here is what we have tried:

    1) We have tried bolting downstairs to receive first. This is hard because the priest is elderly and disabled, thus two Eucharistic Ministers are right there to distribute Holy Communion. There is usually not much time left to sing the Communion chant.

    2) Staying in the loft and singing the Communion chant. This works great for the chant. The Eucharistic Minister meanwhile, is walking up to the loft. He arrives, during the chant of course. The Eucharistic Minister, holding the Ciborium, is often left standing there for some time, waiting with our Lord, while we finish singing. An additional grievance to this method is that half the Schola receives while seated to facilitate the Eucharistic Minister's passage through the shallow loft. An option we have not yet tried is to receive Holy Communion after Mass.

    I would be grateful for Forum members' solutions or ideas. All glory to God no matter what.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    We sometimes use option #2, except singers go to Communion during the Communion chant. I try to keep at least one of the strongest singers singing at all times. The chant keeps going, although volume varies, and the actual reception of Communion can seem rushed and a bit chaotic.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    We have a similar situation, but usually by 5 p.m. on a Sunday most of us have already received the Sacrament at another Mass on the same day or the preceding day; if any of us has not, he may go downstairs to receive, and the rest of us remain to sing the Communion proper.
  • Ioannes Andreades
    Posts: 310
    I sang in a choir where we usually received after mass. I really resented it. I have to admit that I wouldn't think twice about having the EMHC wait for you with the Eucharist. Receiving while seated is more of the concern, I guess, but I wouldn't lose much sleep over that either. The chant is supposed to start when the priest receives communion and accommodations are to be made so that all can receive communion at the designated time (GIRM 86, which does not mention receiving communion after mass as an option). What about heading downstairs after the chant to meet the EMHC in order to receive at least standing?
  • Mr. Z
    Posts: 159
    I, for one, don't take communion from extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist. I just would rather receive from a priest. (in my church, there really is no choice, but if there was, I would do the same). I don't like the choir loft communion dispensing idea so much either.

    At the church I go to - Eastern Rite - of course, we use intinction, those in the choir receiving go first, coming out of the loft, while other members intone the 'hymn' and there is no need for a special dispensing. Just my $.02.
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,934
    As a Byzantine, I don't receive communion at the church where I work. The choir, however, does. The choir sings the communion antiphon, I play for a few minutes while an extraordinary minister (a choir member) brings communion to the choir, then we sing a communion hymn after all have received. Since the choir members are happy with this arrangement, I don't have any problems with it.
  • jgirodjgirod
    Posts: 45
    The previous comments give most of the answer to your question, mine will be just "fine tuning". If you chose to receive communion at the beginning, you might get down as soon as the Agnus Dei is finished and kneel in front of the first row or in the alley for the prayers before communion. If you sing first, in the OF you should start when the priest take communion as Ioannes Andreades quotes and possibly go in turn so that some of you remain as also suggested above.
  • Ioannes Andreades
    Posts: 310
    My dad used to be and EMHC who was assigned sometimes to distribute communion in the choir. As Frau Bluecher says in Young Frankenstein, "The stairway can be... treacherous," and my dad was in constant dread that he would trip up or down the stairs. EMHC's at my parish used to wear albs, which made things more hazardous.
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    Could choir go down after the chant proper? They can line up at the end of others. The silence at that time might be actually a good one. The musicians don't have to fill all the silence. And after the choir's communion all can sing a short hymn together, if there's a sufficiant time? (Also always consult with your pastor.)
  • Daniel Bennett PageDaniel Bennett Page
    Posts: 833
    Thank you, Mr. Z for your principled avoidance of EMHCs.
    I also will not receive the sacrament from them.
    It has added to the faithful's confusion over the meaning of the Mass, especially the role of the priest.
    Like so many silly little customs and practices that have accumulated around the OF, the use of EMHCs is indeed silly and little.
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    Also, if you sing a hymn before the final blessing, you don't really need another hymn as a recessional, just organ voluntary would be sufficiant, and less complain about people leaving before the hymn is over :-)
  • rwprof
    Posts: 25
    We sing from the kliros at the front of the church, but the director will send us 2 at a time to receive. It works pretty well.

    Mr. Z: "At the church I go to - Eastern Rite - of course, we use intinction"

    Melkite?
  • mjballoumjballou
    Posts: 993
    Most places where I've directed or played in a loft, the choir goes down and receives Communion first, heading down right after the Agnus Dei. I'm not a big fan of the Extraordinary Minister coming up to the loft, but I am also aware of aging choirs. It's generally a logistical issue with crowding, people juggling music, and stepping over each other.
  • Donnaswan
    Posts: 585
    We usually have an EM come up for the biggies- Chrsitmas Eve, Easter Vigil, Easter Day. The choir goes down from loft otherwise, leaving after Agnus as MJ has posted. But we have a cantor up front at the same time, not Janet's situation.

    Donna
  • BGP
    Posts: 215
    In my schola we recieve in the loft from a EM at the insistance of the parish administration. I dont like it at all, avoid it if possible.
    If your schola is big enough send half of them at the beginning of distribution and the rest at the end when the first group has returned if their is enough time for this to work out.
    Otherwise just stop singing a little early (after the communion chant is finished you dont have to extend it) and file in at the end of the communion line. A little silence never hurt anyone.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    The choir is to sing the communion antiphon while the priests receives then verses to be sung during the procession to communion.

    That would seem to indicate that the choir would then receive by joining in at the end of the communion procession, which would be a time of silence for prayer and meditation for all.

    Then a hymn may be sung to bring the congregation together in song at the OF as indicated by the US Bishops, in STTL. This then eliminates the need to sing a hymn after Mass unless there is a large enough group processing out (Confirmation...) that would suggest congregational singing during this.

    Now, try and convince people to do this.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    A parish in the next town has started to do part of what you mention, Noel: to sing a hymn after communion and then have an instrumental piece for the final procession. I should make a point to compliment them on this.
  • janet
    Posts: 3
    Thank you Forum folks, for your kind and helpful advice and experiences. I will encourage our new director to continue singing the Communion chant as Father is receiving, as noted, and which we are doing. The changes I will be lobbying for: EM to remain downstairs and we will either process up the aisle, or he can be at the back of the church waiting. Just that much will eliminate half the choir sitting while receiving. Praise the Lord. As others have noted, given the late afternoon time of the Mass, 4 p.m., some of us have already been to another Mass and have received. Thus, only those wanting to receive need to leave the loft. I like the idea of sacred silence after the Communion chant; I just don't know if that will fly with the pastor who is the one saying the Mass. In addition, I'd like to add that we always sing a recessional hymn, and then end with either the "Salve Regina" or "Regina Caeli" depending on the season. Again, thanks so much for sharing your experiences. There is a treasure of experience on this Forum. I give thanks to God for all of your efforts for Him.
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,934
    I am going to keep the practice of a minister bringing communion to the choir. I have choir members near 80 - actually, one turns 80 next week. Once per day is enough for them to climb the stairs.
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