Ordering of options in GIRM

[dmu3tem]

Personally after a while I find all this 'rules and regulations' stuff baffling; and I am afraid it gets in the way of first principles. These surely are:

[1] The service should serve the needs of the people who actually attend. It should provide opportunities for them to express themselves in ways that suit them. If it does not do these things, the most precise adherence to rubrics is useless, even if it is in accordance with some 'Roman' rite or tradition, however well intentioned.

[2] Following on from this I would have thought that participation is a key factor. There are several ways of doing this; but the most obvious one is vocal speaking or singing, especially if the object is to foster a sense of togetherness.

Usually the most effective way of doing this in a British church is still a hymn.

As elements of the above discussion illustrate Proper Antiphons do not serve this purpose so well: partly because the idiom is different (you are not dealing with metrical verses and plainchant still poses singing problems), partly because a whole new repertoire has still to be learnt.

Now, if people prefer to use the Communion period as a time for reflection and prayer, then things are different. If that is what people want to do then a choir/specialist cantor(s) and other instruments might well provide music (including settings of suitable texts = perhaps the Proper Antiphons) to help this.

[nazard]

Well said - a bit of common sense there. I second everything you said.

[alan29]

Hymns?
Sharp intake of breath.

[Keraulophon]

When consulting members of the congregation about singing during reception/distribution of Communion (or during Post-Communion thanksgiving), one gets very different opinions from well-attended Masses and sparsely attended Masses (where there's little time to sing a long item), and from people who habitually sit at either the front or back of the church (and hence receive earlier or later). Some feel that singing makes good use of the time while they are waiting to go up to receive and others that it interferes with their thanksgiving after receiving - not realising that there is a later common period of silent thanksgiving (if the celebrant provides it).