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Views from the Choir Loft

“That’s not Eucharistic” • Why We Sing the Communion Antiphons

Richard J. Clark · August 11, 2017

NE SUDAY I received (through a third party, of course) a complaint about what the choir had been singing during communion. We frequently included the proper communion antiphon. The criticism was terse: “That’s not Eucharistic.” Correct. It was not. Well, not directly or in an obvious manner.

But it was.

During the 1990s, my choir had been singing the Communion antiphons from the Graduale Romanum nearly every week, often in addition to another sacred liturgical work. I not only became addicted to singing chant, I was also deeply drawn to the texts. Always from scripture, these texts have been sung during communion for well over a millennium. I always provided translations and the scripture references in a worship aid so that all could meditate on the Word.

The edition we were reading from was Solesmes’ Gregorian Missal for Sundays. Published in 1990, this book provided the propers from the Graduale Romanum, the translations in English, and were adjusted to the Novus Ordo three-year cycle of readings. This publication absolutely transformed my life.

S CHRISTIANS, WE BELIEVE in something rather unusual and perhaps very strange. We believe in the Incarnation—that God “lowered” Himself to dwell among us. (Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; Phil 2:7) The Word of God took human form—the Word made Flesh. We take these words for granted. Do not.

What does this have to do with the Communion Procession? A great deal. The Communion Antiphons, whether from the Gradual Romanum or The Roman Missal (there is a great deal of overlap and some variation) most always point back to the Gospel reading of the Day or Feast.

The Body and Blood of Jesus is made present not only from the bread and wine, but also in the Word. By receiving the Word, we receive Jesus. The Gospel, which is the Good News proclaimed by Jesus who is the Word made Flesh—is in itself an encounter with Jesus.

• Saint Cecilia and Why the Word is Preeminent

To sing or meditate on the Gospel and the Word of God while receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus is precisely what the Church intends today, tomorrow, and has intended for over a thousand years. If Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, so too do we embrace the Gospel—the Word while in His presence.

T IS WORTH REMEMBERING that during the early Church, Gregorian Chant and the Roman Rite grew up side by side. Chant is simply elevated text (if highly evolved over a millennium). Just as the Hebrew People sang the Torah for thousands of years (and not simply their favorite songs), so too is the Mass ideally sung.

As a Church, we have become accustomed to singing our favorite songs that comfort us. We have become accustomed to singing exclusively about bread and wine during the Communion Procession—a very good thing! But I would propose that we occasionally dig deeper into the Word of God as sung and prayed by our ancestors in faith. Receive the Word made Flesh. Receive Jesus.

UCH OF THIS was inspired by conversation with Alan Hommerding, Senior Liturgy Publications Editor at World Library Publications. During his visit to Boston for WLP’s “Sing the Seasons” we had time to trade stories, chat about music, life, liturgy, theology, etc. During the choral reading of beautiful and varied new works from WLP, he kindly highlighted the liturgical and theological connection between scripture and Eucharist, and the Church’s need to revisit these Antiphons.

To this end, World Library Publications has published, to date, the following collection of Communion Antiphons with texts from the English translation of The Roman Missal, Third Edition:

  • Communion Antiphons for Advent • SATB, Organ, Assembly
  • Communion Antiphons for the Christmas Season • SATB, Organ, Trumpet, Assembly
  • Communion Antiphons for Lent • SATB, Organ, Assembly
  • Communion Antiphons for Easter • SATB, Organ, Assembly
  • In addition, I have composed antiphons for all of Ordinary Time including Feasts and Solemnities that replace a Sunday. WLP is currently looking at these.

    HAVE COMPOSED THESE AS A BRIDGE in two directions. First, I hope these settings in English can be an introduction to many who have not encountered the propers at Mass. While maintaining the traditional form, these sometimes modal, chant-based works are set with contemporary sensibilities in mind. Furthermore, I hope these settings can be a bridge to inspire more composition in various liturgical styles.

    Secondly, my most sincere hope is that some may put my settings down and consider singing the antiphons from the Graduale Romanum and in doing so, rediscover the transcendent beauty of our traditions. (See Richard Rice’s book Communio.) This music is truly the music of the Roman Catholic Church. It has lived on for centuries upon centuries, gave birth to nearly all of Western Music (although its roots are shared with the East!), and reflects the wisdom of the ages.

    As musicians of the Church, may we all live to serve.

    Soli Deo gloria

    Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

    Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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    About Richard J. Clark

    Richard J. Clark is the Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.—(Read full biography).

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    Corpus Christi Watershed

    President’s Corner

      Luis Martínez Must Go!
      Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
      —Jeff Ostrowski
      Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
      A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
      —Jeff Ostrowski
      “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
      I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.
      —Jeff Ostrowski

    Quick Thoughts

      Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
      Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
      —Corpus Christi Watershed
      “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
      Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
      —Corpus Christi Watershed
      Antiphons Don’t Match?
      A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
      —Corpus Christi Watershed

    Random Quote

    Using the shoddiest, sleaziest material we have for the purpose of glorifying God is not very sound theology or even very good common sense. […] (In general, when you see a diminished seventh chord in a hymn, run.) And these chords are usually used in bad hymns in precisely the same order in which they occur in “Sweet Adeline.”

    — Paul Hume (1956)

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