One of the great traditions that is being restored in many churches is the re-establishment of congregational singing at Communion. The following summary from the document Music in Catholic Worship provides some helpful guidelines for using music.

1. The Communion should foster a sense of unity. It should be simple and not demand great effort. In essence, we violate this principle many Sundays by asking our people to sing the wrong songs. We expect them to carry a hymnbook, watch where they are going, receive Communion in the hand while holding a hymnbook, and still sing a Communion hymn. This is patently impossible. Responsorial songs, in which a cantor or choir sings the verses while the people join in on a refrain, are the best types of music to use during Communion. The text should be short, not too long to remember, and the melody should be easy to sing. Whether the verses are sung by a cantor or choir, there should always be someone up front to bring in the congregation when it is their turn to sing.

2. The Communion gives expression to the joy of unity in the body of Christ and the fulfillment of the mystery being celebrated. Communion songs can do this best when they speak of praise and thanksgiving and are joyful in nature.

3. Most benediction hymns, by reason of their concentration on private adoration rather than on Communion, are not acceptable during Communion.

4. In general, during the most important seasons of the church year (Easter, Lent, Christmas, and Advent) it is preferable that most songs used at the Communion be seasonal in nature. Finding good responsorial music which speaks of Communion in a congregational way and yet is also seasonal is often difficult to do. Sometimes the best we will be able to do is to use songs that fit the “sound” of a particular season. However, by studying the Communion antiphons in the Sacramentary, one can often obtain some help in choosing music to fit the season.

5. During the remainder of the church year, however, topical songs may be used during the Communion procession, providing these texts do not conflict with the paschal character of every Sunday.