Our primary hymnal is Glory and Praise by Oregon Catholic Press in which we find a balanced mix of tried and true, old and new.  We also use The Voices as One Hymnal for contemporary selections.  We sing the psalms from Respond and Acclaim, and sing the communion antiphons, from the collection titled Psallite.

At St. James we study the documents from the Church that provide guidance in the musical choices we make.   In accordance with recommendations by the American Conference of Bishops we sing the Communion Antiphons at mass.

Why Sing the Communion Antiphons?

The church teaches that Eucharist is a communal act – a time to be in communion with Christ and others.  We are invited to share a meal with the Lord and his people, to enter into it together, as the Body of Christ, rather than entering the experience as an act of private devotion.

The church encourages us to sing the communion antiphon together as we enter into this sacred meal.  The communion antiphon captures the essence of the gospel, and by reiterating it, we digest God’s word so it can nourish us along with the bread and wine.  We join our voices with our neighbors, our brothers and sisters in the Lord, and engage with them around the Lord’s table.  Can you imagine being invited to a special dinner, and while at table with others, insist on relating privately to your host at the exclusion of others?  The same dynamic is present during Eucharist.  In privatizing your relationship with the Host, you fail to recognize, engage with, and reverence God in your neighbor

So, how can we better participate in the Eucharist?

•  Recognize and reverence the presence of God in the bread and the wine and in your neighbor at the Lord’s table.
•  As you process to and from communion, sing the antiphon to allow God’s word to open your heart and lead you into a deeper intimacy in God’s living presence.
•  During communion, focus on God’s word sung in the antiphon, allowing God to speak to you, instead of focusing on self-talk.  (We come to Eucharist to allow God to love us – let God speak to you during this time.)  This moves us out of ourselves and removes distractions.
•  As you process to and from communion, and as you’re seated, sing the antiphon to bathe others in God’s Word as they receive.
•  Sing the antiphon in order to carry the Gospel phrase into your week as a “walking     stick” – a mantra of God’s word to guide, comfort, and sustain you throughout the busy-ness of your life.