Word for prayer responses

Question

I'm trying to find a word for the responses which people utter during prayer recitals or general "praise the lord" sort of speeches (not in sermons). Let me try elucidating this via an example:

Priest: "blah blah blah"
Random Person: "amen"
Priest: "blah blah blah"
Random Person: "ooo, praise the lord"
Priest: "blah blah blah"
Random Person: some random quote praising the lord

The best example would be the stuff you see in movies, typically portrayed in African-American churches. I'm sure there's a word for it. Also, forgive me if the meaning is not clear.

Answer 1

The word you're looking for is litany.

Answer 2

As far as I know, this pattern is called call and response.

Answer 3

I am pretty sure the word is simply "response". I have seen in prayer books:

Congregation responds: "Amen"

Answer 4

These might be 'ejaculations' (sniggering down in back, please). Here is the catholic culture org explanation: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/dictionary/index.cfm?id=33288

I recall them being explained as something like your random persons in the example might say, though at any time, not in a 'call and response' setting.

For instance, Wikipedia has this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ejaculation_(grammar)

Answer 5

try responsory or respond

The most general definition of a responsory is any psalm, canticle, or other sacred musical work sung responsorially, that is, with a cantor or small group singing verses while the whole choir or congregation respond with a refrain. However, this article focuses on those chants of the western Christian tradition that have traditionally been designated by the term responsory.