by Father Walter Ray Williams

Part X

            Continuing our discussion of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, we are in “Chapter IV:  The Different Forms of Celebrating Mass.”  These “different forms” are in reference to such variations as Mass with or without a congregation, Mass with or without a deacon, a concelebrated Mass (when there is more than one priest), etc.

• The deacon, if there is one assisting at Mass, is an ordinary minister of the Eucharist, and if there is to be communion under both kinds, he helps the priest by administering the chalice to the people.  At the end of Holy Communion, he – and any other priests and deacons – consumes the remaining Blood of Christ and then purifies all the vessels at the credence table.
• The deacon can give any announcements before the dismissal; and if there is to be a solemn blessing by the priest, he introduces the blessing – “Bow your heads and pray for God’s blessing…” – then says one of the three formulas of dismissal (being careful not to just make up his own).
• The deacon, before the recessional, venerates the altar with the priest celebrant.

Much of the remainder of this chapter has to do with norms associated with concelebrated Masses (when there is more than one priest offering Mass), the Mass at which only one minister participates with the priest, etc., and so do not really concern us, normally, here at St. Mary’s.  A few things to note, however:

• At the Ordination of a Bishop and of priests, the blessing of an abbot, and at the Chrism Mass, concelebration is required of all priests at any of these Masses.
• It is also recommended at other times as well, for it “expresses the unity of the priesthood, of the Sacrifice, and also of the whole People of God.”
• “No one [priest or deacon] is ever to enter into a concelebration or to be admitted as a concelebrant once the Mass has already begun.”
• “[T]he concelebrants put on the sacred vestments they customarily wear when celebrating Mass individually.  Should, however, a good reason arise, concelebrants other than the principal celebrant may omit the chasuble and simply wear the stole over the alb.”  Thus the illicit nature of the sometime occasion when priests – outside of real emergencies – offer Mass without being properly vested. (Yes, it happens, and it is reprehensible.)

The last section of this chapter – “Some General Norms for all Forms of Mass” contains a number of relevant reminders for us:

• If the tabernacle of the Most Blessed Sacrament is present in the Sanctuary (the area around the altar), as it is at St. Mary’s, then those in the Mass processional and recessional who are not carrying the cross, Book of the Gospels, or the thurible are to genuflect on their right knee; those carrying something are to bow their heads when the others genuflect
• There are two kinds of bows:  1) “A bow of the head is made when the three Divine Persons are named together [Father, Son and Holy Spirit] and at the names of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of the Saint in whose honor Mass is being celebrated”; and 2)  “A bow of the body, that is to say a profound bow, is made to the altar [when approaching or receding from it during Mass]…in the Creed at the words… by the power of the Holy Spirit… and became man.”
• “Incense may be used if desired in any form of Mass…”
• The purification of the sacred vessels is to be done at the altar or the credence table only by the deacon, the priest or a duly instituted acolyte (but not by an extraordinary minister or by an altar server).
• “If a host or any particle should fall, it is to be picked up reverently.  If any of the Precious Blood is spilled, the area where the spill occurred should be washed with water, and this water should then be poured…” into the ground.
• “Holy Communion has a fuller form as a sign when it is distributed under both kinds… Sacred pastors should take care to ensure that the faithful…are fully aware as possible of the Catholic teaching on the form of Holy Communion as set forth by the Ecumenical Council of Trent.  Above all, they should instruct the Christian faithful that the Catholic faith teaches that Christ, whole and entire, and the true Sacrament, is received even under only one species, and consequently that as far as the effects are concerned, those who receive under only one species are not deprived of any of the grace that is necessary for salvation.”
• “Any of the faithful who wish to receive Holy Communion under the species of bread alone should be granted their wish.”
• Intinction – Communion by means of the dipping of the communicant’s host into the Precious Blood and then placing it on his or her tongue – is allowed.  Individual members of the faithful may not do this intinction for themselves, but it is to be done by the priest, deacon or acolyte for those receiving Communion.
• When giving or receiving Holy Communion, the minister of Communion, says “The Body of Christ” or “The Blood of Christ” only; no personal names are to be used, for the Communion is between God and the communicant, not the between the minister and the communicant.  Likewise, the communicant, before receiving the Host or from the Chalice, says simply “Amen.”