by Father Walter Ray Williams

Part VIII

            Continuing in 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. 

• Some of the faithful have expressed surprise and interest in the fact that the chalice veil is used here at St. Mary’s.  Actually, this was a requirement for every Mass until this new Instruction came out.  In the past, the failure of a priest to use the chalice veil was against the liturgical regulations.  Now, however, though no longer “required,” the norm is still very much in favor of its use:  “It is a praiseworthy practice to cover the chalice with a veil, which may be either the color of the day or white.”  (The previous regulation stated, “The chalice should be covered with a veil, which may always be white.”)
• This chapter of the Instruction includes directions concerning the many things that go into preparing for Mass and how to actually, physically line up, process, bow or genuflect, etc.  A few things bear emphasis:  1) We made the change not so long ago of the Reader carrying in the Book of the Gospels rather than the Lectionary, incorporating ahead of time the rule that the Lectionary is not to be carried in procession, but only the Gospels, “slightly elevated.”  2) Also needing clarification is the instruction (#122) that “on reaching the altar, the priest and ministers make a profound bow.”  This is clarified by #274, where it says, “If, however, the tabernacle with the Most Blessed Sacrament is present in the sanctuary [as it is at St. Mary’s], the priest, the deacon, and the other ministers genuflect when they approach the altar and when they depart from it….”
• During the Liturgy of the Word, after the readings and the responsorial Psalm, at the reading of the holy Gospel, “[t]hose present turn towards the ambo [or pulpit] as a sign of special reverence to the Gospel of Christ.”  If there is no lector or reader present, “the priest himself proclaims all the readings and the Psalm, standing at the ambo.”  The norm for preaching the homily is from the ambo or the celebrant’s chair.
• Here is something that has been all but forgotten by many of the faithful, and so I would like to draw your attention to it especially:  “The Creed is sung or recited by the priest together with the people with everyone standing.  At the words et incarnatus est (by the power of the Holy Spirit… and became man) all make a profound bow; but on the solemnities of the Annunciation and of the Nativity of the Lord [Christmas], all genuflect.”
• The following is another adjustment that we will be making here at St. Mary’s, and that is the Readers at Mass taking up the responsibility of announcing the intentions of the Prayers of the Faithful from the lectern on the choir side of the Sanctuary.  I will be communicating with Readers about this separately from this announcement.  This change makes real sense, because, after all, these are the prayers of the faithful.
• The first choice of the Liturgy is for the priest to pray the offertory prayers (“Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation…”) quietly as the Offertory song is sung or music is playing.  In the absence of music, the priest may pray them aloud.
• A reminder:  as the priest begins the Orate, fratres (Pray, my brothers and sisters…), all the people stand for their response, “May the Lord accept the Sacrifice at your hands….”
• The priest says the Eucharistic Prayer alone “by virtue of his ordination.”  The faithful join in for their responses, and all the faithful kneel from the end of the Holy, Holy until the end of the people’s Amen that concludes the priest’s Through him, with him, in him…
• “It is very appropriate that the priest sing those parts of the Eucharistic Prayer for which musical notation is provided.”
• The Instruction mentions approvingly the use of bells during the Consecration of the bread and wine and also notes the acceptableness of incensing the Host and the Chalice “when each is shown to the people after the consecration.” 
• “The Communion chant begins while the priest is receiving the Sacrament.”
• Some more norms for receiving Holy Communion.  “The faithful are not permitted to take the consecrated bread or the sacred chalice by themselves and, still less, to hand them from one to another.  The norm for reception of Holy Communion in the dioceses of the United States is standing [something already mentioned]…. When receiving Holy Communion, the communicant bows his or her head before the Sacrament as a gesture of reverence and receives the Body of the Lord from the minister.  The consecrated host may be received either on the tongue or in the hand, at the discretion of each communicant.  When Holy Communion is received under both kinds, the sign of reverence is also made before receiving the Precious Blood.”  The priest or minister, when giving Holy Communion says, “The Body of Christ/ The Blood of Christ,” and the communicant’s response is simply “Amen.”  “As soon as the communicant receives the host, he or she consumes it entirely.” 

 

To be continued…