Cardinal Arinze: Pope consulting with all bishops about moving Sign of Peace

November 24, 2008

Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, told the official Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano on Friday that Pope Benedict is consulting with the world’s bishops about moving the Sign of Peace during Mass. The proposed change of the Sign of Peace to the offertory, Cardinal Arinze said, would permit a more recollected atmosphere before the reception of Holy Communion.

In a footnote to his 2007 apostolic exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis, Pope Benedict wrote, ‘I have asked the competent curial offices to study the possibility of moving the Sign of Peace to another place, such as before the presentation of the gifts at the altar. To do so would also serve as a significant reminder of the Lord’s insistence that we be reconciled with others before offering our gifts to God (cf. Mt. 5:23 ff.).’

 

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Further information:

• Pace e giustizia sono il futuro dell’Africa (L’Osservatore Romano)
• Pope pondering change to Mass liturgy (AP)
• Pope Benedict: Post-synodal apostolic exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis