Liturgical Matters
In his recent letter to all of us. Archbishop Rigali indicated that he would be using Clergy Online to share with us important information relative to the care with which we all carry out the public worship of the Church, particularly the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The following article represents the first installment in this ongoing project. It is important for us to work together to see that all is in good order with regards to these matters. It is also advisable to keep this article handy for future reference.
1. In my recent letter of June 3, 1997, I explained how I would like to resume the practice that Archbishop May had in the Blue Notes of drawing attention to various liturgical matters. I wish to begin these reflections by focusing on the importance of doing whatever we can to foster an ever greater spirit of reverence during the liturgical action, especially in the way the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament is acknowledged and the way the Eucharistic species are handled. In future issues of Clergy Online, I hope to review with you all the parts of the Mass so that together we can continue to proclaim the faith of the Church in the Eucharist and celebrate it in unity and charity.
2. As I read through Archbishop May's Blue Notes, one of the liturgical matters he raised most frequently was the maintaining of a spirit of prayer and quiet in our churches. I too would like to emphasize how important this is. Before Mass our churches should be places of quiet prayer. This can be of the greatest help in preparing everyone to have a full, conscious and active participation in the liturgy. A certain amount of greeting and acknowledging others is appropriate when a congregation gathers to express its unity in Christ. Visiting and casual conversations, however, should precede entrance into the body of the church. Fortunately, some of our churches are able to provide opportunities for worshippers to gather after Mass in the parish hall where people can visit more at length.
3. The music ministers do so much to help the congregation participate ever more fully in the Mass. If a separate space is not available for musicians to rehearse, then, whenever possible. they should do so before the majority of worshippers arrive. Thus they make their own contribution towards the spirit of quiet prayer.
4. So many times over the years, Archbishop May also asked that all maintain the genuflection, the traditional sign of adoration and reverence to the Blessed Sacrament in the Latin Church. In particular, I remind everyone that. at the end of the entrance procession of the Mass. upon reaching the altar, the celebrant. concelebrants, and ministers (apart from. the cross bearer and candle bearers), genuflect towards the altar whenever the Blessed Sacrament is present in the tabernacle, whether directly in the middle of the sanctuary or a little off to the side. Our reverently doing so can be a powerful means towards affirming and strengthening our people's faith in the Real Presence.
5. In past years, there has been some confusion about the proper posture for the congregation during the Eucharistic Prayer. Recently, the bishops of the United States have reaffirmed the American adaptations for the Sacramentary in this regard. These norms call for all the congregation to kneel during the Eucharistic Prayer from after the Sanctus through the "Amen" of the final Doxology as an appropriate sign of reverence in our American culture. Especially in churches where the practice of standing has been observed, this return to the norm of kneeling will require careful catechesis. I ask you to do all that you can to help our people understand this norm and how its observance contributes to the unity of our worship and to our faith in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
6. How we speak about the Blessed Sacrament subtly shapes our understanding of the Real Presence. Let us be careful in Communion instructions to refer to the Eucharist as the "Body" and the "Blood" of Christ. It is not appropriate to refer to the Blessed Sacrament as "bread" and "wine."
7. In my letter to you. I spoke of the providential ministry of the extraordinary or special ministers of the Eucharist. Their assistance at Mass is much appreciated by clergy and faithful alike. Archbishop May repeatedly pointed out that their ministry is very specific and that they are to assist in the distribution of Communion only when there are not sufficient ordinary ministers of Communion. that is. priests and deacons. Here too is another area where careful catechesis is needed as we explain the difference between ordinary and extraordinary ministers and as we also explain how the role of the extraordinary minister by its nature is different from those other roles of Eucharistic participation that are the ordinary expression of lay participation.
8. Further, the extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist are commissioned by the church for the specific purpose of assisting in the distribution of Communion. It is the deacon or a priest, not an extraordinary minister, who during Mass goes to the tabernacle (when necessary) for ciboria, who distributes the Hosts from the one large vessel to the other smaller vessels, and who pours the Precious Blood.
9. The Communion rite itself needs careful review. The celebrant first gives Communion to himself and then to the deacon. Communion is given next to the extraordinary ministers and subsequently distributed to the congregation. Only priests give themselves Communion. Deacons and all other ministers are given Communion. This includes receiving the cup and not taking it from the altar.
10. In future issues. I will share some observations about concelebration. For now. as regards the Communion of the Mass. the concelebrants, when small in number, consume the Body of Christ at the same time as the celebrant, and they consume the Precious Blood while, or immediately after, the deacon receives Communion. In Masses with a large number of concelebrants, they may wait to receive Communion, especially the Precious Blood, until the deacon has received Communion so that the Communion of the congregation is not unduly delayed.
11. Reverence for the Blessed Sacrament continues also after Communion. At the conclusion of the Communion rite. the remaining Hosts are either immediately consumed or taken to the tabernacle. The ministers of the Body of Christ should return to the altar or other appropriate place in order that the remaining Hosts might be gathered together; casually combining the Hosts of different vessels while walking back to the altar is not appropriate. If any of the Precious Blood remains, it is immediately consumed. The Precious Blood is never poured into the sacrarium. If the vessels are to be purified after Mass, at least a small quantity of water is to be added right away to the chalice to remove the Sacramental Presence. Special attention should be given to instruct all ministers not to stuff purificators into chalices so that the Precious Blood is not absorbed into the purificator.
12. After Mass any vessel used for Communion that is not completely purified by the celebrant or deacon during Mass is promptly purified by pouring more water into the vessel and consuming the water. Vessels are dried with a purificator. If for some reason the water is not fit for consumption, it is poured into the sacrarium and not an ordinary sink.
13. These liturgical matters which touch on our reverence for the Blessed Sacrament give me an occasion to thank you in advance for reviewing your own practices in the light of these directives and for all that you do to witness ever more that the Eucharist is that "source and summit" of our Christian lives as Vatican II has taught us. By their very nature, so many of the above matters are immediately applicable. Those directives requiring changes in some current parish practices and involving specific catechesis may need more time. All these directives are to be implemented by November 23, the feast of Christ the King. Meanwhile. I entrust all our efforts at liturgical renewal to Mary, Mother of the Incarnate Word.
Liturgical Matters
October, 1997
In this second installment of Clergy Online dealing with the liturgy, I continue to address the care with which we are to carry out the public worship of the Church, especially the Mass. I offer these directives as an encouragement in our liturgical ministry as we continue to promote the liturgy and work for the full, conscious and active participation of the faithful in "the worship of the divine majesty," as Vatican II calls this great gift of the liturgy.
1. In the June issue of Clergy Online dealing with liturgical matters, I focused on the importance of doing whatever we can to foster an ever greater spirit of reverence during the liturgical action, especially in the way the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament is acknowledged and the way the Eucharistic species are handled. I subsequently have shared some of these same concerns with the whole Archdiocese through my columns in the St. Louis Review.
In my July 25 column, I wrote about the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, that inestimable gift of Himself given us by the Lord Jesus on the night before he died for us. My desire in writing was to confirm and strengthen the faith of everyone in this local Church, while at the same time dispelling any misperceptions and clarifying any ambiguities about the nature of this real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. At the same time I offered some simple suggestions to help nourish and deepen our appreciation of the Eucharistic mystery. Among them I encouraged all to prepare well for participating in the celebration of the Sacrifice of the Mass in order to experience as fully as possible its fruits.
In my August 15 column, I shared with the Archdiocese selections from my June 3, 1997, letter to you in which I reflected on the importance of the liturgy and reaffirmed the significance of a full, conscious and active participation by all the faithful in the liturgy. I also expressed my admiration and gratitude for the numerous special ministries in the liturgy, as well as my appreciation to you for what you do to promote the dignity of the liturgy and to help our people to participate in it worthily.
2. I now wish to turn to the Word of God as found in the Scriptures which are proclaimed and reflected upon in the liturgy. As the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of the Second Vatican Council reminds us, "[Christ] is present in his word, since it is he himself who speaks when the holy Scriptures are read in the Church" (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 7).
An important ministry in the liturgy is that of reader. We are blessed to have so many fine readers or lectors in our parishes, men and women, including a number of well-prepared young people, who are generous in giving of their time and talent in proclaiming the Word of God. Let us support them by encouraging them to learn more about the Scriptures, to improve their public reading skills, and, above all, to meditate on the Word they proclaim.
Our own preaching on the Word of God needs to be a priority in our ministry. It is a special expression of our pastoral charity. The best homilies arise from praying over the Word of God. Let us recall the words of the bishop at the diaconate ordination: "Receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you now are. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach."
The book of the Scriptures is an important symbol in our liturgy. It is carried in procession, enthroned on the altar, and given signs of veneration. We must make sure that our lectionaries and gospel books — but even other liturgical books — are never placed on the floor or otherwise treated casually.
Only the approved lectionaries and gospel books may be used to proclaim the Scriptures. Other printed texts such as missalettes, lector preparation guides, photocopies, or printed sheets in loose-leaf binders may not be substituted for the approved books.
These approved books employ the only English translations of Scriptures currently allowed in the liturgy. Other translations or non-biblical readings may not be substituted. Nor may anyone "edit" the approved text, shortening it, correcting what some consider to be "exclusive" language, joining certain verses, omitting other verses.
3. The vessels used for the Body and Blood of Christ deserve special consideration. Only truly noble vessels should be used. Archbishop May once observed in his Blue Notes: "In many churches using glass, ceramic and even plastic cups for the Precious Blood in the distribution of Holy Communion, I have seen sacristy cabinets and safes with five or six beautiful chalices reposing in neglected splendor. I wonder why we do not use these beautiful, old vessels consecrated for the Precious Blood instead of these trendy department store substitutes."
I too have seen ordinary wine glasses and flagons used, the kind that are generally employed for common use. These surely are not the "solid and noble" vessels called for by the norms which also call for "materials that do not break easily or become unusable" As Archbishop May observed, there are many old chalices on the shelf which could be replated and, to the edification of the faithful, returned to sacred use. In any event, I highly recommend using chalices. If some other special vessel is to be used, it must meet the norms.
Simple baskets or other receptacles meant for ordinary use outside of the sacred celebrations are not to be used for distributing the Body of Christ. Nor should these sacred vessels be of poor quality or lacking in artistic merit.
4. Altar linens and cloths also deserve special attention. Every altar must have an appropriate altar cloth. The altar cloth is distinct from the corporal used for Mass. Both are required at Mass. Purificators should be of the traditional fabrics and not of materials commonly associated with kitchen and bathroom use. Paper napkins are not allowed. If the Precious Blood has saturated a purificator, then reverence demands it should be handwashed once and the water poured into the sacrarium before it is laundered.
Every parish should have the full complement of Mass vestments in the approved liturgical colors. Please take a careful look at your vestments. By their material, color and design they should contribute to the beauty and dignity of the liturgy. It is important that albs be kept neat and clean.
5. In turning to the various parts of the Mass, I first would like to comment on the texts of the liturgy as found in the Sacramentary. What I said above about the Word of God is also true of the texts in the Sacramentary. Celebrants are not free to compose their own prayers or substitute their own words for those in the Sacramentary unless it clearly gives this option. In such cases, the Sacramentary will use a phrase such as "in these or similar words" to indicate that the celebrant may use his own words, provided they are similar in intent to what the Sacramentary offers. There are few such instances in the Sacramentary, mostly limited to the introductions and invitations. Certainly, the collects of the Mass and the Eucharistic Prayer are never among them.
6. During the entrance rites of the Mass, please note that the introduction to the penitential rite is prescribed to be done by the priest, not the deacon or other minister. Sometimes other kinds of welcoming or introductory comments are useful. If these are not given before the liturgy, then a deacon or other suitable minister may give them before the priest introduces the penitential rite. When the third form of the penitential rite is used, the deacon may announce the invocations, if they are not sung by the choir.
7. At the preparation rites, some churches have adopted the use of the flagon for consecrating the wine. In such cases, a main chalice must still be prepared. Consecrating wine only in the flagon is not permitted. Note also that water is to be poured into all the wine to be consecrated. Tradition and the law of the Latin Church indicate that the matter of the Eucharist for the Precious Blood is wine mixed with water. The new Code of Canon Law has drawn attention to this (can. 924.1), thus clarifying both our previous understanding and our practice. The wine used in Mass is to be natural wine of the grape and pure, that is, not mixed with other substances. In his 1985 Blue Notes, Archbishop May published a list of over one hundred commerce wines suitable for sacramental use. His list can be a great help when purchasing altar wine.
In its 1980 document Inaestimabile Donum, the Holy See reminds us that the bread for the celebration of the Eucharist is unleavened bread and must be made solely of wheat-flour and water. The form of the Eucharistic bread remains the traditional one. In his Blue Notes, Archbishop May addressed this same matter. I would hope that, when possible, we might give preference to the more substantial and slightly larger round hosts since this would enhance the sign value of unleavened bread in our liturgy. I likewise reiterate the necessity of never using hosts that contain anything besides wheat-flour and water. Any other ingredient is absolutely forbidden.
It is highly recommended, when pastorally possible, to distribute at Communion hosts consecrated at the same Mass. Even before the liturgical renewal of Vatican II, this practice was praised and encouraged by Pope Pius XII in his encyclical Mediator Dei on the sacred liturgy. Of course, there will be occasions when large quantities of hosts in the tabernacle must be distributed for Communion. Even then, however, at least some of the faithful should receive Communion from hosts consecrated at the same Mass.
8. During the Eucharistic Prayer, each priest should be especially vigilant to pray in the way the Church has prescribed, not changing, adding, or deleting any words in this solemn prayer of the Church.
The Sacramentary indicates that the words of the Lord in the consecration formulas should be spoken clearly and distinctly as their meaning demands. All of our gestures and movements during the Eucharistic Prayer should be prayerful and reverent and correspond faithfully to the directives of the Sacramentary. They should never attract more attention to ourselves than to the Blessed Sacrament.
After the consecration, the Sacramentary directs that the celebrant introduces the memorial acclamation by singing or saying, "Let us proclaim the mystery of faith." I know that in our churches the deacon very often introduces the memorial acclamation. The words "mysterium fidei" once were part of the words of the consecration of the wine. Pope Paul VI allowed the phrase to be removed from the words of consecration with the understanding that the priest would still pronounce these words in the introduction to the memorial acclamation. Again, I ask that we explain the reason for this liturgical norm in the Sacramentary and that all of us work together to celebrate the liturgy as envisioned by the Council and the liturgical books.
9. The sign of peace forms part of the Communion rite of the Mass. Regular catechesis about the unitive Eucharistic meaning of the sign of peace is an ongoing need. It is still not sufficiently understood that the sign of peace is a sign of the unity which should exist among those who celebrate this Sacrament of Unity. Such catechesis can help address the obvious problem of turning the sign of peace into a casual greeting, or of creating an imbalance because of length, style, or musical accompaniment. What is exchanged is the peace of Christ. The sign is not meant to substitute for personal contact before or after the Eucharistic celebration.
During the Communion rite, let us be especially careful and reverent when pouring the Precious Blood into chalices for the Communion of the people. We should pour carefully from the flagon into each chalice, one at a time, using the purificator to guard against any Precious Blood running down the side of the chalice or spilling onto the altar.
As the congregation approaches the altar for Communion, many make a sign of reverence before receiving. A number of years ago. Archbishop May suggested making the sign of the cross, either just before or just after receiving Communion, as this sign of reverence. I also think that many people will find the sign of the cross to be an appropriate sign of reverence at this moment in the liturgy.
10. I have been asked to lower the age of extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist as given in the present Archdiocesan policy. At this time I would like to make it possible for young people who have completed their eighteenth year to be considered by their pastors for this ministry. Although this ministry by our young people may appropriately be exercised elsewhere, it is to be a parish-based ministry in which the candidates are recommended by their pastor and trained in the parish.
At the same time I would request that all extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist be careful to observe all that I indicated about their special ministry in the first installment of these liturgical notations. As our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, reminded us in his 1980 letter Dominicae Cenae: "To touch the sacred species and to distribute them with their own hands is a privilege of the ordained, one which indicates an active participation in the ministry of the Eucharist." The Pope goes on to observe that the Church can grant this faculty to others who are neither priests nor deacons and this includes "lay people who are chosen for this to meet a just need." I urge pastors to be conscientious in providing the adequate preparation for this ministry beforehand as required by the Church.
11. Finally, I would mention that, by their very nature, so many of the above matters are immediately applicable. Those directives requiring changes in some current parish practices and involving specific catechesis may need more time. I ask you to offer such catechesis now so that all these directives will be implemented by November 23, the feast of Christ the King.
In drawing this issue of liturgical reflections to a close, I wish to repeat and emphasize how much a source of admiration it is for me to witness the care with which the liturgy is prepared and celebrated around the Archdiocese. In particular, I thank you for your leadership and guidance and your constant teaching by word and example of the sublime dignity of the liturgy. With the continued collaboration of priests, deacons, religious and laity we can make our liturgies ever more conducive to "the full, conscious and active" participation—both internal and external —of all our people. Again, I express my deep appreciation for all you have done and will continue to do to proclaim the faith of the Church in the Eucharist and to celebrate it in unity and charity. Together let us entrust all our efforts at liturgical renewal to Mary, Mother of the Incarnate Word.
©Archdiocese of St. Louis
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