mgy100:
Today at the special July 4th mass, there were women dressed in short skirts, independence day theme, like Uncle Sam. The danced the offertory up to the priest, who was wearing a red-white-blue vestment.
The music was all Your a grand ol’flag, etc…
The processional hymn was the National Anthem.
Pretty cool, but I didn’t like our female state representitive giving the homily.
What I paste below covers just the Homily from the 2003 GIRM
The Homily
- The homily is part of the Liturgy and is strongly recommended,63 for it is necessary for the nurturing of the Christian life. It should be an exposition of some aspect of the readings from Sacred Scripture or of another text from the Ordinary or from the Proper of the Mass of the day and should take into account both the mystery being celebrated and the particular needs of the listeners.64
- The Homily should ordinarily be given by the priest celebrant himself. He may entrust it to a concelebrating priest or occasionally, according to circumstances, to the deacon, but never to a lay person.65 In particular cases and for a just cause, the homily may even be given by a Bishop or a priest who is present at the celebration but cannot concelebrate.
Add to that further words from Redemptionis Sacramentum written in 2004. Note that the first sentence addresses the Homily within the Mass. The rest of it is addressing lay people preaching
outside of the Mass and even that is really limited.
2. Preaching
[161.] As was already noted above, the homily on account of its importance and its nature
is reserved to the Priest or Deacon during Mass.
[260] As regards other forms of preaching, if necessity demands it in particular circumstances, or if usefulness suggests it in special cases, lay members of Christ’s faithful may be allowed to preach in a church or in an oratory outside Mass in accordance with the norm of law.
[261] This may be done only on account of a scarcity of sacred ministers in certain places, in order to meet the need, and it may not be transformed from an exceptional measure into an ordinary practice, nor may it be understood as an authentic form of the advancement of the laity.
[262] All must remember besides that the faculty for giving such permission belongs to the local Ordinary, and this as regards individual instances; this permission is not the competence of anyone else, even if they are Priests or Deacons.
Then, please be mindful of this in Redemptionis Sacramentum:
6. Complaints Regarding Abuses in Liturgical Matters
[183.] In an altogether particular manner, let everyone do all that is in their power to ensure that the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist will be protected from any and every irreverence or distortion and that all abuses be thoroughly corrected.
This is a most serious duty incumbent upon each and every one, and all are bound to carry it out without any favouritism.
[184.] Any Catholic, whether Priest or Deacon or lay member of Christ’s faithful, has the right to lodge a complaint regarding a liturgical abuse to the diocesan Bishop or the competent Ordinary equivalent to him in law, or to the Apostolic See on account of the primacy of the Roman Pontiff.
[290] It is fitting, however, insofar as possible, that the report or complaint be submitted first to the diocesan Bishop. This is naturally to be done in truth and charity.
While you are not required to talk to the priest himself, it could help. But if you can’t do that, write the Bishop, then follow through with the CDW. If you are interested in how to do that, people here can give you addresses.
Note that it states it is a duty to report such abuse. So don’t feel bad about lodging a complaint.
