A female gave a homily in our mass today!

[Gabriel_of_12]

today I was shocked to hear and see a 20 something year old female give a homily today at our Mass. Now let me explain so that know one gets confused. We had a visiting priest from Mexico, who gave his homily in Spanish, to an English speaking Community. The Female bless her heart gave the homily on Parental Correction today. Now I will take this up with our priests, and liturgy committee. My Question is ? when the priest is in persona christi, where does she fit in? I taught religious classes on the sacrament of holy orders and the churches teachings on Persona Christi, I almost vowed to my students that they will never see a female consecrate bread and wine, read the Gospel at Mass or give a Homily to the body of believers. What I saw today gives a convincing argument for gay rights in the liturgy. That god is for gays because a male read the gospel, and a female according to those who only understood english gave the homily, in essence male and female gendure in persona christi.
before I talk to my pastor and write my Bishop, Please tell me whats going on with our Catholic Faith here in the U.S. Liberals please dont reply, I need to hear from my long traditional and conservative catholic brothers and sisters.Psychologists beware this is not an emotional or personal issue, Im dealing with church teaching, the catechism of the catholic church and history.

 

[severinus]

Without even getting into issues of gender here, no layperson should be giving the homily. Was the speaker at your Mass translating for the priest?

 

[Gabriel_of_12]

severinus:

Without even getting into issues of gender here, no layperson should be giving the homily. Was the speaker at your Mass translating for the priest?

She was reading the translation of the homily from spanish to english TO AN ENGLISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY.

 

[Della]

I’m afraid I’m a bit confused as to exactly what happened. Did:

a) the Mexican priest deliver a homily first?

b) your priest make a few comments on the readings or the Gospel and then turn it over to the young woman?

c) the young woman, right after the reading of the Gospel, just stepped up to the pulpit and began to give the homily?

d) the young woman merely delivered the English translation of the Mexican priest’s homily?

e) Other. Please explain.

Your answer will determine whether or not an abuse took place.

In any case, liturgical abuses do not negate Catholic teaching. Be assured of that. If something happened that shouldn’t that is the fault of the presiding priest and not a blot on Church dogma or doctrine, as if the Church had in any way changed its teachings.

 

[Gabriel_of_12]

the closest answer is b. the priest read the gospel, read a commentary to the gospel, then followed by the english translation which was read from the lay person. I want to emphasize she ( the lay person) did not read the Gospel only the homily.

 

[otm]

I am still confused; you say that the priest gave a homily (in Spanish), and then the female read something? It sounds as if she read a translation of his homily, which would not be giving a homily, but simply reading a translation of it. As such, she is not “giving a homily” as it is understood in the rules.

 

[Hegesippus]

when the priest is giving the homily he is not acting in persona Christi. A priest only acts in persona Christi when he is administering the sacraments. The homily is not a sacrament, but it still is litgurical abuse for someone besides a deacon or a priest to give a homily.

 

[Della]

otm:

I am still confused; you say that the priest gave a homily (in Spanish), and then the female read something? It sounds as if she read a translation of his homily, which would not be giving a homily, but simply reading a translation of it. As such, she is not “giving a homily” as it is understood in the rules.

Just to reinforce your excellent post for Gabriel, otm, you have hit the nail right on the head. Gabriel don’t dismay over this incident nor go away thinking that even if an abuse had taken place in one parish or in a thousand that that in any way negates the teaching authority of the Church. The history of the Church is filled with examples of people abusing the Mass or teaching heresy, even times when most of the faithful were taken in by heresies, but the Church’s authority over matters of faith and morals remained the same. The abusers and the heretics fell by the wayside, but the Church went on as before, bringing the Gospel to the world.

 

[Gabriel_of_12]

I was perplexed to hear a layperson read the homily of the priest. needless to say I left my gift at the altar, until my heart is content. In reading your comments gave me reassurance that I have nothing to fear. You see I come from a long line of Traditional Latin Priests and Nuns. To see a change in Liturgical settings becomes shocking. Thats why I ask what is happening in our church hear in the U.S. as per in persona christi, according to the catechism of the catholic church pg, 340, paragraph 1348 The movement of the celebration "the Bishop or priest acting in the person of Christ the head ( in persona Christi capitis) presides over the assembly, SPEAKS AFTER THE READINGS, receives the offerings, and says the Eucharistic prayer…

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

You’re OK, you’re just thrown. As everybody seems to agree, she translated.

 

[Gabriel_of_12]

A final thought, in the liturgical setting of The Word and of the Eucharist celebration heaven and earth meet, in the eternal realm of the supernatural which occurres in the Mass, the past, the present and the future are made present, when we worship the Eternal Father, Son and Holy Spirit, A change in the liturgical setting can lead one to believe he is in a different place. To be thrown is to be dislocated, I call it, not moved by every wind of doctrine, I cling to the rock of Christ, which cannot be moved…

 

[Lost_Found]

The title of the thread is “female gave a homily”. Thirty years ago in our parish a Sister gave homilies all the time and no one even raised an eyebrow.