Ablution by priest

[chnchris]

At the point during Mass where the priest washes his hands,
he says " Lord wash away my iniquities, cleanse me from
my sins. “, our priest includes us by saying " our iniquities "
and " our sins.” This is a new one on me, isn’t he supposed
to be speaking of himself, as he’s offering the Mass for us?
Can you show me what the rubrics say?

 

[Rob_in_Oregon]

While I don’t know what the rubrics are for the washing of hands, your priest’s innovation sounds rather minor compared to what I experience at Mass at our parish. Our pastor paraphrases almost everything he is supposed to say. It’s incredibly aggravating, especially when my wife and I are trying to encourage our gradeschool-aged children to follow the prayers in the missalette.

• Rob

 

[jbuck919]

Everything in the Novus Ordo is open to paraphrase, and is in fact (incorrectly) often done that way, and has been for decades. In particular, the modern(ist) trend is for the priest to identify himself with the congregation and put everybody on the same playing field. “I” has almost become a dirty word in the liturgy.

I have frequently wondered how the priests would feel if the congregation improvised its part ad hoc the way they do. “May the Lord take this sacrifice out of your hands, for the sake of his holy name, and for our benefit” would be a good example. What would happen if everyone introduced spontaneously his own variation on a respone when the priest had varied the verse? Chaos, of course, but what priests don’t realize is that it is arrogance to think they should be varying the liturgy on their own when well-formed and devout congregants may not.

 

[thistle]

Rob in Oregon:

While I don’t know what the rubrics are for the washing of hands, your priest’s innovation sounds rather minor compared to what I experience at Mass at our parish. Our pastor paraphrases almost everything he is supposed to say. It’s incredibly aggravating, especially when my wife and I are trying to encourage our gradeschool-aged children to follow the prayers in the missalette.

• Rob

I know the GIRM but what are the Rubrics?

 

[John_Lilburne]

thistle:

I know the GIRM but what are the Rubrics?

Rubrics are directions or explanatory instructions printed in between prayers or other texts of a liturgical rite. The word “rubric” is derived from the Latin word for red “ruber”, since they are normally printed in red in the liturgical books.

In this case, it has in red: “Next the priest stands at the side of the altar and washes his hands, saying inaudibly:” Then in black it has: “Lord, wash away my iniquity; cleanse me from my sin.”

The 2002 Roman Missal’s Latin text in red is: “28. Deinde sacerdos, stans ad latus altaris, lavat manus, dicens secreto:”

Does “dicens secreto” mean “says inaudibly”? The approved translation for the USA of the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) has “145. After the prayer In spiritu humilitatis (Lord God, we ask you to receive us) or after the incensation, the priest washes his hands standing at the side of the altar and, as the minister pours the water, says quietly, Lava me, Domine (Lord, wash away my iniquity).” Here “secreto dicens” has been translated as “says quietly”.

So its reasonable to hear the words, but they should be the correct ones, following the 2004 Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum: “[59.] The reprobated practice by which Priests, Deacons or the faithful here and there alter or vary at will the texts of the Sacred Liturgy that they are charged to pronounce, must cease. For in doing thus, they render the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy unstable, and not infrequently distort the authentic meaning of the Liturgy.”

References:
Dennis Smolarski, Liturgical Literacy, Paulist Press, 1990, ISBN 0-8091-3137-4, page 180.

The Roman Missal, Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, 1985, page 371.

Missale Romanum, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2002, ISBN: 8820972719, page 515.

The 2002 GIRM can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html

 

[thistle]

John Lilburne:

Rubrics are directions or explanatory instructions printed in between prayers or other texts of a liturgical rite. The word “rubric” is derived from the Latin word for red “ruber”, since they are normally printed in red in the liturgical books.

In this case, it has in red: “Next the priest stands at the side of the altar and washes his hands, saying inaudibly:” Then in black it has: “Lord, wash away my iniquity; cleanse me from my sin.”

The 2002 Roman Missal’s Latin text in red is: “28. Deinde sacerdos, stans ad latus altaris, lavat manus, dicens secreto:”

Does “dicens secreto” mean “says inaudibly”? The approved translation for the USA of the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) has “145. After the prayer In spiritu humilitatis (Lord God, we ask you to receive us) or after the incensation, the priest washes his hands standing at the side of the altar and, as the minister pours the water, says quietly, Lava me, Domine (Lord, wash away my iniquity).” Here “secreto dicens” has been translated as “says quietly”.

So its reasonable to hear the words, but they should be the correct ones, following the 2004 Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum: “[59.] The reprobated practice by which Priests, Deacons or the faithful here and there alter or vary at will the texts of the Sacred Liturgy that they are charged to pronounce, must cease. For in doing thus, they render the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy unstable, and not infrequently distort the authentic meaning of the Liturgy.”

References:
Dennis Smolarski, Liturgical Literacy, Paulist Press, 1990, ISBN 0-8091-3137-4, page 180.

The Roman Missal, Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, 1985, page 371.

Missale Romanum, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2002, ISBN: 8820972719, page 515.

The 2002 GIRM can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html

Thanks.
However, if this is something in a Missal I won’t be able to read it as we have no missals in the churches in the Philippines.

 

[Angels_Watchin]

John Lilburne:

References:
Dennis Smolarski, Liturgical Literacy, Paulist Press, 1990, ISBN 0-8091-3137-4, page 180.

The Roman Missal, Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, 1985, page 371.

Missale Romanum, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2002, ISBN: 8820972719, page 515.

The 2002 GIRM can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html

Question:
All but one of your references is actually a document of the church. Why do you reference Dennis Smolarski? He is a liberal Jesuit from Santa Clara University and sometimes inaccurate and sometimes just wrong.
Your best bet is ALWAYS stick with the documents of the church. They are ALWAYS correct and never in doubt.

Thanks,
Blessings,
Angel

 

[mosher]

If the rubrics say “or similar words” next to a particular phrase that belongs to the priest then he has latitude as to what to say. In this instance there is no “or similar words” clause at the ablution and so it is not correct for the priest to be changing that part of the mass. The OP is correct to state that this part is only for the priest. Sometimes priests don’t realize that parts of the liturgy are designed for a reason for only them to hear and only them to pray. In most instances it is because it provides for the priest to make proximate preparation for the reception of communion and the confecting of the Sacrament itself. For us in the pews we have much time to make our proximate preparation but the priest is busing “giving” the mass so the Church in Her goodness has given the priest the means to prepare his disposition before the manifestation of the Sacrament by his hands.

 

[John_Lilburne]

Angels Watchin:

Question:
Why do you reference Dennis Smolarski? He is a liberal Jesuit from Santa Clara University and sometimes inaccurate and sometimes just wrong.
Your best bet is ALWAYS stick with the documents of the church. They are ALWAYS correct and never in doubt.

Thanks,
Blessings,
Angel

In my answer to “what is a rubric?” I based it on his definition of “rubric” in Liturgical Literacy. While I do not agree with everything he has written, I regard him as one of the best authors on Catholic Church liturgy.

 

[Angels_Watchin]

John Lilburne:

In my answer to “what is a rubric?” I based it on his definition of “rubric” in Liturgical Literacy. While I do not agree with everything he has written, I regard him as one of the best authors on Catholic Church liturgy.

Take a look at this one by Fr. Smolarski

rcbo.org/offices/images/pdfs/worship/Cross%20or%20Crucifix.pdf

it quotes the GIRM must have “the figure of Christ crucified upon it” then it goes on to Fr. Smolarski’s commentary that COMPLETELY dismisses the GIRM. It is blatently wrong.

There are a number of other examples of similar “I’ll say what I want with no regard to the teaching” from him., too numerous to detail here.

I’m done,
Thanks,
Just wanted folks to know about him.

Angel