Adding a Prayer to the Mass

[James0235]

I have read the GIRM and Redemptionis Sacramentum several times so I think I know what the answer to my question is gonna be. But, I may have missed something so I will ask it anyway.

There is a local parish that has institued a “Stewardship Prayer” after Communion and before the final blessing. Is there anything at all in any Church documents that might make this licit?

I am aware of GIRM 24 which states, in part:

“Nevertheless, the priest must remember that he is the servant of the sacred Liturgy and the he himself is not permitted, on his own initiative, to add, to remove, or to change anything in the clebration of Mass.”

That would seem to settle it unless there is something somewhere that allows a priest to insert a prayer at that point in Mass.

Any thoughts?

James

 

[GeorgiaCatholic]

Our parish added a “Building Church” prayer, but it was added after the prayers of the faithful. It seems to fit there since we are asking for help while we build a new church. I don’t know if this was allowed either though.

 

[rwoehmke]

GeorgiaCatholic:

Our parish added a “Building Church” prayer, but it was added after the prayers of the faithful. It seems to fit there since we are asking for help while we build a new church. I don’t know if this was allowed either though.

The exact content of the prayers of the Faithful is a a variable that can be added to and subtracted from to suit the needs of the Congregation. In addition to the usual list including prayer for vocations and for sick or dead members we say a prayer for the healing of our parish from problems caused by a past Associate Pastor who allegedly abused young men and murdered two of our members. He subsequently committed suicide while serving in a different parish. At daily Mass the celebrant starts off with a few standard petitions and we are asked if we have any to add. The only abuse that can happen is that some can put their petition in polemical format, although I think that that has been rare if not non-existent in our parish. It would probably be at least a minor abuse to place such prayers in a different part of the Mass.