Adding Words to Mass Prayers

[Brownginger]

I read in some thread on this board that it is illicit to add words to the prayers of the Mass. Would that include adding “Jesus” in front of "Lamb of God’?

 

[japhy]

I read in some thread on this board that it is illicit to add words to the prayers of the Mass. Would that include adding “Jesus” in front of "Lamb of God’?

I would say “yes”, adding “Jesus”, “Bread of life”, “Prince of peace”, etc., to the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) is illicit. The words of the translation are the words to be used, and “Jesus” is not in them. No authoritative document on the liturgy allows this practice; the USCCB’s “Sing to the Lord” which could be interpreted to allow it is out of bounds if applied to the Agnus Dei at that point in the Mass.

The Gloria translation, as poor as it is, is fiddled with by musicians too. It’s a shame that the texts of the Mass we have aren’t even respected enough to be used as is.

 

[Wayfarer]

Yesterday a visiting priest from Food for the Poor celebrated Mass at our parish. He added a plethora of words to every Mass prayer. I know there is a directive which says a priest may not add to or delete any Mass prayers except as provided for in GIRM. I’m still looking for the source document. Maybe a liturgical expert in the forum could help us find that directive.

 

[japhy]

I know there is a directive which says a priest may not add to or delete any Mass prayers except as provided for in GIRM.

Gee, how many sources would you like?

(1963) Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 22.3: Therefore no other person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority.

(1980) Inaestimable Donum, Foreword: The faithful have a right to a true Liturgy, which means the Liturgy desired and laid down by the Church, which has in fact indicated where adaptations may be made as called for by pastoral requirements in different places or by different groups of people. Undue experimentation, changes and creativity bewilder the faithful. The use of unauthorized texts means a loss of the necessary connection between the lex orandi and the lex credendi. The Second Vatican Council’s admonition in this regard must be remembered: “No person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove or change anything in the Liturgy on his own authority.” And Paul VI of venerable memory stated that: “Anyone who takes advantage of the reform to indulge in arbitrary experiments is wasting energy and offending the ecclesial sense.”

(1994) Varietates Legitimae, n. 37: Adaptations of the Roman rite, even in the field of inculturation, depend completely on the authority of the Church. This authority belongs to the Apostolic See, which exercises it through the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments; it also belongs, within the limits fixed by law, to episcopal conferences and to the diocesan bishop. “No other person, not even if he is a priest, may on his own initiative add, remove or change anything in the liturgy.” Inculturation is not left to the personal initiative of celebrants or to the collective initiative of an assembly.

(2002) GIRM n. 24: Nevertheless, the priest must remember that he is the servant of the Sacred Liturgy and that he himself is not permitted, on his own initiative, to add, to remove, or to change anything in the celebration of Mass.

(2004) Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 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.

 

[Wayfarer]

Gee, how many sources would you like?

Thank you so much. Saved me a lot of digging.

 

[martinfegan]

I read in some thread on this board that it is illicit to add words to the prayers of the Mass. Would that include adding “Jesus” in front of "Lamb of God’?

It may be beneficial for the priest concerned if he were approached and asked that question, It may make him think before doing so again. Don’t forget to offer a prayerfor him.

 

[japhy]

Thank you so much. Saved me a lot of digging.

You are most welcome. Do not forget to heed St. Paul: “Speak the truth in love.” (Eph. 4:15)

 

[Cavaille-Coll]

Sometimes what modifications the priest perceives as helpful for the people become more of a hindrance. One local pastor whose Mass I attended recently has the habit of blessing the gifts thusly: “Blessed are You, Lord God, Master of the Universe…” Since this priest was a child in the sixties, I suppose that the names of He-Man and Skeletor mean nothing to him, but I was trying not to explode with laughter during the Mass at the thought of worshipping in the chapel of Castle Grayskull.