Adoration by a layperson?

[dreamer4]

At my college campus ministry, the chaplain was out (we only have the one priest most of the time), and so there was confusion over whether the usual Adoration period would still take place. It did, but it was led by a non-ordained student. I think he’s a regular altar server, and he might be training to be a priest. He had on his ordinary clothes when he placed Christ in the monstrance and when he removed Him to the tabernacle. We sung the songs preceding and closing the Adoration hour, but no prayers nor Divine Praises were said, I guess because the priest wasn’t leading. My question is, though, did the student have the authority/right do that? He didn’t have the cloth that touches the Sacrament case thing instead of his hand, and I was thinking that that especially wasn’t right… I don’t know if he had permission from the chaplain to present the Sacrament. Lots of people thought there would be no Adoration, until that student arrived and then people started saying, “He’s here, he’s going to do Adoration tonight.” Who all in the Church community is allowed to place the Eucharist in the monstrance?

 

[Sirach2]

This may help you.

Canon 943 The minister of exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament and of eucharistic benediction is a priest or deacon; in special circumstances, the minister of exposition and reposition alone without benediction is the acolyte, extraordinary minister of holy communion, or someone else designated by the local ordinary; the prescripts of the diocesan bishop are to be observed.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Eucharistiae Sacramentum has this:

III. Minister Of Exposition

1. The ordinary minister for exposition of the eucharist is a priest or deacon. At the end of the period of adoration, before the reposition, he blesses the congregation with the sacrament.

In the absence of a priest or deacon or if they are lawfully impeded, the following persons may publicly expose and later repose the eucharist for the adoration of the faithful:

a. an acolyte or special minister of communion;

b. upon appointment by the local Ordinary, a member of a religious community or of a pious association of laymen or laywomen which is devoted to eucharistic adoration.

Such ministers may open the tabernacle and also, as required, place the ciborium on the altar or place the host in the monstrance. At the end of the period of adoration, they replace the blessed sacrament in the tabernacle. It is not lawful, however, for them to give the blessing with the sacrament.

And as a PS, I would tend to assume that if someone has been given the key to the tabernacle, they are acting with the permission of the pastor.

 

[anruari]

I would add that the special garment which the priest wears during Benediction. The Veil which he holds between his hands and the Monstrance, is in fact a Priestly Vestment.
It is totally inappropriate for an EMHC or acolyte to wear such a garment. I do not know if a Deacon may wear it.

You said that the person in question is a Seminarian. (Training to be a priest) It is most likely therefore that he Is a duly instituted Acolyte, as that is conferred on seminarians early in their training.

Being an Acolyte gives him the role most commonly associated with the Lay Altar Servers, but also includes, automatically the role of the EMHC.

He will also be granted the institution of Lector. that is the role filled by the Lay Reader, the difference being the formality of being granted the role.

These roles were historically called “Minor Orders”, but that phrase is no longer used, and people on whom those duties have been bestowed are no longer considered “Clerics” as they were in times past.

In summary: It sounds like the situation was fully legitimate and authorised.

 

[anruari]

Thanks for that.
I must have had the order of elevation to those institutions mixed up in my head.
With the formation process for priests being longer than that for permanent deacons, I assumed the institution of those roles would be spread out further along the training process.

 

[Mike30]

I would add that the special garment which the priest wears during Benediction. The Veil which he holds between his hands and the Monstrance, is in fact a Priestly Vestment.
It is totally inappropriate for an EMHC or acolyte to wear such a garment. I do not know if a Deacon may wear it.

You said that the person in question is a Seminarian. (Training to be a priest) It is most likely therefore that he Is a duly instituted Acolyte, as that is conferred on seminarians early in their training.

Being an Acolyte gives him the role most commonly associated with the Lay Altar Servers, but also includes, automatically the role of the EMHC.

He will also be granted the institution of Lector. that is the role filled by the Lay Reader, the difference being the formality of being granted the role.

These roles were historically called “Minor Orders”, but that phrase is no longer used, and people on whom those duties have been bestowed are no longer considered “Clerics” as they were in times past.

In summary: It sounds like the situation was fully legitimate and authorised.

Deacons can and do wear the Cope during these expositions if they are in fact leading them.

 

[dreamer4]

Ah, okay. So it was legit. Thanks for answering my question, everyone. I didn’t know that that particular garment was a priestly vestment. I do wonder why there’s not a non-priestly alternative for an acolyte to use when carrying the host, though. I mean, I thought the Cope was supposed to give Jesus a bit more respect by keeping the priest from touching Him directly. Why do they have that for the priest and the deacon, but they let the acolyte touch Him?

 

[johnthebaptist1]

I,ve be a catholic all my live,their was always a priest that lead us in Adoration,if the reg priest would be sick,than another priest would be call to say the words and Adoration.

 

[paperwight66]

Ah, okay. So it was legit. Thanks for answering my question, everyone. I didn’t know that that particular garment was a priestly vestment. I do wonder why there’s not a non-priestly alternative for an acolyte to use when carrying the host, though. I mean, I thought the Cope was supposed to give Jesus a bit more respect by keeping the priest from touching Him directly. Why do they have that for the priest and the deacon, but they let the acolyte touch Him?

Isn’t the Host already in its holder so the acolyte (or whoever) touches that and not the Host itself? I don’t mean the monstrance, I mean the lunette (?) in which the Host is kept in the tabernacle and which slots into the monstrance.

 

[Sirach2]

Ah, okay. So it was legit. Thanks for answering my question, everyone. I didn’t know that that particular garment was a priestly vestment. I do wonder why there’s not a non-priestly alternative for an acolyte to use when carrying the host, though. I mean, I thought the Cope was supposed to give Jesus a bit more respect by keeping the priest from touching Him directly. Why do they have that for the priest and the deacon, but they let the acolyte touch Him?

One reason I was taught is that the priest buries his hands in the vestment when he gives the solemn blessing with the monstrance, to indicate that it is not HE who is giving the blessing, but the LORD himself who bestows it upon his people.

It is far worthier to have a person designated to expose the Blessed Sacrament for adoration, than not to have it at all, don’t you think? The Church embraces the Spirit, not the Letter of the Law. Obviously, the person is not bestowing the blessing, but simply making preparation for adoration.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

Ah, okay. So it was legit. Thanks for answering my question, everyone. I didn’t know that that particular garment was a priestly vestment. I do wonder why there’s not a non-priestly alternative for an acolyte to use when carrying the host, though. I mean, I thought the Cope was supposed to give Jesus a bit more respect by keeping the priest from touching Him directly. Why do they have that for the priest and the deacon, but they let the acolyte touch Him?

Actually, the vestment that covers the hands during the blessing with the monstrance is the humeral veil, not the cope. The cope is the long cape that is worn over the shoulders and reaches the floor. The humeral veil is long, thin, and is put on only for the blessing. It is used to cover the hands to show that it is Jesus doing the blessing.