Adoration questions

[robben29]

Our parish has had Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in a chapel in the same building as the main sanctuary for nine years now. During Mass, the Blessed Sacrament was reposed in a tabernacle in the chapel.
Now, with a new pastor, the tabernacle in the chapel has been removed because he said there aren’t supposed to be two tabernacles in the same church. I have done research that has verified this information.
So, during Masses, the priest or deacon now reposes the Blessed Sacrament in the primary tabernacle but it’s been suggested by the pastor that either adorers be found to keep the adoration going during Mass or that the monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament be covered for that time.
There have been objections made.
Anything officially wrong with either of those options?

I tried to search for previous relevant posts but was unable to find anything that addressed this specifically. Sorry if I’m repeating something that has been discussed before.

 

[Stella_Matutina]

They just have adoration continue in the little chapel during the masses at my church and other churches I have been to.

 

[robben29]

Even during daily Mass? Someone stays in adoration instead of going to Mass?

 

[John_Lilburne]

Canon 941 §2 has “Exposition of the blessed Sacrament may not take place while Mass is being celebrated in the same area of the church or oratory.” This is in a different area, so I see no problem with this.

Leaving the Blessed Sacrament in a covered monstrance concerns me. The 2004 Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum has: “[138.] Still, the Most Holy Sacrament, when exposed, must never be left unattended even for the briefest space of time. It should therefore be arranged that at least some of the
faithful always be present at fixed times, even if they take alternating turns.”

Canon 938 §1: “The blessed Eucharist is to be reserved habitually in only one tabernacle of a church or oratory.”

Other documents that may be helpful on this:

1938 Instruction Nullo Unquam Tempore at romanrite.com/nullo.html .

“Questions On Adoratotion of the Blessed Sacrament” published in Notitiae September 2006, page 493. (Extract from document of USCCB, Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy.) (I don’t think this is on the internet.)

 

[PKinsale]

I have often wondered if this all signifies a fundamental weakness in the idea of perpetual adoration at parishes. In the two parishes where I have been involved in it, there have always been times when the glass cabinet that holds the monstrance has been covered when someone is not there.

 

[LindaS]

During the EWTN Mass, the monstrance is covered. After the priest has left the Church, one of the friars removes the cover so the Eucharist is exposed. Since they are so faithful to the Magesterium, I would guess that is how it should be done.

Peace,
Linda

 

[robben29]

During the EWTN Mass, the monstrance is covered. After the priest has left the Church, one of the friars removes the cover so the Eucharist is exposed. Since they are so faithful to the Magesterium, I would guess that is how it should be done.

Peace,
Linda

At EWTN, the adoration and Mass are held in the same place. That is not the case at our church. The chapel is adjacent to the main church, accessible by going outside or inside through the cry room and into the chapel.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I don’t know how right it was, or what the controlling regulation was, but in former times [preVII] it was a common practice to place a cloth banner on a stand in front of the monstrance if something else was going on in the church - e.g. a talk during a retreat. [the something else would be a religious expercise; not a concert etc.]

 

[FrDavid96]

Our parish has had Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in a chapel in the same building as the main sanctuary for nine years now. During Mass, the Blessed Sacrament was reposed in a tabernacle in the chapel.
Now, with a new pastor, the tabernacle in the chapel has been removed because he said there aren’t supposed to be two tabernacles in the same church. I have done research that has verified this information.

There’s no requirement that a given Church may have only one tabernacle. The requirement is that only one tabernacle may be used at any one time. Let’s say that I had two cars. It wouldn’t be legal for me to attempt to drive two of them at the same time, but that’s not the same thing as saying that it’s illegal for me to own two cars, but only drive one at any given time.

It’s perfectly licit to have one or the other tabernacle empty while the other houses the Blessed Sacrament. The empty one should have the door open (ajar, not just unlocked) and there should be no candle burning next to it, to be clear that it isn’t being used.

Even using two tabernacles on rare occasions would not be illicit. The canon says that more than one cannot be used “habitually” which means that doing so is possible if the circumstances truly warrant it.

So, during Masses, the priest or deacon now reposes the Blessed Sacrament in the primary tabernacle but it’s been suggested by the pastor that either adorers be found to keep the adoration going during Mass or that the monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament be covered for that time.
There have been objections made.
Anything officially wrong with either of those options?

I tried to search for previous relevant posts but was unable to find anything that addressed this specifically. Sorry if I’m repeating something that has been discussed before.

Any of those 3 options would be licit. It’s a matter of the pastor deciding which one would work best for the parish. Neither option is objectively better or worse than the other.

The only reservation I would have is that for “safety sake” I would place the Blessed Sacrament back into the tabernacle and lock it rather than simply cover the monstrance.

 

[FrDavid96]

Leaving the Blessed Sacrament in a covered monstrance concerns me. The 2004 Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum has: “[138.] Still, the Most Holy Sacrament, when exposed, must never be left unattended even for the briefest space of time. It should therefore be arranged that at least some of the
faithful always be present at fixed times, even if they take alternating turns.”

John,
I see your concern here, but keep in mind the operative word “exposed.” If the monstrance is covered, then the Sacrament is not exposed. At the same time, we should practice due diligence and not have a situation where someone could enter the church and do harm to the Sacrament. If it’s done for a brief time, or if there are people around to “keep an eye on things” it’s not realy a problem.

 

[John_Lilburne]

I think this “covered Monstrance” approach is wrong.

There is nothing in the ceremony as described in Holy Communion and the Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass that suggests this is an option.

It is contrary to the emphasis on security of the Blessed Sacrament. As it has in the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal: “317. In no way should all the other things prescribed by law concerning the reservation of the Most Holy Eucharist be forgotten. [footnote 131: Cf. particularly in Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments, Instruction Nullo umquam tempore, 28 May 1938: AAS 30 (1938), pp. 198-207; Codex Iuris Canonici, cann. 934-944.]”

The “Questions on Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament” published in Notititae, September 2006, pages 493-504 includes:

“24.* In those places where perpetual adoration of the exposed Blessed Sacrament take place, scheduling is often a great challenge. If a person misses an assigned hour for adoration of the exposed Sacrament, can a door or a drape be erected so that the exposed Sacrament can be temporarily closed off from public view?*
No. The use of drapes or doors to shield the monstrance, even for a short period of time, is not the required reposition of the Blessed Sacrament. The Blessed Sacrament may never be left exposed when no one is present for prayer and adoration. …”

This is from “Thirty-One Questions on Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament” published by USCCB. More information on it is at usccbpublishing.org/productdetails.cfm?sku=5-595 and usccbpublishing.org/client/client_pdfs/31questions.pdf. By its publication in Notitiae I see it as having more authority than if it were simply an USCCB publication.

 

[FrDavid96]

I think this “covered Monstrance” approach is wrong.

There is nothing in the ceremony as described in Holy Communion and the Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass that suggests this is an option.

It is contrary to the emphasis on security of the Blessed Sacrament. As it has in the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal: “317. In no way should all the other things prescribed by law concerning the reservation of the Most Holy Eucharist be forgotten. [footnote 131: Cf. particularly in Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments, Instruction Nullo umquam tempore, 28 May 1938: AAS 30 (1938), pp. 198-207; Codex Iuris Canonici, cann. 934-944.]”

The “Questions on Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament” published in Notititae, September 2006, pages 493-504 includes:

“24.* In those places where perpetual adoration of the exposed Blessed Sacrament take place, scheduling is often a great challenge. If a person misses an assigned hour for adoration of the exposed Sacrament, can a door or a drape be erected so that the exposed Sacrament can be temporarily closed off from public view?*
No. The use of drapes or doors to shield the monstrance, even for a short period of time, is not the required reposition of the Blessed Sacrament. The Blessed Sacrament may never be left exposed when no one is present for prayer and adoration. …”

This is from “Thirty-One Questions on Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament” published by USCCB. More information on it is at usccbpublishing.org/productdetails.cfm?sku=5-595 and usccbpublishing.org/client/client_pdfs/31questions.pdf. By its publication in Notitiae I see it as having more authority than if it were simply an USCCB publication.

Well, I’m not going to disagree by any means. But keep in mind the question and response. The matter quoted above referred to a “door or drape” which implies that the Blessed Sacrament is still exposed within the room. On the other hand, covering the Bl Sacrament means that It would not be “exposed.” Due keep in mind though my cautions from 2 posts back, and please don’t think I’m taking the matter lightly. If no one is around then a locked tabernacle would certainly be required. I’m only referring to times when people are actually there but not necessarily present for prayer; and only for a brief time.