Arcana - Vesting at the Ordination Mass

[nycmfa]

Hello,

Hardly the most pressing topic in global Catholicism, but I’d be interested to know if anybody had any thoughts on the subject. I had the good fortune to witness two ordination masses last weekend, one at the diocesan cathedral, the other at the mother church of an order of American priests.

Here’s the question. After the laying on of hands, all of the priests return to their seats. The ordinands/priests leave the sanctuary (or go to the side) and vest. At this point, do those in attendance sit, or do they remain standing? Again, utter arcana. In the Tridentine rite, if memory serves, the congregation sits (following the concelebrant) while the principal celebrant vests prior to the liturgy of the eucharist. The question, I suppose, is whether this “first vesting” is at all sacramental in character. And we are still in the middle of the ordination - there are still blessings to come. Perhaps this is an exception to the usually quite reliable rule of following the example of those in the sanctuary.

At the cathedral, it was about 50/50 - the religious generally stood, and laity sat. At the second mass, everyone sat when the priests did.

Any thoughts?

 

[L_Marshall]

I’ve also been to a few ordinations recently, and from what I’ve seen, the congregation sits when the new priests or deacons are vested. The Diocesan MC has always held fast to the GIRM, and Msgr. Moroney, who is the Secretary of Vox Clara and the most recent translator of the GIRM for the USCCB had it done the same way when he was rector at the cathedral, if memory serves.

 

[nycmfa]

That would seem to make sense - given that the rest of the clergy is seated, the only argument for standing would be a sign of respect for the newly ordained who (obviously) is still standing. But the fact that the vesting happens away from the sanctuary, and that the tradition is for close friends of the ordinand to assist, suggests that its value is personal, not public.

In a way, it makes sense - the people and the priests sit in their places, waiting for the Mass of the Faithful. The newly ordained priest joins them by approaching the Cathedra and, vested for the first time as a priest, receiving a welcoming blessing.