Bishop with a cane

[Spirithound]

If a bishop requires the use of an ordinary cane to walk, can he carry his crozier throughout the entire Mass?

 

[TheMc]

If a bishop requires the use of an ordinary cane to walk, can he carry his crozier throughout the entire Mass?

Hmm… Interesting question. It would certainly be more practical than having to switch the crosier and cane frequently. Assuming it was ok (I’m not saying it necessarily is), I’m sure you could adapt it so that maybe the crosier wouldn’t be used during the whole Mass, but that the crosier and cane switching was minimal.

Here’s theoretical cane/crosier situation: (I’ll use the words “on” and “off” to simplify it, differences from the normal pontifical ceremonials are bolded)

Procession: Crosier On
After reverencing the altar: crosier stays on (Crosier normally removed here until the gospel, unless the bishop is proclaiming the gospel)
Crosier off for readings, no cane (since he’s sitting)
Crosier on for the gospel
Crosier stays on after the homily
Crosier off after the intercessions (since he’s sitting)
When he stands for the offertory, use the cane
Continue using cane as needed until Prayer after communion (normally would receive crosier during the pontifical blessing)
crosier on for prayer afer communion, through the final procession

 

[JGMendes4049]

Though not ideal, he could omit the crozier and just use the cane.

 

[Kevin812]

Imho and from experience with a cane (but not as a Bishop ), I would think it would come down to his mobility and stability to when he would use the crosier, if at all. Also the same would be true if he processed or not.

TheMC could probably answer this better than I, but I seem to recall that a server can carry the crosier in procession.

 

[TheMc]

Though not ideal, he could omit the crozier and just use the cane.

But there would be times, such as Chrism Mass, Ordinations, Holy Week, etc… where he really should use the crosier if at all possible. Not that omitting the crosier wouldn’t be a good solution week to week, just pointing that situation out.

It would also depend on how much support he could get off the crosier. Assuming the crosier is strong, he could probably get more support from the crosier than one of these, but if he had one of these, he may get more support from the walker, which would dictate how much he could use the crosier.

 

[TheMc]

Imho and from experience with a cane (but not as a Bishop ), I would think it would come down to his mobility and stability to when he would use the crosier, if at all. Also the same would be true if he processed or not.

Very true. It’s hard to rubricise where the bishop walks if he can’t walk

TheMC could probably answer this better than I, but I seem to recall that a server can carry the crosier in procession.

The only time I know of where the rubrics actually direct the crosier to be carried in procession by a server is on Palm Sunday.

At the beginning of Mass, after the ceremonies outside, after the rest of the procession (which is just like a normal Mass procession), the crosier bearer, carrying the crosier (crook facing in, to signify the carrier does not hold the authority the crosier represents) goes directly in front of the bishop-celebrant, then the bishop himself, carrying his palm (hence the lack of crosier) and wearing his mitre, then directly behind him, the mitre bearer, carrying nothing. I’m not sure, but I think the deacons of the Mass might be in front of the mitre bearer, behind the bishop. I’d have to check.

Outside of Palm Sunday, practicality sets in. It’s not in the rubrics for the crosier to be carried in procession by the server, but if it needs to happen, it needs to happen. Not the end of the world. Although in this situation, instead of carrying it in procession, I would imagine the better option would be putting it in the sanctuary before Mass. But if that’s not possible, go ahead, server man. Carry that crosier.

 

[MarkThompson]

the crosier bearer, carrying the crosier (crook facing in, to signify the carrier does not hold the authority the crosier represents) . . . .

Do you have a source for that? According to Nainfa, Costumes of Prelates of the Catholic Church:
Some Ceremonials of foreign importation and antiquated scholarship teach that an Abbot in his monastery, and a Bishop when permitted to use the crosier outside of his diocese, should turn the curve backward. There never existed such regulations. The difference in the direction of the curve in the crosier of a Bishop and that of an Abbot is marked only in Heraldry, as will be mentioned in Chapter VI.

Whenever a dignitary uses the crosier, whether it be by right or privilege or even without right or privilege he should always turn the curve forward. If the crosier-bearer is directed by the Ceremonial to carry the crosier so that its curve be turned backward, it is not in order to mean that he has no right to use the crosier, but in order that it be correctly turned when he hands it over to the Prelate. At processions, when the Ordinary does not carry his crosier himself, he may have it carried before him by the crosier-bearer, who, in this case, holds it raised in both hands and the curve turned forward.

 

[TheMc]

Do you have a source for that? According to Nainfa, Costumes of Prelates of the Catholic Church:
Some Ceremonials of foreign importation and antiquated scholarship teach that an Abbot in his monastery, and a Bishop when permitted to use the crosier outside of his diocese, should turn the curve backward. There never existed such regulations. The difference in the direction of the curve in the crosier of a Bishop and that of an Abbot is marked only in Heraldry, as will be mentioned in Chapter VI.

Whenever a dignitary uses the crosier, whether it be by right or privilege or even without right or privilege he should always turn the curve forward. If the crosier-bearer is directed by the Ceremonial to carry the crosier so that its curve be turned backward, it is not in order to mean that he has no right to use the crosier, but in order that it be correctly turned when he hands it over to the Prelate. At processions, when the Ordinary does not carry his crosier himself, he may have it carried before him by the crosier-bearer, who, in this case, holds it raised in both hands and the curve turned forward.

Not that I think about it, no I don’t. The only source I have is the practices at our cathedral, which is very liturgically correct. Your source looks older, if my instinct is correct. I wonder if someone who has a copy of the ceremonial of bishops is able to clear this up?

 

[AJV]

Forward facing, according to the CE, n. 59 : “its curved head turned away from himself and toward the people”

The coriser is carried in front of a bishop in a procession whenever he is vested (but not in choir dress) and holding something.

 

[TheMc]

Forward facing, according to the CE, n. 59 : “its curved head turned away from himself and toward the people”

The coriser is carried in front of a bishop in a procession whenever he is vested (but not in choir dress) and holding something.

Could you post a little more from CE, just for context?

 

[jimrob]

The rules regarding crozier and mitre are set out in the Pontifical. However they can be summed up as follows:

Rule 1: The bishop is always right

Rule 2: When he’s wrong, refer to rule 1.

It is quite permissible for the bishop to have his mitre and crozier carried behind him in processions while he walks with a stick or whatever he chooses. There are a number of occasions on which the bishop would be expected to hold the crozier, but he can hold it at other times should he wish. If the bishop has difficulty with walking, the principle* in casu necessitate* applies.

 

[Spirithound]

The rules regarding crozier and mitre are set out in the Pontifical. However they can be summed up as follows:

Rule 1: The bishop is always right

Rule 2: When he’s wrong, refer to rule 1.

Excellent
I think this covers a multitude of scenarios