Breaking Bread Prior to Consecration

[fuzz]

From time to time, I have witnessed different priests breaking the Host prior to the consecration while saying the words of institution (i.e. “He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples and said…”) instead of after the Our Father during the Lamb of God, as the rubrics call for. What is the best way to explain why this shouldn’t be done? I’m looking not only for GIRM references against this practice, but also for theological reasons against this practice. Thank you.

 

[Tantum_ergo]

I hope this link works:

christusrex.org/www1/mcitl/girmch2.html

Scroll down to #56 and #57. It talks about the general structure of the Mass, and very specifically places the “breaking”, or fractioning, of the bread after the sign of peace, not during the Eucharistic prayers. I think it addresses the theology–linking to the apostles–too.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

fuzz:

From time to time, I have witnessed different priests breaking the Host prior to the consecration while saying the words of institution (i.e. “He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples and said…”) instead of after the Our Father during the Lamb of God, as the rubrics call for. What is the best way to explain why this shouldn’t be done? I’m looking not only for GIRM references against this practice, but also for theological reasons against this practice. Thank you.

Where the "bread’ is broken is extra or external to the validity of the Consecration. However it is clearly spelled out where this should take place within the rubrics.