Can a Deacon Do This?

[DanteAlighieri]

Every once in a while, I’m running late for my preferred Mass at my preferred parish, so I walk down the street to a nearby parish that I avoid because of issues like this one:

Today, during the preparation of the gifts, the deacon was the one who said the “mystery of this water and wine” prayer and poured the water into the cups. Is that allowed? I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before, and I would’ve always assumed that everything leading up to the Consecration was the priest’s job.

Thanks in advance!

Peace,
Dante

 

[tee_eff_em]

Today, during the preparation of the gifts, the deacon was the one who said the “mystery of this water and wine” prayer and poured the water into the cups. Is that allowed? I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before, and I would’ve always assumed that everything leading up to the Consecration was the priest’s job.

Yes, the deacon is the minister of the cup, and this prayer and preparation properly belong to him.

GIRM 178:

1. After the Prayer of the Faithful, while the priest remains at the chair, the deacon prepares the altar, assisted by the acolyte, but it is the deacon’s place to take care of the sacred vessels himself. He also assists the priest in receiving the people’s gifts.

Next, he hands the priest the paten with the bread to be consecrated, pours wine and a little water into the chalice, saying quietly, *Per huius aquae (By the mystery of this water), *and after this presents the chalice to the priest.

He may also carry out the preparation of the chalice at the credence table. If incense is used, the deacon assists the priest during the incensation of the gifts, the cross, and the altar; afterwards, the deacon himself or the acolyte incenses the priest and the people.

tee

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I am not completely sure, but it sounds right. The deacon prepares the gifts and the celbrant offers them.

 

[Aramis]

Every once in a while, I’m running late for my preferred Mass at my preferred parish, so I walk down the street to a nearby parish that I avoid because of issues like this one:

Today, during the preparation of the gifts, the deacon was the one who said the “mystery of this water and wine” prayer and poured the water into the cups. Is that allowed? I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before, and I would’ve always assumed that everything leading up to the Consecration was the priest’s job.

Thanks in advance!

Peace,
Dante

If he’s not doing it, then something is wrong!

He’s not just allowed to do so, it is required for him to do so. Under the Ordinary Form of the Roman Mass as promugated since 1974, if a deacon is present, it is he who is supposed to mingle and pour, and say the prayer of the mingling.

Even when there are a dozen concelebrating priests, the deacon is supposed to be the one to do this.

 

[bpbasilphx]

Today, during the preparation of the gifts, the deacon was the one who said the “mystery of this water and wine” prayer and poured the water into the cups. Is that allowed?

FWIW, during the Preparation of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, the Deacon pours the water and wine into the Chalice, though the Priest says the prayer.

 

[Joannm]

yes the deacon does this, but he prays the prayer silently. I was wondering why it was that he said the prayer aloud.

 

[DanteAlighieri]

Thanks, gang!

Hopefully it’s not being done incorrectly at every other parish I’ve ever attended …

Seriously, though: I probably had just never paid much attention to what the deacon had done at other Masses.

I appreciate your help!

Peace,
Dante

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

Hopefully it’s not being done incorrectly at every other parish I’ve ever attended …

While I wouldn’t jump to any conclusions, I also wouldn’t rule out precisely that possibility. That’s just the current status of the liturgy. In this case, though, since the prayer is supposed to be said “quietly,” you may just be running into different interpretations of quiet or else different levels of attention to volume.

Even if everyone else is doing it wrong, though, remember that most of the Catholic world has no exposure to the role of the deacon in the ordinary form of Mass (the US has an incredibly large percentage of the world’s permanent deacons), so it could be that even some priests (with some culpability) just never learned how to do things right with a deacon assisting.

 

[tee_eff_em]

yes the deacon does this, but he prays the prayer silently. I was wondering why it was that he said the prayer aloud.

Even a priest is directed to make this prayer “quietly”.

GIRM:

MASS WITHOUT A DEACON]
142. After this, as the minister presents the cruets, the priest stands at the side of the altar and pours wine and a little water into the chalice,

saying quietly

, Per huius aquae (By the mystery of this water)…

I’ve never really paid attention to this “quietude”, but I expect the only time I ever hear the prayer is when I am serving or when the Mass is said in a more intimate setting than is typical. :twocents:

tee