So our deacon is committing an abuse when he goes to the tabernacleThis is not allowed. Under the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, only the Priest can go to the Tabernacle during Mass. Furthermore, the EMHCs are not supposed to be at the altar until after the celebrant communicates.
You are confusing ‘priest’ with ‘clergy’..
Deacons, in reality then, are priests and not an Extra-ordinary Minister of Holy Communion.
What is the reference in the GIRM, please, saying that only priests can go to the tabernacle during Mass?This is not allowed. Under the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, only the Priest can go to the Tabernacle during Mass. Furthermore, the EMHCs are not supposed to be at the altar until after the celebrant communicates.
The GIRM, as far as I can tell, makes references to the priest doing this.So our deacon is committing an abuse when he goes to the tabernacle
instead of the priest?
From Mass with a Deacon
- When the distribution of Communion is over, the Priest himself immediately and completely consumes at the altar any consecrated wine that happens to remain; as for any consecrated hosts that are left, he either consumes them at the altar or carries them to the place designated for the reservation of the Eucharist.
- After the Priest’s Communion, the Deacon receives Communion under both kinds from the Priest himself and then assists the Priest in distributing Communion to the people. If Communion is given under both kinds, the Deacon himself administers the chalice to the communicants; and, when the distribution is over, standing at the altar, he immediately and reverently consumes all of the Blood of Christ that remains, assisted, if the case requires, by other Deacons and Priests.
Nowhere in the GIRM does it state that the Deacon is the one to go to the Tabernacle. This falls to the priest.
- When the distribution of Communion is over, the Deacon returns to the altar with the Priest, collects the fragments, should any remain, and then carries the chalice and other sacred vessels to the credence table, where he purifies them and arranges them as usual, while the Priest returns to the chair. Nevertheless, it is also permitted to leave vessels needing to be purified on a corporal, suitably covered, on the credence table, and to purify them immediately after Mass, following the Dismissal of the people.
Not to mention that nowhere in the GIRM does it mention who retrieves the Ciborium FROM the Tabernacle since the GIRM only deals with what is ‘routine’ for Mass and giving Communion from the Reserved Blessed Sacrament is not the ‘routine’ way of doing things, regardless of how routine it is for some parishes.Here is the reference from the now revised and no in-force GIRM:
From Mass without a Deacon:
From Mass with a Deacon
Nowhere in the GIRM does it state that the Deacon is the one to go to the Tabernacle. This falls to the priest.
However, the rubrics for Good Friday specifically apply to Good Friday. Furthermore, we should bear in mind that the Good Friday liturgy is not a Mass.Since I don’t have all my books with me, I can’t quote all the numbers I’d like (but I’ll try to remember tonight). I do recall, though, that the Ceremonial of Bishops allows for the Deacon to return consecrated hosts to the tabernacle as well.
On Good Friday, the 2010 Roman Missal has a rubric about the ciborium after Holy Communion:
“29. When the distribution of Communion has been completed, the ciborium is taken by
the Deacon or another suitable minister to a place prepared outside the church or, if
circumstances so require, it is placed in the tabernacle.”
Now, this might set a precedent for an EMHC to do this at a regular Sunday Mass, though the GIRM does only mention the Priest. Also, it doesn’t say anything about retrieving previously consecrated hosts from the tabernacle (probably because insofar as possible all present should communicate from hosts consecrated right there at that Mass).
Indeed, a good point. There is surely no difference between the consecrated hosts on Good Friday and the consecrated hosts on any other day, nor is there a difference between the tabernacle on one day or another.Oh, I completely agree with you. I was just saying, poorly it seems, that it’s possible some might see in that particular rubric a precedent for “another worthy minister” to place remaining consecrated hosts in the tabernacle.
The difference that we are missing is that the Good Friday service is not a Mass. Thus, the circumstances are very different.Indeed, a good point. There is surely no difference between the consecrated hosts on Good Friday and the consecrated hosts on any other day, nor is there a difference between the tabernacle on one day or another.
So, logically, if the practice of using ‘another worthy minister’ is acceptable on Good Friday, it is acceptable any other time as well.
The difference is that it is in a mass…even a EMHC can approach and retrieve the Eucharist to bring to the home bound outside of the mass.The difference that we are missing is that the Good Friday service is not a Mass. Thus, the circumstances are very different.
However, regarding your first statement, the OP said nothing about taking Holy Communion to the sick. This was done within the Mass.The difference is that it is in a mass…even a EMHC can approach and retrieve the Eucharist to bring to the home bound outside of the mass.
I do question the statement you make of the deacon not having authority to go to the tabernacle in the mass, you are mistaken here. There are other documents and rubrics which place the fact that both deacon and priests are ordinary ministers of holy communion which allows this to take place when a deacon is present; also a duly instituded acolyte. But I will have to research what document states this.
1.) my first statement was agreeing with you 100%…learn to accept affirmation. The difference is within the mass as apposed to after the mass.However, regarding your first statement, the OP said nothing about taking Holy Communion to the sick. This was done within the Mass.
Second, the GIRM reference (and I am using the current 2011 in place now) does not state that it is the Deacon who goes to the Tabernacle. It states that it is the Deacon who purifies. The celebrant is the one who goes to the Tabernacle, as in the case during a Mass without a Deacon.
While we are in agreement in the first, I have researched #163 and #284, the footnotes from the GIRM given in Redeptionis Sacramentum concerning what happens after the distribution of Holy Communion. Although #163 states quite clearly that it is the priest who goes up (with no such provision made for the deacon in the section marked Mass with a Deacon) to the Tabernacle, #284 only covers the consumption of whatever remains of the Precious Blood and the purification of the sacred vessels.1.) my first statement was agreeing with you 100%…learn to accept affirmation. The difference is within the mass as apposed to after the mass.
2.) the deacon is allowed to approach the tabernacle IN the mass, I just have to find the documents. The GIRM does not state that the deacon cannot, approach in the mass, does it?
You may disagree with me and use a strict understanding of the GIRM, but the Church disagrees with you in practicality, I tend to believe the Church. I know what I was taught and what is practiced.
In the same way you see a later document “correct” or “explain” the GIRM, as in deacon vestments, Red. Sacr. 125 as compared to GIRM 338 which basically has been understood wrongly to read omit the dalmatic.
Unlike this discrepancy with deacon vestments, the apparent discrepancy of the deacon going to the tabernacle has not been addressed, despite many writings and letters addressing many others. So I ask you, is it a discrepancy?
That section also fails to mention remaining consecrated hosts. So are we to asume that there are never any when the deacon is there? You can site and recite this all yoiu want, it doesn’t change what in done by the Church in reality, and that is, the deacon will almost always be the person to go to the tabernacle, even when with our bishop.While we are in agreement in the first, I have researched #163 and #284, the footnotes from the GIRM given in Redeptionis Sacramentum concerning what happens after the distribution of Holy Communion. Although #163 states quite clearly that it is the priest who goes up (with no such provision made for the deacon in the section marked Mass with a Deacon) to the Tabernacle, #284 only covers the consumption of whatever remains of the Precious Blood and the purification of the sacred vessels.