Can the priest say his homilie outside the sanctuary?

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JimmyQuinn

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Our priest tends to come out of the sanctuary and give his homilies between the first and second row of pews… I’m pretty sure I read that this isn’t aloud, but I’m not sure where… Can anyone shed some light? I’m sparkling new Catholic, and I don’t really know where to turn! Thanks!

Thanks! 🙂
 
JimmyQuinn said:
Our priest tends to come out of the sanctuary and give his homilies between the first and second row of pews… I’m pretty sure I read that this isn’t aloud, but I’m not sure where… Can anyone shed some light? I’m sparkling new Catholic, and I don’t really know where to turn! Thanks!

Thanks! 🙂
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I don’t know anywhere where this is banned
 
In the GIRM, on page 27, you read the requirements for the homily. There is nothing about leaving or delivering the homily from the sanctuary.
 
Weird… I wonder why I distinctly remember reading that it isn’t ok… hmmm
 
I wonder where you read it. In the GIRM, on page 27, it lists the requirements for the homily. There is nothing about leaving or delivering the homily from the sanctuary. The GIRM lists what is required, and doesn’t go into what is not required.
 
The Priest at Mass

After the Gospel proclamation, the priest celebrant preaches the Homily (66). He may do this standing at the chair, at the ambo, or at some other suitable place (136).
 
The Germs of GIRM

Paragraph 136 of GIRM reads as follows:
“The priest, standing at the chair or at the ambo, or, when appropriate, in another suitable place, gives the homily; when the homily is completed, a period of silence as the occasion allows may be observed.”
Comment and Analysis: An earlier installment of this continuing analysis dealt with the difference between the homily and the sermon, stressing the fact that the Church kept traditionally to a cycle of preaching each year in order to remind the faithful of the basic truths of the Faith and to exhort them to scale the heights of personal sanctity. What is interesting about this particular paragraph, however, is that it gives a priest license to give his “homily” from wherever he chooses, the most common place being nowhere in particular. That is, priests now feel free to “roam about the cabin,” typically strolling up and down the aisles of the Church, sometimes going so far as to solicit audience participation.
The traditional Catholic pulpit was perched high above the nave of the Church so as to signify the fact that the priest is acting in persona Christi, that he is proclaiming God’s truths, which come to us from on high, and is superior to us in the celebration of Mass. God’s truths are fixed, immovable, beyond human manipulation. An ambo placed at eye level indicates egalitarianism; a moving object represents instability and uncertainty in the context of the celebration of the Mass. And it is interesting that a period of silence “may” be observed “as the occasion allows.” In most instances, the Novus Ordo does not allow for much silence at all.
Indeed, Sharon and I witnessed a horrible spectacle at St. Peter Chanel Church in Hawaiian Gardens, California, on the evening of Monday, March 4, 2002. A priest of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary strode down from the ambo to walk in the aisle during his protracted homily (which necessitated his using Eucharistic Prayer II, obviously), clapping his hands, breaking into Spanish occasionally, and demanding an “Amen!” from the congregation in response to several of what he thought were his particularly brilliant points. What a horrible spectacle of narcissism and profanation. This man’s behavior was undignified, irreverent, and disrespectful. No matter the content of the sermon, which had kernels of truth in it, he wanted to showboat during a weekday Mass. And the Novus Ordo gives showboaters completely free reign to demonstrate their disordered pride and irreverence to the hilt. The sermon should be given from the pulpit with dignity and solemnity, not jocularity and theatrics.
 
buffalo said:
Sharon and I witnessed a horrible spectacle … (which necessitated his using Eucharistic Prayer II, obviously…What a horrible spectacle of narcissism and profanation.
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ohh. THAT’S an unbiased source of analysis.
 
The priests and deacon in our parish all preach their homilies “Tonight Show style”; from the front aisle between the Sanctuary and the pews. I think its artificial touchy-feelyness and wish they’d stop it. Nevermind that many adults and almost none of the children sitting in the pews can see them when they do this. The pulpit’s there for a reason, but I guess the current notion is that its some kind of authoritarian symbol. I think we could do with a little more priestlyness and lot less showmanship.
 
I alos find that when they turn away I can’t hear them. I get half the homily, even though we have a pretty good sound system.
 
buffalo said:
The Germs of GIRM

Paragraph 136 of GIRM reads as follows:
“The priest, standing at the chair or at the ambo, or, when appropriate, in another suitable place, gives the homily; when the homily is completed, a period of silence as the occasion allows may be observed.”
Comment and Analysis: An earlier installment of this continuing analysis dealt with the difference between the homily and the sermon, stressing the fact that the Church kept traditionally to a cycle of preaching each year in order to remind the faithful of the basic truths of the Faith and to exhort them to scale the heights of personal sanctity. What is interesting about this particular paragraph, however, is that it gives a priest license to give his “homily” from wherever he chooses, the most common place being nowhere in particular. That is, priests now feel free to “roam about the cabin,” typically strolling up and down the aisles of the Church, sometimes going so far as to solicit audience participation.
The traditional Catholic pulpit was perched high above the nave of the Church so as to signify the fact that the priest is acting in persona Christi, that he is proclaiming God’s truths, which come to us from on high, and is superior to us in the celebration of Mass. God’s truths are fixed, immovable, beyond human manipulation. An ambo placed at eye level indicates egalitarianism; a moving object represents instability and uncertainty in the context of the celebration of the Mass. And it is interesting that a period of silence “may” be observed “as the occasion allows.” In most instances, the Novus Ordo does not allow for much silence at all.
Indeed, Sharon and I witnessed a horrible spectacle at St. Peter Chanel Church in Hawaiian Gardens, California, on the evening of Monday, March 4, 2002. A priest of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary strode down from the ambo to walk in the aisle during his protracted homily (which necessitated his using Eucharistic Prayer II, obviously), clapping his hands, breaking into Spanish occasionally, and demanding an “Amen!” from the congregation in response to several of what he thought were his particularly brilliant points. What a horrible spectacle of narcissism and profanation. This man’s behavior was undignified, irreverent, and disrespectful. No matter the content of the sermon, which had kernels of truth in it, he wanted to showboat during a weekday Mass. And the Novus Ordo gives showboaters completely free reign to demonstrate their disordered pride and irreverence to the hilt. The sermon should be given from the pulpit with dignity and solemnity, not jocularity and theatrics.
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Whatthis particular Priest did is exactly what many evangelical protestants do. They do it for one reason.
**
THEY DON’T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE**

We do, we have the Holy Eucharist. We have Jesus Christ himself present, physically. We really don’t need all the protestant revival tactics.

Not if we truly believe in the Catholic Churches theology that is.
 
I don’t have documentation, but I believe that the priest is not allowed to leave the sanctuary from the time he gets there at the beginning of Mass until Mass is completed. Maybe someone else can supply the documentation?

Peace,
Linda
 
During School Mass the priest comess down into the pews to talk with the children…get their answers.

At Sunday Mass…hes stays behind the pulpit and the assistant when he saays Mass will walk around the sanctuary…in front of the altar…but they both leave the santuary when serving School Mass.

:heart:Blyss
 
buffalo said:
The Priest at Mass

After the Gospel proclamation, the priest celebrant preaches the Homily (66). He may do this standing at the chair, at the ambo, or at some other suitable place (136).
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Unfortunately, far too many of them have come to the conclusion that the ambo isn’t appropriate at all.
 
Well, our priests use the Ambo usually, and I prefer it. Sometimes they stand in front of the altar, but they are still in the sanctuary.

I’d prefer the ambo, but I don’ t see any reason forbidding other things.

Afterall, the Pulpits in traditional churches are sometimes outside the sanctuary itself, actually in front of the altar rails.

I’d like a designated place (ambo or pulpit) from which to have it proclaimed.
 
Our priest comes down from the ambo after the Gospel and gives his homily because there is a breeze between the (still intact) altar rail and the first pew. We have no fans, and no a/c.
 
Welcome to the Church, JimmyQuin,

If this makes you feel uncomfortable (like it does many of us), then shop around for a parish that may be more traditional.

Its OK to go to other parishes. Sometimes you get a pleasant surprise and sometimes you wonder what you got yourself into.

We certainly can provide adventures in discovery within the church.
 
In my “home” parish, the deacons, both of whom present excellent homilies, stand still either at the pulpit/ambo or beside it. The pastor is a perpetual moving target. Oh, for the days when the priest knew he was an altercristus and not a dancer, athlete, or actor.
Last Sunday was a real blessing in my “other” parish; the partially-disabled pastor stood still, leaning on the edge of the altar near his chair for support during a simple, well stated homily.
 
The priest we had before he retired used to pace all over the front of the church near the front pews. The one we have now stays pretty much at the pulpit, which I prefer for the fact that you can see him better.
 
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