Catechumens,Converts in the Sanctuary before Mass?

[Jakub]

This morning about 20 minutes before Mass, a deacon I presume, led a group of about 15, adults & children, into the Sanctuary, he opened the Tabernacle, motioning all to look inside, also moved the Altar cloth, showing the Altar, the only sign of reverence, was a quick genuflect by the leader, then the group, walked in front of the Tabernacle and went to the rear of the Church.

I left, disgusted and sadden, is this the “new” way ?

james

 

[JimG]

He was probably giving the group a church tour, showing the various parts of the church and sanctuary. This is generally part of the RCIA process.

 

[pnewton]

If there is a new RCIA class starting I do believe they can be forgiven for their lack of knowledge concerning the proper way to approach the altar. Being shown the Church, altar, sacristy, etc. is a helpful part of RCIA and helps make sense of some of the terms used by Catholics.

I do not think that right before Mass is a good time for a “tour” though. If it was at a time when nothing else was happening, then proper reverence and protocol could be taught without a great disruption.

 

[Pug]

I agree, it sounds like an RCIA tour to me. However, I’ve not ever seen the tour open the tabernacle before. They just point it out and explain about it and the red light.

 

[pnewton]

We had the tabernacle opened when I went through RCIA. The priest walked us through and proper reverence was taught. It was on a week night and no one else was in the sanctuary.

 

[Pug]

pnewton:

We had the tabernacle opened when I went through RCIA. The priest walked us through and proper reverence was taught. It was on a week night and no one else was in the sanctuary.

It sounds like you had a good RCIA experience. So often on the internet I hear otherwise.

The RCIA tour at our parish is unfortunately run on a Sunday inbetween the masses, so it gets cut short, and there seems to be no time to instruct in reverence at the same time as saying…here is the chrism, this is a monstrance, etc. I think the RCIA folks are helped by the tour, though. I don’t recall having the tour mentioned on the surveys they get after RCIA is over. Do you have any comments on the value of the tour you received?

 

[pnewton]

Pug:

It sounds like you had a good RCIA experience. So often on the internet I hear otherwise.

The RCIA tour at our parish is unfortunately run on a Sunday inbetween the masses, so it gets cut short, and there seems to be no time to instruct in reverence at the same time as saying…here is the chrism, this is a monstrance, etc. I think the RCIA folks are helped by the tour, though. I don’t recall having the tour mentioned on the surveys they get after RCIA is over. Do you have any comments on the value of the tour you received?

Very valuable. I never knew what such words like scaristy, paten and alb meant before, although I had encountered them in crossword puzzles.

Seriously, the way everything was geared toward reverence and respect of the Real Presence, like the ciborum, showed how Catholics put a great vaule on the Body and Blood of Christ. It also gave a inkling of what is involved in the preparation and implementation of the Mass, encouraging many in the needy to volunteer in some of these lay services.

 

[Pug]

Thanks. I’m always looking for stuff to suggest or mention or think about for our annual August meeting to organize the next year of RCIA. I remember the first time I got to go into that mysterious back room (the sacristy)!

 

[Paul_W]

pnewton:

We had the tabernacle opened when I went through RCIA. The priest walked us through and proper reverence was taught. It was on a week night and no one else was in the sanctuary.

In Jakub’s case, I guess it was a weak day.

 

[Scotty_PGH]

Jakub:

This morning about 20 minutes before Mass, a deacon I presume, led a group of about 15, adults & children, into the Sanctuary, he opened the Tabernacle, motioning all to look inside, also moved the Altar cloth, showing the Altar, the only sign of reverence, was a quick genuflect by the leader, then the group, walked in front of the Tabernacle and went to the rear of the Church.

I left, disgusted and sadden, is this the “new” way ?

james

I’ve got a similar story. When I was still going through my conversion process, there was one Sunday where I walked with the priest from the vestibule back to the sacristy. This was right after the Mass had ended and he had just finished shaking peoples’ hands. He removes his alb while he’s walking up the aisle, like he simply can’t wait to take it of. He continues onto the altar area, past the tabernacle (which is off to the corner of course) without so much as a nod. So here I am, this new convert, stopping to kneel in respect before the tabernacle before I would follow him into the back. I don’t say this to tell a “holier than thou” story, but one can imagine how awkward I felt in this circumstance.

As for the thought that the new RCIA class can be excused for their ignorance – that’s true. BUT the priest should’ve use that opportunity to explain that we kneel reverently when in front of the Blessed Sacrament. What better time than right then to explain this fundamental of the faith to a group of new converts?