Catholic Mass Homilies

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Hello all,

Can someone please tell me who is authorized to give a homily at a wedding Mass besides the priest celebrating it? Can someone who is participating in the deaconate, but not fully a deacon yet, give the homily? How about a Knight of Malta or Columbus?

Thanks!
 
SFO said:
Can someone please tell me who is authorized to give a homily at a wedding Mass besides the priest celebrating it?
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Ordination to the Deaconate authorizes the man in question to preach the Gospel and give sermons (among other things). So if the preacher in question hasn’t been ordained to the deaconate, then someone should have some explaining to do to the local bishop.
SFO said:
Can someone who is participating in the deaconate, but not fully a deacon yet…
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Is there an exception to the rule of non-contradiction of which I’m not aware? How can someone “be a deacon” and “not be a deacon” at the same time?
 
SFO said:
Yes, that is what I meant. Sorry for the confusion.
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You know, I’m interested in what the official answer to that one is. Is it like a law school student who can litigate with the permission of the judge, or is it like a deacon, who no matter how close he is to ordination, can’t effect transubstantiation (licitly or literally) because he hasn’t been given that degree of ordination yet?
 
parvenu74 said:
You know, I’m interested in what the official answer to that one is. Is it like a law school student who can litigate with the permission of the judge, or is it like a deacon, who no matter how close he is to ordination, can’t effect transubstantiation (licitly or literally) because he hasn’t been given that degree of ordination yet?
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From the Code of Canon Law No. 764:
Without prejudice to the prescript of ? can. 765, presbyters and deacons possess the faculty of preaching everywhere; this faculty is to be exercised with at least the presumed consent of the rector of the church, unless the competent ordinary has restricted or taken away the faculty or particular law requires express permission.
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and No. 767.1
Among the forms of preaching, the homily, which is part of the liturgy itself and is reserved to a priest or deacon, is preeminent;
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Because of his education, he may be able to compose and deliver a well-composed and well-delivered speech, but he cannot preach a homily until ordination.
 
<<Yes, that is what I meant. Sorry for the confusion.>>

You could ask the pastor or celebrant of the Wedding mass; I suppose, he would have the next-to-the-last word.

The Bishop, of course, would have the LAST word.

But I think, depending on the relationship of the diaconal candidate to the wedding party, it’s a reasonable request.
 
SFO said:
Hello all,

Can someone please tell me who is authorized to give a homily at a wedding Mass besides the priest celebrating it? Can someone who is participating in the deaconate, but not fully a deacon yet, give the homily? How about a Knight of Malta or Columbus?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
By the “letter of the law”, no. But - here in the real world - they don’t get ordained and immediately have the skills to preach; they must practice. So often, they are allowed to do so with the bishop’s permission for this reason.

The Church is comprised of mere humans …
 
SFO said:
Hello all,

Can someone please tell me who is authorized to give a homily at a wedding Mass besides the priest celebrating it? Can someone who is participating in the deaconate, but not fully a deacon yet, give the homily? How about a Knight of Malta or Columbus?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
how can someone participate in the diaconate before they are ordained? no one may give a homily at Mass except a priest, or at times, a deacon. It may be possible at a wedding outside Mass for someone else to read some type of reflection, but then by definition, it would not be a homily.
 
PaixGioiaAmor said:
By the “letter of the law”, no. But - here in the real world - they don’t get ordained and immediately have the skills to preach; they must practice. So often, they are allowed to do so with the bishop’s permission for this reason.

The Church is comprised of mere humans …
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Yeah, never mind that whole “Code of Canon Law” thing.
 
parvenu74 said:
You, or is it like a deacon, who no matter how close he is to ordination, can’t effect transubstantiation (licitly or literally) because he hasn’t been given that degree of ordination yet?
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no permanent deacon at any time after ordination can confect the Eucharist, ever, no not ever, he is not a priest. a transitional deacon cannot confect the Eucharist unless and until his priestly ordination.

why is this discussion on this forum instead of liturgy and sacraments/ where it belongs.
 
Scotty_PGH said:
Yeah, never mind that whole “Code of Canon Law” thing.
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Even in cases where this is done, they are not standing up and “preaching” at Sunday mass.

It is usually mass with only the diaconate formation community present and a few family members. This is an invaluable chance for them to hear and critique each other and gain experience speaking in a real mass setting. Technically, in my diocese, they don’t speak during the homily for this reason, but after communion, allthough the homily is omitted.

I will defend this practice for all the great benefits that I have seen it contribute to the greater good.
 
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