Chapters and Verses of Scriptures During Proclamation

[idahajaka]

Is it unliturgical, or does it amount to liturgical abuse when a Lector, during proclamation of the Word at Mass mention the Chapters and Verses of the Scriptures being read? Please, help me with relevant Chruch Documents/References on this matter. Thank you.

Dan

 

[FrDavid96]

Is it unliturgical, or does it amount to liturgical abuse when a Lector, during proclamation of the Word at Mass mention the Chapters and Verses of the Scriptures being read? Please, help me with relevant Chruch Documents/References on this matter. Thank you.

Dan

Dan,
This one is rather simple. In determining how the Mass is to be said, the GIRM (General Instruction for the Roman Missal) tells us what is to be done. There is not place where the chapter/verse is announced, therefore this isn’t to be done. Nothing may be added to the Mass. It would be outright impossible for the Church to provide a list of everything that “is not” to be done, so instead the Church says that if it’s not found in the liturgical books approved by Rome, it is not to be done.

Here’s a link to the GIRM
usccb.org/liturgy/current/revmissalisromanien.shtml

 

[Cluny]

It might be against the rubrics and a bad habit, but I don’t think it rises to the level of “abuse.”

 

[John_Lilburne]

From the 1981 General Introduction to the Lectionary for Mass:
“121. 1) The formula to be used is always: ‘A reading from the Book of …,’ ‘A reading from the Letter of …,’ or ‘A reading from the Gospel of …,’ and not: ‘The beginning of …’ (unless this seems advisable in particular instances) or: ‘Continuation of …’.”

Another way to make the point would be to ask the person how that would say it for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A. The First reading is from the prophet Malachi. The verses are: 1:14-2:2.8-10. The person would be trying to say something like “Chapter 1 verse 14 to chapter 2 verse 2. Then verses 8 to 10 from Chapter 2.” It hardly roles off the tongue and is unlikely to be comprehensible.