Context of the Litanies

[GloriousOrder]

Dear friends ,

I’d like to ask just how the various litanies of the Church should be used. Obviously the Litany of the Saints has its most famous applications during the sacrament of Holy Orders and during the Easter Vigil. I assume the Litanies of the Holy Name and of the Sacred Heart are prayed liturgically on their respective feasts. Does the Litany of Humility have a proper place or ceremony in the Church?

Can a group of the laity come together inside a parish church (with the support of the pastor) and pray the litanies, verse-response style, at set times during the months or year? Is there some special blessing or requirement to use these beautiful prayers? Some of us in my diocese are thinking of doing this once a month for the Holy Name and Sacred Heart of Jesus, and perhaps adding the Humility.

Most importantly: does a priest have to lead these prayers?

 

[corsair]

We sometimes get a group together to recite the Rosary and do several litanies in our local parish church. Usually we ask one to be the leader and the rest say the responses.
Our parish priest approves of our efforts.

There is a parish some distance from us that has apriest lead the stations of the Cross another priest does Confessions, while the third priest prepares for a High Mass. Our little parish is not so lucky. Many of us tend to search for parishes with more tradtional Masses and devotionals.

 

[puzzleannie]

there are litanies that precede major feasts and those are good ones for parish use,used as novenas
Divine Mercy of course begins Good Friday
Holy Spirit for Pentecost
and so forth
we do those as a parish activity here, also litany for all saints & poor souls, I think there is also one before the feast of the guardian angels another group does.
it is also a custom here when the rosary is recited at the funeral home to include the Litany of Loreto
we use the litany of the Sacred Heart for our community holy hour every month
our neighbor parish of that name uses it as a novena before the feast day as well
Holy hours or any other time the parish gathers outside liturgy are good times for litanies.

 

[drforjc]

Does anyone have documentation on whether the Church’s restrictions on public Litanies to those that are “approved for public or private use” (as opposed to “for private use only”) are still in effect?