Documentation of the proper use of the priest's chair

[mvinca]

Hi everyone,
Our priests are on retreat this week, and our deacons are all sick. So we are having communion services led by lay people. The problem is that the person leading the service is sitting in the priest’s chair. I’ve seen here in other threads that this is an abuse, and this link from zenit says that as well. But I can’t find the source that says it authoritatively. I’ve also seen references to Rite of Distributing Holy Communion Outside Mass with the Celebration of the Word in these threads. However, I am unable to find the actual text of this document online.

Can anyone help me find the actual text of the document online anywhere? If I am to address the issue, I need the official document that says this is an abuse. I’m guessing it would be in this document, but if anyone knows the correct document, that would be even more useful.

Note that links to catholic answers or ewtn will not be considered acceptable to my priest. He isn’t fond of these organizations.

The closest I can find is in the GIRM, Chapter 5, Paragraph 310. But I don’t think that is a strong enough argument to stand on unfortunately.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Rand_Al_Thor]

Pax tecum!

This should answer your question (no, the person should not be sitting in the chair).
ewtn.com/library/Liturgy/zlitur134.htm

“§ 64 .The [chair] is not used by a lay person who presides at a service of the word with Communion or a Sunday celebration in the absence of a priest. (Cf. Congregation for Divine Worship, Directory for Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest [1988], no. 40.)”

In Christ,
Rand

 

[mvinca]

Ah, thank you. From that article, I could search on the name of the original document which is online at the USCCB. It will be very useful.

Thank you so much for pointing it out!

 

[John_Lilburne]

I found the “Directory for Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest” of 2 June 1988 at catholicliturgy.com/index.cfm/FuseAction/documentText/Index/2/SubIndex/11/ContentIndex/60/Start/55 . But it does not include the footnotes, which I have added from a printed edition by the USCCB, ISBN 1555862519.

It has: “40. The lay leader wears vesture that is suitable for his or her function or the vesture prescribed by the bishop.
[Footnote 34: See The Roman Ritual, Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist outside Mass, no. 20: DOL 266, no. 2098]
He or she does not use the presidential chair, but another chair prepared outside the sanctuary.
[Footnote 35: See GILH, no. 258: DOL 426, no. 3688.]”

“GILH” means the General Introduction to the Liturgy of the Hours. “DOL” refers to another book which includes this, Documents on the Liturgy 1963-1979, Liturgical Press, Minnesota, 1982, ISBN 0-8146-1281-4.

The text from the GILH being referred to is:
“In the absence of a priest or deacon, the one who presides at the office is only one among equals and does not enter the sanctuary or greet and bless the people.”