Domine, non sum dignus

[Catholic4Christ]

A question for those who are more knowledgable of liturgical history than myself:

Why is it that in the Extraordinary Form 1962 Missal of St John XXIII, the second set of Domine, non sum dignus’s are said by the priest rather than the servers? Obviously the first set is said by the priest as he is about to communicate, so it seems like when when communion is distributed to the servers and laity that the servers would pray this (just as they pray their own confiteor). Obviously the priest’s role is to pray on behalf of the people, so my best guess is that it has something to do with this role in relation to laypeople receiving communion. Was this always the case, or were there missals before 1962 (or before the many changes throughout the early twentieth century) where the second Domine, non sum dignus’s used in the communion rite were a servers’ prayer?

 

[dans0622]

A question for those who are more knowledgable of liturgical history than myself:

Why is it that in the Extraordinary Form 1962 Missal of St John XXIII, the second set of Domine, non sum dignus’s are said by the priest rather than the servers? Obviously the first set is said by the priest as he is about to communicate, so it seems like when when communion is distributed to the servers and laity that the servers would pray this (just as they pray their own confiteor). Obviously the priest’s role is to pray on behalf of the people, so my best guess is that it has something to do with this role in relation to laypeople receiving communion. Was this always the case, or were there missals before 1962 (or before the many changes throughout the early twentieth century) where the second Domine, non sum dignus’s used in the communion rite were a servers’ prayer?

Hello,

I am not all that knowledgeable but was able to look at the 1920 Missal and the rubric is the same as in the 1962 edition: the priest says the “Ecce, agnus Dei… Deinde dicit: Domine, non sum dignus…” (Behold… Then, he (the priest) says, Lord, I am not worthy…)

Why is only the priest directed to say this? I don’t know.

Dan

 

[ProVobis]

A question for those who are more knowledgable of liturgical history than myself:

Why is it that in the Extraordinary Form 1962 Missal of St John XXIII, the second set of Domine, non sum dignus’s are said by the priest rather than the servers? Obviously the first set is said by the priest as he is about to communicate, so it seems like when when communion is distributed to the servers and laity that the servers would pray this (just as they pray their own confiteor). Obviously the priest’s role is to pray on behalf of the people, so my best guess is that it has something to do with this role in relation to laypeople receiving communion. Was this always the case, or were there missals before 1962 (or before the many changes throughout the early twentieth century) where the second Domine, non sum dignus’s used in the communion rite were a servers’ prayer?

One would probably have to look at the history of this prayer to answer this question. It seems at some point they could have allowed the servers to respond to “Domine, non sum dignus.” but chose not to do it.

 

[Chatter163]

I believe that this practice stems from a bit of a conflict in the rubrics of the Missale Romanum and those in the Rituale Romanum.

Believe it or not, the rite of administering holy communion originates not with the missal, but with the ritual. Over the centuries, as you know, fewer people were receiving holy communion, partly due to the fast from midnight that was required. As a result, the missal did not supply a specific rite for communion, as that was found in he ritual. It was not uncommon for communion to be given to the small numbers who were to receive before or after Mass, so the rite was seen as a separate one. When communion was to be administered at Mass, the rite from the ritual was inserted into the rite, after the priest’s communion.

The rite found in the Rituale Romanum indicates that the ministers present (clerics, altar servers–whoever was to there to make the responses) recite the *Confiteor and *respond with the two Amens and then the Domine, non sum dignus. The people never made these responses, anyway. Through the 20th century, the Dialogue Mass became increasingly popular–more in some dioceses than others. But then the revised rubrics in 1960 inserted the rite of administering communion into the Mass, rather than seeing it as an add-on, as before. The same rubrical revforms (number 503) directed that the Confiteor before communion be dropped. This left only the Domine, non sum dignus from the communion rite, which 503 directed the priest to say. So there is a conflict between the way that the rite had for several centuries been celebrated according to the ritual, both by itself and during the Mass, and how it is to be celebrated in the 1960 and 1962 editions of the missal. The 1960 rubrics should prevail, but the custom of having the ministers say the DND peristed in many places, as did the Confiteor before communion itself. Rome ultimately said that the extra *Confiteor *could be tolerated, where it is the practice.