Good Friday Celebration question

[faithfulservant]

i attended 2 yesterday… the one at 3 pm followed the Missal exactly…then we did the Stations of the Cross after the celebration…then for anyone that wanted to stay the Divine Mercy Novena was started

on to my “progressive” parish and their 8 pm celebration … for some reason, we received communion first, then the Veneration of the Cross was done after that…after which the faithful could leave or return to their seats for prayer and reflection … another “problem” that existed is that the deacon who read the part of Christ in the Gospel was allowed to impart the final prayers after communion, before the veneration

i hate to pick nits (yeah right! ), but how far off base was the celebration my parish presented to us?

 

[_veritas]

faithfulservant:

i attended 2 yesterday… the one at 3 pm followed the Missal exactly…then we did the Stations of the Cross after the celebration…then for anyone that wanted to stay the Divine Mercy Novena was started

on to my “progressive” parish and their 8 pm celebration … for some reason, we received communion first, then the Veneration of the Cross was done after that…after which the faithful could leave or return to their seats for prayer and reflection … another “problem” that existed is that the deacon who read the part of Christ in the Gospel was allowed to impart the final prayers after communion, before the veneration

i hate to pick nits (yeah right! ), but how far off base was the celebration my parish presented to us?

I am not entirely sure, the biggest thing that needs to be recognized is that the Good Friday services are NOT Masses. If there is no priest able to be present, then a deacon should be able to lead the service. It is unclear from your post as to whether a priest was present at all, if there was a priest then he should have done all of the prayers.

The service should have the Veneration of the Cross after the prayer of the faithful, as the Good Friday services are basically Liturgy of the Word w/ Holy Communion. Typically any additions to the liturgy are done between the Liturgy of the Word and Holy Commuion (or the Liturgy of the Eucharist at a Mass). By what you are saying, they concluded the service and THEN did the Veneration of the Cross. That is certainly wrong, since the Veneration is a special part of the Good Friday liturgy – they basically made the Good Friday liturgy into a regular Liturgy of the Word service and then tacked on the Veneration of the Cross after it.

I think a lot of parishes like to experiment with the Good Friday services, justifying their actions by the comforting fact that it is not a Mass – they think they can get away with it since it’s “just” a Communion service. However, the Good Friday liturgies are just as carefully spelled out as Masses are. I do not recall the title, but there was a Vatican document released a few years ago regarding the Holy Week liturgies and their proper celebration. Maybe someone else here can point you to that document.

Also, if you can get a copy of the Holy Week issue of the Magnificat, they have the entire order of the ceremony laid out in a nice easy to read format. Check with your local Catholic bookstore, if you have one (they were only $2.00 I think).

This is the basic layout of the service:

Part I - Liturgy of the Word:

• Opening Prayer
• 1st Reading
• Responsorial Psalm
• 2nd Reading
• Verse Before the Gospel
• Gospel (Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John)
• General Intercessions (SPECIFIC prayers of the Church to be used, not some made-up ones by the parish. Prayers for the Church, the Pope, the clergy and laity, those preparing for baptism, the unity of Christians, the Jewish people, those who do not believe in Christ, those who do not believe in God, all in public office, and those in special need)

Part II - Veneration of the Cross:

• Invitation to Venerate the Cross
• Veneration of the Cross
• Songs during the Veneration (with the Reproaches)

Part III - Holy Communion:

• Blessed Sacrament retreived from the Altar of Reposition and placed on the altar
• Our Father
• Holding the host up “This is the Lamb of God…”
• Distribution of Communion
• Prayer After Communion
• Prayer of dismissal (Prayer Over the People)
• All depart in silence, or continue to pray silently
• The altar is stripped again of its linens

Hope that helps,

+veritas+

 

[faithfulservant]

thanks veritas…i was wondering if anyone would ever reply…i have the Magnificat…Holy Week edition…have been a charter subscriber… the only reason i realized there was a problem was the service held at the “orthodox” parish that i attended at 3pm…they also have missalettes, so everyone could follow the order

and yes, at our service at my parish, we had 3 deacons and 2 priests in attendance… the deacons read the parts of most of the gospel, with the one deacon reading the part of Christ…and like i said…he was the one who imparted the final “priest” blessing and prayer… right before our Veneration of the Cross

 

[stbruno]

Our deacon did the entire service along with the help of Eucharistic ministers. He ministered the entire service as described above. It was a moving experience and his homily on the last words of Christ…Into your Hands Lord, I commend my spirit, brought tears to many of us. It made the veneration of the cross all so more meaningful.

 

[FrRobSST]

It sounds to me like your progressive parish indeed fouled up the intent, theology, and rites of the Roman Missal.

What people need to understand is that the theology of the Rites in a Missal are designed to teach truths. The Liturgy is our greatest ongoing catechesis (and for many Catholics, the ONLY catechesis they ever get!). When liturgy is done poorly, or the rubrics/orders disobeyed, the people get the message that it’s not important. It turns the Mass or, in this case, the Liturgy of the Passion, into a plaything and show, not a communial worship experience.

Where legitimate adaptations are permitted, the liberty to use them (as granted by the ordinary) is fine. But there are very few ‘options’ about the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion.

Our Rite is essentially the same as the Roman Rite, save we omit the reception of communion on Good Friday, with the Sacrament consecrated on Maundy Thursday being consumed at that Liturgy. A small amount is removed from the Tabernacle before the Liturgy to provide for Viaticum during the Triduum. Thus, our order is

Liturgy of the Word
The Solemn Intercessions
Adoration of the Cross

If I was to transcend this order for one of my choosing, I’d be in serious trouble. I’m suprised it was done in a Roman Church.

Rob+