Greeting at the beginning of Mass

[HomeschoolDad]

In many OF (“Novus Ordo”) Masses, after the priest has begun the Mass, he interrupts the liturgy with “good morning”, “good evening”, or another greeting appropriate to the time of day, sometimes with extemporaneous comments. The people respond “good [daypart], Father” and then the priest makes his comments before returning to the liturgy. Personally, I dislike this and find it kind of jarring. It is as though the liturgy has to be brought down to some pedestrian level at the very moment it is beginning to rise into prayer.

Is this permitted by the rubrics? Is it specifically disallowed? Could it be thought of as a liturgical abuse (albeit a very minor one)?

This does not take place in the Traditional Latin Mass. The closest thing I have seen was one TLM priest who would come out of the sacristy immediately before Mass, greet the people while standing in front of the altar, thank them for coming (some people had driven a long distance), and would then return to the sacristy before coming back out and beginning Mass. This was a nice touch and I had no problem with it.

As a side note, I attended Easter Sunday Mass this year while traveling, and at the beginning of Mass, the priest asked everyone to greet the people next to them. I said to myself, “whew! — we’re getting the greeting out of the way at the beginning of Mass, which is good, this way my preparation for communion won’t be interrupted”. But that didn’t happen, the SOP took place at the usual time, and not wishing to come across as a jerk, I exchanged it as well — didn’t want to, but I did it anyway, as I almost always do.

 

[SPONP4US]

I have a few gripes with certain elements of N.O mass but the Greeting of good Day/afternoon etc was never ever one of them

I think it’s nice to be greeted like this and it only occasional happens but we are all gathers as Chirst as family and this to me sort of suggests the priest is saying : Yes I am the celebrant and an ordained priest but I am humble enough to connect with the congregation on a personal and human level too. Which as a confessor he also is able to do.

I feel more bothered by the obligatory Sunday Mass glad handing session at the end as everyone is leaving. Although recently I quite admired a priest braving one of the coldest rainiest nights of the year at Sunday evening mass, to actually stand outside (indifferent to the weather) and shake hands with everyone of the congregation who didn’t come out all at once. Many of whom, myself included, where quite saddened at the sudden loss of a much liked elder Priest from the parish, the previous week.

Perhaps others feel different, but that’s my two cents.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

See bold below.

Is this permitted by the rubrics? Yes, it is specifically allowed. Is it specifically disallowed? No, see previous answer. Could it be thought of as a liturgical abuse (albeit a very minor one)? Absolutely not.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

See bold below.

Is this permitted by the rubrics? Yes, it is specifically allowed. Is it specifically disallowed? No, see previous answer. Could it be thought of as a liturgical abuse (albeit a very minor one)? Absolutely not .

OK, if it’s allowed, it’s allowed. I am not one of these “sources, please” people, so I’ll take your word for it, and look at the GIRM and rubrics at my leisure.

If I were a priest, it’s not something I would do, I’ll just say that. But then again, I would only be a priest if I were allowed to say the TLM exclusively, so it’s not an issue for me. I don’t think the FSSP or SSPX would take in a sexagenarian seminarian (oooh, that rhymes! ) Never gonna happen.

 

[QwertyGirl]

God forbid a priest should do anything to make people feel welcome at Mass (s/).

Many people, for whatever reason, don’t. A priest extending a welcome in this manner may be just what is needed. Not sure why anyone would be upset over it.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

The vast majority of the time I see this done, it is done before the Mass begins. In many places it is done by the lector who is making announcements before the opening hymn begins and the priest enters. The lector will invite everyone to greet their neighbor before announcing the opening hymn.
In all the other places I’ve seen it, it is done after the opening hymn when the priest is in the sanctuary but before he has started to actually pray the Mass, which is still “before the Mass begins” to me.

I understand this forum is a place for people to ask questions and state opinions, but I have always found complaints about this particular practice to be among the most nit-picky.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

God forbid a priest should do anything to make people feel welcome at Mass (s/).

Many people, for whatever reason, don’t. A priest extending a welcome in this manner may be just what is needed. Not sure why anyone would be upset over it.

I am all for the priest making people feel welcome at Mass. I humbly submit that interrupting the prayers at the beginning of Mass to do so, is not the way this should be done. I do not go to Mass to feel good about myself or to feel welcomed. I go to Mass for the glory of Almighty God and to receive His graces and the Sacrament, if I am worthy of the latter. By way of comparison, it is incomprehensible to think of the introibo at the TLM being interrupted mid-verse to say “hello” to everyone — it would be as jarring as when Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift at the VMA awards.

it is done after the opening hymn when the priest is in the sanctuary but before he has started to actually pray the Mass, which is still “before the Mass begins” to me.

What you describe is fine. I am referring to the “good [daypart]” being said after the priest has made the sign of the cross with the accompanying doxology. At that point, Mass has begun.

If it’s allowed by the rubrics, that’s the bottom line. I am as free to dislike it, as someone else is free to dislike the practice before ca. 1980 in the United States of not allowing communion in the hand.

 

[Ean_Fanaiochta]

Do you truly believe that our Lord is offended when people receive His Body in the hand? The One who willingly gave His Body for us? You believe He does not want the people He died for to lovingly receive Communion in their hands?

Some of you people seem to worship the rubrics more than the living God.

 

[CRV]

Personally, I dislike this

I don’t like it either and find it unnecessary. This is the Mass - the worship of God, and not at some gathering to which people have come.

afaik, this “Good Morning” is not part of any greeting options in the Sacramentary at the Introductory Rite.

#50 “… … Then by means of the Greeting he signifies the presence of the Lord to the assembled community. By this greeting and the people’s response, the mystery of the Church gathered together is made manifest.”

#50 Vatican Website " … … Then he signifies the presence of the Lord to the community gathered there by means of the Greeting. By this Greeting and the people’s response, the mystery of the Church gathered together is made manifest."

The Greeting at Mass A Welcome into the Very Life of God by Bishop Arthur Serratelli - whilst a bit long, is an excellent explanation.

 

[Brendan_64]

In many OF (“Novus Ordo”) Masses, after the priest has begun the Mass, he interrupts the liturgy with “good morning”, “good evening”, or another greeting appropriate to the time of day, sometimes with extemporaneous comments. The people respond “good [daypart], Father” and then the priest makes his comments before returning to the liturgy.

The “Good morning”…“Good morning Father” thing is something I do find a little bit annoying (it can also come across a bit like a school assembly where the headteacher greets the school and the kids respond in turn). I think that we are not there to meet the priest as an individual man with whom we are familiar, but to encounter Christ. In that regard, the priest as an individual should not matter.

I think it probably isn’t allowed in the rubrics, but I wouldn’t see it as something to make a huge fuss over or start emailing the bishop. There are more important things to potentially get worked up over, I think. I think some priests see it as a means of being friendly and building a relationship with the community.

 

[ricmat]

What I’ve read above is just the tip of the iceberg at some parishes.

It seems that many parishes are trying to “out-friendly” the competition. A few months ago, our parish had all the ushers & misc. others lined up on both sides of the vestibule to shake everybody’s hands as they walked in. Your choice was to zig-zag back and forth to be sure you didn’t miss anybody, or to “run the gauntlet” and go to confession later for “not being friendly.”

The competition a few miles down the road, at various times before the Mass is over, insists that the following groups of people stand, wave, shake hands with everybody in range, and (in some cases) tell everybody where you are from and how far you came to get to church today:

1. Anybody who is having a birthday this month.
2. Anybody who is having a wedding anniversary this month.
3. Anybody who is part of ministries X, Y, or Z.
   3a) Those who receive extra-super-duper recognition for some great achievement.
   3b) Anybody not mentioned above now gets to stand and receive friendly recognition and glory.
4. Just after the Mass has started, shake hands and tell your neighbors a brief history of your life.
5. Hold hands during the Our Father (and if you prefer to hold you hands “glued together” instead - too bad, we will forcefully separate your clasped hands so you too can experience just how friendly we are.)

There’s another thread going on now about why we’re losing members when we are putting so much effort into being friendly. Maybe we should be putting more effort into the actual conduct of the Mass.

The absolute worst (and luckily only happened once) experience was at my “home town” parish where I hadn’t been to for a long time – the priest announced that Eucharistic Adoration would commence immediately after Mass, the monstrance and Host were already displayed on the altar, and to please please exit quietly and reverently. Unsurprisingly, an unbelievably noisy and raucus “friendly cocktail party atmosphere” broke out as the priest was processing down the aisle. I guess they just couldn’t restrain themselves after all that friendliness training.

oops… rant is over now.

 

[DeniseNY]

God forbid a priest should do anything to make people feel welcome at Mass (s/).

Many people, for whatever reason, don’t. A priest extending a welcome in this manner may be just what is needed. Not sure why anyone would be upset over it.

I don’t know why anyone would specifically need such a comment by the priest in order to feel welcome. I’m not arguing for or against it ; I just don’t understand it.

 

[Traddy1962]

Yes I do believe this. The Eucharist is the body, blood, Soul, and Divinity of our God. It doesn’t get more powerful than that. If it takes consecrated hands to command the bread and wine be changed, it stands to reason that only the consecrated can handle the consecrated. The church teaches that every little particle of the host, even the tiniest piece not visible to the eye, is the whole body, blood, Soul, and Divinity of God. Every time you receive it in the hand you get those particles on your hand, and 99% of the laity receiving in the hand do not take the appropriate measures to ensure these particles don’t end up on the floor or clothing. The priest uses the canonical digits(thumb and pointer finger) and traditionally has always held these fingers together during actions not involving the host, to ensure any particles would not fly all the place.The ordinary way of receiving the Eucharist in the church is on the tongue, the exception was made in the 70’s for the USA to receive on the hand, but under certain circumstances. For centuries the church received on the tongue exclusively, except for in EXTREME circumstances where the laity were permitted to handle the host.

I am not saying it’s an invalid way to receive, I’m not saying people are wrong for it. Don’t take that away from this. It is permissible according to the church. However, the way to receive according to the church is on the tongue, with the exception being in the hand.

 

[Ean_Fanaiochta]

This seems excessive, even to me.

Actually, if I saw all those people lined up to greet me, I probably would have turned around and ran back outside!

 

[HomeschoolDad]

Do you truly believe that our Lord is offended when people receive His Body in the hand? The One who willingly gave His Body for us? You believe He does not want the people He died for to lovingly receive Communion in their hands?

Yes I do believe this. The Eucharist is the body, blood, Soul, and Divinity of our God. It doesn’t get more powerful than that. If it takes consecrated hands to command the bread and wine be changed, it stands to reason that only the consecrated can handle the consecrated. The church teaches that every little particle of the host, even the tiniest piece not visible to the eye, is the whole body, blood, Soul, and Divinity of God…The ordinary way of receiving the Eucharist in the church is on the tongue, the exception was made in the 70’s for the USA to receive on the hand, but under certain circumstances. For centuries the church received on the tongue exclusively, except for in EXTREME circumstances where the laity were permitted to handle the host.

I am not saying it’s an invalid way to receive, I’m not saying people are wrong for it. Don’t take that away from this. It is permissible according to the church. However, the way to receive according to the church is on the tongue, with the exception being in the hand.

I echo what @Traddy1962 says. I do not condemn anyone for receiving CITH, but it is something I choose not to do, and I have Aquinas on my side:

The dispensing of Christ’s body belongs to the priest for three reasons. First, because, as was said above (Article 1), he consecrates as in the person of Christ. But as Christ consecrated His body at the supper, so also He gave it to others to be partaken of by them. Accordingly, as the consecration of Christ’s body belongs to the priest, so likewise does the dispensing belong to him. Secondly, because the priest is the appointed intermediary between God and the people; hence as it belongs to him to offer the people’s gifts to God, so it belongs to him to deliver consecrated gifts to the people. Thirdly, because out of reverence towards this sacrament, nothing touches it, but what is consecrated; hence the corporal and the chalice are consecrated, and likewise the priest’s hands, for touching this sacrament. Hence it is not lawful for anyone else to touch it except from necessity, for instance, if it were to fall upon the ground, or else in some other case of urgency.

And this study performed by a Catholic layman and his son:

http://archives.sspx.org/miscellane...hand/is_communion_in_the_hand_a_sacrilege.pdf

Again, I want to be very, very clear that I do not condemn anyone who receives CITH, and I affirm that the Church has the legal right to allow this by indult.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

The absolute worst (and luckily only happened once) experience was at my “home town” parish where I hadn’t been to for a long time – the priest announced that Eucharistic Adoration would commence immediately after Mass, the monstrance and Host were already displayed on the altar, and to please please exit quietly and reverently. Unsurprisingly, an unbelievably noisy and raucus “friendly cocktail party atmosphere” broke out as the priest was processing down the aisle. I guess they just couldn’t restrain themselves after all that friendliness training.

They just don’t know, they can’t comprehend, they can’t assimilate this. At the parish I used to attend, the moment the priest exited the nave, the people went buck-wild, this solid wave of cacophonous talking and noise, that only increased until people started trickling out of the church onto the parking lot.

Aside from this, there are also people — and thankfully they are a small minority — who cannot contain themselves from carrying on extended conversations and making random comments even during the Mass. I encountered this recently when sitting in front of two people who were evidently new to the TLM. My neighbor and I both looked back at them, more than once, to indicate mild disapproval, but this did not deter them. Evidently they were newcomers. I would certainly hope so.

I have even toyed with the idea of printing small cards to hand to such people, saying something like:

"You may not be aware of this, but unnecessary talking and conversing during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is disruptive to your neighbor, and more importantly, could be interpreted as disrespectful to Our Eucharistic Lord. Please restrain your talking for the duration of the Mass.

“I am sorry if you find this admonition offensive. If you do, please feel free to show this card to the priest after Mass, and allow him to explain to you why unnecessary talking is inappropriate for Holy Mass.”

I probably won’t do that, but the idea has crossed my mind.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Our priest begins by having everyone introduce each other to the person next to us.

Then he begins with Mass.

His goal is to have us celebrate Mass as a community of friends instead of a group of strangers.

Heaven forbid !

 

[JoeShlabotnik]

Since I do not speak Latin, it would be hard for me to greet a Catholic brother or sister at a TLM. I would need an interpreter brother or sister to help me.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

Our priest begins by having everyone introduce each other to the person next to us.

Then he begins with Mass.

His goal is to have us celebrate Mass as a community of friends instead of a group of strangers.

Heaven forbid !

I don’t have a problem with this, however, I would note that some people come to Mass carrying heavy burdens, heartaches, and various challenges, and might prefer to be alone with their thoughts. Having to introduce themselves would be kind of intrusive.

The Catholic Church is a big place, and many if not most people who come to Mass are fulfilling an intensely personal, private duty between themselves and Almighty God. Some people don’t particularly want to introduce themselves to their neighbor. Their boundaries should be respected.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

Since I do not speak Latin, it would be hard for me to greet a Catholic brother or sister at a TLM. I would need an interpreter brother or sister to help me.

Please — people at the TLM do not speak Latin to one another. An egghead here and there (I’m looking at you, HomeschoolDad! ) might toss a pithy Latin phrase into a conversation — mutatis mutandis, mirabile dictu, and so on — but Latin is solely the language of the liturgy. That’s it. People worshiped fruitfully, and grew in holiness, for hundreds of years without knowing one single word of Latin.