How flexible is the mass?

[Binary]

It seems like whenever I travel or move to a new place I experience a slightly different mass. Is this a big deal? Is the mass intended to be somewhat adaptable to individual communities, or should it be exactly the same everywhere? Which changes are harmless and which are liturgical abuse?

 

[MichiganTrumbul]

Which changes are harmless and which are liturgical abuse?

I think that this is an easy question to answer. Priests and other self-proclaimed masters of the Sacred Liturgy, on the other hand, would probably disagree.

The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, makes it very clear on who can change the Holy Mass. Consider:

1. Regulation of the sacred liturgy depends solely on the authority of the Church, that is, on the Apostolic See and, as laws may determine, on the bishop.

1. In virtue of power conceded by the law, the regulation of the liturgy within certain defined limits belongs also to various kinds of competent territorial bodies of bishops legitimately established.

1. Therefore no other person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority.
   Sacrosanctum Concilium, Section 22

So that is the food chain: Rome is at the top, competent territorial bodies of bishops (in the USA that would be the USCCB) are next, but only with Rome’s approval, and finally the bishop, but only insofar as he is permitted by law.

Presently, for example, the US bishops are working with Rome on a new English translation for the Mass. The US bishops cannot implement this new translation, however, until Rome approves it.

Even a bishop is granted (very) limited power to determine what is liturgically proper in his diocese. A bishop can, for example, forbid reception of communion in the hand, but cannot forbid reception on the tongue. A bishop can determine whether congregations in his diocese shall stand or kneel after the Agnus Dei, but he cannot make such a determination during the Eucharistic Prayer (all must kneel).

Understand also, that there are legitimate options that a priest does have. There are three acceptable greetings, three forms of the penitential rite (plus the sprinkling of water, when appropriate), four regular Eucharistic Prayers (plus those for reconciliation and those for Masses with children), and four different memorial acclamations.

If you want to find out more about what is liturgically proper and what is not, read the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (available for download in pdf format from the USCCB website).

usccb.org/liturgy/current/revmissalisromanien.shtml

MT

 

[Binary]

Thank you very much!

 

[palmas85]

It seems like whenever I travel or move to a new place I experience a slightly different mass. Is this a big deal? Is the mass intended to be somewhat adaptable to individual communities, or should it be exactly the same everywhere? Which changes are harmless and which are liturgical abuse?

A difficult question to answer in that most people who commit abuses probably don’t think they are. There is a general feeling among many of the more enlightened that th Mass should not be set in stone and that variations, change and differences are a good thing and should be applauded and encouraged.

My own personal feeling is that if something occurs that is not in the rubrics then it is an abuse and that includes by the Priest or the Laity. Example handholding and the orans by the faithful. Not used in the Traditional Mass, no mention of it in the rubrics for the Pauline Mass, abuse. Receiving in the hand, not done in the Traditional Mass, specifically addressed and approved by the Church, not an abuse. Priest or Deacon not delivering the Gospel reading, specifically forbidden by the rubrics an abuse.

Yet, those who commit the abuses can find ways to justify them as being in the Spirit of Vatican II.

You see that is the problem in a nutshell. The spirit of Vatican II. A nebulous thing that is interpreted differently by everyone. Right after that session, there was a time when experimentation was permitted in different areas, not only in the Mass, to see how things would work out. After a while Rome said no more experimantation and many felt that was wrong. They felt those decisions should be made locally. One of the main things many had hoped for out of Vatican II was a de-centralization of Romes authority. In fact the publication of Humanae Vitae caused such a firestorm it looked like the Church was pulling itself apart, mainly because it showed that ultiomate power still resided within the Vatican and that was something the modern enlightened types could not and did not accept.

The endless experimentation that continues with the Mass is just an extension of that same mindset.

 

[maryj]

quote=MichiganTrumbul;1650061Even a bishop is granted (very) limited power to determine what is liturgically proper in his diocese. A bishop can, for example, forbid reception of communion in the hand, but cannot forbid reception on the tongue. A bishop can determine whether congregations in his diocese shall stand or kneel after the Agnus Dei, but he cannot make such a determination during the Eucharistic Prayer (all must kneel).

So, I was visiting my daughter this past weekend in Minneapolis. We decided that we would go to mass at the Basilica of St. Mary, which is the co-cathedral for Minneapolis St.Paul. I had never been to a Basilica, and was overwhelmed by the magnitude of it. What an incredibly holy place, you could feel it right when you walked in. The do not use a daily mislette, but instead one is printed up for each Sunday, with the appropriate readings and responses. Full choir, I mean huge choir, incense was used in all or the appropriate places. lots of altar BOYS. I followed along in the missalette, following the printed music for the responses, since the music was different than in my parish. I was overjoyed and overwhelmed by the whole thing, then came time for the Eucharistic prayer, and in small writing at the bottom of the page it read: In keeping with the age old tradition and with permission of the Archbishop, please remain standing during the Eucharistic prayer. You are invited to bow after the elevation of the Consecrated Host and Consecrated Wine. I was floored!! I was uncomfortable, I was uneasy, what I should have done was drop to my knees, and yet I didn’t . My question is this; how is this possible, that in such a Holy place as this was, a basic rule from the GIRM is ignored, or changed?? There has got to be a reason that this happens. Anybody got an answer, a reason why? Also before the Our Father it states in the misalette: Please extend your hands in the orans position.(this I simply did not do). After receiving Communion we were directed to kneel until the presider is seated. I am dismayed. Can anyone explain this?? One last thing, the Basilica was equipted with kneelers.

 

[maryj]

One last question I forgot to include…What do you do when you witness an abuse?

 

[Caesar]

The Mass should be universal for the Latin Church, but it is not. Used to be…

 

[Rand_Al_Thor]

The Mass should be universal for the Latin Church, but it is not. Used to be…

Pax tecum!

Not quite. There was the Roman Rite, the Dominican Rite, the Carmelite Rite, the Sarum Rite, the Ambrosian Rite, the Mozarabic Rite, ect. All slightly different.

In Christ,
Rand

 

[palmas85]

Pax tecum!

Not quite. There was the Roman Rite, the Dominican Rite, the Carmelite Rite, the Sarum Rite, the Ambrosian Rite, the Mozarabic Rite, ect. All slightly different.

In Christ,
Rand

Yes, all different but within themselves the same. The Dominican Rite was not celebrated differently from one place to another nor were any of the others.

I am distressed that you left out the Cistercian Rite:thumbsup: one of my favorites.

 

[Rand_Al_Thor]

Yes, all different but within themselves the same. The Dominican Rite was not celebrated differently from one place to another nor were any of the others.

I am distressed that you left out the Cistercian Rite:thumbsup: one of my favorites.

Pax tecum!

Ah, yes, the Cistercians! I knew I had left out at least one other big one!

You’re certainly right that they were the same within each Rite, but the reason I mention them is because of the post that the entire Latin Church had the same Rite of the Mass.

In Christ,
Rand