Interpretation of the GIRM

[ProVobis]

There are no differing variations of GIRM. GIRM is liturgical law. We should *know that we do not have the authority to take it upon ourselves to try to add to or improve upon the Mass…

Perhaps we should put things into some historical perspective here. The old rite was often criticized for its strictness. Everything had to be in Latin, there were an exact number of crosses, of genuflections, of bows, of syllables between crosses, of server responses, etc, etc. There were no “general” instructions per se. They were quite rigid with lots of details that did not vary from country to country.

Then in the 60’s, much of this strictness was relaxed. One can argue whether it made the Mass more understandable or made it better. The point is, just like the relaxation of the meat abstinence requirement, the Pope appealed to the higher spirituality of the congregation to worship God. Yes, this means it will vary from parish to parish, diocese to diocese, country to country. This is okay IMO, so long as it is recognizeable as a Catholic Mass and God is properly worshipped.

But then a local bishop could rule otherwise.

Personally, though, I prefer the much stricter observance.

 

[Phemie]

Perhaps we should put things into some historical perspective here. The old rite was often criticized for its strictness. Everything had to be in Latin, there were an exact number of crosses, of genuflections, of bows, of syllables between crosses, of server responses, etc, etc. There were no “general” instructions per se. They were quite rigid with lots of details that did not vary from country to country.

Then in the 60’s, much of this strictness was relaxed. One can argue whether it made the Mass more understandable or made it better. The point is, just like the relaxation of the meat abstinence requirement, the Pope appealed to the higher spirituality of the congregation to worship God. Yes, this means it will vary from parish to parish, diocese to diocese, country to country. This is okay IMO, so long as it is recognizeable as a Catholic Mass and God is properly worshipped.

But then a local bishop could rule otherwise.

Personally, though, I prefer the much stricter observance.

But there were still things that were dictated:

• The priest to do 3 genuflections if the Tabernacle isn’t in the sanctuary, 5 if it is (entering, leaving, Consecration (x2), and before Communion). In my parish that was largely ignored by the priests for 10 years – until our most recent pastor. It continues to be ignored by the missionary who sometimes replaces him.
• The priest doesn’t have the option to give out Communion before he receives it. In my parish most of the priests did just that so that altar servers, EMHCs and the priest all consumed together – until our most recent pastor. It continues to happen with the missionary who sometimes replaces him. Very confusing for the altar servers, if not the EMHCs.
• The priests don’t have the option to delegate the purification of the vessels to the EMHCs, unless said EMHCs happen to be instituted acolytes. It happened in my parish all the time – until our most recent pastor. It continues to happen with the missionary who sometimes replaces him.

 

[Megan7]

But there were still things that were dictated:

• The priest to do 3 genuflections if the Tabernacle isn’t in the sanctuary, 5 if it is (entering, leaving, Consecration (x2), and before Communion). In my parish that was largely ignored by the priests for 10 years – until our most recent pastor. It continues to be ignored by the missionary who sometimes replaces him.
• The priest doesn’t have the option to give out Communion before he receives it. In my parish most of the priests did just that so that altar servers, EMHCs and the priest all consumed together – until our most recent pastor. It continues to happen with the missionary who sometimes replaces him. Very confusing for the altar servers, if not the EMHCs.
• The priests don’t have the option to delegate the purification of the vessels to the EMHCs, unless said EMHCs happen to be instituted acolytes. It happened in my parish all the time – until our most recent pastor. It continues to happen with the missionary who sometimes replaces him.

Thanks for the thread & post. God bless.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

It certainly isn’t the role of an ordinary lay person to interpret the girm. A lay person who is trained as a liturgies and has an appointed role in a parish/diocese would, but only in conjunction with the bishop. The rest of us ordinary lay people do not get an opinion.

Certainly we can ask questions, and will recognize egregious abuses (something like phemies examples, not the nonsense that we are often all worked up about). And when we do have questions, we should politely ask the priest.