Is this Mass valid/licit?

[Grace_and_Glory]

I went to Mass today (Friday), and the priest was someone I hadn’t seen before. After the Gospel, he went straight to the presentation of the gifts. No Creed, no prayers of the faithful. I’ve never been to a Mass, Sunday or weekday, that has not included both. Can they be omitted from a weekday Mass, or does their omission make the Mass illicit and/or invalid?

 

[Dr.Bombay]

The Creed is only said on Sunday. I don’t believe the Prayers of the Faithful are optional (foolish and occasionally frivolous perhaps, but optional, no).

The omission of either, however, would not invalidate the Mass.

 

[msproule]

I know you did not ask about the homily, but it also fits into the discussion. The following passage is taken from paragraph 66 of the GIRM (emphasis added):

There is to be a homily on Sundays and holy days of obligation at all Masses that are celebrated with the participation of a congregation; it may not be omitted without a serious reason. It is recommended on other days, especially on the weekdays of Advent, Lent, and the Easter Season, as well as on other festive days and occasions when the people come to church in greater numbers.
**
I have been to frequent weekday Masses in which the homily was omitted, even though it is always preferrable to have one.

As for the Creed, Dr. Bombay is correct.

In the GIRM I saw no provision allowing the prayer of the faithful to be excluded from the Mass. So, this is probably the only thing that may have been done ilicitly. It may matter whether or not the omission was intentional. I do not know.

Nevertheless, I think it is safe to say the Mass was valid.

 

[Sir_Knight]

This isn’t official but I was an Altar Boy for three years and served at close to a thousand week-day masses and NEVER has the Prayer of the Faithful been omitted.

 

[Grace_and_Glory]

Actually, there was a homily. Sorry I forgot to mention it. It’s been a long week, so my powers of concentration are not what they should be. I don’t know why I thought the Creed was said at weekday Mass before. I don’t know if it had been included anyway or if I just didn’t notice it wasn’t being said until something else was missing. I guess I’m usually paying so much attention to what is going on that I usually don’t notice what is not going on. Thanks for your help.

 

[_veritas]

I have been told that the Prayer of the Faithful is optional by a couple of priests, and have never questioned it before. Only one priest I know always leaves out the vocal Prayer of the Faithful during weekday Mass.

However, here is what the GIRM has to say – it doesn’t sound optional here, maybe there is some other documentation elsewhere that does say it however.

*The Prayer of the Faithful
*69. In the Prayer of the Faithful, the people respond in a certain way to the word of God which they have welcomed in faith and, exercising the office of their baptismal priesthood, offer prayers to God for the salvation of all. It is fitting that such a prayer be included, as a rule, in Masses celebrated with a congregation, so that petitions will be offered for the holy Church, for civil authorities, for those weighed down by various needs, for all men and women, and for the salvation of the whole world.67

1. As a rule, the series of intentions is to be

1. 
   *]For the needs of the Church;
   *]For public authorities and the salvation of the whole world;
   *]For those burdened by any kind of difficulty;
   *]For the local community.

1. 
   Nevertheless, in a particular celebration, such as Confirmation, Marriage, or a Funeral, the series of intentions may reflect more closely the particular occasion.
   

   1. It is for the priest celebrant to direct this prayer from the chair. He himself begins it with a brief introduction, by which he invites the faithful to pray, and likewise he concludes it with a prayer. The intentions announced should be sober, be composed freely but prudently, and be succinct, and they should express the prayer of the entire community.

   The intentions are announced from the ambo or from another suitable place, by the deacon or by a cantor, a lector, or one of the lay faithful.68

   The people, however, stand and give expression to their prayer either by an invocation said together after each intention or by praying in silence.

   Of course, the inclusion of the Prayer of the Faithful has no effect on the validity of the Mass – no worry there.
   
   +veritas+

 

[joshua1]

I attend weekday masses and the homily is never supposed to be ommited. It can be five minutes long or even shorter I suppose, but there has to be one. It can even be a one minute reflection on the readings or proper of the season for that day. The prayers of the faithful are never ommitted, there may be just two or three petitions but they are suppose to be there.

 

[msproule]

Joshua,

Please refer to my earlier post where I include the relevant lines from the GIRM pertaining to the homily. To paraphrase, a homily is recommended on all the weekdays of ordinary time and *especially *so on the weekdays of Lent, Advent, Easter, and holy days of obligation. The word “recommended” is used to set the weekdays apart from the Sunday Masses, in which the homily is never to be omitted.