"Kindly rise for the Gospel" during holy mass

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RobertDAlmeida

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Shalom-
During Sunday/feast mass after the 2nd reading, what is the correct wording to use to invite the congregation to prepare/acclaim the gospel ?.
The congregation are seated.
  1. “Kindly rise for the Gospel”
  2. “Kindly rise for the Gospel Acclamation”
    I heard a few comments that why should the lector invite people to stand for the Gospel Acclamation, they should be instead invited to stand for the Gospel.
 
In our parish the cantor says 'Please stand to greet the Gospel;,
 
The Order of the Mass does not allow
a special invitation. So there would be
no need to include it.

Here’s the order:

Gospel

The assembly stands to sing the Gospel Acclamation
to welcome the Gospel. They remain standing in honor
of the Gospel reading, the high point of the Liturgy of
the Word. At the ambo the Deacon, or the Priest says:

The Lord be with you.

The people reply:
And with your spirit.

The Deacon, or the Priest:
A reading from the holy Gospel according to N.

He makes the Sign of the Cross on the book and,
together with the people, on his forehead, lips, and
breast. At the same time the people acclaim:

Glory to you, O Lord.

At the end of the Gospel, the Deacon,
or the Priest, acclaims:

The Gospel of the Lord.

All reply:
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

After the proclamation of the Gospel the congregation is seated.

I hope that helps.
 
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Not saying that anymore. People just stand for the Gospel acclamation.
 
Thank you,
In parishes around my place, we generally tell the congregation to stand up/rise just before singing the gospel acclamation. (Otherwise some people would sit and there would be some confusion whether to sit or stand for a few people).
My concern is about how to word it.
Are both of them liturgically correct ?.
  1. Kindly rise for the Gospel.
  2. Kindly rise for the Gospel acclamation.
 
We would love to get there, where we avoid giving instructions on our postures during different parts of the Holy Mass. But since the congregation are composed for people 1. used to listen to these instructions and without which they get confused. 2. new people, it would require some time until it becomes second nature.
 
Robert:
Because neither response is included in the Order or of the Mass,
you’ll have to leave it to your priest.
 
Thank you,
In parishes around my place, we generally tell the congregation to stand up/rise just before singing the gospel acclamation. (Otherwise some people would sit and there would be some confusion whether to sit or stand for a few people).
My concern is about how to word it.
Are both of them liturgically correct ?.
  1. Kindly rise for the Gospel.
  2. Kindly rise for the Gospel acclamation.
Where it is said, it is an informal addition to the liturgy. It’s not in the missal or the General Instruction (GIRM)

So, there is no “correct” form. In our parish, if anything is said, we say “Please stand to welcome the Gospel”, however some commentators, including myself, say nothing. All the people in the Masses I commentate for know that I don’t say it, so they don’t expect it. When I lead the gospel acclamation I stand up clearly after the second reading, pause, and then slowing sing “Alleluiah”, and the congregation stands and joins in.

If you are wondering about the “correct” form for you own purposes as the person to say it, then I’d recommend “Kindly stand for the gospel acclamation”. If you are wondering whether what someone else is saying is “correct”, then whatever they say is neither incorrect nor correct.
 
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Kindly stand for the gospel acclamation
Thank you Edmundus for taking the time to explain elaborately, I agree that it is informal and therby cannot be deemed as correct/incorrect.
If I may clarify further,
We are currently saying “Kindly stand for the Gospel Acclamation”, a few people have approached me with these arguments.
  1. Why should we stand for the gospel acclamation?, wouldn’t it make sense to invite the congregation to stand for the Gospel and not the acclamation which is just a prelude to the Gospel reading.
 
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Edmundus1581:
Kindly stand for the gospel acclamation
Thank you Edmundus for taking the time to explain elaborately, I agree that it is informal and therby cannot be deemed as correct/incorrect.
If I may clarify further,
We are currently saying “Kindly stand for the Gospel Acclamation”, a few people have approached me with these arguments.
1. Why should we stand for the gospel acclamation?, wouldn’t it make sense to invite the congregation to stand for the Gospel and not the acclamation which is just a prelude to the Gospel reading.
This illustrates the whole problem of adding informal parts to the liturgy. Every word of the liturgy has been selected by liturgical experts who have considered all the issues, over centuries. When a part is added informally, then laity who simply have an opinion will disagree with laity who have a different opinion.

You should not be in the position of having a member of the laity challenge you over the liturgy!

Still, as you seem to be stuck with having to say something, these are my thoughts:

My recommendation between your two choices was almost a 50/50 call. I can see arguments for both versions (or, both are equally bad). So follow the custom in your parish, and if still not sure, then ask the priest or a member of the liturgy committee. Then, if you have to defend it, just refer the questioner to the priest or liturgy committee.
 
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My parish automatically stand for the Gospel acclamation and reading. It is written in the missals and the order of the mass is also in the hymnbooks with notes on standing, sitting, kneeling. If there would be something “extra” when we are supposed to stand then the priest simply pauses and shows by raising his hand slightly that we are expected to stand.

If our newcomers are not Catholics, they just follow what the rest of the parish is doing. They are noticed in that they are just turning their heads a bit more and then someone helps them find their way. There is not a problem either with 60-70 languages/nationalities and a lot of them are part of the Eastern Catholic Churches.

I really don’t like all this “Please sit… Please stand… etc”. It interferes with the natural flow of the mass and makes me feel like a spectator at a sports game. Thinking “They must think we are idiots!” as well certainly doesn’t help.
 
We would love to get there, where we avoid giving instructions on our postures during different parts of the Holy Mass. But since the congregation are composed for people 1. used to listen to these instructions and without which they get confused. 2. new people, it would require some time until it becomes second nature.
Since our archdiocese has implemented the GIRM fully some years back, we decided to do away with commentator/mc during the mass except for the introduction and the announcement. The latter is also done by the celebrants sometimes. There is perhaps less interruption/distraction, though I do not think this is the official reason to do away with them.

It was thought that people would know the order of the mass especially the postures. Anyway, they can always follow the others for cues.

However, ‘commentating’ is still done when the congregation is mixed especially during wedding and funeral masses.
 
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What actually is ‘commentating’?

In the UK, I have never come across anything extra, other than a cantor to lead the Psalm. Is it sometihng special to the US?
 
I’ve usually seen such additions at Christmas or Easter. During regular Sunday Mass you’re correct that pretty much everyone knows what to do; however for those two feasts there are often very many newcomers.
 
Commentating is when someone, not the priest or deacon, tells the people to “Sit down for the sermon. Stand up for the Gospel… Kneel for the Eucharistic prayer. Stand for Agnus Dei, Sanctus etc”. Seems like it is more in the USA as I haven’t seen it in Europe (several countries) apart from one mass in English in my parish but on USA masses on Youtube.
 
Commentating is when someone, not the priest or deacon, tells the people to “Sit down for the sermon. Stand up for the Gospel… Kneel for the Eucharistic prayer. Stand for Agnus Dei, Sanctus etc”. Seems like it is more in the USA as I haven’t seen it in Europe (several countries) apart from one mass in English in my parish but on USA masses on Youtube.
Oh, right. I thought commentating would be something like 'We now bring forward the bread and wine which symbolise… or ‘The priest now puts a small part of the Host into the chalice because…’ sort of thing. Explaining the different actions. I had misunderstood.
 
Everyone really should know and guests will just do what the see everyone else doing.
 
If the people do not understand Mass and need instruction, how about, “Please stand.” Less is more.
 
“Oh, right. I thought commentating would be something like 'We now bring forward the bread and wine which symbolise… or ‘The priest now puts a small part of the Host into the chalice because…’ sort of thing. Explaining the different actions. I had misunderstood.”

I would say that is a mass where the priest explains what and why he and everyone else are doing during mass. More of a teaching mass for younger children. For adults they would be told before or after mass.
 
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