Is this true? What are the parameters of laity participating in the Mass up front?Yes it is true. Under no circumstance may laity read the Gospel reading at Mass. Only a priest or deacon may do so.I heard wind from somebody that laity are not to be reading the gospel at Mass, and yet it is a regular occurrence at my parish for laity to read gospel passages.
Laity may read the Old Testament, New Testament, and Psalm.
As well as the Gospel of John, which is not Synoptic.
This is an unusual practice. In the NO, priests abdicated their role of reading from the epistle from Bible to the laity, but they retained the role of reading from the gospel. Are you just confusing the gospel with some of the other readings from the Bible that are read during mass?I heard wind from somebody that laity are not to be reading the gospel at Mass, and yet it is a regular occurrence at my parish for laity to read gospel passages.
Yes! The laity cannot read the Gospel at Mass: neither lay man nor lay woman, religious or secular. It should normally read by a deacon. If no deacon is present, a priest reads it. Only if there are neither deacon nor priest does a bishop read it. Only bishops, priests and deacons, i.e. ordained sacred ministers, can read the Gospel.I heard wind from somebody that laity are not to be reading the gospel at Mass, and yet it is a regular occurrence at my parish for laity to read gospel passages.
This is strictly prohibited by the Church. Only men in holy orders (bishops, priests, deacons) can read the Gospel at Mass.
Would you have Mass cancelled instead?
It is highly unusual for the Gospel reading to be read by the laity unless there is such an extenuating circumstance that warrants it. It should only be read by the celebrant and if there is deacon or the mass being concelebrated, to be read by the deacon or the other priests. In any case it should not be allowed when the mass is celebrated in a church though I know people are less strict in home masses. In principle the Gospel readings are to be read by the ordained clergies (including the deacons).I heard wind from somebody that laity are not to be reading the gospel at Mass, and yet it is a regular occurrence at my parish for laity to read gospel passages.
You are right in your description of the rules on this. However, you know with every rule there is an exception. If the priest is unable as in blindness, he can have another read the gospel for him.
It is not a case of cancelling the Mass. If the proper sacred ministers are not available the Mass cannot be celebrated.Would you have Mass cancelled instead?
That statement does not always hold true. It is often used as a weak excuse by those who wish to break the rules.
Yes, another priest or failing that a deacon.
I would be obliged if you could cite any reference that supports this claim.
I’m talking about a particular situation in which Mass had already begun. An elderly priest started feeling ill during the readings from all the standing, which made him dizzy. When it came to the Gospel, said priest felt he could not walk up to the ambo to proclaim the Gospel. Another priest or deacon was not available. What would you do in that extenuating circumstance? Cancel Mass because there is no priest or deacon to proclaim the Gospel according to the rules, or have a lay person be the proxy and then the priest gives his homily while sitting down in his chair?
If the priest is present then the Mass can take place.
Ok, Bergon if you want call people rule breakers you go right ahead. I would be obliged for you to call Bishop Jacobs and tell him he is breaking the rules.
To be honest? In this case the Mass probably should have been stopped. The reason is because once the Liturgy of the Eucharist begins it cannot be stopped, so if the priest becomes incapacitated another priest would have to come and finish the Mass. I do not believe there are any prohibitions to ending the stopping the Mass at the point in which you say it is. Another point is that the priest could have proclaimed the gospel at the chair while sitting.I’m talking about a particular situation in which Mass had already begun. An elderly priest started feeling ill during the readings from all the standing, which made him dizzy. When it came to the Gospel, said priest felt he could not walk up to the ambo to proclaim the Gospel. Another priest or deacon was not available. What would you do in that extenuating circumstance? Cancel Mass because there is no priest or deacon to proclaim the Gospel according to the rules, or have a lay person be the proxy and then the priest gives his homily while sitting down in his chair?
Because I can tell you that what happened is that a lay person read the Gospel, the priest gave his homily from his chair, and felt well enough afterward to continue and finish the Mass.
I do not understand why you are getting upset. I can draw an inference from it but shall not do that. I do not make what you call the “rules”. The Church makes them. I suspect that She made them for particular reasons.Ok, Bergon if you want call people rule breakers you go right ahead. I would be obliged for you to call Bishop Jacobs and tell him he is breaking the rules.
I will stop posting in reply to your posts, it seems you are on a mission. Sorry if I upset you.
Really??? You can look at my profile, see my diocese which I am assigned and figure the rest out on your own. If you even have one inkling of a thought to do this from an internet forum, you most definitely are on a mission…
