Laity reading scripture during homily

[TK421]

I don’t mean that they are the ones going to the pulpit to read the gospel. The priest uses scripture very heavily, including quoting chapter and verse during the homily. He will sometimes call on parishioners with bibles to look up a verse to read out loud. Has anybody else seen this practiced?

 

[TimothyH]

Catholics bringing Bibles to Church???

Halleluia!

 

[Don_Ruggero]

I don’t mean that they are the ones going to the pulpit to read the gospel. The priest uses scripture very heavily, including quoting chapter and verse during the homily. He will sometimes call on parishioners with bibles to look up a verse to read out loud. Has anybody else seen this practiced?

This is more of something I would do at a Mass with children where I might incorporate into my homily questions that would engage them…so, yes, we can ask a question and, in such a case, someone would verbally answer and then the homily continues, perhaps strategically deploying more questions to keep the children involved and thinking.

I have used the question device also when I had occasion to substitute for the bishop for Confirmation or in receiving converts into full communion. It is not something I, personally, do at an ordinary Mass otherwise.

I can’t say I have ever had occasion to give from the pulpit a biblical citation and someone responds by reading the text or reciting it from memory. But it is, essentially, using the same principle I described above.

Are the people responsive to this sort of initiative?

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

Catholics bringing Bibles to Church???

Halleluia!

No, not necessarily. Issues: unless everyone has a copy of the NAB, any attempt to read along with the lector is going to find a slightly different translation, which will be distracting and take away from the attention that should be paid to the reading. The presence of the Bible could be a temptation to pick it up and start reading if someone dislikes or doesn’t become engaged in the homily, which is not only disrespectful to the homilist, but a distraction to those sitting near such a person. I have experienced several priests who have actively discouraged even reading along in the Missalette, in order to focus attention on the word as it is being proclaimed.

 

[Gorgias]

TK421:

The priest uses scripture very heavily, including quoting chapter and verse during the homily. He will sometimes call on parishioners with bibles to look up a verse to read out loud.

Are the people responsive to this sort of initiative?

This sounds like something that would be found more commonly in the services of non-Catholic Christians’ worship.

TK, does the congregation there include a large proportion of converts? Is it in an area in which there are few Catholics, and many Catholics would have had experience with Christian denominations’ worship services?

 

[TK421]

No, it wouldn’t be in a demographic with a particularly large number of adult conversions (it’s an American parish). The priest in question is a missionary priest from Nigeria.

Based on my experiences so far with different parishes (12 or so) I’d say this is probably the most vibrant one. It also has a library with Catholic books, a little shopping area with suggesting donations for CDs, sacramentals, books, etc., a public rosary that is often said before Mass, and I think quite a few devotional groups. Having laity read scripture passages during the homily was a new encounter for me. The parishioners seem very happy with Father.

 

[utah_rose]

Catholics bringing Bibles to Church???

Halleluia!

We had a priest from India that did this. He would read from the Bible and ask questions about the gospel to the congregation. He’d also give “homework” on the homily or Scripture! Also, for Penance he’d ask you to read a psalm, referring to your Sins you confessed.Sadly, he didnt last too long.He was quickly transferred to a different parish after only spending 2 years at ours. He also would lie prostrate in front of the Eucharist after he consecrated it. I think possibly the bishop we had at the time didn’t care for this.

 

[dreamer29]

I am beginning to think the ordinary Mass can be different in other geographical areas. I seem to read a lot on these threads and see Mass is not all the same. Adding or subtracting from the Rubrics I thought is not allowed. I am not implying that this Church has.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

No, it wouldn’t be in a demographic with a particularly large number of adult conversions (it’s an American parish). The priest in question is a missionary priest from Nigeria.

Based on my experiences so far with different parishes (12 or so) I’d say this is probably the most vibrant one. It also has a library with Catholic books, a little shopping area with suggesting donations for CDs, sacramentals, books, etc., a public rosary that is often said before Mass, and I think quite a few devotional groups. Having laity read scripture passages during the homily was a new encounter for me. The parishioners seem very happy with Father.

It would have helped to answer had you originally specified that the priest was from Nigeria. I don’t naturally think in terms of Africa when I am responding in this forum. Yes, what he is doing would be quite normal for where he is from. I have always been profoundly affected by the vibrancy of the Church in Africa.