Liturgical Abuse? Is it permissable to omit the Kyrie?

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Br.Rich_SFO

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This weekend at Mass the Kyrie was omitted after the Penitential Rite. It this permitted?
 
Is this a “test your knowledge” type of question? 😉

I do know that the Kyrie is omitted if one of the other forms of penance has been done (e.g. “I confess to almighty God”).

A question along the same lines, though. We often do the penitential rite (“I confess”) plus the Kyrie at my church. Is that permissible?
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
This weekend at Mass the Kyrie was omitted after the Penitential Rite. It this permitted?
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Yes, if Form C (petitions followed by Lord have mercy/Christ have mercy, etc.) was used.

Also, according to the missal, if the sprinkling of water is used, then the Kyrie is omitted.
 
tcraig said:
Is this a “test your knowledge” type of question? 😉

I do know that the Kyrie is omitted if one of the other forms of penance has been done (e.g. “I confess to almighty God”).
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No, only if it has been used in the Act of Penitence like Form C
A question along the same lines, though. We often do the penitential rite (“I confess”) plus the Kyrie at my church. Is that permissible?
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This is the correct practice.
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
This weekend at Mass the Kyrie was omitted after the Penitential Rite. It this permitted?
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According to GIRM 52, the Kyrie may only be omitted when it is incorporated into the Act of Penitence:
Chapter II - The Structure of the Mass, Its Elements and Its Parts
III. The Individual Parts of the Mass
A. THE INTRODUCTORY RITES
*The *Kyrie Eleison
  1. After the Act of Penitence, the Kyrie is always begun, unless it has already been included as part of the Act of Penitence. Since it is a chant by which the faithful acclaim the Lord and implore his mercy, it is ordinarily done by all, that is, by the people and with the choir or cantor having a part in it.
As a rule, each acclamation is sung or said twice, though it may be repeated several times, by reason of the character of the various languages, as well as of the artistry of the music or of other circumstances. When the Kyrie is sung as a part of the Act of Penitence, a trope may precede each acclamation.
There are three options for the Act of Penitence: a) the Confiteor, b) a set of versicles and responses between the priest and congregation, and c) three interjections (“Lord, have mercy” following the first and third, “Christ, have mercy” following the second). Only option C incorporates the Kyrie, so it is necessary to follow options A and B with the Kyrie.

As for when sprinkling of blessed water is used, GIRM 51 has this to say:
Chapter II - The Structure of the Mass, Its Elements and Its Parts
III. The Individual Parts of the Mass
A. THE INTRODUCTORY RITES
The Act of Penitence
  1. Then the priest invites those present to take part in the Act of Penitence, which, after a brief pause for silence, the entire community carries out through a formula of general confession. The rite concludes with the priest’s absolution, which, however, lacks the efficacy of the Sacrament of Penance.
On Sundays, especially in the Season of Easter, in place of the customary Act of Penitence, from time to time the blessing and sprinkling of water to recall Baptism may take place.
When the sprinkling of water replaces the Act of Penitence, it also replaces the Kyrie (Sacramentary, p. 358).

Finally, when Mass is celebrated in conjunction with the Liturgy of the Hours, only one introductory rite is omitted (either that of the Liturgy of the Hours, or that of the Mass), as dictated by GILH 94:
Chapter II: Sanctification of the Day: The Different Liturgical Hours
Chapter II-VII. Combining the Hours With Mass or With Each Other
  1. When morning prayer, celebrated in choir or in common, comes immediately before Mass, the whole celebration may begin either with the introductory verse and hymn of morning prayer, especially on weekdays, or with the entrance song, procession, and celebrant’s greeting, especially on Sundays and holydays; one of the introductory rites is thus omitted.
The psalmody of morning prayer follows as usual, up to, but excluding, the reading. After the psalmody the penitential rite is omitted and, as circumstances suggest, the Kyrie; the Gloria then follows, if required by the rubrics, and the celebrant says the opening prayer of the Mass. The liturgy of the word follows as usual.

…
 
tcraig said:
Is this a “test your knowledge” type of question? 😉

I do know that the Kyrie is omitted if one of the other forms of penance has been done (e.g. “I confess to almighty God”).

A question along the same lines, though. We often do the penitential rite (“I confess”) plus the Kyrie at my church. Is that permissible?
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Interestingly enough, the 1962 missal included both the Confiteor and Kyrie and that is how the N.O. mass was celebrated in my childhood parish (by a conservative/traditionalist priest) in the early to mid 1970’s. Personally, the two paired together seem to make intuitive sense…first we say “I confess”, then we ask for the Lord’s mercy “Kyrie, eleison”. They kindof feel like they go together.

In the current missal however I’ve noticed that there is specific instruction that the celebrant use either the Confiteor or Kyrie but not both. I suspect the theory is that either accomplishes the same thing therefore both are not needed (assuming it isn’t just a means to shorten the liturgy). Occasionally however the younger more traditional priest in my parish will use both.
 
AMDG1 said:
In the current missal however I’ve noticed that there is specific instruction that the celebrant use either the Confiteor or Kyrie but not both. I suspect the theory is that either accomplishes the same thing therefore both are not needed (assuming it isn’t just a means to shorten the liturgy). Occasionally however the younger more traditional priest in my parish will use both.
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No, the Confiteor (form A of the Act of Penitence) is always to be followed by the Kyrie in the Mass of Paul VI. The current Sacramentary and GIRM attest to this. Priests who do not follow the Confiteor with the Kyrie aren’t saying all of the Mass!
 
porthos11 said:
My question is why it is Br. Rich SFO asking this question, since he is an expert in things liturgical.
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We wanted to post these questions with answers showing where the specific GIRM and RS passages are that are related to them. So that others would have a quick reference to compare what they experience in their local parishes. Yes I could post the question and then answer my own question. Others are encouraged to post their own experiences in the form of a question also.
 
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