So a couple of days ago I went to a Eucharist at a motherhouse of a more liberal LCWR order. I had a couple of questions. In the Eucharist the word Lord, whenever used, was replaced with the word God. During the consecration the priest said “for all” instead of “for many” but stuck to the regular words other than this. Is this allowed? Also the priest had a small separate altar on the side of the main altar (There are pews on 3 sides of the altar, it was renovated in 1980). He couldn’t manage to get up to the main altar so he used the side altar as his main altar. Is this allowed? Also he did not distribute communion but just stayed seated. Is that allowed? I was surprised to see non-habited LCWR sisters praying the rosary and receiving communion on the tongue. I signed up for this so that I could ask these questions because I really wondered if all of this was ok.
Altering the liturgical texts: Illicit, but doesn’t invalidate the liturgy.
Might not have been an alteration, tho’. There are several different English translations, and a priest may say the mass from any approved translation. Monastic and Friary orders often have permission from Rome for certain alterations as well. Without knowing more, it can’t be said for certain to be an alteration.
For All: priest is probably using an older edition of the Missal. If he’s got poor vision, he’s allowed to use the wording he’s got memorized. It’s stated as such in the GIRM.
Side Altar: Unusual but licit. Especially if the priest has mobility issues which prevent climbing the dais upon which the main altar is.
(Ancient tradition was that each altar was used only once each day. Many parishes have 3-5 altars. After Trent, that was relaxed in the Roman Rite, so that every priest could say the mass every day; after Vatican II, concelebration was restored to the Roman Church so that only one altar was in use at a time. Pre Vatican II, one might encounter 2-5 masses happening at once in a given parish…)
Not distributing communion himself: if he’s mobility challenged, or unable to remain standing any longer, yes, it’s allowed; it’s not allowed for healthy priests. He’s required to commune himself; he should commune a deacon, if one was present, and the deacon should distribute. The celebrant, a concelebrant, or a deacon must hand the sacred vessels to the EMHCs if there are any; no layman is permitted to take the sacred vessels from the altar themselves according to the GIRM.
