Mandatory Confiteor

[OREMUS79]

Why is recitation of “The Confiteor” often eliminated at Mass ? In addition to the Kyrie it is my humble opinion that slow, concentrated recitation should help in starting the celebration of Mass with precise focus on all of the Mass and its deep and authentic meaning. It is my understanding that recitation of the Confiteor absolves a person with a contrite heart from all venial sin, thus allowing the Grace to be received by Mass attendance and reception of the Eucharist to be fully realized. [BIBLEDRB][/BIBLEDRB]

 

[1ke]

The penitential rite has three options. Option A is the Confiteor. There is also an Option B and Option C. Any of the three options completes the penitential rite.

It is not accurate to say it is being “skipped”. The penitential rite has three legitimate options.

 

[OREMUS79]

For my education and that of those reading this thread, would you please clearly define Option B and Option C ?

Personally, the Confiteor is easy to understand for the average Catholic. It has great “impact”. I hold to my observation that it should always be included at the beginning of Mass, along with either “option B” or “option C”, or by itself.

I am a “re-vert” (old) Catholic. Receiving (re)education about my Faith is always genuinely appreciated.

 

[1ke]

For my education and that of those reading this thread, would you please clearly define Option B and Option C ?

They are printed in the Missal.

Form A
I confess to almighty God,
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done,
and in what I have failed to do;
through my fault
through my fault
through my most grievous fault
Therefore, I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin,
all the angels and saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.

Form B:
Priest: Have mercy on us, Lord.
Congregation: For we have sinned against you.
Priest: Show us, O Lord, your mercy.
Congregation: And grant us your salvation.

Form C
Minister: You were sent to heal the contrite (or a similar invocation): Lord, have mercy.
Congregation: Lord, have mercy.
Minister: You came to call sinners (or a similar invocation): Christ, have mercy.
Congregation: Christ, have mercy.
Minister: You plead for us at the right hand of the Father (or a similar invocation): Lord, have mercy.
Congregation: Lord, have mercy.

Personally, the Confiteor is easy to understand for the average Catholic. It has great “impact”.

All three are easy to understand.

I hold to my observation that it should always be included at the beginning of Mass, along with either “option B” or “option C”, or by itself.

While that is your opinion, that is not what the rubrics of the mass state. When the Church explicitly allows choices in the Mass that are up to the priest, it is not our place to criticize or accuse of wrongdoing.

I am a “re-vert” (old) Catholic. Receiving (re)education about my Faith is always genuinely appreciated.

Welcome back! Change is difficult for everyone. The three forms of the penitential rite are not new. So unless you’ve been away from the Church since about 1970 this should not be anything surprising.

 

[InNomineDomini]

It is my understanding that recitation of the Confiteor absolves a person with a contrite heart from all venial sin …

This would be something interesting to have clarified. My understanding is that we are absolved of the venial sins we specifically have in mind, and which we are therefore confessing. Can anyone confirm that understanding?

 

[OraLabora]

It should be pointed out that option C is essentially a vernacular troped Kyrie. Troped kyries are nothing new, they existed up until Trent. Perhaps the best known one is Orbis Factor which is now known as Kyrie XI. All of the kyries in the Kyriale have a subtitle, kyrie XI’s is “Orbis Factor”. Those subtitles are all that remain of the tropes.

If you want to hear what a medieval troped kyrie sounded like (caution: it is hauntingly beautiful!):

youtube.com/watch?v=xmkhk9Z8Lu4

Here are the words:

1. Orbis factor rex aeterne, eleison
2. Pietatis fons immense, eleison
3. Noxas omnes nostras pelle, eleison
4. Christe qui lux es mundi dator vitae, eleison
5. Arte laesos daemonis intuere, eleison
6. Conservans te credentes confirmansque, eleison
7. Patrem tuum teque flamen utrorumque, eleison
8. Deum scimus unum atque trinum esse, eleison
9. Clemens nobis adsis paraclite ut vivamus in te, eleison.

In English:

1. Maker of the world, King eternal, have mercy upon us.
2. O immense source of pity, have mercy upon us.
3. Drive off all our evils, have mercy upon us.
4. Christ who art the light of the world and giver of life, have mercy upon us.
5. Consider the wounds produced by the devil’s art, have mercy upon us.
6. Keeping and confirming thy believers, have mercy upon us.
7. Thou and thy Father, an equal light, have mercy upon us.
8. We know that God is one and three, have mercy upon us.
9. Thou, merciful unto us, art present with the Holy Spirit that we might live in thee, have mercy upon us.

You can see the similarity in style with Option C.

 

[ProVobis]

youtube.com/watch?v=xmkhk9Z8Lu4

Here are the words:

1. Orbis factor rex aeterne, eleison
2. Pietatis fons immense, eleison
3. Noxas omnes nostras pelle, eleison
4. Christe qui lux es mundi dator vitae, eleison
5. Arte laesos daemonis intuere, eleison
6. Conservans te credentes confirmansque, eleison
7. Patrem tuum teque flamen utrorumque, eleison
8. Deum scimus unum atque trinum esse, eleison
9. Clemens nobis adsis paraclite ut vivamus in te, eleison.

That is beautiful. Now who wouldn’t want to -]go/-] come back to that?

 

[Pulvis]

Or you could get the version of option C that i get, which is made up on the spot and changes from week to week. Sometimes these options remind me of Capt. Jack Sparrow and the pirate code.