MERGED: Is this allowed?/Gospel Interruption/Lay Gospel readers

[benedictgal]

Yes, it’s OK for the Passion, in fact, in the Lectionary the Passion is rendered both as a straight reading for one person and then in parts for Narrator, Jesus, Crowd.

However, as Paschalis Sollemnitatis has noted, the part of Christ is reserved to the priest.

 

[Pakesh]

Phemie,

Again, thanks for all of the information and clarification! I do know that just because the 1975 GIRM didn’t expressly forbid it doesn’t make it right, but I wanted to get all the documentation I could. The parish that did this is my brother’s who lives in another town. They are getting ready to move, but he wanted to finally approach the Monsignor about the abuses and other things he’s noticed while there. I wanted to make sure that he had all the appropriate documentation and that I wasn’t rushing to judgment. Thanks to you and the other posters, I have all of the information. Thank you so much!!

God Bless,
Pakesh

 

[StJudePray4Me]

Yes, it’s OK for the Passion, in fact, in the Lectionary the Passion is rendered both as a straight reading for one person and then in parts for Narrator, Jesus, Crowd.

Why is ok for one day but not others?

 

[Phemie]

Why is ok for one day but not others?

Because the Church says so? Hey, that reason was good enough when my Dad used it.

 

[Denimguy]

I had a strange feeling about this practice. This was just trotted out at our parish as something that would be done until Lent was over. I’ve got a worse situation than yall, I’m supposed to read one of those parts this Sunday.
I wish folks would realize that the mass is not a form of entertainment. I do not wish to be the “liturgy police” but this is getting ridiculus, when did liturgy planning become an art form?
Get your hands off the Holy Mass!!!

 

[SisterSnowflake]

YIKES! I feel even worse…I took part as a reader in this set-up last Sunday!

I was scheduled to read and this was what I was told was happening and this was how I was supposed to do my part. It was our pastor, permanent deacon, and myself.

I hate liturgical abuse and now I’ve become a participant.

 

[SisterSnowflake]

P.S. My parish is doing this for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of Lent.

 

[Pakesh]

Why is ok for one day but not others?

I had a thought on this, and it’s just a thought-I could be completely wrong. I noticed that on Palm Sunday and Good Friday, the rubrics say that the “Passion reading replaces the Gospel.” Now, obviously the Passion is from the Gospel, but the signing of the book isn’t done, nor is it kissed. It seems to me that liturgically, it’s different than the reading of the Gospel the rest of the year. Maybe it’s splitting hairs, but I just came across that.

God Bless,
Pakesh

 

[Pakesh]

YIKES! I feel even worse…I took part as a reader in this set-up last Sunday!

I was scheduled to read and this was what I was told was happening and this was how I was supposed to do my part. It was our pastor, permanent deacon, and myself.

I hate liturgical abuse and now I’ve become a participant.

SisterSnowflake,

Don’t beat yourself up over this! Your intention was fine, and you didn’t realize it was an abuse. I’m still trying to wrap my head around this “practice.” I’m very shocked at how widespread it seems to be. Even with all of the evidence saying it’s an abuse, I’m always afraid I’ll find something that says it’s okay. I really doubt it is, but I’m being paranoid I guess
God Bless,
Pakesh

 

[katherineinohio]

I attended Mass on 4/3 at a different parish than my home parish. They interrupted the Gospel yesterday on three different points (whenever the blind man said something about seeing) to sing a silly new ageish hymn about seeing. I didn’t think you could interrupt the Gospel? I was offended and thought it was . . .silly. The Gospel is powerful enough on its own. Was this OK for this parish to do?

 

[laszlo]

I believe firmly that the rubrics are for people and not people for the rubrics. If a long passage is read by the required monotone voice by the priest, it is very hard to listen attentively.

Either the 3 voices (like the passion) or taking break for songs is against the rubrics, but result better attention for many.

 

[Love_Divine]

I believe firmly that the rubrics are for people and not people for the rubrics. If a long passage is read by the required monotone voice by the priest, it is very hard to listen attentively.

Either the 3 voices (like the passion) or taking break for songs is against the rubrics, but result better attention for many.

I firmly believe in saying the black and doing the red, therefore the rubrics must be followed. Seriously, if we’re having that difficult of a time remaining attentive, then we must check our attitude for why we’re there. We don’t go to Mass to have fun. We go there for the most Holy Sacrifice.

Jesus said it first:

“Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter.”
Matthew 26:40

 

[Samuel63]

Great post! I have had this very same experience the last three Sunday’s during the gospel reading. I know we are not at the same parish but I would not be surprised if we are being affected by the same source of liturgical abuse.

I suspect you suffer as I do with that special “creative liturgist” that always finds a way to keep the mass “hopping” with new innovations. I pray often that we will someday soon be relieved of this menace.

Anyway, I cannot offer much guidance since I looked this up in the General Instruction of The Roman Missal (GIRM) recently and it did not clearly state the rules. It seems to have been re-written with some undeclared boundaries that can be easily taken advantage of.

One word of advice I offer is this. Get some spiritual nourishment from real sources within your reach, that is groups such as www.mileschristi.org, this website www.catholic.com, etc. Stay at your parish if it is convenient and try to change a few practices. Start small to begin with.

Most importantly, switch your donations to the real groups that are aligned with the Magisterium of the church. I give a token small amount in the weekly offering at our local parish but the bulk of our donations go to better groups. This is what really will cause change someday, in addition to prayer.

Thanks again for a great post!

 

[BigJimE]

KatherineInOhio,
I’m no expert, but I’m sure that I’ve heard this same basic question before on CA. The short answer is that the pastor does not have the right or authority to change the mass. Since this isn’t your home parish, the best thing to do is pray for the pastor to return the mass to its intended form. If it were your home parish, then I’d suggest a kind word in private with the pastor would be a good place to start.

 

[Samuel63]

I will start reading through this “sister” website to find relevant points. It make take me a day or two to get back to you.

catholic.com/library/liturgical_abuses.asp

 

[Hboggs]

I guess that I should be very thankful that whether by our Deacon or Priest, the readings are wonderful to hear. They do a great “job”. We have one lay reader who literally “preaches” his readings because he seldom even has to look down and his readings are Hollywood quality

 

[Love_Divine]

I guess that I should be very thankful that whether by our Deacon or Priest, the readings are wonderful to hear. They do a great “job”. We have one lay reader who literally “preaches” his readings because he seldom even has to look down and his readings are Hollywood quality

I prefer our FSSP priest’s emotionless epistle, gospel, and sermon.

 

[Phemie]

The GIRM doesn’t say anything about songs during the Gospels, though it does say that only in the reading of the Passion may there be more than one person reading the Gospel.

That said, the Lectionary that Canada used until 2009 had breaks in some of the readings where it gave the option of singing acclamations. Ironically, our pastor started having the choir sing during the Passion only since the new Lectionary was promulgated, a Lectionary which removed that option.

 

[benedictgal]

I believe firmly that the rubrics are for people and not people for the rubrics. If a long passage is read by the required monotone voice by the priest, it is very hard to listen attentively.

Either the 3 voices (like the passion) or taking break for songs is against the rubrics, but result better attention for many.

With all due respect, this would not be the correct course to take. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is not some free form exercise in creativity where the rubrics are optional. God the Father spent no little time in dictating to Moses just how He should be worshipped. The same principle applies to the Mass.

According to Redemptionis Sacramentum:

[63.] Within the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy, the reading of the Gospel, which is “the high point of the Liturgy of the Word”,139 is reserved by the Church’s tradition to an ordained minister.140 Thus it is not permitted for a layperson, even a religious, to proclaim the Gospel reading in the celebration of Holy Mass, nor in other cases in which the norms do not explicitly permit it.141

The only exception, as alluded to in RS, is the Proclamation of the Passion. Even then, if the laity are to assist in its reading, the part of Christ is reserved to the priest.

 

[japhy]

I prefer our FSSP priest’s emotionless epistle, gospel, and sermon.

Emotionless? That doesn’t sound spiritually edifying to me. I’m not saying priests need to be actors or dramatists, but I certainly don’t think Scripture was meant to be read (or prayed) without emotion.