Novus Ordo "Mass of Christian Burial" questions

[kleary]

Today we buried my stepfather. Because he was very active at his Novus Ordo parish the funeral was held there. I was not involved with the funeral plans, however I was able to prevent the viewing from being held in the church.

Anyway there seemed to be some things happening at the Mass that were questionable to me.

1. The Mass started with the priest blessing the casket with holy water and then right into the “opening prayer”. The Confiteor and the Kyrie was omitted. I know at a Requiem Mass the antiphon after “Introibo ad altare Dei” is omitted and the piest goes right into the “Adjutorium nostrum” and then the Confiteor and Kyrie.
2. At the sermon the priest came down out of the sanctuary and stood in the nave by the casket to preach. At any time in the Tridentine Rite the priest does not leave the Sanctuary during Mass and the sermon is always given from the pulpit.
3. During the “Eucharistic Prayer” he mentioned at the place where it says, “With the Apostles, martyrs and all the saints and St. George…” My stepfather’s name is also George so this was very confusing to me.
4. At the sign of peace the priest came outside the Sanctuary and shhok hands with all of the immediate family members seated in the front pew.
5. The lay people who helped the priest distribute Holy Communion arrived in the Sanctuary during the Agnus Dei before Fr. received Holy Communion. I know that lay people now aid in distributing Holy Communion in the Novus Ordo however I thought they stopped them from arriving in the Sanctuary until AFTER the priest had received.
6. The only time anyone genuflected, well it was the priest only and only during the Eucharistic prayer after the consecration of the bread and the wine. No genuflection in the beginning or at the end of mass, instead everyone did bows even though the Blessed Sacrament was reserved in the Tabernacle.

Please respond as I would like to ask father why he did things differently and what gave him the authority to change things.

Ken

 

[Titus]

Today we buried my stepfather. Because he was very active at his Novus Ordo parish the funeral was held there. I was not involved with the funeral plans, however I was able to prevent the viewing from being held in the church.

Anyway there seemed to be some things happening at the Mass that were questionable to me.

1. The Mass started with the priest blessing the casket with holy water and then right into the “opening prayer”. The Confiteor and the Kyrie was omitted. I know at a Requiem Mass the antiphon after “Introibo ad altare Dei” is omitted and the piest goes right into the “Adjutorium nostrum” and then the Confiteor and Kyrie.

In the NO, the ‘Rite of Sprinkling’ is an option for the Penitential Rite at any mass. Thus, if it occurs, it replaces the Confiteor & Kyrie

1. At the sermon the priest came down out of the sanctuary and stood in the nave by the casket to preach. At any time in the Tridentine Rite the priest does not leave the Sanctuary during Mass and the sermon is always given from the pulpit.

This is an abuse. THe priest must remain at the ambo. However it is very common.

1. During the “Eucharistic Prayer” he mentioned at the place where it says, “With the Apostles, martyrs and all the saints and St. George…” My stepfather’s name is also George so this was very confusing to me.

**The patron saint of the day, the parish or some other patron saint is included in the Eucharistic prayer at that point. It was not referring to your stepfather. **

1. At the sign of peace the priest came outside the Sanctuary and shhok hands with all of the immediate family members seated in the front pew.

This is allowed at such masses for pastoral reasons, and seems appropriate here.

1. The lay people who helped the priest distribute Holy Communion arrived in the Sanctuary during the Agnus Dei before Fr. received Holy Communion. I know that lay people now aid in distributing Holy Communion in the Novus Ordo however I thought they stopped them from arriving in the Sanctuary until AFTER the priest had received.

**This is an abuse, but again is common. **

1. The only time anyone genuflected, well it was the priest only and only during the Eucharistic prayer after the consecration of the bread and the wine. No genuflection in the beginning or at the end of mass, instead everyone did bows even though the Blessed Sacrament was reserved in the Tabernacle.

**Probably due to poor catechesis on the real presence. Very sad, but again common. **

Please respond as I would like to ask father why he did things differently and what gave him the authority to change things.

Ken

 

[cathsem]

Overall, Titus’ answer was excellent, but I have one addendum to his answer to question #1. Though I do not have a copy of the funeral rubrics at hand, I recall reading that a funeral liturgy (as distingushed from a Requiem Mass being offered for a person without a burial following–e.g. a memorial Mass on the anniversary of a person’s death, the nine Masses for a deceased Holy Father after his funeral, etc.) begins with the reception of the casket, its sprinkling, and proceeds immediately into the Opening Prayer (Collect). These introductory rites take the place of the “normal” introductory rites (optional introduction to the Mass of the Day, Penitential Rite, and Gloria [if required]). Therefore, this part of the Mass was not an abuse.

 

[Digitonomy]

1. At the sermon the priest came down out of the sanctuary and stood in the nave by the casket to preach. At any time in the Tridentine Rite the priest does not leave the Sanctuary during Mass and the sermon is always given from the pulpit.

This is an abuse. THe priest must remain at the ambo. However it is very common.

I disagree that this is an abuse. From the GIRM, paragraph 136, we get

The priest, standing at the chair or at the ambo itself or, when appropriate, in another suitable place, gives the Homily.

It appears that the priest considered next to the casket to be a suitable place. You may disagree as to the suitability of this location, but unless there are other guidelines of which I’m not aware, the priest is free to make that determination.

 

[John_Lilburne]

Today we buried my stepfather. Because he was very active at his Novus Ordo parish the funeral was held there. I was not involved with the funeral plans, however I was able to prevent the viewing from being held in the church.

Anyway there seemed to be some things happening at the Mass that were questionable to me…
4. At the sign of peace the priest came outside the Sanctuary and shhok hands with all of the immediate family members seated in the front pew.

1. The lay people who helped the priest distribute Holy Communion arrived in the Sanctuary during the Agnus Dei before Fr. received Holy Communion. I know that lay people now aid in distributing Holy Communion in the Novus Ordo however I thought they stopped them from arriving in the Sanctuary until AFTER the priest had received.
2. The only time anyone genuflected, well it was the priest only and only during the Eucharistic prayer after the consecration of the bread and the wine. No genuflection in the beginning or at the end of mass, instead everyone did bows even though the Blessed Sacrament was reserved in the Tabernacle.

Please respond as I would like to ask father why he did things differently and what gave him the authority to change things.

Ken

1. Leaving the sanctuary is explicitly permitted for a funeral in the USA. From the 2002 General Introduction to the Roman Missal (GIRM) which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
   “154. … The priest may give the sign of peace to the ministers but always remains within the sanctuary, so as not to disturb the celebration. In the dioceses of the United States of America, for a good reason, on special occasions (for example, in the case of a funeral, a wedding, or when civic leaders are present) the priest may offer the sign of peace to a few of the faithful near the sanctuary.”
2. I believe it is OK for the Extraordinary Ministers to enter the sanctuary before the priest has received Communion. The 2002 GIRM has about them in n. 162:
   “These ministers should not approach the altar before the priest has received Communion, and they are always to receive from the hands of the priest celebrant the vessel containing either species of the Most Holy Eucharist for distribution to the faithful.”
   If an instituted acolyte is doing the duty of an Extraordinary Minister he will be in the sanctuary. There is no suggestion that he leave. For him this instruction means “do not approach the altar to receive Communion until after the priest has”. I think this is how n. 162 should be understood for other extraordinary ministers, or at least how it could be understood.
3. Ken wrote that there was a tabernacle with the Blessed Sacrament. But the genflection at the beginning and end of Mass depends on where the tabernacle was: in the sanctuary or not.

From the 2002 GIRM n. 274: "… During Mass, three genuflections are made by the priest celebrant: namely, after the showing of the host, after the showing of the chalice, and before Communion. Certain specific features to be observed in a concelebrated Mass are noted in their proper place (cf. above, nos. 210-251).
"If, however, the tabernacle with the Most Blessed Sacrament is present in the sanctuary, the priest, the deacon, and the other ministers genuflect when they approach the altar and when they depart from it, but not during the celebration of Mass itself.
“Otherwise all who pass before the Most Blessed Sacrament genuflect, unless they are moving in procession.
Ministers carrying the processional cross or candles bow their heads instead of genuflecting.”

So if the tabernacle is not in the sanctuary, then during the entrance procession the priest would not stop to genuflect.

 

[otjm]

Today we buried my stepfather. Because he was very active at his Novus Ordo parish the funeral was held there. I was not involved with the funeral plans, however I was able to prevent the viewing from being held in the church.

I am sorryt hat you lost your step-father. I lost mine three years ago and still miss him.

I am curious as to why you “prevented the vewing from being held in the church”. I am old enough to have attended a goodly number of funerals prior to Vatican 2 and they almost always had the casket open prior to Mass. It was also open the night before at the Rosary.

 

[kleary]

1. The Mass started with the priest blessing the casket with holy water and then right into the “opening prayer”. The Confiteor and the Kyrie was omitted. I know at a Requiem Mass the antiphon after “Introibo ad altare Dei” is omitted and the piest goes right into the “Adjutorium nostrum” and then the Confiteor and Kyrie.

In the NO, the ‘Rite of Sprinkling’ is an option for the Penitential Rite at any mass. Thus, if it occurs, it replaces the Confiteor & Kyrie

However the “Asperges” is supposed to be something other than the blessing of the corpse is it not? Are the directives for the funeral rite specific in this matter? If so where does it state it that the blessing of the corpse is to replace the penetential rite? I mean also, the “Asperges” is an action that removes venial sin, thus why in the Novus Ordo, for simplification they removed the penetential rite if this is to happen… yet we were not sprinkled with holy water and no antiphon or anything was sung. The sprinkling was meant for my stepfather, and not the congregation.

Ken

 

[kleary]

I am sorryt hat you lost your step-father. I lost mine three years ago and still miss him.

I am curious as to why you “prevented the vewing from being held in the church”. I am old enough to have attended a goodly number of funerals prior to Vatican 2 and they almost always had the casket open prior to Mass. It was also open the night before at the Rosary.

No problem with the casket being open, just the fact that the viewing is a social gathering to view the body and pay your respects and also to offer your condolences to the family.

I heard from others that it is innapropriate to hold that social function in the church, yet it happens and is allowed to happen today.

Ken

 

[revejj2000]

From the Order of Christian Funerals, page 81,

158 If the rite of reception of the body takes place at the beginning of the funeral Mass, the introductory rites are those given here and the usual introduction rites for Mass, including the penitential rite, are omitted. If the rite of reception of the body has already taken place, the Mass begins in the usual way.

Some interesting information, page 73.

133 The rite of reception takes place at the beginning of the funeral liturgy, usually at the entrance of the church. It begins with a greeting of the family and others who have accompanied the coffin to the door of the church. The minister sprinkles the coffin with holy water in remembrance of the deceased person’s initiation and first acceptance into the community of faith. If it is the custom of the local community, a funeral pall, a reminder of the garment given at baptism and therefore signifying life in Christ, may then be placed on the coffin by family members, friends, or the minister. The entrance procession follows. The minister proceeds the coffin and the mourners into the church. If the Easter candle is used on this occasion, it may be placed beforehand near the position the coffin will occupy at the conclusion of the procession.

Just some information.

Fr. Bro.

 

[agapewolf]

I am am a music director and you would be amazed at what I see:

You have got to remember that at funerals and weddings is when you have LOADS of people there that normally do not go to church. (I’m not saying this is the particular case…but most of the times it is).

Finding commissioned Extraordinary ministers of HOly Communion at a funeral is sometimes very difficult (besides the fact that they are over used…thats not my point here). My point is is that you have people who are catholic in name only, have not been to mass, and are asked by family members to be EMHC…they are honored and accept (of course they shouldn’t …but integrity isn’t first on their list). The family then tells the priest that they have people picked for this…they end up not knowing what to do.
Please don’t jump to conclusions that the priest is deliberately doing abuses here…ESPECIALLY in the case of funerals…
I have had people yell at me because I won’t sing “Danny Boy” at the funeral.

Of course, you’d want adequate instruction and preparation for these ministries before hand…but our Priests are probably tiring of all of the battles they face with each funeral. THey probably picked their battles and they won a lot more serious ones…like not allowing the deceased’s trophies displayed on the altar or something.

 

[Titus]

1. The Mass started with the priest blessing the casket with holy water and then right into the “opening prayer”. The Confiteor and the Kyrie was omitted. I know at a Requiem Mass the antiphon after “Introibo ad altare Dei” is omitted and the piest goes right into the “Adjutorium nostrum” and then the Confiteor and Kyrie.

In the NO, the ‘Rite of Sprinkling’ is an option for the Penitential Rite at any mass. Thus, if it occurs, it replaces the Confiteor & Kyrie

However the “Asperges” is supposed to be something other than the blessing of the corpse is it not? Are the directives for the funeral rite specific in this matter? If so where does it state it that the blessing of the corpse is to replace the penetential rite? I mean also, the “Asperges” is an action that removes venial sin, thus why in the Novus Ordo, for simplification they removed the penetential rite if this is to happen… yet we were not sprinkled with holy water and no antiphon or anything was sung. The sprinkling was meant for my stepfather, and not the congregation.

Ken

Revejj2000 has answered that question very well. Of course, the Asperges is normally for the whole congregation. But funerals have different rubrics. I am not sure that the purpose is to remove venial sin, but merely as a replacement for the Confiteor. Happy to be corrected, though!

 

[Titus]

I disagree that this is an abuse. From the GIRM, paragraph 136, we getIt appears that the priest considered next to the casket to be a suitable place. You may disagree as to the suitability of this location, but unless there are other guidelines of which I’m not aware, the priest is free to make that determination.

well done, i had forgotten that quote. sorry for the error. However I do think it is more appropriate to remain at the ambo in almost all cases. Luckily funeral masses are one of the exceptions, imho.

 

[otjm]

No problem with the casket being open, just the fact that the viewing is a social gathering to view the body and pay your respects and also to offer your condolences to the family.

I heard from others that it is innapropriate to hold that social function in the church, yet it happens and is allowed to happen today.

Ken

Hmm. I never perceived the viewing of the body to be a social gathering when it was done on the way through the nave and into the church; and as I say, it seemed to be standard operating proceedure prior to Vatican 2. But then, perhaps a “social gathering” as you refer to it, was most permissible then, in the Tridentine rite?

I guess the point I am trying to make is that you are determining what is and is not permissible in conjunction with the Mass, and as you refer to the Mass as the N.O. I can only assume that you prefer the Tridentine rite; and I find it interesting that what you deem unacceptible most certainly was acceptible when that was the ony rite the Western branch of Catholicism had.

 

[Caesar]

No problem with the casket being open, just the fact that the viewing is a social gathering to view the body and pay your respects and also to offer your condolences to the family.

I heard from others that it is innapropriate to hold that social function in the church, yet it happens and is allowed to happen today.

Ken

I see what you mean. The wake is usualy not held in the church as it is a social event.

 

[Windmill]

agape,

you gotta be kidding me - trophies on the altar!

where do you start with all of this.

i’ll bet you’re glad you’re just a choir member and not a priest. the decisions these guys must face each day…one more reason to pray for priests and bishops…sigh

 

[agapewolf]

Well, the “choir members” don’t have to deal with it. I do a lot with the liturgy planning of weddings and funerals as a music director.

The priests do deal with way worse…and do have to pick their battles…however, I will gladly law the law down with regards to song choices and things, I just wish they would back me up.

I’ve never had the altar trophy situation, but have come close. It was just a sarcastic example.

 

[Windmill]

I will gladly lay the law down with regards to song choices and things

people, that’s harder to do than you think. the men’s gregorian chant group i sing in has a hard time when we are put alongside the bongo drums and the maracas, all in the name of “diversity”.
the problem with that idea is that you end up with a disjointed mass. if you are going to do gregorian, DO THE WHOLE MASS THAT WAY. if you are going to do bongos, as ugly (and inappropriate) as it is, do the whole mass the same.

be consistent, peeps.

however, since we are only 3 1/2 years old, we have to make some compromises.

interesting, how often do they request “alternative percussion” at a funeral? never. why? it’s inappropriate for the occasion. what occasion? well, someone has died.

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…

so, bongos are inappropriate for celebrating the death and (hopeful) resurrection of a member of the MBO Christ?

well, why is it “appropriate” for celebrating the death and resurrection of Christ himself?

 

[agapewolf]

This is way off topic, but I sometimes do Funeral masses with a full band (LifeTeen like). Its the most beautiful thing…people sing louder and particpate better at those than any others I do.
We differ on opinion on what is appropriate instruments, however I was simply referring to song choice…I have people ask me to play when Irish eyes are smiling and danny boy. I won’t do that at a Mass.

I also disagree that “Consistency in style” is necessary. my lifeteen mass has some contemporary worship, but also some latin mass parts… sometimes using all instruments for them. Its done well and quality (you can disagree with me all you like, but I see it first hand that it is beneficial).

but again, way off topic

 

[Windmill]

again, we do disagree. however, it is the domain of the holy see to guide us as to what instruments and music are and are not appropriate for celebrating mass. Cardinal Arinze, the prefect of the congregation for divine worship and discipline of the sacraments had this to say. i think we need to prayerfully think about what we do at mass, and realize that the ultimate goal is not to get everyone singing, but to lift the minds of the worshippers to contemplate eternal truths.

ratzinger speaks a lot about this in his books, and I think we will see a return to more traditional types of worship.

 

[agapewolf]

Exactly. Cardinal arinze says culture should be taken into account. Cardinal arinze has also been in close contact with LIFETEEN and lifeteen consults him regularly about the direction of everything.

My primary purpose as a music director IS TO GET EVERYONE SINGING.Full conscious active participation. It is beautiful, people’s hearts are raising to heaven…it transcends earth. If I’m not getting everyone singing, it is a performance, and that is not what we want. We minister music.

but again, way off topic.