Palm Sunday Gospel & Homily

[newyorkcatholic]

There was no abuse.

1. The deacon (or celebrating priest if not a Solemn Mass) must proclaim the Gospel. UE allows in Low Mass for this to be in vernacular, but it never has to be in the vernacular. It doesn’t have to be loud, but it’s not silent like the Canon either.
2. A layperson (preferably a male in cassock/surplice, a man in minor orders at least would be great but not required) can indeed read in English at the same time.
3. Normally the priest would read in English later, but since the Passion is long doing #2 is simply merciful to the people.
4. Normally you have a homily on Sunday, but I’m not sure this is required by “EF rubrics.” In any case, this is clearly an exception day and an understanding priest will have have a very short homily if one at all.

I think the Passion chanted in Latin is awesome, but not everyone can do this (no choir or Priest not up to it – it’s much harder than the regular chanting of the Gospel), so what was described is fine.

The SSPX used to have a regular practice in some places, at regular Masses, of a server reading in English while the priest read in Latin. (They may still, I don’t know.)

The layperson’s reading can never replace the priest’s proclamation.

 

[amgp]

1. The deacon (or celebrating priest if not a Solemn Mass) must proclaim the Gospel. UE allows in Low Mass for this to be in vernacular, but it never has to be in the vernacular. It doesn’t have to be loud
2. A layperson (preferably a male in cassock/surplice, a man in minor orders at least would be great but not required) can indeed read in English at the same time.

Thank you, newyorkcatholic. Can you please tell me what the document(s) are that support #2 regarding a lay person proclaiming the Gospel from within the sanctuary? Everything I’ve read says that only a priest or a deacon may proclaim the Gospel.

Also, if the priest or deacon is supposed to proclaim the Gospel, then how can it be said to himself or “not loud”? By any definition, to “proclaim” is to speak loudly and clearly. “Proclaim” is from the Latin “pro” (forward) “claim” (to cry out); literally to “cry out forward”.

 

[ProVobis]

By any definition, to “proclaim” is to speak loudly and clearly. “Proclaim” is from the Latin “pro” (forward) “claim” (to cry out); literally to “cry out forward”.

Okay but pro + clamare would be the Latin.

 

[newyorkcatholic]

Thank you, newyorkcatholic. Can you please tell me what the document(s) are that support #2 regarding a lay person proclaiming the Gospel from within the sanctuary? Everything I’ve read says that only a priest or a deacon may proclaim the Gospel.

Also, if the priest or deacon is supposed to proclaim the Gospel, then how can it be said to himself or “not loud”? By any definition, to “proclaim” is to speak loudly and clearly. “Proclaim” is from the Latin “pro” (forward) “claim” (to cry out); literally to “cry out forward”.

I don’t know of a document to support #2. All I know is that it’s an old custom and was never forbidden. But they lay reader is usually a man in cassock and surplice … basically a type of server. There are other situations where this was even more common. For example the Solemn Easter Vigil has many readings, all chanted. It was very common for designated lay “cantors” to chant these parts.

The key to those understanding why it is allowed is that the layperson isn’t proclaiming the Gospel. Not from the missal or evangelarium, not at the altar, not with candles, not incensing anything, not kissing the book, and the priest must do everything he normaly would do. All the layman is doing is reading for the people at the same time in the vernacular.

As to “proclaim,” I assume it’s just not taken so literally. Often at Low Mass the priest says the readings a bit softly. Never silently like the Canon, but softly. It makes particular sense to do this if he’s going to read translations later, and even more sense if someone is reading the translation at that time.

It’s weird to think this could be okay perhaps because we are used to the OF when the Gospel is facing the people in the vernacular and always read by the priest. But in the EF the fact that it’s in the vernacular and facing the people, no kissing of the book, no incense/candles at Mass, not on the altar – this all shows the layperson isn’t proclaiming liturgically, just reading.

 

[amgp]

I don’t know of a document to support #2. All I know is that it’s an old custom and was never forbidden.

That’s kind of why I wanted to know what Church document this is written in. There are many “old customs” which are done that are not in line with liturgical documents. You’ll find many OF parishes doing ridiculous things liturgically, but they refuse to do them the way that the Church prescribes because the parishioners consider the way they’re doing things “better”, and their way is now an “old custom” (to them).

I see several “old customs” being done at my EF parish that definitely aren’t in the 1962 Missal (2nd Confiteor right before the “Ecce, Agnus Dei”, etc.). This “traditional” parish refuses to change things because it’s their “old custom”. It used to be prescribed to do a 2nd Confiteor, but the Church did away with it for the 1962 Missal.

Just because something was done in the past does not automatically make it okay – The Church has authority over the church, and the Church documents I’ve read say that the Gospel must be proclaimed to the people by the priest or the deacon. I just wanted to know if there are any Church documents that abrogate or amend this requirement.

 

[newyorkcatholic]

That’s kind of why I wanted to know what Church document this is written in. There are many “old customs” which are done that are not in line with liturgical documents. You’ll find many OF parishes doing ridiculous things liturgically, but they refuse to do them the way that the Church prescribes because the parishioners consider the way they’re doing things “better”, and their way is now an “old custom” (to them).

I see several “old customs” being done at my EF parish that definitely aren’t in the 1962 Missal (2nd Confiteor right before the “Ecce, Agnus Dei”, etc.). This “traditional” parish refuses to change things because it’s their “old custom”. It used to be prescribed to do a 2nd Confiteor, but the Church did away with it for the 1962 Missal.

Just because something was done in the past does not automatically make it okay – The Church has authority over the church, and the Church documents I’ve read say that the Gospel must be proclaimed to the people by the priest or the deacon. I just wanted to know if there are any Church documents that abrogate or amend this requirement.

Old customs, as long as they are not reprobated, are okay. Reprobated means “no matter how long this has been done or where, it’s wrong.” Liturgical dancing has been reprobated, for example. So has the use of glass chalices.

The 2nd confiteor has never been reprobated. It can’t be – reprobation is for things that are simply intrinsically wrong. The 2nd confiteor isn’t because it used to be prescribed, therefore it is a good thing.

Of course the customs should not contradict the law either. However I highly, highly suspect the documents you are referring to (it’s probably in GIRM and in Canon Law) are presumed to apply to the OF.

Lots of rules are made like this. Feasts are transferred to Sunday, CITH is allowed, altar girls are allowed … but none of this applies to the EF. It seems odd I know, because the EF is supposed to be more strict. Well, if a layman were to read the Gospel at the High Altar or something, that would be pretty scandalizing. But what was described is alright, because the Mass is taking place at the altar, and the layman is reading a non-liturgical text (probably not even an approxed lectionary but just an approved personal translation like the DR) from the pulpit (where traditionally Mass has been seen to be “on hold” for the homily anyway). The “sensus” of the EF says this is okay, and no one has forbidden it for the EF.

Random fun fact: liturgical dancing is forbidden in the OF but not in the EF, according to the law.

Now that’s because it actually happens in the OF and needed to be forbidden. Please don’t ever do it in the EF!

 

[dnar]

We visited a parish while on vacation today, and there was no homily after the gospel readings. Is this allowed in the Ordinary form? I thought a homily was required on Sundays? Also during the gospel everybody just stayed seated… I am guessing because the reading was so long (palm Sunday) not sure never done that before.

 

[Megan7]

Old customs, as long as they are not reprobated, are okay. Reprobated means “no matter how long this has been done or where, it’s wrong.” Liturgical dancing has been reprobated, for example. So has the use of glass chalices.

The 2nd confiteor has never been reprobated. It can’t be – reprobation is for things that are simply intrinsically wrong. The 2nd confiteor isn’t because it used to be prescribed, therefore it is a good thing.

Of course the customs should not contradict the law either. However I highly, highly suspect the documents you are referring to (it’s probably in GIRM and in Canon Law) are presumed to apply to the OF.

Lots of rules are made like this. Feasts are transferred to Sunday, CITH is allowed, altar girls are allowed … but none of this applies to the EF. It seems odd I know, because the EF is supposed to be more strict. Well, if a layman were to read the Gospel at the High Altar or something, that would be pretty scandalizing. But what was described is alright, because the Mass is taking place at the altar, and the layman is reading a non-liturgical text (probably not even an approxed lectionary but just an approved personal translation like the DR) from the pulpit (where traditionally Mass has been seen to be “on hold” for the homily anyway). The “sensus” of the EF says this is okay, and no one has forbidden it for the EF.

Random fun fact: liturgical dancing is forbidden in the OF but not in the EF, according to the law.

Now that’s because it actually happens in the OF and needed to be forbidden. Please don’t ever do it in the EF!

Will read this later on today. Thanks.

 

[Rich_C]

What, you mean their are liturgical abuses in the EF Mass as well? That cannot be!

Sorry for the sarcasm.

I don’t know much about the EF Mass. At our OF Palm Sunday Mass today there was no homily. But it was in a Benedictine Abbey, fully chanted in Gregorian Chant and French plainchant, and it was 2 hours long.