Penitential Rite

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I asked this question in the apologetics thread but got no reply so I will ask it here.

During the Penitential Rite at Mass when the priest says "May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.” I have noticed that some people make the sign of the cross in church. Is this an official liturgical practice?
 
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Mokey:
I asked this question in the apologetics thread but got no reply so I will ask it here.

During the Penitential Rite at Mass when the priest says "May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.” I have noticed that some people make the sign of the cross in church. Is this an official liturgical practice?
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No. In the Tridentine Mass, the Priest turns and faces the people and says: “Indulgentiam, (+)absolutionem et remissionem , peccatorum nostrorum, tribuat nobis omnipotens et misericors Dominus”. The “+” is where he makes the Sign of the Cross.

In English: “May the almighty and merciful Lord grant us pardon (+) absolution, and remission of our sins.”

The response of the people is “Amen.”, and they make the Sign of the Cross themselves. What you have seen is a carryover from the Tridentine Rite. I admit to doing it myself!:eek:
 
It’s my understanding that this is a practice that is left over from the Tridentine Mass (Pre-Vatican II) and isn’t officially part of the post Vatican 2 Mass but it isn’t prohibited or even discouraged in the current version of the Mass.
 
I have always done this and I came into the Church in '63… I have never even given it a thought. I just assumed it was a part of the liturgy. I guess it is just one of those things left for interpretation after Vatican II? :confused: I don’t know why it is even an issue… I can’t make the sign of the Cross often enough! :gopray2:
 
Hi Folks!

I do it always since I recognise it as being the moment of remission of venial sins. The “absolution” of sin by the penitential rite (or the effect of the sprinkling rite), however, is not sacramental (ex opere operato), but devotional (ex opere operantis).

Amen!

Fergal
Naas
Ireland
 
In the Tridentine Rite the Celebrant makes the sign of the cross saying [in Latin] May the Almighty and Merciful Lord grant us pardon, *+ absolution, and remission of our sins. *Though not required, people tended to copy the priest’s sign of the cross.

In the NO mass there was concern that people were coming to believe that this action was a sacramental absolution. To avoid this the celebrant’s sign of the cross was suppressed. The people are still free to do as they wish.*
 
It’s strange. In the tridentine rite, the indulgentiam did call for the priest to make the sign of the cross as he said the words. Very few people made the sign of the cross along with the priest, although, I know some that did. Now that the indulgentiam has been dropped in the new rite, everybody makes the sign of the cross!

JimG
 
Dear JimG,
Isn’t the Holy Spirit wonderful!!! A lot of people who do this were not even born pre-Vatican II like me.

I know that the Prophet Jerimiah siad something very importnat about the New Covanent and St. Paul riterated it and it is this: Jer:31:31-33
31 Behold the days shall come, saith the Lord, and I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Juda: 32 Not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, the covenant which they made void, and I had dominion over them, saith the Lord. 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days, saith the Lord: I will give my law in their bowels, and I will write it in their heart: and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (DRV)

St Paul reminds us of this saying "Heb:8:10:
10 For this is the testament which I will make to the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord: I will give my laws into their mind: and in their heart will I write them. And I will be their God: and they shall be my people. (DRV)
So the Holy Spirit is instructing hearts!! May He triumph and reign in all.

Blessings,
Fergal
Naas
Ireland
 
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