"Pray my sisters and brothers..."

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Batfink said:
That’s interesting: it seems to say that everyone stands at the same time. It has always been my experience that each individual group stands as the thurifer comes to cense them. …] Is this wrong?
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It would seem as if all should rise at the same time. Is this an issue I’d raise a stink over? Not at all, not until other major issues are resolved.
 
Batfink said:
That’s interesting: it seems to say that everyone stands at the same time. It has always been my experience that each individual group stands as the thurifer comes to cense them, i.e. the celebrant is already standing, having censed the gifts himself, then the concelebrants stand to be censed but the congregation remain seated, then the congregation stand to be censed when the thurifer comes to the front. Is this wrong?
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That’s what I’ve seen done too.
 
japhy said:
The Ceremonial of Bishops (CB) supplies the missing rubric from the GIRM:
149 Next, the censerbearer goes to the bishop. As a deacon holds the incense boat, the bishop puts incense in the censer and blesses it. The bishop receives the censer from the deacon and, in the same way as at the beginning of Mass and accompanied by a deacon, incenses the gifts, as well as the altar and the cross. After this, all rise, and a deacon, standing at the side of the altar, incenses the bishop, who stands without the miter, then the concelebrants, then the people. Care should be taken that the invitation Pray, brethren and the prayer over the gifts do not begin until the incensation has been completed.
So all rise after the altar is incensed, and CB does not provide a rubric for the people (or anyone else) to sit after that point; so the congregation is standing when the bishop says “Pray, brethren…” (CB 151).
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Interesting. So according to the CoB, the people actually stand while the bishop is being incensed?
 
japhy said:
It would seem as if all should rise at the same time. Is this an issue I’d raise a stink over? Not at all, not until other major issues are resolved.
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I agree. People seem to feel extra blessed when they get incensed. Whether they have to sit or stand for a few seconds shouldn’t be major obstacle in receiving that “blessing.” I did remember a couple of times when I was the thurifer in those situations. It was one of the greatest honors of serving. (By the way, it takes a little practice with the censer to do it right. Many thurifers look so uncomfortable doing it.)
 
TheMc said:
Agreed. It takes lots of practice.
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Does the number of chains the thurible has make a difference? It seems like whenever someone uses a three-chained thurible they can get a better swing and have more control than with a single-chained thurible. It’s as if they’re afraid to swing it, yet anyone using one that’s three chained swings it like there’s no tomorrow and has no issues.🤷
 
TheMc said:
incence is awesome. 'nuf said.
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I went to the Holy Land this past Christmas and brought back 10 kilos of pure frankincense (my rector’s shopping list) that I bought near the Church of the Holy Sepulchure. It’s much cheaper there, about $5 per pound versus the cheapest mailorder in the states at $20 per pound. Plus, it has no smelly perfumes, flowers, or wood chips added. It’s much cleaner smelling and burning.

I had no problems getting through customs with a substance that looks a whole lot like drugs, and came in baggies. :eek:
 
Love_Divine said:
Does the number of chains the thurible has make a difference? It seems like whenever someone uses a three-chained thurible they can get a better swing and have more control than with a single-chained thurible. It’s as if they’re afraid to swing it, yet anyone using one that’s three chained swings it like there’s no tomorrow and has no issues.🤷
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Yes, 4 chained thuribles (3 for support, 1 to lift the lid) are easier to handle, although it might also be more of the attitude and frequency of useage at churches that own one-chainers. Most churches serious about incence own 4-chainers.
 
We don’t get the thurible out that often :(, but when we do it’s a four chainer.

I find it quite easy to use, my main tip when training younger servers is to teach them how to flick the wrist high up so that (when it’s not in ‘active’) use you get a good rhythm going without seeming to move.

I’ve never been to the Holy Land, but we get plentiful supplies of cheap incense from Greece. You can buy it on the market stalls for pennies (or cents, in euro terms), although we do a bit of quality control.
 
Love_Divine said:
Does the number of chains the thurible has make a difference? It seems like whenever someone uses a three-chained thurible they can get a better swing and have more control than with a single-chained thurible. It’s as if they’re afraid to swing it, yet anyone using one that’s three chained swings it like there’s no tomorrow and has no issues.🤷
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Swinging the censer alongside your body is also one of the ways to keep the charcoal nice and hot. A thurifer has to know how to do that as well and be able to keep the charcoal hot for at least a half hour or so. Some priests put perhaps too many incense beads on the hot charcoal and almost drown it out.
 
TheMc said:
What? You mean the whole incense thing? You realize this is a bunch of liturgy geeks hanging out and killing time, right?
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I was referring to the original post, about saying “Pray my brothers and sisters” as opposed to saying “Pray my brothers.” It amazes me that anyone would get upset about that.
 
What would you want the priest to say: Pray People?

There are men and women at the Liturgy, so I see NO WRONG with pray my sisters and brothers.

Who else is he suppose to pray for?
 
CompSciGuy said:
I was referring to the original post, about saying “Pray my brothers and sisters” as opposed to saying “Pray my brothers.” It amazes me that anyone would get upset about that.
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If you want the English, you pay the political price. Simple as that.

You can always do it in Latin. 🙂
 
ProVobis said:
If you want the English, you pay the political price. Simple as that.

You can always do it in Latin. 🙂
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Political price? What exactly is wrong with “Pray my brothers and sisters?” Anyone who complains about this wording might want to be checked out for obsessive compulsive disorder.

I’ve witnessed a Latin mass and honestly I don’t see what all the fuss is about. I mean it’s cool that it is our history and everything but quite honestly I can see a tremendous spiritual benefit for people hearing mass said in the vernacular. All of the Novus Ordo masses I’ve seen have been beautiful and very reverent. The response to liturgical abuse is to refine the Novus Ordo, not to switch back to TLM.
 
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