prayers of the faithful

[Justin1224]

This morning as I was listening to the prayers of the faithful, the lector read something like “let us pray for the faithful dead…and all the dead know to God alone” Make me wonder who’s writing these.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Sounds like the lector might have skipped a word or two – let us pray for the faithful departed and all the dead whose faith was known to God alone. This echoes the line from Eucharistic Prayer IV: Remember those who have died in the peace of Christ and all the dead whose faith is known to you alone.

 

[MarkThompson]

I agree with Justin1224 about what was probably meant – though there are plenty of dead known to God alone, such as babies miscarried at very early stages of pregnancy.

 

[Samuel63]

I would keep listening closely. We have a “very creative” liturgist at our parish (lay person) that leads the music ministry too. This person has command and control of just about everything not nailed down by the rubrics of the mass. And even these have been violated on a regular basis.

Our prayer of the faithful is often very questionable. Sometimes I hear political talking points, and am surprised to hear the same comments arise in the political news, as if the efforts are synchronized. Most often I hear the drumbeat of social justice.

It is way out of line from the intent of this part of the mass. I am considering asking our priest to consider taking over this part of the mass again.

 

[Mark1970]

This is just a wild guess, but perhaps the expression “faithful dead” may have meant those who, during life, were members of the Church, “all the dead known to God alone” could have meant those people who, although not outwardly members of the Catholic Church have somehow been saved by God’s grace and are in purgatory. These people would only be known to God alone as only he would know which non-Catholics/non-Christians have been saved in this way.

Don’t really know, just guessing, trying to figure out what they have meant in a charitable way.

 

[laszlo]

The prayers of the faithful is explicitly left out to the creativity, no exact rules above the common sense. The pastor is responsible.

here is the GIRM

1. In the Prayer of the Faithful, the people respond in a certain way to the word of God which they have welcomed in faith and, exercising the office of their baptismal priesthood, offer prayers to God for the salvation of all. It is fitting that such a prayer be included, as a rule, in Masses celebrated with a congregation, so that petitions will be offered for the holy Church, for civil authorities, for those weighed down by various needs, for all men and women, and for the salvation of the whole world.67
2. As a rule, the series of intentions is to be
3. For the needs of the Church;
4. For public authorities and the salvation of the whole world;
5. For those burdened by any kind of difficulty;
6. For the local community.

Nevertheless, in a particular celebration, such as Confirmation, Marriage, or a Funeral, the series of intentions may reflect more closely the particular occasion.

1. It is for the priest celebrant to direct this prayer from the chair. He himself begins it with a brief introduction, by which he invites the faithful to pray, and likewise he concludes it with a prayer. The intentions announced should be sober, be composed freely but prudently, and be succinct, and they should express the prayer of the entire community.

The intentions are announced from the ambo or from another suitable place, by the deacon or by a cantor, a lector, or one of the lay faithful.68

The people, however, stand and give expression to their prayer either by an invocation said together after each intention or by praying in silence.

 

[FrDavid96]

This morning as I was listening to the prayers of the faithful, the lector read something like “let us pray for the faithful dead…and all the dead know to God alone” Make me wonder who’s writing these.

That’s why we have All Souls Day.

People who died centuries ago, and there’s no record of them, no families to remember them, no one who will pray for them specifically, …people who died recently but were preceded in death by all their relatives and friends, so they died alone…the Church prays for all of them at Mass.

We humans don’t remember their names, but God does–that’s what is meant by “known to God alone.”