Priest adding his own prayer/blessing

[frenchbeatle]

There was a priest at my former parish who I really liked and enjoyed celebrating Mass with. He has been reassigned to another parish, and I’m still discovering things that he did that I miss.

One thing he did that I miss I wanted to get everyone’s thoughts on. Just after the “Lord I am not worthy to receive you” prayer, while he is breaking the Host, he adds, in a lower voice, “May the Body and Blood of Christ bring us everlasting life.” The congregation repsonds with “Amen.”

I’m wondering if what he’s doing is OK; if adding his own prayer at that point of Mass is appropriate. I always liked that he did that, but no other priest has ever done it. Thoughts?

 

[benedictgal]

There was a priest at my former parish who I really liked and enjoyed celebrating Mass with. He has been reassigned to another parish, and I’m still discovering things that he did that I miss.

One thing he did that I miss I wanted to get everyone’s thoughts on. Just after the “Lord I am not worthy to receive you” prayer, while he is breaking the Host, he adds, in a lower voice, “May the Body and Blood of Christ bring us everlasting life.” The congregation repsonds with “Amen.”

I’m wondering if what he’s doing is OK; if adding his own prayer at that point of Mass is appropriate. I always liked that he did that, but no other priest has ever done it. Thoughts?

This is the priest’s prayer and should be prayed silently/inaudibly, and, it’s not “us”, it’s “me”, as this pertains to him. While it is found in the Roman Missal, the priest, in question, took it upon himself to recite the prayer aloud and alter the text. It should not be done.

Unfortunately, this sad trend even occurs down here.

 

[FrDavid96]

It’s actually not “his own prayer” but a required part of the Mass. However, it is part of the private preparation of the priest, and all priests are required to say this prayer in a whisper–not aloud. The congregation does not respond.

And that prayer is said in the singular, “bring me” not “bring us”; also once for the Body and again for the Blood.

 

[chaunceygardner]

I have heard that prayer as well at some Masses. Perhaps some Priests say those particular words quietly while others speak them aloud. Ask a Priest about it sometime.

Someone with expertise in all the fine points of the liturgy will surely give us the answer.
(As I wrote this my prediction came true, and the question is answered.)

 

[japhy]

It would be preferable for priests to say the private prayers prescribed for them in the Missal (like this one) quietly (that is, in a “low voice”) as the Missal directs them. If they want the congregation to know about these prayers, they could speak about them in the homily. That’s licit.

 

[frenchbeatle]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I did not realize that it was a priests-only prayer. I just got back from daily Mass and I did notice the priest whispering or mouthing the words.

 

[Cluny]

There are SOME places in the American edition of the Sacramentary where the Priest is granted some leeway to extemporize with a formula like this: “saying these or similar words.”

I don’t pretend to know how many times or where this formula appears, or if it is even in the Latin typical edition.

 

[FrDavid96]

There are SOME places in the American edition of the Sacramentary where the Priest is granted some leeway to extemporize with a formula like this: “saying these or similar words.”

I don’t pretend to know how many times or where this formula appears, or if it is even in the Latin typical edition.

Yes, that’s true. The most obvious one that comes to mind is in introducing the penitential rite. But unless the rubrics indeed say “these or similar words” the priest is bound to say exactly what’s in the book, and exactly how it’s described.

However, this isn’t one of those times (this thread). The priest is required to say exactly those words, and to do them as the missal describes, in a whispered voice.

 

[Newbie2]

Yes, that’s true. The most obvious one that comes to mind is in introducing the penitential rite. But unless the rubrics indeed say “these or similar words” the priest is bound to say exactly what’s in the book, and exactly how it’s described.

However, this isn’t one of those times (this thread). The priest is required to say exactly those words, and to do them as the missal describes, in a whispered voice.

I occasionally hear a visiting priest, who may not be accutomed to our new sound system, whisper such words and they come through the sound system as somewhat less than whispered. Other priests, like our parish priest, are barely audible.