Priest Reading Epistle Silently While Subdeacon Chants It? Absolished in 1962 Missal?

[bben15]

Hello. In the video below, the priest is saying the epistle silently while the subdeacon is chanting it. My understand is that in the 1962 Missal, the priest just sits and listens. Is what the priest doing liturgical abuse, or is it optional?

God bless you for answering my question.

youtube.com/watch?v=vlyp8Spjv7w

 

[ProVobis]

I don’t know but it’s a pleasure-to-watch video.

 

[malphono]

In the 1962 Missal, the celebrant is supposed to sit an listen. From the Ritus servandus in celebratione Missae, Chapter VI, item 4:

Edited by moderator
This is one of those little things in the 1962 Missal that makes so much more sense to me.

 

[Thomas_Casey]

MODERATOR NOTICE

Please make sure that all quotes are translated into English.

 

[Chatter163]

This was not a product of the 1962 missal, but of the revised rubrics of Blessed John XXIII, in his motu proprio *Rubricarum Instructum *(1960). These changes, which included reforms to the Roman Breviary and the universal kalendar, formed the 1960 edition of the Roman Missal. Specifically, rubric 473 states that at a High Mass, all that the deacon, subdeacon or lector say by virtue of their office is not duplicated by the celebrant.

 

[bben15]

No one has really answered my question. Is what the priest doing liturgical abuse?

 

[ProVobis]

It appears he’s not following the rubrics for a solemn Mass, but then he might not be aware of it. I’ve been to some Solemn Masses where the celebrant continues to read and others where the celebrant sits and listens, and they were all Pontifical Masses, the bishop being the celebrant.

 

[ProVobis]

FWIW, at tonight’s Mass the FSSP priest had a visiting deacon read the Epistle (away from the altar, in Latin) while he (the priest) sat down. It was a Missa Cantata (High Mass) definitely not solemn. I don’t know if this is one of those forthcoming changes that were supposedly discussed going forward in the EF.

 

[YoungTradCath]

FWIW, at tonight’s Mass the FSSP priest had a visiting deacon read the Epistle (away from the altar, in Latin) while he (the priest) sat down. It was a Missa Cantata (High Mass) definitely not solemn. I don’t know if this is one of those forthcoming changes that were supposedly discussed going forward in the EF.

This was explicitly allowed by the SRC in the interim years during Vatican II, that is, sung Mass with priest and deacon, but without subdeacon. I think this practice was confirmed sometime in the early 1990’s, around the same time the straw subdeacon question was answered, both by the Pont. Comm. Ecclesia Dei.

However, however, however… with SP, it now derogates to the practices and rubrics in force in 1962. I am something like 99% sure this was not done–legally or otherwise–in 1962, so I don’t think this is technically allowed today.

As far as the practice itself goes, I am ambivalent. The “best practice” of course is to have a subdeacon. This is traditional and the number three is more aesthetically pleasing than two, hence why even in the OF two deacons are often used in some places instead of just one. On the other hand, I understand the desire to make use of what you’ve got. However, I personally lean to just having a priest for a Missa Cantata, because I would very much hate to see a day come when 2-cleric Missae Cantatae hypothetically replace Solemn Masses for all intents and purposes, and I think that could happen if this were allowed.

On the other hand, a few weeks ago I was present at a Missa Cantata in which the parish’s deacon, who had just finished with a previous Mass, was deputed by the priest celebrant of the Missa Cantata to be the crucifer, complete with his violet dalmatic. It was very nice to see and I don’t think there is much potential harm in this, because he left after that.

Anyone else?

OP: It is not part of the current rubrics for the priest to read while the deacon/subdeacon chants.

 

[malphono]

FWIW, at tonight’s Mass the FSSP priest had a visiting deacon read the Epistle (away from the altar, in Latin) while he (the priest) sat down. It was a Missa Cantata (High Mass) definitely not solemn. I don’t know if this is one of those forthcoming changes that were supposedly discussed going forward in the EF.

Did the deacon do anything else?

 

[AlexV]

Note to those who want to promote traditional liturgies: don’t tell priests willing to celebrate the traditional rites when you’ve discovered they’ve committed some “liturgical abuse” according to the quasi-magical. fixed in amber 1962 rubrics (which are really 1960 rubrics that went into effect in 1961). You might find it harms your cause. This is really a nitpick of an issue if ever there were one.

 

[ProVobis]

Did the deacon do anything else?

Helped with the distribution of communion. Interesting that he only wore only a cassock and surplus for the reading. We only learned about his being a deacon at the sermon. I believe he was a transitional deacon, if that makes a difference. It might have been a one-time thing too.

 

[malphono]

Helped with the distribution of communion. Interesting that he only wore only a cassock and surplus for the reading. We only learned about his being a deacon at the sermon. I believe he was a transitional deacon, if that makes a difference. It might have been a one-time thing too.

OK, so that means he did nothing liturgical except proclaiming the epistle. And of course the epistle wouldn’t even be considered part of the diaconal role in Solemn Mass.

It could have been a one-shot deal, but either way I would give the benefit of the doubt here since it wouldn’t be in character for the FSSP to experiment on their own. Perhaps there’s a little-known dubium from the SRC sometime in the past that addresses it? If possible, perhaps you could ask the FSSP priest? I’d be interested in what he has to say.

 

[OraLabora]

“Abuse” implies a willing circumvention of the rubrics. The EF rubrics are quite a bit more complex than the OF rubrics. I’m sure therefore that sometimes honest mistakes do occur and did occur in the past. I have an old ceremonial at home and even the pattern and number of censer swings was prescribed depending on altar style.

I sure hope the liturgical police don’t go around counting censer swings. As was mentioned, no surer way to get a priest to lose interest in celebrating the EF than nitpicking over every minor mistake!

 

[L_Marshall]

FWIW, at tonight’s Mass the FSSP priest had a visiting deacon read the Epistle (away from the altar, in Latin) while he (the priest) sat down. It was a Missa Cantata (High Mass) definitely not solemn. I don’t know if this is one of those forthcoming changes that were supposedly discussed going forward in the EF.

I think what was going on here is that the deacon was exercising the ministry of Lector (the second minor order), which is allowed according to the 1962 Missal, but not often seen (since only seminarians were ordained as lectors).

I’m trying to find the information on how this is done, since I’ve never seen it, but it might take a while. Let this be a place holder until then.