Priest Rewording Gospel and Liturgy of the Eucharist

  • Thread starter Thread starter GeorgiaPeach
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
G

GeorgiaPeach

Guest
One of the priests at our parish always re-words the Gospel as well as the Liturgy of the Eucharist. In the Gospel reading he adds words and changes words. I think he does it to make it more understandable. During the Consecration he even changes Jesus’ words. Last week he even made a joke in the middle of the Liturgy of the Eucharist. I’ve never had a priest do this so it really throws me for a loop.

Are these things even allowed?
 
We are not called to make the Mass more interesting by adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing the Church’s sacred scriptural and liturgical texts at will. It is a violation of the GIRM and Redemptionis Sacramentum.

In fact, if the words of institution during the Consecration are altered, that could very well invalidate the Mass.

This is what RS says regarding the texts of the Eucharistic Prayer:
  1. The Eucharistic Prayer
    [51.] Only those Eucharistic Prayers are to be used which are found in the Roman Missal or are legitimately approved by the Apostolic See, and according to the manner and the terms set forth by it. "It is not to be tolerated that some Priests take upon themselves the right to compose their own Eucharistic Prayers"129 or to change the same texts approved by the Church, or to introduce others composed by private individuals.130
Click to expand...
Here is what RS says concerning the Gospel:
[59.] The reprobated practice by which Priests, Deacons or the faithful here and there alter or vary at will the texts of the Sacred Liturgy that they are charged to pronounce, must cease. For in doing thus, they render the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy unstable, and not infrequently distort the authentic meaning of the Liturgy.
Click to expand...
…[62.] It is also illicit to omit or to substitute the prescribed biblical readings on one’s own initiative, and especially “to substitute other, non-biblical texts for the readings and responsorial Psalm, which contain the word of God”.138
Click to expand...
Finally, RS notes that:
30.] The office “that belongs to Priests in particular in the celebration of the Eucharist” is a great one, “for it is their responsibility to preside at the Eucharist in persona Christi and to provide a witness to and a service of communion not only for the community directly taking part in the celebration, but also for the universal Church, which is always brought into play within the context of the Eucharist. It must be lamented that, especially in the years following the post-Conciliar liturgical reform, as a result of a misguided sense of creativity and adaptation, there have been a number of abuses which have been a source of suffering for many”.70
Click to expand...
[31.] In keeping with the solemn promises that they have made in the rite of Sacred Ordination and renewed each year in the Mass of the Chrism, let Priests celebrate “devoutly and faithfully the mysteries of Christ for the praise of God and the sanctification of the Christian people, according to the tradition of the Church, especially in the Eucharistic Sacrifice and in the Sacrament of Reconciliation”.71 They ought not to detract from the profound meaning of their own ministry by corrupting the liturgical celebration either through alteration or omission, or through arbitrary additions.72 For as Saint Ambrose said, “It is not in herself … but in us that the Church is injured. Let us take care so that our own failure may not cause injury to the Church”.73 Let the Church of God not be injured, then, by Priests who have so solemnly dedicated themselves to the ministry. Indeed, under the Bishop’s authority let them faithfully seek to prevent others as well from committing this type of distortion.
Click to expand...
I hope this information is helpful to the OP.
 
GeorgiaPeach said:
One of the priests at our parish always re-words the Gospel as well as the Liturgy of the Eucharist. In the Gospel reading he adds words and changes words. I think he does it to make it more understandable. During the Consecration he even changes Jesus’ words.
Click to expand...
Absolutely not allowed. Use the homily to expound the text of the gospel to make sure people understand it. The words of the Mass are no one’s to mess wtih.
GeorgiaPeach said:
Last week he even made a joke in the middle of the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
Click to expand...
Disgraceful. 😦

Please talk to your priest charitably about this. If he resists or rejects your concerns, talk to your pastor about it. If that fails, go to your bishop.
 
Thanks for the information. It is what I suspected, I just wasn’t sure where to look.

Our parish is large and has several priests. The priest I mentioned is an assistant pastor. For the life of me I can’t understand why, if he is doing things out of line, one of the other priests or deacons doesn’t take issue.

I will make an appointment with the pastor and discuss it with him. There are other things he does that seem a little off. Changing the words of the Mass are just the most bothersome.
 
GeorgiaPeach said:
Thanks for the information. It is what I suspected, I just wasn’t sure where to look.

Our parish is large and has several priests. The priest I mentioned is an assistant pastor. For the life of me I can’t understand why, if he is doing things out of line, one of the other priests or deacons doesn’t take issue.

I will make an appointment with the pastor and discuss it with him. There are other things he does that seem a little off. Changing the words of the Mass are just the most bothersome.
Click to expand...
The biggest problem is that if he changes the words of institution, as I noted in my initial response, that runs the risk of invalidating the Mass. If that is the case, then that is a grave abuse.
 
The primary negative effect, in my opinion, of priests altering the words of the liturgy is that it distracts from prayer. I can’t tell you how many times I have been in a very focused spirit of prayer prior to Communion, only to have it shattered following the Agnus Dei with (instead of “This is the Lamb of God…”) something like, “This is Jesus, Our Savior, who came to this world and, as I said in my homily earlier, was reaching out to us. This is Jesus, the one we are called to worship above all else. May we learn to trust him and love him more every day. This is Jesus…”

I mean, there is seldom anything said that is not correct or laudable in a different context, but the words of the Mass are so familiar that when our meditation is disrupted by a priest’s “creativity”, it just destroys a spirit of prayer. I once read an article about the rise in “priestly narcissism” which was right on.

Anyway, as an aspiring seminarian, my response has been to deal with it as best I can and resolve to never do the same thing, if I am ordained someday.
 
“Priestly narcissism” is exactly what comes to mind in this situation for sure. He is a stunt car driver in a carnival circuit in his off time and I think he forgets we aren’t at Mass to see him perform.

Apparently, he has been turned in before for this. My son said that during school Mass one day the priest said “please don’t turn me in” after he reworded the gospel reading. Then he went on to say that people had turned him in in the past.
 
GeorgiaPeach said:
“Priestly narcissism” is exactly what comes to mind in this situation for sure. He is a stunt car driver in a carnival circuit in his off time and I think he forgets we aren’t at Mass to see him perform.

Apparently, he has been turned in before for this. My son said that during school Mass one day the priest said “please don’t turn me in” after he reworded the gospel reading. Then he went on to say that people had turned him in in the past.
Click to expand...
Well, he wouldn’t have to have made the plea to not be reported had he done what he was supposed to have done in the first place. Your bishop needs to know about this.
 
**He is a stunt car driver in a carnival circuit in his off time and I think he forgets we aren’t at Mass to see him perform. **

I didn’t know a priest, especially one in parish ministry, had off time.
 
I have been tempted all day long to post on this, but I am not sure if it falls under the same category of the OP’s situation.
Here goes- and God forgive me if I have been feeling a bad vibe about this if it is okay…
When one of our priests recites the Gospel in the daily morning Mass during the week- he adds personal commentary in between the verses. Kind of like a mini- homily inserted into the gospel readings. Sometimes its just one interruption, yesterday it was twice he did it.
Then, I kept waiting to hear “the mass has ended go in peace” but never heard that so I sat still. People were filling out, but I figured I could not leave until the priest officially said the mass was over. He left me sitting there like a dope and never asked me why I was still there when he was trying to lock up the chapel, he just said: “hey- I am locking up so wrap it up please”😦
So I ran out before he got mad at me.
 
notsmart said:
I have been tempted all day long to post on this, but I am not sure if it falls under the same category of the OP’s situation.
Here goes- and God forgive me if I have been feeling a bad vibe about this if it is okay…
When one of our priests recites the Gospel in the daily morning Mass during the week- he adds personal commentary in between the verses. Kind of like a mini- homily inserted into the gospel readings. Sometimes its just one interruption, yesterday it was twice he did it.
Then, I kept waiting to hear “the mass has ended go in peace” but never heard that so I sat still. People were filling out, but I figured I could not leave until the priest officially said the mass was over. He left me sitting there like a dope and never asked me why I was still there when he was trying to lock up the chapel, he just said: “hey- I am locking up so wrap it up please”😦
So I ran out before he got mad at me.
Click to expand...
He is supposed to proclaim the text of the Gospel as is, sans editorial comment. This is just bad.
 
benedictgal said:
He is supposed to proclaim the text of the Gospel as is, sans editorial comment. This is just bad.
Click to expand...
Thank you. By the way, does he have to say that the Mass has ended? Or is that just a custom depending on the priest?:confused:
 
benedictgal said:
He has to say the Mass is ended. It’s in the Roman Missal.
Click to expand...
Oh. I guess I will pray more for him than I do.:o I am not helping if I don’t. I can’t say anything to him now anyway. The priest I like that is orthodox, he tells me that while he does not like to say it, that there will be some even in our parish that may confuse me at this stage but to come to him if I am in doubt, and just pray for them as he does also. He thinks it is far more effective with the individual in question. I have to trust that judgement because he is wise and really helpful to get my family in the church together.
 
notsmart said:
I have been tempted all day long to post on this, but I am not sure if it falls under the same category of the OP’s situation.
Here goes- and God forgive me if I have been feeling a bad vibe about this if it is okay…
When one of our priests recites the Gospel in the daily morning Mass during the week- he adds personal commentary in between the verses. Kind of like a mini- homily inserted into the gospel readings. Sometimes its just one interruption, yesterday it was twice he did it.
Click to expand...
Our priest interupts the lectors sometimes to interject mini-homilies during the readings. Then when it gets to the actual homily he will talk about something that doesn’t tie into the readings.

I am a non-confrontational person IRL. The whole issue is giving me a little anxiety. I don’t want to come across as arrogant, but I am concerned nonetheless.
 
GeorgiaPeach said:
Our priest interupts the lectors sometimes to interject mini-homilies during the readings. Then when it gets to the actual homily he will talk about something that doesn’t tie into the readings.

I am a non-confrontational person IRL. The whole issue is giving me a little anxiety. I don’t want to come across as arrogant, but I am concerned nonetheless.
Click to expand...
I know what you mean, I think. I am not even a christian because I am not baptised, but I do think I know what you mean.
Take my wise priest’s words to your very heart now.
Simply pray for that priest, and keep attending Mass, no matter what he does or does not do right.
I am not one in a position to give advice to anyone, but my heart says its the best medicine for this malady.
We can do this if we continue to be faithful, in spite of every seeming obstacle.
Because, we don’t want this to be this way, we don’t look for problems, but when we see any, we ought to be humble and think of how we fail also, yet still ask and seek our Risen Lord in these times of confusion.
He will comfort us.👍
And we must be strong, in spite of difficulty. Satan wants us to be negative.
 
notsmart said:
Thank you. By the way, does he have to say that the Mass has ended? Or is that just a custom depending on the priest?:confused:
Click to expand...
Yes, he has to say it, but if another liturgical service immediately follows the Mass, it may be omitted.

If Exposition/Benediction occurs right after Mass, it would be odd indeed for the priest to say “it’s time for everybody to leave now” 🙂
 
GeorgiaPeach said:
One of the priests at our parish always re-words the Gospel as well as the Liturgy of the Eucharist. In the Gospel reading he adds words and changes words. I think he does it to make it more understandable. During the Consecration he even changes Jesus’ words. Last week he even made a joke in the middle of the Liturgy of the Eucharist. I’ve never had a priest do this so it really throws me for a loop.

Are these things even allowed?
Click to expand...
Many Catholics are surprised to learn just how much license the priest is actually given to change the words of the Mass. In Masses with Children, even more license is permitted.

In order for folks here to give you an accurate answer as to whether or not it’s allowed, we need to know just what changes you’re asking about.

The priest is bound to say the prayers as they are written, and unless the Church has specifically allowed changes to be made, those changes are illicit (the Church’s word for illegal). This especially applies to the Eucharistic Prayers. They cannot be changed. There are some minor changes that are permitted, but these are obvious (like omitting parts of the Roman Canon that are printed in parentheses).

The priest may not change the words in Sacred Scripture to suit himself or his own preferences, nor add his own comments in the middle of the readings (that’s what the homily is for, or the optional introductions). Only approved texts may be used.

There are times in the Mass when the priest is specifically permitted to introduce what is about to happen (such as introducing the Mass of the day, or introducing the readings), these may be done in his own words. But, of course, introducing is not the same as changing.

One issue that often comes up is the use of the words “brethren” or “brothers and sisters” or whatever else. In such instances, the priest may substitute one version for the other. Just as he may say “brothers and sisters” instead of “brethren” he can likewise use “brethren” instead of “brothers and sisters”.

Give us some specific examples.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top