Protestant Allowances in Mass

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DElias

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What is a Protestant allowed to do in mass? This crossed my mind when I was invited to listen to a few friends perform in the choir, and I was pulled out of my seat and handed a basket on a poll. The person doing so whispered something to me which I couldn’t make out until he exited. It was at that point I realized that I was then taking offertory. I realize that partaking of the Eucharist is understandably not allowed. Can a Protestant get on his or her knees? I had a priest allude to musical contributions upon hearing that I have a music degree and had performed as a solo performer for various churches. Is that really allowed? I realize that this may seem like a more complicated question. Basically, what can and can not be done?
 
Basically anything except reeving the Eucharist or serving at or around the altar, including reading the OT, Epistle, Prayers of the Faithful.
 
I didn’t know visiting protestants were not allowed to read from the epistles.I thought we all believed in the same bible.
 
franny50 said:
I didn’t know visiting protestants were not allowed to read from the epistles.I thought we all believed in the same bible.
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Its not about believing in the same Bible. Its about serving at or near the altar. Active participation is reserved for Catholics only.

Also, what if the reading was Maccabees? 😃
 
franny50 said:
I didn’t know visiting protestants were not allowed to read from the epistles.I thought we all believed in the same bible.
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With the permission of the bishop, it can be permitted in certain cases like for ecumenical gatherings. Other than that, proclaiming the Word to the assembled congregation is a ministerial function, and although lay Catholics can fill the rule as lay ministers within the Church, it is not generally acceptable for non-Catholics to attempt to exercise a ministry of this sort.
 
The misunderstanding here is between the ministry of lector and reading at a liturgy. The ministry of Lector is reserved for adult male Catholics only. We also call lectors, other readers who are not commissioned, which is the majority of our readers in a parish.

However, there are times when a non Catholic may legitimately be asked to read one of the lessons such as the funeral of a loved one, the wedding of his or her child or even an ordination. I know a very interesting family. The mother is Catholic and the father is Lutheran. They have three children, two sons and one daughter. One son is a diocesan priest. One son is a Franciscan brothers and the daughter is a Sister of Mercy. Dad has read al the ordination of the priest and the profession of vows of the brother and sister.

These are extraordinary situations, not your usual Sunday mass. A bishop or a male religious superior may grant the permission.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
Basically anything except reeving the Eucharist or serving at or around the altar, including reading the OT, Epistle, Prayers of the Faithful.
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This is probably more applicable in more public Masses. I’ve been at funeral Masses and retreat centers where admitted non-Catholics were actually encouraged to read, cantor the Mass, sing the hymns, etc. I didn’t even want to see whether they received or not.
 
ProVobis said:
This is probably more applicable in more public Masses. I’ve been at funeral Masses and retreat centers where admitted non-Catholics were actually encouraged to read, cantor the Mass, sing the hymns, etc. I didn’t even want to see whether they received or not.
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It’s not a violation of Church law if they do, but it would make little sense to do so unless it’s as I said, your sister’s wedding or your parent’s funeral or something very close to hom. Even receiving communion may be allowed by the local Ordinary. That’s his call to make. Pope Benedict allows it to some Protestants at his masses. The last one that I remember seeing was Brother Roger of Taize, who was Lutheran. However, Brother believed in the real presence and was a personal friend of Pope John Paul and Pope Benedict. They knew his beliefs personally, not through some magazine article that they read somewhere. At the local level, the same rule applies. If the bishop knows of a good reason to allow a Protestant or an Orthodox to receive Holy Communion, he may do so.

As to reading, cantoring, bringing up the gifts, it’s not an infraction of any rule and you don’t need the bishop’s permission; but it’s not the logical thing to do.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
DElias said:
What about Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration?
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I don’t know why not…my husband went with me every week to adoration for a year until he was confirmed this Easter Vigil.👍 It’s a good way to get to know the Lord.
 
You can receive a blessing…Get into the communion line and cross your arms…Fr will bless you ,but know not to give you the host…
 
That’s good because I received an invitation for late this evening.
 
I can’t believe they just grabbed you and handed you the offering basket! Talk about intimidating. If that had happened to me while I was a Protestant I might never have converted!😃
 
convert999 said:
I can’t believe they just grabbed you and handed you the offering basket! Talk about intimidating. If that had happened to me while I was a Protestant I might never have converted!😃
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Honestly, I was scared out of my mind. I watched the others and mimicked them.
 
DElias said:
That’s good because I received an invitation for late this evening.
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Though I don’t know you from Adam, I hope you won’t mind me prying. Are you interested in becoming a Christian Catholic? Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is significant for a protestant to be doing. I mean, you’ll be adoring the Body of Christ, or at least in the presence of those adoring.

Best of luck to you & I do sincerely hope your experience is enriching!
 
DElias said:
… and I was pulled out of my seat and handed a basket on a poll.
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I spent a year of university in France shortly after converting to the Catholic Church. I enjoyed attending mass at various Catholic churches while on excursions and was surprised when I was asked to collect the offering on several occasions. Not only was I a new convert and not sure what was going on, but here I was a visitor to the church AND a foreigner still learning the language. This happened several times, each in a different church. I am still amazed twenty years later :o
 
JReducation said:
The ministry of Lector is reserved for adult male Catholics only.
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Brother JR, I’m not sure I understand what you are saying. I went through RCIA twenty years ago and there is still so much I am trying to figure out 😉 In my parish many of the functions during the mass are performed by women or girls, including readings, alter servers and Eucharistic ministers. This seems due to lack of male volunteers rather than intentional liturgical abuse.

So when these women are reading the OT and epistle readings (the psalm is sung by a cantor) are they to be called lectors, or something else? How does this differ from the Ministry of Lector that you mentioned earlier?
 
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