Question about EF Mass

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jonpd

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I have been attending the EF Mass in our diocese fairly regularly for the last couple of months.

There is one thing, somewhat minor but has puzzled me. On the altar are several framed cards (not sure what the official term) whcih appear to have writing on them. One on the left (Gospel) side, one in the center, and one on the right (Epistle) side.

I have seen the one on the left held by an altar boy during the last Gospel so I assume that’s what it is. The one on the center the Nicene Creed? The one on the right I’m guessing is either the proper prayer read before the epistle or the epistle itself.

Since the priest has an altar missal that contains the other parts of the Mass why would he need to have these parts of the Mass on separate cards? Is this a traditional thing?

Jon
 
newadvent.org/cathen/01351b.htm

To assist the memory of the celebrant at Mass in those prayers which he should know by heart, cards on which these prayers are printed are placed on the altar in the middle, and at each end. They were not used before the sixteenth century, and even at present are not employed at the Mass celebrated by a bishop, who reads all the prayers from the Pontifical Canon. At the time that Pius V revised the Missal, only the card at the middle of the altar was used, and it was called the “Tabella Secretarum” (tit. xx). Later, another was added containing the Gospel of St. John (recited usually at the end of Mass), and placed on the Gospel side. For the sake of symmetry, another containing the prayer “Deus qui humanae substantiae”, which is said by the celebrant when he blesses the cruet of water, and the psalm “Lavabo”, recited at the washing of the hands, was placed on the Epistle side. Only during Mass should the cards stand on the altar, the middle one resting against the crucifix or tabernacle, the side ones against the candlesticks or superstructural steps of the altar. At any other time they are either removed or placed face downwards on the altar under the altar cover. When the Blessed Sacrament is exposed outside of Mass, the cards must be removed (Cong. Sac. Rit., 20 December, 1864). If these cards are framed, the frames should, as far as possible, correspond to the architecture of the altar.
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Hope that is helpful. 🙂
 
Plus, the cards at the epistle and gospel sides contain prayers that are recited when the priest is away from the missal.
 
Exactly right. You will see as you keep attending the EF that when the priest is first taking water and wine from the servers, and during the washing of the hands, the missal is on the Gospel side … he can refer to the card at the Epistle side.

When he is reading the last Gospel, on the Gospel side, the missal has already been returned to the Epistle side.

They are usually called “altar cards.” And I have seen one company that makes them for the ordinary form as well! They look awesome, are connected with tradition, and are certainly not prohibited in the OF.

myriadcreativeconcepts.com/product-latin-ordinary-vintage-diamond
 
During the transition period from the EF to the OF (1965-1969), the center and epistle side altar cards continued to be used for the gradually diminishing amount of Latin prayers that the priest said. Since most altars in the USA had been turned around by this period, the altar cards were generally removed from frames and placed flat on altars facing the people. My 1970 Catholic bible has pictures of this to describe the “new Mass.”
 
The altar boys had laminated cards on the steps of the altar that probably could not be seen from the congregation. However, once you learned the prayers by heart you didn’t need them.
 
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