Question about Novenas and abuses in them

[zab]

I actually do what the OP asks about.

I altar serve at Thursday evening Mass followed by a novena to St Jude with benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. A deacon always presides for the novena and we do display and venerate a relic of St. Jude Thaddeus, Apostle and Martyr. The deacon also blesses those present with the relic.

The liturgy or the novena is here if anyone is interested, and is almost verbatim the same liturgy used at the National Shrine to St. Jude, which think is in Chicago.

All but one deacon (we have six) asks me to incense as he blesses the congregation with the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance during the benediction. The deacon will have already charged the thurible and blessed the smoke. I’ll place the humeral veil about the deacon’s shoulders and then retrieve the thurible from the stand. As the deacon raises the monstrance, I’ll incense from a kneeler in front of and at the same level as the pews, but not on the sanctuary itself.

I have also been asked to lead some of the common prayers, where all pray together. I have never been asked to lead any of the responsorial type prayers such as the Invocation (Presider: That the light of faith will be brought to all people… Response: St. Jude intercede for us! etc.) or the divine praises, nor have I been asked to offer any of the ad-hoc prayers, where the deacon says, “Let us pray…” and then launches into his own prayer.

Note that I am not an acolyte, just an altar server. Women have served as altar servers in this position in the past at our parish.

I did close the service once, when the Haitian’s were holding a prayer service in our Chapel after the earthquake. The deacon advised me that he would be moving the monstrance to the chapel for the haitians. The deacon blesseed everyone, grabbed the monstrance with the humeral veil and headed for the chapel. I did the final prayer as he left, started singing Holy God We Praise Thy Name, grabbed the thurible and recessed up the main aisle.

I’m not sure this post has added anything to the conversation but there it is, from one who actually does what the OP asked about. I’d welcome feedback, especially from anyone who knows the rules surrounding what is appropraite and what is not in the context of novenas and bennediction.

-Tim-

Tim,
Did you incense only the Blessed Sacrament or did you also incense the relic of St. Jude?

 

[Jim_Roberts]

Perhaps it’s something like asking why for no apparent reason and with no change in the teaching of the church about sin or the sacrament, people stopped going to confession with anythig like the former frequency.

My opinion is that a major explanation of the decline in extra-liturgical devotions such as these lies in the greatly increases emphasis on eucharist liturgy since Vatican 11

Add to this emphasis, and several significant social developments change in parish structure, reluctance of people to go out at night, and so on] and you probably have the most of the explanation why the kinds of devotion you speak of have declined in American Catholic life.

 

[TimothyH]

Tim,
Did you incense only the Blessed Sacrament or did you also incense the relic of St. Jude?

We typically don’t incense the relic at all druing the novena.

I was told this was because the novena includes a benediction and since the Blessed Sacrament is present in the monstrance on the altar, that gets incensed instead.

Honestly, with six deacons, there are six differnet ways to do it. I’m an altar server. I’m there to serve, not to question. if the deacon points to the humeral veil, I get it and put it on his shoulders. If the deacon tells me to run to the vestry to get a prayer book, I do it. If the deacon whispers “Go order me a pizza for after the novena” I call Domino’s. I just do what I’m told.

I think most of my comments surround the benediction while the OP and yourself are more interested in a straight-up novena without a benediction? Sorry if I am causing confusion.

But the short answer is, we don’t generally incense the relic becase (I am told) the monstrance is present. I do note for what it is worth, that our pastor and parochials invite the laity to incense the casket of their family member at funeral liturgies.

-Tim-

 

[zab]

I think most of my comments surround the benediction while the OP and yourself are more interested in a straight-up novena without a benediction? Sorry if I am causing confusion.

But the short answer is, we don’t generally incense the relic becase (I am told) the monstrance is present. I do note for what it is worth, that our pastor and parochials invite the laity to incense the casket of their family member at funeral liturgies.

-Tim-

Actually, Tim, I was saying that I do not recall ever seeing a statue incensed. I wrote that the only thing that I have seen incensed are those places where Christ is present, most especially the Eucharist. But you have reminded me that the priest also incenses the casket at funerals, as well as the processional crucifix that the altar server holds as he goes around the casket. We are not as fortunate to have a relic to reverence as you have so I am not familiar with such devotions.

 

[TimothyH]

Perhaps it’s something like asking why for no apparent reason and with no change in the teaching of the church about sin or the sacrament, people stopped going to confession with anythig like the former frequency.

My opinion is that a major explanation of the decline in extra-liturgical devotions such as these lies in the greatly increases emphasis on eucharist liturgy since Vatican 11

Add to this emphasis, and several significant social developments change in parish structure, reluctance of people to go out at night, and so on] and you probably have the most of the explanation why the kinds of devotion you speak of have declined in American Catholic life.

I’m thinking of building a giglio and boat for down here in Kennesaw Georgia.

-Tim-

 

[Chatter163]

I have also been asked to lead some of the common prayers, where all pray together. I have never been asked to lead any of the responsorial type prayers such as the Invocation (Presider: That the light of faith will be brought to all people… Response: St. Jude intercede for us! etc.) or the divine praises, nor have I been asked to offer any of the ad-hoc prayers, where the deacon says, “Let us pray…” and then launches into his own prayer.

But that wouldn’t be presiding (nor do any of the liturgical books use the term presider, either.)

We typically don’t incense the relic at all druing the novena.

I was told this was because the novena includes a benediction and since the Blessed Sacrament is present in the monstrance on the altar, that gets incensed instead.

That is proper liturgical practice.