Solemn Exposition of the Holy Eucharist vs. "Normal" Benediction

[japhy]

I am quite surprised to see that the USCCB’s Order for the Solemn Exposition of the Holy Eucharist makes things like O Salutaris Hostia and Tantum Ergo and Holy God, We Praise Thy Name optional. I’ve also learned that neither the USCCB version nor the Latin normative version includes the Divine Praises.

This is also Solemn Exposition, which the Order says happens in conjunction with (that is, after) Mass.

At my parish, we have (semi) Solemn Exposition of the Holy Eucharist after our Monday evening Mass. I say “semi” because there’s only two candles lit (not four or six), there’s no incense used, and the actual rite is a bit of a combination of the opening and closing rites of Exposition:

After the Prayer After Communion, the priest places a consecrated Host in the monstrance on the altar in silence, says the closing prayer, comes to the front (our side) of the altar, kneels, says one of the prescribed prayers, gets up, genuflects, and leaves for an hour. An hour later, he returns, to the foot of the altar, kneels, says a prayer, then we all say the Divine Praises, then he gets up, genuflects, goes to the altar and gives us the blessing with the Eucharist. (I may have the order of that slightly off… I can’t remember now if we say the Divine Praises with the Sacrament exposed or not.) Then he reposes the Sacrament in the tabernacle in silence, and we follow this with Night Prayer.

Now, before this, my experience with adoration was generally after the pattern of Exposition - Adoration - Benediction - Reposition: we start with O Salutaris Hostia, go into (mostly) silent adoration, and at the end, we sing Tantum Ergo, receive the benediction, then sing Holy God, We Praise Thy Name, and close with the Divine Praises. This wasn’t associated with Mass.

So… is what I’m familiar with a pre-Vatican II rite? It’s not “Solemn Exposition”, since there’s no Mass involved.

Just curious what the variations out there are!

 

[bpbasilphx]

I am quite surprised to see that the USCCB’s Order for the Solemn Exposition of the Holy Eucharist makes things like O Salutaris Hostia and Tantum Ergo and Holy God, We Praise Thy Name optional.

**According to my own researches, the only hymn that was ever required for Benediction was Tantum ergo, followed by the actual blessing, versicle, response, and collect.

All the rest has been by long standing custom.

“Holy God, We Praise…” (the complete hymn, which is seldom sung, is a paraphrase of Te Deum laudamus) is one of these customs in English speaking countries.**

 

[gmoakes]

Can anyone tell me if there are guidelines on how many people should be present during Eucharistic Adoration? At my parent’s church, they have perpetual adoration from Wed morning until Sat. morning with only one person scheduled to be there each hour (of course, anyone who wants to come adore may do so). At my church, we have adoration from 8:30 to 5:30 on Wed and Fri and 40hrs of adoration each quarter. The person in charge of the schedule wants there to be at least 4 people present and would like to have 12 each hour during the 40 hrs of perpetual adoration (doesn’t happen during the middle of the night). I was just wondering if she’s over anxious if there aren’t at least 4 or if there are guidllines she’s following.

In His name - Gisele

 

[japhy]

Can anyone tell me if there are guidelines on how many people should be present during Eucharistic Adoration? … I was just wondering if she’s over anxious if there aren’t at least 4 or if there are guidllines she’s following.

There must always be at least one person in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament outside of the tabernacle (whether in a ciborium or in a monstrance).

 

[AJV]

I am quite surprised to see that the USCCB’s Order for the Solemn Exposition of the Holy Eucharist makes things like O Salutaris Hostia and Tantum Ergo and Holy God, We Praise Thy Name optional.

According to my own researches, the only hymn that was ever required for Benediction was Tantum ergo, followed by the actual blessing, versicle, response, and collect.

All the rest has been by long standing custom.

“Holy God, We Praise…” (the complete hymn, which is seldom sung, is a paraphrase of Te Deum laudamus) is one of these customs in English speaking countries.

That is true for the Roman Ritual, however, O Salutaris (sometimes even the whole hymns) was required by local legislation in various places.

The order I was used to went a bit like this:
Priest removes the Host and places it in monstrance
O Salutaris (or vernacular equiv.)
(during which) priest kneels, incenses the Host.
Priest rises, genuflects, leaves
(Then follows adoration which may be silence, or a combination of hymns, prayers and a Gospel reading)**
Tantum Ergo (or vernacular equiv.)
Versicle and Response
Prayer (Collect)
Priest gives the Benendiction during which the bells are rung
Divine Praises
Priest reposes the Sacrament and leaves
(during which) “O Sacrament Most Holy” is sung

** For First Fridays there was a more formal and fixed structure, where the priest stays in the sanctuary. There is an act of penitence and reparation, prayer to OL Blessed Sacrament, hymns, Gospel, homily, act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart