Some things I DON'T like about mass

[liturgyluver]

Two of the complaints you list are not authorized by the Catholic Church – holding hands during the Our Father (the Lord’s Prayer) and blessings in lieu of Holy Communion.

Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (Protocol No. 930/08/L):

Quote:

1. The liturgical blessing of the Holy Mass is properly given to each and to all at the conclusion of the Mass, just a few moments subsequent to the distribution of Holy Communion.
2. Lay people, within the context of Holy Mass, are unable to confer blessings. These blessings, rather, are the competence of the priest (cf. Ecclesia de Mysterio, Notitiae 34 (15 Aug. 1997), art. 6, § 2; Canon 1169, § 2; and Roman Ritual De Benedictionibus (1985), n. 18).
3. Furthermore, the laying on of a hand or hands — which has its own sacramental significance, inappropriate here — by those distributing Holy Communion, in substitution for its reception, is to be explicitly discouraged.
4. The Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio n. 84, “forbids any pastor, for whatever reason to pretext even of a pastoral nature, to perform ceremonies of any kind for divorced people who remarry”. To be feared is that any form of blessing in substitution for communion would give the impression that the divorced and remarried have been returned, in some sense, to the status of Catholics in good standing.
5. In a similar way, for others who are not to be admitted to Holy Communion in accord with the norm of law, the Church’s discipline has already made clear that they should not approach Holy Communion nor receive a blessing. This would include non-Catholics and those envisaged in can. 915 (i.e., those under the penalty of excommunication or interdict, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin).

REDEMTIONIS SACRAMENTUM

CHAPTER VIII

REMEDIES

1. Grave Matters[173.] Although the gravity of a matter is to be judged in accordance with the common teaching of the Church and the norms established by her, objectively to be considered among grave matters is anything that puts at risk the validity and dignity of the Most Holy Eucharist: namely, anything that contravenes what is set out above in nn. 48-52, 56, 76-77, 79, 91-92, 94, 96, 101-102, 104, 106, 109, 111, 115, 117, 126, 131-133, 138, 153 and 168.

This ritual appears nowhere in the approved liturgical books of the Church. In fact, a person, on his own authority, cannot invent a ritual and insert into the Mass.

The Documents of Vatican II, Sacrosanctum Concilium, III. The Reform of the Sacred Liturgy, A. General Norms: 3:

Therefore no other person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the Liturgy on his own authority.

**Redemptionis Sacramentum: **

[11.] The Mystery of the Eucharist “is too great for anyone to permit himself to treat it according to his own whim, so that its sacredness and its universal ordering would be obscured”.27 On the contrary, anyone who acts thus by giving free rein to his own inclinations, even if he is a Priest, injures the substantial unity of the Roman Rite, which ought to be vigorously preserved,28 and becomes responsible for actions that are in no way consistent with the hunger and thirst for the living God that is experienced by the people today.

**Catechism of the Catholic Church: **

1125 For this reason {lex orandi, lex credendi, the Church believes as she prays] no sacramental rite may be modified or manipulated at the will of the minister or the community. Even the supreme authority in the Church may not change the liturgy arbitrarily, but only in obedience of faith and with religious respect for the mystery of the liturgy.

END QUOTES

I agree with you about the Sign of Peace. The Catholic bishops have discussed moving it but no action has been taken as yet.

Those who attend the Sacrifice of the Mass should give their complete attention to what’s happening at the altar. Every Catholic is responsible to God for the way he or she dresses and worships Him; we should not pay attention to others or criticize.

I wish you and others would stop quoting Protocol No. 930/08/L as purporting to give authority that blessings may not be given in lieu of communion. This is not the case as it has no legal status - It was an observation note that gave an opinion but said specifically that this matter is under active consideration. In fact the definitive guidance is expected to come out next year, and until then the Vatican has agreed that the staus quo should prevail. That is that Bishops’ are free to decide what provision exists in their area. In England and Wales blessings are allowed.

 

[paperwight66]

I wish you and others would stop quoting Protocol No. 930/08/L as purporting to give authority that blessings may not be given in lieu of communion. This is not the case as it has no legal status - It was an observation note that gave an opinion but said specifically that this matter is under active consideration. In fact the definitive guidance is expected to come out next year, and until then the Vatican has agreed that the staus quo should prevail. That is that Bishops’ are free to decide what provision exists in their area. In England and Wales blessings are allowed.

Indeed. And not just allowed, but actively encouraged, from Archbishops downwards.

 

[anruari]

I wish you and others would stop quoting Protocol No. 930/08/L as purporting to give authority that blessings may not be given in lieu of communion. This is not the case as it has no legal status - It was an observation note that gave an opinion but said specifically that this matter is under active consideration. In fact the definitive guidance is expected to come out next year, and until then the Vatican has agreed that the staus quo should prevail. That is that Bishops’ are free to decide what provision exists in their area. In England and Wales blessings are allowed.

Thankyou. !!!

I would also note that specific guidance has also been issued though I can’t remember exactly where.* If my memory serves me correctl*y, however, only the priest should may give such a blessing. if a parishoner or visitor approaches a EMHC for a blessing they should dismiss the person with a salutation such as “Recieve Jesus into your heart”. they should not use the word “blessing”, or lay hands on the person or make a sign of the cross.

I do not know the protocol for Deacons. - While not a Priest they are Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and *some *liturgical blessings are proper to them.

 

[anruari]

first of all you are wrong on #2 i have never never held hands with anyone during the hour father at any time in my life. i have never seen anyone in our church holding hands or any catholic church ever so where is this done?[/BIBLEDRB]

This is a practice which is common in some areas more than others. Abuses of this type tend to be very regional
For example i Ireland, many members of the congregation tend to recite the Doxology along with the priest at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer (Through Him and With Him …) Liturgically speaking this is Highly inappropriate. Next door in England this is virtually unheard of.
Similarly in Ireland the congregation in many parishes tend to modify the words of the Creed and other prayers to make them “gender sensitive” - again a practice that has been condemned by the Vatican.
Liturgical abuses are rife - but few of them invalidate the mass. We should pray that our priests have the courage and gentleness to re-educate our congregations, and to recognise where they themselves are falling short and correct their own behaviour. - but tread carefully in approaching them on the issue - gentleness is key otherwise you will just get peoples backs up.