Standing around the altar

  • Thread starter Thread starter M.Terry
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

M.Terry

Guest
Is it liturgically correct to stand around the altar? I need documentation from an official document saying it is or is not legal.
 
M. Terry:
Is it liturgically correct to stand around the altar? I need documentation from an official document saying it is or is not legal.
Click to expand...
Only concelebrating priests may stand around the altar. In the GIRM it states:
GIRM 162:
…These ministers should not approach the altar before the priest has received Communion, and they are always to receive from the hands of the priest celebrant the vessel containing either species of the Most Holy Eucharist for distribution to the faithful.
Click to expand...
Hope that helps some! For more information, see these articles from Zenit, the Vatican news organ: Crowded Altars and More on Crowded Altars (scroll down to the section on the second).

To sum it all up,
Zenit 'More on Crowded Altars':
A correspondent from San Diego, California, asked about the practice of “Life Teen Masses.” She wrote: “At my parish they are called up to the altar just before the Our Father and don’t leave until after they receive Communion. Is this not in line with GIRM?”

Other readers had previously sent in questions about similar practices although referring to gathering around the altar during the entire Eucharistic Prayer…

From the point of view of liturgical law the practice described would not be correct.
Click to expand...
 
The Institutio does not include any mention or provision for the gathering of the faithful around the altar during the Eucharistic prayer. To the best of my knowledge, I am not aware of any provision made for LifeTeen or other such groups. I do know that LifeTeen is currently looking at becoming more correct in terms of the rubrics for the Mass.

However, the gathering around the altar is not forbidden in the text which does not mean it necessarily can be done. It may, though, allow for what canon law refers to as a local “custom”. Customs are created if they have been in practice for thiry years and a couple of other provisions; I do not have my code here with me and I cannot recall them. It is possible - although, I think, not quite likely - that the gathering around the altar could be considered a custom.

Certainly, what Mr. Donovan writes concerning the place and purpose within the Eucharistic assembly is of the utmost importance and displays a great symbolism of the Mystical Body of Christ. Much of the gathering around the altar, in many places at least, stems from a desire to “be with the priest,” “to be on the same level” with him. This is not always a bad thing, but it can become a struggle for power. If the TEC and LifeTeen programs this is not the case at all; rather, gathering at the altar is done to encourage participation, a love of the Lord, and a closeness with the Eucharist. While each of these are undoubtedly valuable and highly important goals, gathering around the altar may not be the best means to foster such growth. More catechesis is needed - both for our youth and adults - and more sharing of personal faith and encounters with the Lord in the Eucharist.

This is a reply I received from an email. I found on the Internet, in an older document, where it was forbidden to stand around the altar but cannot find the document. The reason I am looking for documentation is that I plan on writing the Bishop about standing around the altar. I have already sent him a letter about all the other nonsense that is going on in our Dioecese. If nothing is changed then I plan on appealing to Rome. To do this, I must have everything documented.

M. Terry
 
This is commonly done at weddings…Actually extra chairs are placed around the altar to seat the wedding party nearer the altar…Not sure if it’s ok or not, but there seems to be a precedence…
 
TLM Altar Boy:
Only concelebrating priests may stand around the altar. In the GIRM it states:

These ministers should not approach the altar before the priest has received Communion, and they are always to receive from the hands of the priest celebrant the vessel containing either species of the Most Holy Eucharist for distribution to the faithful.
Click to expand...
This does not state that only the concelebrating priest can stand around the altar. This paragraph is in reference to EMHC’s. The teen’s that are standing around the altar are not ministers. Anyway, the life teen masses are changing in October to be in line with the GIRM.
 
M. Terry:
The Institutio does not include any mention or provision for the gathering of the faithful around the altar during the Eucharistic prayer. To the best of my knowledge, I am not aware of any provision made for LifeTeen or other such groups. I do know that LifeTeen is currently looking at becoming more correct in terms of the rubrics for the Mass.

However, the gathering around the altar is not forbidden in the text which does not mean it necessarily can be done. It may, though, allow for what canon law refers to as a local “custom”. Customs are created if they have been in practice for thiry years and a couple of other provisions; I do not have my code here with me and I cannot recall them. It is possible - although, I think, not quite likely - that the gathering around the altar could be considered a custom.

Certainly, what Mr. Donovan writes concerning the place and purpose within the Eucharistic assembly is of the utmost importance and displays a great symbolism of the Mystical Body of Christ. Much of the gathering around the altar, in many places at least, stems from a desire to “be with the priest,” “to be on the same level” with him. This is not always a bad thing, but it can become a struggle for power. If the TEC and LifeTeen programs this is not the case at all; rather, gathering at the altar is done to encourage participation, a love of the Lord, and a closeness with the Eucharist. While each of these are undoubtedly valuable and highly important goals, gathering around the altar may not be the best means to foster such growth. More catechesis is needed - both for our youth and adults - and more sharing of personal faith and encounters with the Lord in the Eucharist.

This is a reply I received from an email. I found on the Internet, in an older document, where it was forbidden to stand around the altar but cannot find the document. The reason I am looking for documentation is that I plan on writing the Bishop about standing around the altar. I have already sent him a letter about all the other nonsense that is going on in our Dioecese. If nothing is changed then I plan on appealing to Rome. To do this, I must have everything documented.

M. Terry
Click to expand...
Go ahead and write. In case you haven’t heard, the Teen Life groups have been instructed to stop allowing the teens to stand around the altar starting in October. I’d put my pen down until afterwards, and then if they don’t fix the so called abuse, pick it up and have at it.
 
the alter server in me of decades ago tells me to vote no on the gathering around the alter… i personally think it is a distraction and would be happier if it was not allowed, but Rome hasn’t seen fit to salute any opinion of mine… so, i guess i will just have to accept it… 👍
 
40.png
RichT:
This does not state that only the concelebrating priest can stand around the altar. This paragraph is in reference to EMHC’s. The teen’s that are standing around the altar are not ministers. Anyway, the life teen masses are changing in October to be in line with the GIRM.
Click to expand...
By “standing around the altar” I assumed the poster meant during the entire Eucharistic Prayer. If that is what he meant, then yes, only the concelebrating priests may stand around the altar. If there is a deacon, he is standing a little bit behind the priest for a large portion of the Eucharistic Prayer, but he is kneeling from the epiclesis until the priest elevates the chalice. The GIRM does not mention anyone else standing around the altar, so it shouldn’t happen. I really should have been clearer. Mea culpa.
 
TLM Altar Boy:
By “standing around the altar” I assumed the poster meant during the entire Eucharistic Prayer. If that is what he meant, then yes, only the concelebrating priests may stand around the altar. If there is a deacon, he is standing a little bit behind the priest for a large portion of the Eucharistic Prayer, but he is kneeling from the epiclesis until the priest elevates the chalice. The GIRM does not mention anyone else standing around the altar, so it shouldn’t happen. I really should have been clearer. Mea culpa.
Click to expand...
My point was that the paragraph you chose address EMHC’s an no one else. There may be other places in the GIRM that address people other than the celebrant standing around the altar.
 
Only those ministers who have a liturgical role during the Eucharistic Prayer should be in the Sanctuary. (around the altar) I believe that someone pointed out one exception in childrens Masses that allows this, however I’m not certain.
 
M. Terry:
Is it liturgically correct to stand around the altar? I need documentation from an official document saying it is or is not legal.
Click to expand...
I still don’t have the GIRM or Redemptis Sacramentium or another document where it says not to stand around the altar. I agree with everyone. However, I want a document to say, “You cannot stand around the altar.” You can see in # 3 how one person interpreted GIRM 162.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top