Swapping Prayer after Communion and other Irregularities

[benedictgal]

I have had a spate of migraines and thus was unable to post this on Friday.

We had a visiting priest at our parish for our Noon Mass. Inasmuch as this was the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, the priest did not have us pray the Gloria nor the Creed. At the end of Mass, he decided to substitute the Prayer after Communion. He did not use the one for the Solemnity; rather, he decided, since this was the beginning of the Year of the Priest, to use a Prayer after Communion from a votive Mass for vocations.

After Mass, I asked him if he knew that he had forgotten the Gloria and the Creed. He said no; he did not forget. He simply chose not to have us pray them. He was trying to shorten the Mass for the lunchtime crowd. He said that these “devotional Masses” were just adding things. I told him that the Roman Missal indicated that this was a Solemnity. He said that he needed to be considerate of those of us who were at Mass during lunchtime. He is a good man, but, he tends to take some liberties in his parish. For example, he has the EMHCs come before the appointed time and then he will distribute Holy Communion to them and let them and the deacon distribute Holy Communion while he sits.

I called him on that one and he said that he is distributing to the faithful. I told him that EMHCs don’t count. By the way, he is healthy and does not have any impediments.

 

[OhMalley]

I have had a spate of migraines and thus was unable to post this on Friday.

We had a visiting priest at our parish for our Noon Mass. Inasmuch as this was the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, the priest did not have us pray the Gloria nor the Creed. At the end of Mass, he decided to substitute the Prayer after Communion. He did not use the one for the Solemnity; rather, he decided, since this was the beginning of the Year of the Priest, to use a Prayer after Communion from a votive Mass for vocations.

After Mass, I asked him if he knew that he had forgotten the Gloria and the Creed. He said no; he did not forget. He simply chose not to have us pray them. He was trying to shorten the Mass for the lunchtime crowd. He said that these “devotional Masses” were just adding things. I told him that the Roman Missal indicated that this was a Solemnity. He said that he needed to be considerate of those of us who were at Mass during lunchtime. He is a good man, but, he tends to take some liberties in his parish. For example, he has the EMHCs come before the appointed time and then he will distribute Holy Communion to them and let them and the deacon distribute Holy Communion while he sits.

I called him on that one and he said that he is distributing to the faithful. I told him that EMHCs don’t count. By the way, he is healthy and does not have any impediments.

Is he an older gentleman? It’s remarkable how fast some older timers burn through the Mass. There must have been tremendous pressure in the past to zip through the old low Mass. I see it in several older priests here locally.

As far as distributing communion, don’t be too quick to judge a priest. I know one priest that is unsure of his balance (with no ambo or altar to touch) and another whose back begins to hurt him badly (nerve pain) during Mass.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

He gave you an explanation for keeping the mass short. Perhaps he perceived that there were people there who might have had to leave before communion otherwise. You called him on an unapproved practice in his parish. I think you have done what you could and shouldn’t obsess over this. He isn’t doing quite what he ought to do but you probably can’t change him. At least he came to say mass and you had the opportunity to be there. If he were a priest in your parish, you might have more of a chance to change his practices. Try to think the best of him and try not to let what he does distract you from concentrating on the mass although it is difficult.

 

[Sr_Sally]

I understood the the creed and gloria were not required at daily Masses. I find it very helpful when the priest tries to keep the noon Mass to a limited length so that I can attend and stay for the entire Mass and not be late returning to work. I am sure others feel the same. Please pray for this priest, that he continues to abide in the Holy Spirit and that he does indeed lead others to the priesthood through his prayers for vocations.

 

[benedictgal]

Thank you for the responses. Now, even though the Mass was celebrated during the week, it was a Solemnity, given the fact that it was the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart. The Roman Missal incidates that on Solemnities, the Gloria and the Creed are prayed, regardless of whether it falls on a weekday or on a Sunday. Next Monday, we will celebrate the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul. This will carry both the Gloria and the Creed. Since it is listed as a requirement in the Roman Missal, I do not think that the priest should have taken it upon himself to dismiss the recitation of both prayers. That is the big concern that I have with what went on in my parish.

 

[John_Lilburne]

I understood the the creed and gloria were not required at daily Masses. …

From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“53. The Gloria …
It is sung or said on Sundays outside the Seasons of Advent and Lent, on solemnities and feasts,
and at special celebrations of a more solemn character.”

“68. The Creed is to be sung or said by the priest together with the people on Sundays and
Solemnities. It may be said also at particular celebrations of a more solemn character.”

The priest has many other ways of controlling the length of Mass: homily, intercessions, purifications, hymns, silence, etc.

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

While the Gloria and Creed should not be omited on a Solemnity it is a rather common practice. Most priests see nothing wrong with it because they’ve seen/heard it done 1000 times before.
While I would not do so, it wouldn’t even raise my eyebrow to hear a brother priest had omited them.

 

[Sr_Sally]

The priest has many other ways of controlling the length of Mass: homily, intercessions, purifications, hymns, silence, etc.

Thank you for the information about the creed and gloria. Our daily Masses already don’t have hymns or any music and the homily is always very abbreviated. However, we have over 100 people at noon Mass on a regular basis and the church is at least 10 minutes from work (yes, this is the closest). Mass usually lasts about 1/2 hour, then I need 20 minutes of commuting time, so that’s cuts very close to my 1 hour lunch. As I said, I do appreciate Father keeping the Mass to 1/2 hour so that I can comfortably stay until after the final blessing.

 

[benedictgal]

I looked at the calendar. The next Solemnity is actually tomorrow, the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. Once again, the Roman Missal calls for the Gloria and the Creed to be prayed. Hopefully, my parochial vicar will remember. He is very good about doing that.

 

[Sr_Sally]

I looked at the calendar. The next Solemnity is actually tomorrow, the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. Once again, the Roman Missal calls for the Gloria and the Creed to be prayed. Hopefully, my parochial vicar will remember. He is very good about doing that.

I will not be able to attend Mass because of my work schedule. However, my husband and children will be there. I will ask them what happened at our parish also.

 

[benedictgal]

Today is the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul. I went to Mass at my parish during lunchtime. We had another visiting priest. This time, we went into the Gloria and the Creed. He also gave us the solemn blessing. It was most refreshing.

For the solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, my PV did, in fact, lead us in the Gloria, but, he forgot the Creed. He told us that someone had distracted him before Mass. But, he tried.

 

[Sr_Sally]

Today is the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul. I went to Mass at my parish during lunchtime. We had another visiting priest. This time, we went into the Gloria and the Creed. He also gave us the solemn blessing. It was most refreshing.

For the solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, my PV did, in fact, lead us in the Gloria, but, he forgot the Creed. He told us that someone had distracted him before Mass. But, he tried.

We are going to a high Mass (EF) tonight at a different parish. I haven’t been to one in a zillion years and of course, hubby and kids haven’t ever been. I’ll let you know how it was tmrw.