Two Deacons

[TheMc]

Hello Everyone,

I have been trying to find the official division of “jobs” when two deacons are assisting. Often what is done at my diocese’s big Masses is to have a “deacon of the Word” (DW), and a “deacon of the eucharist” (DE) (their words, from the “credits” in the back of the program ). I have checked the GIRM, and found almost nothing on multiple deacons. Most references to the deacon are singular, besides general things such as:

“335. It is appropriate that the vestments to be worn by priests and deacons, as well as…”

“387. With him lies responsibility above all for fostering the spirit of the Sacred Liturgy in the priests, deacons, and faithful.”

When the deacon’s role is split as DW and DE, the DW does all the deacon’s roles up to the offeretory, then after the offeretory, the DE does everything (besides handling the thurible, done by the DW, per GIRM 179).

Does anyone have any official documents outlining the role of two deacons in the Mass, or even something I missed in the GIRM?

 

[benedictgal]

Hello Everyone,

I have been trying to find the official division of “jobs” when two deacons are assisting. Often what is done at my diocese’s big Masses is to have a “deacon of the Word” (DW), and a “deacon of the eucharist” (DE) (their words, from the “credits” in the back of the program ). I have checked the GIRM, and found almost nothing on multiple deacons. Most references to the deacon are singular, besides general things such as:

“335. It is appropriate that the vestments to be worn by priests and deacons, as well as…”

“387. With him lies responsibility above all for fostering the spirit of the Sacred Liturgy in the priests, deacons, and faithful.”

When the deacon’s role is split as DW and DE, the DW does all the deacon’s roles up to the offeretory, then after the offeretory, the DE does everything (besides handling the thurible, done by the DW, per GIRM 179).

Does anyone have any official documents outlining the role of two deacons in the Mass, or even something I missed in the GIRM?

Catch the next papal Mass. Often you will see two deacons with the Holy Father. One will chant the Gospel and the Ite Missa est and the other deacon assists with the Liturgy of the Eucharist, preparing the gifts, incensnig the Holy Father and lifting the chalice during the doxology.

 

[Spirithound]

ewtn.com/library/liturgy/zlitur98.htm
ewtn.com/library/liturgy/zlitur338.htm

It seems that the norms are not absolute regarding having two deacons present, and as you’ve discovered, the GIRM does not specify a division of labour. The Ceremonial of Bishops might give something.

 

[JM3]

GIRM

IV. THE DISTRIBUTION OF DUTIES AND
THE PREPARATION OF THE CELEBRATION

1. If there are several persons present who are able to exercise the same ministry, nothing forbids their distributing among themselves and performing different parts of the same ministry or duty. For example, one deacon may be assigned to take the sung parts, another to serve at the altar; if there are several readings, it is well to distribute them among a number of lectors. The same applies for the other ministries. But it is not at all appropriate that several persons divide a single element of the celebration among themselves, e.g., that the same reading be proclaimed by two lectors, one after the other, except as far as the Passion of the Lord is concerned.

 

[TheMc]

ewtn.com/library/liturgy/zlitur98.htm
ewtn.com/library/liturgy/zlitur338.htm

It seems that the norms are not absolute regarding having two deacons present, and as you’ve discovered, the GIRM does not specify a division of labour. The Ceremonial of Bishops might give something.

Good idea. I don’t have one. Does anyone else know if it’s in the Ceremonial of Bishops?

 

[TheMc]

Catch the next papal Mass. Often you will see two deacons with the Holy Father. One will chant the Gospel and the Ite Missa est and the other deacon assists with the Liturgy of the Eucharist, preparing the gifts, incensnig the Holy Father and lifting the chalice during the doxology.

Thanks BG. After posting, I actually thought of asking what is done at the papal Masses. SO I guess the idea of the “Deacon of the word”, and “deacon of the Eucharist” is not a bad idea. The only difference that I notice between my diocese and Rome is that the Deacon of the word chant’s the dismissal (in Rome) and the Deacon of the Eucharist chants it here. Small point though, especially on something so “unofficial”.

 

[benedictgal]

Thanks BG. After posting, I actually thought of asking what is done at the papal Masses. SO I guess the idea of the “Deacon of the word”, and “deacon of the Eucharist” is not a bad idea. The only difference that I notice between my diocese and Rome is that the Deacon of the word chant’s the dismissal (in Rome) and the Deacon of the Eucharist chants it here. Small point though, especially on something so “unofficial”.

The other point to consider is that two deacons are utilized primarily during pontifical Masses (those that are celebrated by a bishop, including the Pope).

 

[FAB]

Thanks BG. After posting, I actually thought of asking what is done at the papal Masses. SO I guess the idea of the “Deacon of the word”, and “deacon of the Eucharist” is not a bad idea. The only difference that I notice between my diocese and Rome is that the Deacon of the word chant’s the dismissal (in Rome) and the Deacon of the Eucharist chants it here. Small point though, especially on something so “unofficial”.

Just for clarification, it’s “Deacon of the Word” and “Deacon of the Table”
the distribution of duties is the Deacon of the word takes care of everything up to tthe collection and the Deacon of the table everything afterwards including dismissal.
If other deacons are present duties might be distrubted even more, one for example might act as the MC, they would also distribute communion.

 

[benedictgal]

Just for clarification, it’s “Deacon of the Word” and “Deacon of the Table”
the distribution of duties is the Deacon of the word takes care of everything up to tthe collection and the Deacon of the table everything afterwards including dismissal.
If other deacons are present duties might be distrubted even more, one for example might act as the MC, they would also distribute communion.

Actually, it’s Deacon of the Altar.

 

[FAB]

Actually, it’s Deacon of the Altar.

You are correct, although most of us will refer to the duties either way, table or altar.
That’s three times, you might get a flood

 

[John_Lilburne]

From Ceremonial of Bishops, Liturgical Press, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1818-9, page 24:

“26. At a liturgical celebration presided over by the bishop there should be at least three deacons, one to proclaim the gospel reading and to minister at the altar, and two to assist the bishop. If more than three deacons are present, they should divide the ministries accordingly, [footnote 34: See GIRM, no. 71: DOL 208, no. 1461] and at least one of them should be charged with assisting the active participation of the faithful.”

The “GIRM” in the footnote is the 1975 General Instruction of the Roman Missal. “DOL” is a book with this: Documents on the Liturgy 1963-1979, Liturgical Press, Minnesota, 1982, ISBN 0-8146-1281-4.

 

[Spirithound]

From Ceremonial of Bishops, Liturgical Press, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1818-9, page 24:

“26. At a liturgical celebration presided over by the bishop there should be at least three deacons, one to proclaim the gospel reading and to minister at the altar, and two to assist the bishop. If more than three deacons are present, they should divide the ministries accordingly, [footnote 34: See GIRM, no. 71: DOL 208, no. 1461] and at least one of them should be charged with assisting the active participation of the faithful.”

The “GIRM” in the footnote is the 1975 General Instruction of the Roman Missal. “DOL” is a book with this: Documents on the Liturgy 1963-1979, Liturgical Press, Minnesota, 1982, ISBN 0-8146-1281-4.

Ah! I saw this snippet earlier but didn’t realize it was from the CoB. So one deacon is supposed to be the one who says the parts of the Mass proper to a deacon in any Mass, and the other two are to handle the bishop’s mitre and crozier. And the fourth is to “assist the active participation of the faithful”. I’m not sure what that means…

 

[Mattapoisett64]

Ah! I saw this snippet earlier but didn’t realize it was from the CoB. So one deacon is supposed to be the one who says the parts of the Mass proper to a deacon in any Mass, and the other two are to handle the bishop’s mitre and crozier. And the fourth is to “assist the active participation of the faithful”. I’m not sure what that means…

At the Masses I’ve attended where the bishop is the celebrant and there are multiple deacons, the mitre and crozier are handled by the vimps, not deacons. I’m not sure that “assisting the bishop” includes holding the mitre and crozier; those tasks would seem inappropriate for deacon-level ordained individuals. However, a deacon could reasonably assist the bishop by turning the pages of the sacramentary as he (the deacon) would be qualified to know where the bishop is on the page, especially as the deacon of the altar would be on the bishop’s right and the Sacramentary would be on his left.

 

[TheMc]

From Ceremonial of Bishops, Liturgical Press, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1818-9, page 24:

“26. At a liturgical celebration presided over by the bishop there should be at least three deacons, one to proclaim the gospel reading and to minister at the altar, and two to assist the bishop. If more than three deacons are present, they should divide the ministries accordingly, [footnote 34: See GIRM, no. 71: DOL 208, no. 1461] and at least one of them should be charged with assisting the active participation of the faithful.”

The “GIRM” in the footnote is the 1975 General Instruction of the Roman Missal. “DOL” is a book with this: Documents on the Liturgy 1963-1979, Liturgical Press, Minnesota, 1982, ISBN 0-8146-1281-4.

Wait, are the “two to assist the bishop” like the two assistant deacons in the EF solemn pontifical Mass? What do they do in the EF? Maybe that’s a clue on what they should do in the OF.

 

[Chatter163]

Wait, are the “two to assist the bishop” like the two assistant deacons in the EF solemn pontifical Mass? What do they do in the EF? Maybe that’s a clue on what they should do in the OF.

No, at an EF Pontifical Mass the bishop wears more pontficials and the deacons of the throne spend a good deal of time taking the bishop’s gloves on and off, and making sure the bugia-bearer is in his place. The bishop vests in the sanctuary and moves svereal times processionally from throne to altar, and recites prayers sotto voce from Canon book and Pontifical book. There is little correspondence to the OF.

 

[TheMc]

No, at an EF Pontifical Mass the bishop wears more pontficials and the deacons of the throne spend a good deal of time taking the bishop’s gloves on and off, and making sure the bugia-bearer is in his place. The bishop vests in the sanctuary and moves svereal times processionally from throne to altar, and recites prayers sotto voce from Canon book and Pontifical book. There is little correspondence to the OF.

No, I was mainly reffering to the role of the two assistant deacons. Does anyone know what they do, and if it might make sense if they did similar things in the OF?

 

[G_S]

Whenever there are more than one deacon, it is important that the tasks be carefully and properly divided. The rubrics reflect the fact that to do otherwise makes the Mass disorderly. Kind of like a tag team match. This is also true of altar servers, torch bearers, etc. I once attended a Mass where two deacons were serving who had never served in the deacon of the word/altar format. It was a mess. They got so confused, a third deacon had to step in.

 

[Chatter163]

No, I was mainly reffering to the role of the two assistant deacons. Does anyone know what they do, and if it might make sense if they did similar things in the OF?

Not sure where you got confused, but that is what I was referring to.

First assistant deacon puts the bishop’s mitre on at the throne, when deacon of the Mass it not at hand. (Remember that the AD are in addition to the sacred ministers of the Mass.). He also places the gremiale on the bishop’s lap, and removes the bishop’s ring, for the washing of his hands and putting on or off of gloves.

Second AD removes mitre and gremiale, and assists with the putting on of the pontifical buskins and stockings. Since these extra pontificals are not used in the OF, these duties do not transfer over. Only the handling of the mitre does–except that there is only one mitre used in the OF, whereas there were usually two in the EF.

Here are pontifical gloves, ring and unusually elaborate gremiale:

http://www.fssp.org/album/O20070210/ordresmineurs38.jpg

Pontifical gloves, with ring on outside:


Buskins and stockings:
http://static1.spreadia.com/images/ab3f24/obj_5784e46c2214fa725e00d29a539dd10b215e456b.jpg
http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/7608/buskins2bw6.jpg