Use of the Childrens Eucharistic prayer

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We have a new priest who seems like a fine guy. At daily Mass he used a Eucharistic prayer that I was unfamiliar with instead of calling them apostles it called them friends along with a few other innovations. So after Mass a number of the parishioners inquired with me what the prayer was and if it were appropriate, I told them I did not know but would ask the priest and look it up. I asked Father privately he said it was the Children’s Eucharistic prayer and it was appropriate to use. After going home and looking it up I was frightened in all the information I found from non-authoritative sources. Most of the sources were non-Catholic but you could not tell until you were well within the article. I even found one that went into Eucharistic prayer during gay pride day.

I finally found 2 sources that together seemed authoritative, USCCB (http://www.usccb.org/liturgy/q&a/mass/child.shtml) and Archbishop Charles Chaput {Whom I Love and respect} at (http://www.archden.org/handbook/pdf/chapter5.pdf see 5.4.13) and I found something from Bishop Vasa {who I also love and respect} everything referenced (***Postquam de Precibus ***of the Congregation for Divine Worship, 1974). I have looked for this document everywhere even on the Vatican’s website with no luck.

I have an appointment to speak with Father and I will present him with everything I know as it seems that the only time it is licit is if the congregation is made up of almost exclusively children in the 3rd grade or under. That is what I get from these references of this document. Please help, am I reading this correctly and does anyone know where to find (***Postquam de Precibus ***of the Congregation for Divine Worship, 1974)?
 
I forgot to mention during the daily Mass there were at least 10 to 1 adults to children.
 
Eucharistic prayers for children’s Masses are only supposed to be used when the vast majority of the congregation is composed of children! It should not be used for adult Masses. *Postquam de Precibus *is not easy to find unless you find a collection of early documents from the era right after the Second Vatican Council. I will check my collections to see if I can find the cited paragraph.

Deacon Ed
 
Deacon_Ed said:
Eucharistic prayers for children’s Masses are only supposed to be used when the vast majority of the congregation is composed of children! It should not be used for adult Masses. *Postquam de Precibus *is not easy to find unless you find a collection of early documents from the era right after the Second Vatican Council. I will check my collections to see if I can find the cited paragraph.

Deacon Ed
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Thank you my friend
 
You are not the first one to have this problem; that use is not allowed. Maybe this is another “dumbing down” of the language?! The priests who do this think we need childish language.
 
You are not the first to encounter this. I know a priest who does it if there is even one child present, because “Well, everybody callls me Father, so they must be my children!” It doesn’t make it right. Hope your meeting goes well.
 
Postquam de Precibus is a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Divine Worship, dated 1 November 1974. It is published in Documents on the Liturgy 1963-1979, Liturgical Press, Minnesota, 1982, ISBN 0-8146-1281-4, pages 629-630. It is also in the journal Notitiae 11 (1975), pages 4-6.

Some extracts from it, in Documents on the Liturgy:
"… Three drafts of eucharistic prayers for Masses with children and two for Masses of reconciliation were therefore prepared and presented to the Pope for his judgment. On 26 October 1974 he decreed the following:
  1. The eucharistic prayers contained in this booklet are approved as an experiment and for three years, that is, until the end of 1977. …
    The texts, however, may not be inserted into official editions of the Roman Missal. …
  2. Use of a eucharistic prayer for Masses with children is restricted to Masses that are celebrated with children alone or Masses at which the majority of the participants are chlildren.
    [footnote 4: See SCDW, Directory for Masses with Children no. 19]
    A community of children means one so considered by the Directory for Masses with Children, that is, one consisting of chldren who have not yet reached the age referred to as preadolescence.
    [footnote 5: See SCDW, Directory for Masses with Children no. 5]
    Those who receive the faculty for experimental use of the eucharistic prayers in question are bound to the exact observance of the conditions already stated."
The footnote 4, Directory for Mases with Children, n. 19, has:
“19. If the number of children is large, it may at times be suitable to plan the Mass so that it corresponds more closely to the needs of the children. In this case the homily should be directed to them but in such a way that adults may also benefit from it. Wherever the bishop permits, in addition to the adaptations already provided in the Order of the Mass, one or other of the particular adaptations described later in the Directory may be employed in a Mass celebrated with adults in which children also participate.”
This is at the end of Chapter II. Masses With Adults in Which Children Also Participate. After n. 19 there is “Chapter III: Masses With Children in Which Only a Few Adults Participate”.

The 2002 Missale Romanum includes these Eucharistic Prayers. It also has instructions for their use, in Latin.
"PRECES EUCHARISTICAE PRO MISSIS CUM PUERIS

Usus harum Precum eucharisticarum stricte circumscribitur ad Missas, quae tantum pro pueris, scilicet pro iis qui aetatem praeadulescentiae nondum inierunt, celebrantur, aut ad illas, in quibus maior pars participantium ab ipsis constituitur. Omnis Prex eucharistica instructa est propria praefatione, quae ob peculiarem uniuscuiusque Precis structuram et indolem cum aliis praefationibus commutari nequit. Natura sua textus latinus non tantum ad usum liturgicum destinatur, sed potius utpote textus typicus seu exemplar praebetur."

This is from clerus.org/bibliaclerusonline/DE/0i.htm#cxd . The whole Latin edition of Missale Romanum is at clerus.org/bibliaclerusonline/DE/fn.htm . The link to 1270 may also be of interest for this issue.
 
John_Lilburne said:
Postquam de Precibus is a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Divine Worship, dated 1 November 1974. It is published in Documents on the Liturgy 1963-1979, Liturgical Press, Minnesota, 1982, ISBN 0-8146-1281-4, pages 629-630. It is also in the journal Notitiae 11 (1975), pages 4-6.

…
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Thank you John, I see that you put alot of time into this post. I was seeking to clarify the issue unfortunatly it seems a little contradictroary or fuzy. I am wondering the whole Latin thing makes my head want to explode you would not have a good translation, would you?

Jesus be with you.
 
No, unfortunately I do not have a translation of the Latin. I think the first sentence is the important one for the issue of when the Children’s Eucharistic Prayer can be used.
 
I am headed down to the Saint Joseph’s Catholic Family Conference down south across from Disney Land. I hope to speak with father Tuesday.
 
there is another Eucharistic prayer in one of the Masses for Reconciliation, I think they are called, that uses the expression “friends” priest at my retreat center used it all week, very appropriate for mass with a few people in a small chapel.
 
puzzleannie said:
there is another Eucharistic prayer in one of the Masses for Reconciliation, I think they are called, that uses the expression “friends” priest at my retreat center used it all week, very appropriate for mass with a few people in a small chapel.
Click to expand...
I am not sure about using any Eucharistic Prayer at any time. It seems to me that reading the documents of the Church the use of Eucharistic prayers is strictly controled.
 
I know the children’s Eucharistic prayer can be used in Masses with majority children, but they are among the dumbest-sounding prayers I have ever heard for the Liturgy.

I, for one, believe they should never be used at all, as they are completely unnecessary.
 
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