WARNING: This may be a repeat post - I apologize in advance

[nickybr38]

There are a lot of posts about supposed ‘abuses’ and I just didn’t know where to find an answer to my questions.

I am NOT complaining about abuses or looking for them. I’m a new Catholic (just confirmed this April) and I’m trying to understand the liturgy and sacraments… This summer I have been traveling around and visiting the parishes in the general area (in about a five hour radius around where I live) and I’ve noticed some things that are different from my parish and I’m just wondering what’s going on.

I was under the impression the liturgy would be the same everywhere and I KNOW abuses happen so I’m curious if these things are licit and/or common.

1. When the Priest is consecrating the bread and wine… should he be consecrating more then one cup at a time? At one parish the priest distributed wine into six different cups before going through the consecration. I just thought this was very odd. I had never seen anything like it.
2. Our parish announced they are installing a projector screen in the ceiling. Is this okay? I know of another parish that has a similar projector and I know the Bishop told them not to use it so I’m wondering what the heck is going on. Are projectors as a whole discouraged? Or does it just depend on where they’re located?
3. Is the Tabernacle supposed to be BEHIND the congregation?
4. This one is really just a funny observation. At a Mass with more then one priest (I’ve only attended Masses with one priest) I noticed that the second priest was mouthing everything the ‘officiator’ was saying. It amused me. It just reminded me of someone practicing very hard to get the words right. Anyway, would he normally say the words along with the officiating priest?
5. If the Tabernacle light isn’t on should I still be genuflecting? And when the Tabernacle is to my back should I be genuflecting towards the altar?

That’s all. I’m just curious to know what all this is about.

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

There are a lot of posts about supposed ‘abuses’ and I just didn’t know where to find an answer to my questions.

I am NOT complaining about abuses or looking for them. I’m a new Catholic (just confirmed this April) and I’m trying to understand the liturgy and sacraments… This summer I have been traveling around and visiting the parishes in the general area (in about a five hour radius around where I live) and I’ve noticed some things that are different from my parish and I’m just wondering what’s going on.

I was under the impression the liturgy would be the same everywhere and I KNOW abuses happen so I’m curious if these things are licit and/or common.

1. When the Priest is consecrating the bread and wine… should he be consecrating more then one cup at a time? At one parish the priest distributed wine into six different cups before going through the consecration. I just thought this was very odd. I had never seen anything like it.
2. Our parish announced they are installing a projector screen in the ceiling. Is this okay? I know of another parish that has a similar projector and I know the Bishop told them not to use it so I’m wondering what the heck is going on. Are projectors as a whole discouraged? Or does it just depend on where they’re located?
3. Is the Tabernacle supposed to be BEHIND the congregation?
4. This one is really just a funny observation. At a Mass with more then one priest (I’ve only attended Masses with one priest) I noticed that the second priest was mouthing everything the ‘officiator’ was saying. It amused me. It just reminded me of someone practicing very hard to get the words right. Anyway, would he normally say the words along with the officiating priest?
5. If the Tabernacle light isn’t on should I still be genuflecting? And when the Tabernacle is to my back should I be genuflecting towards the altar?

That’s all. I’m just curious to know what all this is about.

I can’t answer all of them…but

1. Our priest concencrates all the wine at the same time…so it is usually in 6 chalices…that is usually what happens when communion is offered under both species.
2. We have a projector…but it displays on the slanted ceiling…and it never covers the crucifix. But there is some dissention in that…there was a whole thread on the topic. I think a drop down screen could be tacky…especially if it covered the crucifix…
3. I personally won’t like the tabernacle behind me…but I dont’ know if it’s “allowed” or not…just a personal preference …like the crucifix…I like it to be where I can gaze at it.

 

[ConstantineTG]

1. When the Priest is consecrating the bread and wine… should he be consecrating more then one cup at a time? At one parish the priest distributed wine into six different cups before going through the consecration. I just thought this was very odd. I had never seen anything like it.

If he doesn’t consecrate the other chalices, how would the wine be turned into the Eucharist?

1. Our parish announced they are installing a projector screen in the ceiling. Is this okay? I know of another parish that has a similar projector and I know the Bishop told them not to use it so I’m wondering what the heck is going on. Are projectors as a whole discouraged? Or does it just depend on where they’re located?

It depends on the Bishop. In some countries it is used more. As long as it doesn’t disturb the sacred architecture of the place and it serves a greater purpose.

1. Is the Tabernacle supposed to be BEHIND the congregation?

The requirement is that it should be in a place of honor, not anywhere specific. Why is it behind? Is that an area that gets turned into an adoration chapel? If so then that is okay.

1. This one is really just a funny observation. At a Mass with more then one priest (I’ve only attended Masses with one priest) I noticed that the second priest was mouthing everything the ‘officiator’ was saying. It amused me. It just reminded me of someone practicing very hard to get the words right. Anyway, would he normally say the words along with the officiating priest?

Being a priest, the words are proper to him. He can say the Anaphora in a low voice.

1. If the Tabernacle light isn’t on should I still be genuflecting? And when the Tabernacle is to my back should I be genuflecting towards the altar?

You should be genuflecting towards the tabernacle, and bowing towards the altar.

 

[malphono]

OK, I’ll take a stab at a few, too:

1. Is the Tabernacle supposed to be BEHIND the congregation?

Not really, unless one considers that location to be a “prominent” place. From [

FYI, I recall that there was a thread (or at least a tangent in a thread) a while back about both this and the positioning of the tabernacle at the rear of the church. I’d link to it but I don’t have the patience right now to search for it.Redemptionis Sacramentum

[130.] “According to the structure of each church building and in accordance with legitimate local customs, the Most Holy Sacrament is to be reserved in a tabernacle in a part of the church that is noble, prominent, readily visible,

1. This one is really just a funny observation. At a Mass with more then one priest (I’ve only attended Masses with one priest) I noticed that the second priest was mouthing everything the ‘officiator’ was saying. It amused me. It just reminded me of someone practicing very hard to get the words right. Anyway, would he normally say the words along with the officiating priest?

1. If the Tabernacle light isn’t on should I still be genuflecting?

And when the Tabernacle is to my back should I be genuflecting towards the altar?

](http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/c...3_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html#Chapter VI)

 

[FromTheAshes777]

There are a lot of posts about supposed ‘abuses’ and I just didn’t know where to find an answer to my questions.

I am NOT complaining about abuses or looking for them. I’m a new Catholic (just confirmed this April) and I’m trying to understand the liturgy and sacraments… This summer I have been traveling around and visiting the parishes in the general area (in about a five hour radius around where I live) and I’ve noticed some things that are different from my parish and I’m just wondering what’s going on.

I was under the impression the liturgy would be the same everywhere and I KNOW abuses happen so I’m curious if these things are licit and/or common.

I can answer a few of these.

1. When the Priest is consecrating the bread and wine… should he be consecrating more then one cup at a time? At one parish the priest distributed wine into six different cups before going through the consecration. I just thought this was very odd. I had never seen anything like it.

Generally a Priest will do this if there are multiple EMHC’s in a Mass that are distributing the most Precious Blood to those coming to recieve, this is the best way to do this. It is very good that the Priest poored the wine into the different chalices BEFORE the consecration, as the most Precious Blood should not ever be poored because of risk of spilling. To poor the Precious Blood after the consecration would be an abuse.

1. Our parish announced they are installing a projector screen in the ceiling. Is this okay? I know of another parish that has a similar projector and I know the Bishop told them not to use it so I’m wondering what the heck is going on. Are projectors as a whole discouraged? Or does it just depend on where they’re located?

Location would be the key here. I doubt that most Bishops would encourage a projector screen to be actually in the Sanctuary. One maybe placed over to the side of the Sanctuary might be ok. I think the key here is location, and this would be up to the Pastor with recourse to the local Bishop of course. If the Bishop has not given permission for this and has actually forbidden it, then he should probably be notified.

1. Is the Tabernacle supposed to be BEHIND the congregation?

My understanding is that the Tabernacle can be in any place where it can be given proper reverence and respect, since it contains the Holy Eucharist. It should also be in a place where it can be secured. I personally would feel uncomfortable with the Tabernacle sitting behind me during Mass. I always prefer it to be behind the altar, or in a seperate adoration chapel. I don’t think what you describe is considered an outright abuse though.

1. This one is really just a funny observation. At a Mass with more then one priest (I’ve only attended Masses with one priest) I noticed that the second priest was mouthing everything the ‘officiator’ was saying. It amused me. It just reminded me of someone practicing very hard to get the words right. Anyway, would he normally say the words along with the officiating priest?

This priest was concelebrating the Mass with the other priest. This is a common practice within the ordinary form of the Mass, nothing wrong here.

1. If the Tabernacle light isn’t on should I still be genuflecting? And when the Tabernacle is to my back should I be genuflecting towards the altar?

This can get annoyingly complicated and I sympathize with you on this one. Usually if the Tabernacle is present you should genuflect twoards it, if you have reason to believe that Christ is present there. Usually this will be indicated by a lamp, but not always so though as the tabernacle isn’t required to have a lamp per se. I would assume that the Sacrament is reserved there during normal times of the year. I would genuflect twoards the tabernacle and then give a profound bow to the altar before being seated.

That’s all. I’m just curious to know what all this is about.

 

[nickybr38]

You guys are great. Thanks for the answers.

I’m a little confused now though.

If it’s proper to consecrate all the cups at once… why does my priest consecrate one cup and decanter and then pour the Blood into the other cups after? This is the only way I’ve ever seen Mass celebrated so having all six cups on the altar during the consecration was out of place for me.

I’ve never been to a Mass without EMHC’s btw, so there are always five-six cups.

I’m presuming now that both methods are proper but I’m a little confused as to the difference.

 

[nickybr38]

FromTheAshes777:
Very complicated. I only ask because at Mass this past weekend the light was out. I presumed the light burned out so I genuflected as usual but then I found myself wondering what one SHOULD do if there is no light.

As to the Tabernacle to the rear. I couldn’t find the Tabernacle when I entered that church so I genuflected as usual. It wasn’t until Communion was ending and the Host was being returned that I managed to find the Tabernacle. It was beautiful but very hard to spot. Us poor unobservant folks don’t do well in churches laid out like that!

 

[nickybr38]

FYI, I recall that there was a thread (or at least a tangent in a thread) a while back about both this and the positioning of the tabernacle at the rear of the church. I’d link to it but I don’t have the patience right now to search for it.

Please don’t search for it. I find the search function on CAF impossible to use. I can never find anything. I feel bad starting new threads for old questions but I really, really can’t figure the search out. It only really works if you type in specific phrases and sometimes I don’t know exactly what I need, other times the specific page leads to a ton of threads that aren’t related at all to my question.

I gave up on the search a long, long time ago.

Thank you for your responses.

 

[Nechasin]

If it’s proper to consecrate all the cups at once… why does my priest consecrate one cup and decanter and then pour the Blood into the other cups after? This is the only way I’ve ever seen Mass celebrated so having all six cups on the altar during the consecration was out of place for me. .

Pouring the Blood into cups after consecration is actually an abuse and should not be done according to Redemptionis Sacramentum. This used to be the common way things were done, but there is too great of a chance of spilling the Blood. Before consecration, you are only spilling wine so there is no harm.

 

[malphono]

Please don’t search for it. I find the search function on CAF impossible to use. I can never find anything. I feel bad starting new threads for old questions but I really, really can’t figure the search out. It only really works if you type in specific phrases and sometimes I don’t know exactly what I need, other times the specific page leads to a ton of threads that aren’t related at all to my question.

I gave up on the search a long, long time ago.

Thank you for your responses.

Well … I usually have some luck with the search function, and while I had not intended to look, curiosity got the better of me. Have a look [thread=527108]here[/thread] There may be another thread (or more) out there, but at least that’s something to start with.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

Pouring the Blood into cups after consecration is actually an abuse and should not be done according to the latest documents. This used to be the common way things were done, but there is too great of a chance of spilling the Blood. Before consecration, you are only spilling wine so there is no harm.

Nechasin beat me to it, but here is the quote from Redemptionis Sacramentum

[106.] However, the pouring of the Blood of Christ after the consecration from one vessel to another is completely to be avoided, lest anything should happen that would be to the detriment of so great a mystery. Never to be used for containing the Blood of the Lord are flagons, bowls, or other vessels that are not fully in accord with the established norms.

 

[nickybr38]

HUH? I’m really surprised! Haha. Wow. I presumed the majority were doing it correctly and the one was doing it weirdly. I’m quite surprised to learn that every Mass I’ve attended around here has been doing things wrong by pouring the Blood into cups!!!

malphono - > THANK YOU!

 

[Phemie]

HUH? I’m really surprised! Haha. Wow. I presumed the majority were doing it correctly and the one was doing it weirdly. I’m quite surprised to learn that every Mass I’ve attended around here has been doing things wrong by pouring the Blood into cups!!!

malphono - > THANK YOU!

You’re in Canada, which explains a lot. I haven’t heard word one about Redemptionis Sacramentum since its promulgation. In fact, I was categorically told that it had not been implemented in our diocese – don’t know about anywhere else.