What are the packets on the Altar?

[John_Hiner]

In two separate churches this weekend I saw small packets of envelopes or papers, tied with ribbon, on the corner of the Altar. I was in the second church for Holy Mass and the packet remained on the Altar throughout.

What are these packets?

Is there any objection to them?

 

[Cavaille-Coll]

We had them too, except they were at the foot of the altar. Today is Mother’s Day, and they are prayer cards for deceased mothers. Similar cards are usually put on or near altars throughout the month of November so that the dead may be remembered at every Mass.

 

[benedictgal]

As another poster indicated, they are the envelopes for Mother’s Day Mass intentions. However, these should not be on the altar, as only those instruments used for the Holy Sacrifice should be there (chalice, ciborrium, paten, linens, bread, and cruets with water and winie). These envelopes should be placed at a side table, but, not on the altar itself.

 

[bmadamsberry]

As another poster indicated, they are the envelopes for Mother’s Day Mass intentions. However, these should not be on the altar, as only those instruments used for the Holy Sacrifice should be there (chalice, ciborrium, paten, linens, bread, and cruets with water and winie). These envelopes should be placed at a side table, but, not on the altar itself.

Yup. There are many excellent places to put them, too, besides on the altar. My home parish puts them on a small table just outside the sanctuary in front of the ambo.

 

[malphono]

Such things are really “written intentions” whether for Mother’s Day or All Souls, or whatever, and as such are often placed on the altar. Priests very often keep a “crimp sheet” with the intention of the day on the altar near the missal. If such things are “not permitted” to be placed there, it would seem that the vast majority of priests have been guilty of this very same “abuse” for centuries.

 

[EasterJoy]

Such things are really “written intentions” whether for Mother’s Day or All Souls, or whatever, and as such are often placed on the altar. Priests very often keep a “crimp sheet” with the intention of the day on the altar near the missal. If such things are “not permitted” to be placed there, it would seem that the vast majority of priests have been guilty of this very same “abuse” for centuries.

Books and notes that the priest actually needs to say Mass are permitted, “crib sheets” included. Only objects that are not required are prohibited, because the altar is reserved solely for the Sacrifice of the Mass.

Though many priests have undoubtedly needed to have notes to themselves on the altar over the centuries, there is no need for a packet of notes that is tied with a ribbon and never opened. The practice of placing such things prominently on the altar is nothing like centuries old. The practice is very recent. Though well-meant, it ignores the reasons for the ritual requirement of reserving the surface of the altar for the Sacrifice of the Mass. The memorial objective can really be better reached by putting the notes in a suitable place nearby, but not on the altar itself.

 

[malphono]

Books and notes that the priest actually needs to say Mass are permitted, “crib sheets” included. Only objects that are not required are prohibited, because the altar is reserved solely for the Sacrifice of the Mass.

Though many priests have undoubtedly needed to have notes to themselves on the altar over the centuries, there is no need for a packet of notes that is tied with a ribbon and never opened. The practice of placing such things prominently on the altar is nothing like centuries old. The practice is very recent. Though well-meant, it ignores the reasons for the ritual requirement of reserving the surface of the altar for the Sacrifice of the Mass. The memorial objective can really be better reached by putting the notes in a suitable place nearby, but not on the altar itself.

Whatever.

 

[Justin_Mee]

Whatever.

No, it is not “Whatever.” This is a sacred place. It should not look like grandma’s kitchen counter.

 

[malphono]

The pieces of paper are Mass intentions, not a stack of take-out menus.

Perhaps people in this forum would be happier if the priest had written the names down in a notebook (which he would have kept near the Missal anyway) and read each one individually.

End of my involvement in this thread.

 

[benedictgal]

The pieces of paper are Mass intentions, not a stack of take-out menus.

Perhaps people in this forum would be happier if the priest had written the names down in a notebook (which he would have kept near the Missal anyway) and read each one individually.

End of my involvement in this thread.

With all due respect, one should not treat the rubrics and norms of the liturgy with flippancy. This is what the GIRM states:

1. Only what is required for the celebration of the Mass may be placed on the mensa of the altar: namely, from the beginning of the celebration until the proclamation of the Gospel, the Book of the Gospels; then from the Presentation of the Gifts until the purification of the vessels, the chalice with the paten, a ciborium if necessary, and, finally, the corporal, the purificator, the pall, and the Missal.

The envelopes, as others (including myself) have mentioned, do not have a place on the altar as these are not part of what is required for the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice.

 

[malphono]

With all due respect, one should not treat the rubrics and norms of the liturgy with flippancy.

Repeat announcement: end of my involvement in this thread.

 

[EasterJoy]

Repeat announcement: end of my involvement in this thread.

Yes, you posted that already, we got that. The thread may go on discussing what you’ve already posted, though. As long as things stay civilized, that is the way it works.

 

[bmadamsberry]

With all due respect, one should not treat the rubrics and norms of the liturgy with flippancy. This is what the GIRM states:

The envelopes, as others (including myself) have mentioned, do not have a place on the altar as these are not part of what is required for the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice.

What about putting the envelops underneath the altar? I’m wondering as a hypothetical. The altar at my home parish has column like things in the front, and you can easily see the case holding the relics for the saint. Could the envelops be placed there?

Again, all hypothetical. My parish has not done this. It makes theological sense to me why this would be okay, but that doesn’t mean that it’s allowed (there are many theological things that make sense but aren’t allowed, lol).

 

[EasterJoy]

What about putting the envelops underneath the altar? I’m wondering as a hypothetical. The altar at my home parish has column like things in the front, and you can easily see the case holding the relics for the saint. Could the envelops be placed there?

Again, all hypothetical. My parish has not done this. It makes theological sense to me why this would be okay, but that doesn’t mean that it’s allowed (there are many theological things that make sense but aren’t allowed, lol).

I wouldn’t think it would be a good idea to put anything other than a relic directly into a reliquary niche and I’ve never seen an altar with a leg that would serve as a graceful place to put anything. Having said that, while bad aesthetics are not according to the rubrics, my understanding is that it is the mensa, that is, the flat horizontal surface of the altar upon which the Mass is offered, that is specifically sacrosanct, no matter how aesthetically pleasing the arrangement might be in other respects.

If a surface in church is OK for flowers, it would be OK for the notes tied up in the ribbon, as well.

 

[MarkThompson]

According to GIRM no. 73, during the Offertory "t is well also that money or other gifts for the poor or for the Church, brought by the faithful or collected in the church, should be received. These are to be put in a suitable place but away from the eucharistic table." That doesn’t, strictly speaking, cover tied bundles of Mass intentions, but I think the general principle is that things necessary for the Mass, as Benedictgal quoted above, should be at the altar, while other things, no matter how piously intended, should not. Things like flowers are perhaps a different case, as they are intended to give glory to the altar by their proximity, not to take glory by proximity to the altar. So no bundles on top of the altar (sorry Malphono), and, I would think, no bundles under or at the foot of the altar either.

 

[zab]

According to GIRM no. 73, during the Offertory “t is well also that money or other gifts for the poor or for the Church, brought by the faithful or collected in the church, should be received. These are to be put in a suitable place but away from the eucharistic table.” That doesn’t, strictly speaking, cover tied bundles of Mass intentions, but I think the general principle is that things necessary for the Mass, as Benedictgal quoted above, should be at the altar, while other things, no matter how piously intended, should not. Things like flowers are perhaps a different case, as they are intended to give glory to the altar by their proximity, not to take glory by proximity to the altar. So no bundles on top of the altar (sorry Malphono), and, I would think, no bundles under or at the foot of the altar either.
I have to agree with malphono in that money and gifts for the poor are totally different than Mass intentions. While I do not believe that they should be placed on the altar, I do not see any reason to object to them being on a small table next to the flowers. Of course, if there are any specific rule that this should not be done, then it should be followed. I recall seeing squares of plexiglass placed under the benediction candles to prevent any wax drippage on the altar cloth. There is no mention of this being allowed but common sense tells me that this is OK.