What is an acolyte?

[MariU]

I recently read Redemptionis Sacramentum and am wondering what is an acolyte?

I also have other questions concerning the mass.

Is it OK to leave the tabernacle open during communion?

Can the priest sit down and allow the Eucharist ministers to return the consecrated hosts to the tabernacle after communion?

Are the Eucharist ministers allowed to purify the vessels?

Is it acceptable to have music that people clap to before the Gospel reading?

What is a good source to use to answer questions about the mass?

Thank you very much for your time.

 

[Sheen]

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) is a good source of info. You can access is on line at:
christusrex.org/www1/mcitl/girm.html

Jim Akins’ book, Mass Confusion is another good source. (available from Catholic Answers)

 

[rfk]

MariU:

I recently read Redemptionis Sacramentum and am wondering what is an acolyte?

An altar boy (or girl).

usccb.org/liturgy/current/chapter4.htm Go down to 187.

MariU:

I also have other questions concerning the mass.

Is it OK to leave the tabernacle open during communion?

I don’t know. It does not specifiy this in the GIRM or RS, but I am would be willing to bet it is specfied somewhere. Since the Tabernacle is left open while it is empty between Good Friday and Easter, I would suspect that it is correctly left open when it is empty.

MariU:

Can the priest sit down and allow the Eucharist ministers to return the consecrated hosts to the tabernacle after communion?

My understanding is no. Only the priest can access the tabernacle. From GIRM:

1. When the distribution of Communion is finished, the priest himself immediately and completely consumes at the altar any consecrated wine that happens to remain; as for any consecrated hosts that are left, he either consumes them at the altar or carries them to the place designated for the reservation of the Eucharist.

MariU:

Are the Eucharist ministers allowed to purify the vessels?

Yes, from The Priest at Mass

The excess consecrated hosts are either consumed or brought to the place of reservation (163). The sacred vessels can be cleansed at this time or be brought to the side table and cleansed immediately after Mass (163, 279). They may be cleansed by a priest, deacon, an instituted acolyte (279), or an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (Norms 52).

MariU:

Is it acceptable to have music that people clap to before the Gospel reading?

Well, RS says:

1. It is the right of the community of Christ’s faithful that especially in the Sunday celebration there should customarily be true and suitable sacred music, …

I guess it is a judgment call whether hand clapping is “true and suitable sacred music”. In my judgment, it is not. But your pastor is running your parish, not me.

MariU:

What is a good source to use to answer questions about the mass?

Both the GIRM and RS are available in the liturgy section of the USCCB.org website.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I recently read Redemptionis Sacramentum and am wondering what is an acolyte?

There are two Instituted acolytes are men installed into a specific ministry of service at the altar, they were known as minor orders prior to the liturgy reforms.

Is it OK to leave the tabernacle open during communion?

It makes sense to leave the door open when the Blessed Sacrament is not in the tabernacle. If a lunette or additional ciboria are in the tabernacle I would close the door during the distribution of Communion.

Can the priest sit down and allow the Eucharist ministers to return the consecrated hosts to the tabernacle after communion?

Only if he has difficulty walking or standing. The priest must take an active part and supervise the post Communion activities. Unless he is ill, aged or injured.

Are the Eucharist ministers allowed to purify the vessels?

Same as above only if the priest requires assistance.

Is it acceptable to have music that people clap to before the Gospel reading?

Claping during the liturgy should be avoided. Lest it become entertainment according to Cardinal Ratzinger.

What is a good source to use to answer questions about the mass?

The Liturgy Documents, specifically the GIRM.

 

[Mandi]

Definition of Acolyte from the Catholic Encyclopedia

(Gr. akolouthos; Lat. sequens, comes, a follower, an attendant). An acolyte is a cleric promoted to the fourth and highest minor order in the Latin Church, ranking next to a subdeacon. The chief offices of an acolyte are to light the candles on the altar, to carry them in procession, and during the solemn singing of the Gospel; to prepare wine and water for the sacrifice of the Mass; and to assist the sacred ministers at the Mass, and other public services of the Church. In the ordination of an acolyte the bishop presents him with a candle, extinguished, and an empty cruet, using appropriate words expressive of these duties. Altar boys are often designated as acolytes and perform the duties of such. The duties of the acolyte in Catholic liturgical services are fully described in the manuals of liturgy., e.g. Pio matinucci, “Manuale Sacrarum Caeremoniarum” (Rome,1880), VI, 625; and De Herdt, “Sacrae Liturgiae Praxis” (Louvain, 1889), II, 28-39

I don’t believe there are acolytes anymore since the church reforms of Vactican II.

 

[S_Corda]

Mandi:

I don’t believe there are acolytes anymore since the church reforms of Vatican II.

There are acolytes, but they are no longer minor orders as that 1914 Encyclopedia articles states.

They are discussed in Canon Law, in GIRM, and several other places.

Please see this:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=56391#post56391

There is so much confusion about the topic of acolytes that I am making a web site describing “duly instituted acolytes” as described in Canon Law, GIRM, etc.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Someone pointed out to me that one of my answers above didn’t make sense. That was because I left off half the answer. It should have read:

There are two: Instituted acolytes are adult men installed into a specific ministry of service at the altar, they were known as minor orders prior to the liturgy reforms.

Commissioned acolytes are both children and adults who are temporarily commissioned for a short time to serve at the altar. Commonly referred to as “altar servers” .

 

[MariU]

Thanks so much. Obviously I have a lot more reading to do. There is so much to learn.

 

[YMcHiCk]

An acolyte is an altar boy or girl, who during the mass gets things ready for the presider of the mass for communion, and who also holds the candels during the gospel.

 

[S_Corda]

YMcHiCk:

An acolyte is an altar boy or girl, who during the mass gets things ready for the presider of the mass for communion, and who also holds the candels during the gospel.

Um, you might want to scroll up a few messages. Please. Please.

 

[S_Corda]

MariU:

…
Are the Eucharist ministers allowed to purify the vessels?
…

1st to do it: A priest (163 below) , A deacon, if present (171 below).
Otherwise, “a duly instituted acolyte” (192 below).
Purifying vessels is not one of the things listed in Canon Law 230 #3.
GIRM:

…
163. … Upon returning to the altar, the priest collects any fragments that may remain. Then, standing at the altar or at the credence table, he purifies the paten or ciborium over the chalice then purifies the chalice, …

1. When he is present at the Eucharistic Celebration, a deacon … … Assists the priest celebrant in distributing Communion, and purifies and arranges the sacred vessels;
2. Likewise, when the distribution of Communion is completed, a duly instituted acolyte helps the priest or deacon to purify and arrange the sacred vessels. When no deacon is present, **a duly instituted acolyte ** carries the sacred vessels to the credence table and there purifies, wipes, and arranges them in the usual way.

279. The sacred vessels are purified by the priest, the deacon, or an instituted acolyte after Communion or after Mass, insofar as possible at the credence table. The purification of the chalice is done with water alone or with wine and water, which is then drunk by whoever does the purification. The paten is usually wiped clean with the purificator.

( usccb.org/liturgy/current/chapter4.htm )
…

Canon Law 230 #3:

…
3. When the need of the Church warrants it and ministers are lacking, lay persons, even if they are not lectors or acolytes, can also supply certain of their duties, namely, to exercise the ministry of the word, to preside offer liturgical prayers, to confer baptism, and to distribute Holy Communion, according to the prescripts of the law.
…

 

[CARose]

We have a group of elderly priests who come to our parish each summer and they have not incorporated the changes to the GIRM in their celebration of the Eucharist. We’re a tiny parish in terms of attendance at daily mass, and many of our summer communicants are only here in the summer and have not stepped up to assist.

So, I continue to be lector at least one day a week. This leaves me assisting as Eucharistic Minister. And here’s my dilemma.

I know the changes to the GIRM, I believe I understand what I should and should not do. HOWEVER, these priests, are, even if for only a short time each year, the functioning pastors. A couple of them are actually old enough that infirmity could be well claimed for their need to have me retrieve the Eucharist from the Tabernacle (there are 3 steps involved). The other two appear to be in sufficient health that I don’t know why this would be a real issue.

I have been asked to retrieve the host (which I have done for them) and I have been asked if I had cleaned the chalice (which I had not). Today, after communion, while I was still offering the Chalice, the priest (one of the "younger, healthier ones - mid 70’s) sat down, leaving the Chalice unattended when I returned. The patten had a crumb on it.

I’m now feeling awful because I didn’t clean it, either then during Mass or afterwards.

I miss our pastor who takes the Body of Christ extremely seriously, not only in word, but also in deed.

I guess I’ll simply clean the chalice after mass on the side table and serve the priest as he prefers, for to fail to do so leaves the chalice improperly attended to, and that pains me.

Oh yeah, and last summer, I brought the changes to the GIRM to their attention and was received with hostility that continued such that I was received with an icy demeanor when they returned (Due to travels, I hadn’t seen them much last summer, so hadn’t had much opportunity for them to see that even though I disagreed with their approach to the Mass, I still respect their authority in our Parish). They insisted that the parish Not stand after “Pray Brethren…” and the other changes we had already incorporated.

In our travels I saw a great range of implementations and was saddest when we attended mass at Cathedrals and found the changes not implemented. :nope:

Any alternate ideas on how I might approach the situation?
CARose

 

[CARose]

And BTW,

Why are they using parishoners to be Extraordinary ministers when I’m standing there handing the chalice to an ordained, practicing priest who is staying in our rectory, and serving occational masses during his stay? If he’s available to participate in the Mass, shouldn’t he be concelebrating and assisting with the Chalice?

Argh!

Obedience to the pastor vs obedience to the norm. Which takes precedence? I assume charity rules here and I don’t make a stink.

CARose

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I think that you are acting rightly in caring for the Blessed Sacrament, since they won’t. You could bring it up with the regular pastor on his return or address the matter to the Bishop.