Who can give the homily?

[Celia]

Is anyone besides the priest or deacon allowed to give the homily? Like say…a lay woman? Like we had in my parish today?

Oh, and is it a required part of the mass to say the creed? 'Cause we skipped that today…

I’m a little worried here.

 

[SHEMP]

search ask an apologist using the word homily and you will find about 5 question and answers to your question with references.

The simple answer is a only priest or deacon can say the homily.

 

[wannabee]

Brief answer

ONLY Priest or Deacon can give the homily

Yes a lay person may give an address - of the almost begging variety for a charity etc BUT this is not done in place of the Homily - nor at that time. A Lay address should be given at the end of Mass - if it has to be given at all.

The Creed - yes it should be said on Sundays - can be omitted at weekday Masses

 

[Celia]

I’m aware how to use the search funtion, thanks. I’d thought I’d get a fresh response in case I needed to ask questions or have some clarity.

Thanks wannabee. It was done in a begging for money type way, but she was putting spins on it so it incorporated the Gospel today - so, I think she was attempting a homily. And yes, it was in place of the priest speaking.
And the creed thing too - great.

Good think I’m seeing my priest later this week. I want to ask him about this.

 

[wannabee]

Careful how you phrase things - diplomacy is required here

Thank goodness I’m EC and do not have to go to RC Mass every week - I can’t STAND when folk insist on doing their own thing

If a thing ain’t broke DON’T FIX IT.

When will folk realise that Liturgy can be well done and is beautiful and all the words have meaning . It does not have to be dumbed down and made trite.

This is not intended to say that a Tridentine Mass is the way to go - I’ve never been to one - and probably never will.

I prefer the Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints, John Chrysostom

 

[MusicMan]

A bishop, priest, or deacon may give the homily.

Letting nuns, lay sisters, and seminarians give the homily is a common abuse. I can see the wisdom in this, to a point, but the rubrics don’t allow it, so there is no wisdom in actually doing it. Seminarians will get their chance anyway once they’ve been ordained to the Transitional Diaconate – that’s part of what it’s for.

At a Word and Communion Service, the deacon may give a homily, or the person who is “running” the service (if not a deacon) may give a homily-esque reflection. These would be good opportunities for letting nuns and lay sisters give good reflections.

Skipping the Profession of Faith is an abuse, as it is required on Sundays and Solemnities. The Nicene Creed is the standard Profession of Faith in the US (although the rubrics don’t seem to specify). The priest may use the Apostle’s Creed during Lent or at Masses with a substantially large number of children. He may also use the Renewal of Baptismal Promises as the Profession of Faith at Masses where a baptism is occuring.

 

[Servus_Pio_XII]

This is not intended to say that a Tridentine Mass is the way to go - I’ve never been to one - and probably never will.

It has more in common with the Divine Liturgy than the [average]Novus Ordo- like a sacred tongue, for a start. No abuses, if you want to go further.

Go to one, you may get more out of it than you would think. The Mass is beautiful, when said reverently.

Speaking of the charities begging, we have something similar at my NO parish (though the Basilica, where I attend TLM and will serve, does not). Instead of begging, at the end of most Masses, we have someone from the charity the collection has been going to come up and tell us how great we are, and how much our money helped, and how they would have died without us, and how wonderful we all are and we should give ourselves a big pat on the back…

I hate it. I don’t need to be lauded here, but in Heaven by the Father who sees and knows all.

 

[Eileen_T]

Celia:

Oh, and is it a required part of the mass to say the creed? 'Cause we skipped that today]

wannabee:

Careful how you phrase things - diplomacy is required here

I agree. When I pointed out, carefully I thought, to a former PP that the Creed was required at Sunday Mass he wasn’t too happy with me … but he did stop replacing it with other prayers.

 

[wannabee]

When will folk realise that Liturgy can be well done and is beautiful and all the words have meaning . It does not have to be dumbed down and made trite.

This covers all varieties of Liturgy - Mass included

Tridentine Mass - there ain’t one in the RC Diocese where I go to Mass, and as far a I’m aware not in the RC Diocese where I live either.

But then - I’m EC - so I attend Divine Liturgy as often as I can get there - now THAT is heaven on earth.

 

[kaimpls]

Is anyone besides the priest or deacon allowed to give the homily? Like say…a lay woman? Like we had in my parish today?

That happened in our Parish last Sunday for the first time. I hope and pray this is not increasing. It is not to be done.

 

[G_S]

When a post-postcommunion talk is given, it is important to remember that the homily may not be omitted on a Sunday or Holy Day without a grave reason. In canon law, “grave” means something like extremely serious – like the building is on fire or the Huns are invading or the priest is recovering from surgery and there is no other priest or deacon available.

 

[rkberlin]

We have a number of lay persons do the - well, i don’t want to say it, but- homily instead of the priest. i cringe everytime it happens. it’s usually the RE coordinator or one of the catechists. usually only happens during the family mass, so I now prefer going to the other one.

About the creed, we sing a kind of a creed. Obviously it doesn’t really recite the Apostolic or Nicene Creed, so is that ok? It’s usally something lie" we believe in the Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost, we believe in the church which is called Mother Church…" It’s got a nice melody ( also in Family Mass ) so I like it, but is is ok to do that instead of actually saying the creed?
God bless

 

[G_S]

rkberlin:

About the creed, we sing a kind of a creed. Obviously it doesn’t really recite the Apostolic or Nicene Creed, so is that ok? It’s usally something lie" we believe in the Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost, we believe in the church which is called Mother Church…" It’s got a nice melody ( also in Family Mass ) so I like it, but is is ok to do that instead of actually saying the creed?
God bless

Probably not. Even if such a thing were permitted. The wording of the Creed was worked out over several centuries and its exact wording is extremely important. e.g. If “mother Church” – in and of itself a laudable formulation – is replacing “one, holy Catholic and apostolic,” there is a very significant problem. Singing the Creed, however, is highly recommended.