Why Is the Penitential Rite Sometimes Omitted?

[Richard_White]

My spiritual director at school, Father Sam, told me (when I posed this similar question) that on Ash Wednesday, the reception of ashes on one’s forehead represents penance and therefore takes the place of the penitential rite.

I don’t know for sure about the other ones, but, as I believe someone mentioned above, on Palm Sunday, the use of holy water to bless the palms might “replace” (for lack of a better word) the penitential rite.

May God bless you all!

 

[OraLabora]

The common theme seems to be sprinkling of anything. People, palms, candles, coffins… Why that negates the need for separate penitence is beyond me. Maybe the logic is that Masses with sprinkling aren’t supposed to be penitential at all but that begs the question, “What’s wrong with a profession of penitence at any Mass?” At any rate, it’s a very odd rubric and nobody seems to be able to articulate why this innovation was made, much less why it’s beneficial or necessary. Unlike many traditionalists, I’m a fan of simplification, but this is the opposite of simplification.

Sprinkling recalls our baptism which washes away sin. After the sprinkling the priest says a phrase of absolution (sorry I only have a French missal so I can’t provide it in English).

So it doesn’t “negate” a penitential act. It is a penitential act in its own right.

 

[johnmann]

Sprinkling recalls our baptism which washes away sin. After the sprinkling the priest says a phrase of absolution (sorry I only have a French missal so I can’t provide it in English).

So it doesn’t “negate” a penitential act. It is a penitential act in its own right.

Is there absolution when palms and candles are sprinkled? Perhaps the sprinkling itself takes the place of absolution? But there’s no prior penitence which may support my theory that these select Masses aren’t supposed to be penitential.

 

[Ginkgo100]

The Penitential Act may not be omitted. However, there is often some confusion in the congregation as to what constitutes a Penitential Act.

Option A: the Confiteor (“I confess to Almighty God…”), followed by the Kyrie (“Lord, have mercy…”)

Option B: Short version (P: “Have mercy on us, O God” / R: “For we have sinned against you…”), followed by the Kyrie

Option C: Kyrie with each verse preceded by an invocation, followed up by a blessing from the priest

Probably, what you heard at these Masses was Option C.

For more details, here is the text of the Order of Mass from the English translation of the Roman Missal (scroll down to “Penitential Act”).

 

[SMHW]

The Penitential Act may not be omitted. However, there is often some confusion in the congregation as to what constitutes a Penitential Act.
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Probably, what you heard at these Masses was Option C.

For more details, here is the text of the Order of Mass from the English translation of the Roman Missal (scroll down to “Penitential Act”).

What you posted specifically says that the Rite for the Blessing and Sprinkling of Water may take the place of the usual Penitential Rite at the beginning of Mass.

That language suggests that the Sprinkling Rite*** IS*** the Penitential Act. I don’t know if that’s the usual way of thinking of things but the Sprinkling Rite is defintitely distinct from forms A, B, or C.