Q: In the entrance procession there are people between those carrying cross and candles and the person carrying the Book of the Gospels.
General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) 120 has: “c) the acolytes and the other ministers;”
Ceremonial of Bishops (CB), 128, for a stational Mass, has: “clergy, two by two”; translating “clerici bini et bini”.
The same term appears in the procession for evening prayer, CB 193: clergy, followed by deacons, followed by presbyters. In this ceremony all Priests are in choir dress. So apparently “clergy” are not Deacons or Priests.
It makes no sense that instituted readers are present and used at a stational Mass but are not included in the entrance procession as they would be at a normal Mass (GIRM 195). Does “clerici” include lay ministers? Or is the intention to deliberately exclude lay people from the stational Mass entrance procession, unless carrying candles, cross, thurible, or assisting with book, miter or pastoral staff?
You wrote: “I think the boat bearer logically belongs among “other ministers” in GIRM 120c”. (https://paulturner.org/incense-boat-bearer/ ) Is this made impossible for a stational Mass?
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A: A person enters the clerical state with ordination to the diaconate. I don’t know what else “clergy” could refer to except for deacons, priests and bishops.
GIRM 120 and CB 128 and 193 do not exclude lay people in the procession at a stational Mass. Most, however, will be seated in the nave.
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