Q: A couple times a year we have been in the habit of celebrating the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick during a Sunday Mass. I read the rite for celebrating during Mass and it left me with more questions than answers. It gave guidance as to when not to celebrate the Anointing, which I get. Then the outline of the liturgy says it include a penitential rite, but no Gloria. It would seem to me that on a Sunday in Ordinary Time, when this is permitted a Gloria should be included.
It also includes a litany, which I was confused about it being thought of as a penitential rite of sorts.. Well with all that confusion, I scrapped the idea and made the decision to offer the anointing following Mass. I’m asking you now for some guidance for the future.
Its a little confusing when these ritual masses are included in Sunday Mass. It has a great communal effect, but also some complications.
Thanks for your advise,
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A: I’m looking at PCS 131-148. I wouldn’t trust that outline. Whoever created it did not examine the actual paragraphs carefully.
The sacrament may be conferred either while celebrating the missal’s Ritual Mass II for this occasion (which refers to the Mass for Various Needs and Occasions 44) or while celebrating the Mass of the day. PCS 134 tells you on which days you use the Mass of the day, which often would include the Gloria.
Although the Gloria is included in ritual Masses such as confirmation and weddings, I suspect it’s missing here given the potentially somber nature of the celebration.
On a Sunday in Ordinary Time, a Gloria would be included if you are using the Ordinary Time liturgy because it requires a Gloria. If you’re celebrating the Ritual Mass for Anointing on a Sunday, with its presidential prayers and readings from Volume IV of the Lectionary, then the Gloria would be omitted because of the Ritual Mass. But the Creed would be included because of Sunday.
The litany at 138 probably replaces the penitential act at the Ritual Mass, even though it comes later.
Pastorally, whenever I do a communal anointing, I keep it at daily Mass and make a personal record of the names of the people I’ve anointed. On Sundays I will offer before or after Mass for individuals. This avoids the potential for people misunderstanding what the sacrament is for and helps me keep track of whom I have anointed.