Q: Since I heard you speak for the Society of St Gregory, I have followed your answers with great interest, and learnt a great deal. I am in London (UK), so obviously some things are slightly different. I was reading your response to the question of using the Hail Mary to conclude the Universal prayer. What seems to be happening in a number of churches here is that the Hail Mary is said as part of the prayer but before the conclusion. I’m unsure whether or not this is acceptable as it is not addressed to God, although the conclusion …
Sacred art
Q: Father, I have a question on the use of sacred art in a church setting. We are assisting in the design of a small oratory at a Catholic school. In discussing what sacred art to install, we were advised that only one image of a saint can be used in that space. I then found #318 of the GIRM to support that: https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/the-mass/general-instruction-of-the-roman-missal/girm-chapter-5. I am writing you to understand the history and intention behind this section more clearly. Does the sentence that the holy space should contain only one image of a saint apply to the Holy Family as …
Parish announcements
Q: Father Paul. Love the blog. Came to it via searching about you after reading your commentary on Adrien Nocent’s volumes on the liturgy. Love/Hate relationship with those volumes which I greatly struggle with at times. But that’s for another time. I have a question, more of a comment, about a trend I’ve noticed developing over the past decade and now see it across many churches in many different parts of the US (well at least in four different dioceses where I regularly attend Sunday mass). This is the reading of parish announcements already appearing in the bulletin by the …
Holy Week hymns in the 5th Week of Lent
Q: The Liturgy of the Hours rubrics and the Ordo both allow “On weekdays of the fifth week of Lent, at the Office of Readings, Morning Prayer, and Evening Prayer, the hymns for Holy Week may be sung.” Since Daytime Prayer is not mentioned, are the hymns of Holy Week not permitted at this hour in the fifth week of Lent? If so, why was this hour not included in the allowance? == A: This should become clearer when we get the revised translation of the Liturgy of the Hours. In the Latin typical edition, there are no special hymns …
Intercessions
Q: Dear Father Paul,Sincere thanks for all that you do!Although we are past the Scrutinies for this year, I would like to get my head straight about this. It has been a topic of discussion just about every year, and I know I am not the only one that struggles with this; nor the only OCIA Director who hears the words “Pastoral Discretion”. Are the “Prayers of the Faithful/Universal Prayer” of the Mass supposed to be included in the “Intercessions” done for the Elect during the Scrutiny Rite, OR are they done as usual after the Creed? I had hoped that …
Spilled Precious Blood
Q: Father, it pains me to say this, but I have seen multiple occasions in which the Precious Blood ended up on the floor and the Extraordinary Ministers only dabbed the area with a purificator and then continued distributing the Eucharist. At the end of distributing Holy Communion, they stepped on the area where the Precious Blood had fallen. It seems to me that, first of all, they should be more careful in handling the Precious Blood, and secondly if the Lord’s Blood is spilled, they should not only use a dry purificator but also a second, dampened purificator to …
Procession of concelebrants at Chrism
Q: As we are approaching the time for the Chrism Mass, I am curious to know if there is any order for the procession of concelebrant priests, at the Chrism Mass particularly, and in any stational or pontifical Mass in general. I have heard some people saying that the order of the procession of priests when the bishop is there is according to the seniority in the ordination. Others think that it is according to the height for a good harmony. Some others think that it does not matter as long as those with some responsibilities in the diocese are …
Candles on the altar
Q: The entrance procession is described in General Instruction of the Roman Missal, n. 122, including. “As for the candlesticks, these are placed on the altar or near it.” But I cannot find a video on YouTube where this happens. Videos have lit candles on or near the altar before Mass begins and processional candles are put somewhere else. It seems efficient to have candles in the entrance procession, put on the altar, used for the Gospel procession, returned to the altar and carried out in the final procession. But neither efficiency nor obedience of the Roman Missal have prevailed. …
Followup on Hail Mary
Q: I talked with a retired bishop who says his understanding is that when the new translation of the Mass was released in England and Wales in the 1970’s, the English bishops were given an indult to pray the Hail Mary at the end of the Universal prayers in recognition of the long Marian tradition and spirituality in this country. Must admit that I was unaware of this but thought you might have some thoughts about it. == A: I did some more homework on this. In 1973 the bishops of England and Wales asked the Holy See to approve concluding …
Renewal of marriage vows
Q: All the faithful renew Baptismal Promises at Easter and priests renew their Priestly Promises at the Chrism Mass. Why can’t married couples renew their consent (marriage vows)? Asking for a friend. == A: Because the consent effects the sacrament of marriage. That’s not true of baptism or ordination. The consent of married couples is unique.