Q: Why do we not begin or include anywhere the sign of the cross in the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday? == A: The rubrics don’t explain why, but we do without a lot of things on Good Friday. The altar is bare of cloths, candles and cross. The gospel is proclaimed without processional candles or incense, and without the greeting “The Lord be with you.” When a bishop presides he leaves aside his ring and pastoral staff. Perhaps the liturgy joins in the fast and abstinence of the day.
Liturgy of the Hours
Q: Thank you for the blog and for your solid guidance, I could not submit this question via the website. Maybe it is too long—or perhaps I did not follow directions properly. Thank you and God bless your Lent and Easter. Liturgy of the Hours is official common prayer of the Church, but is also part of the personal prayer and interior life of a lot of Christians. Because of the impact of this prayer, I have two questions. Will the language of the new edition have the same sort of character that we hear in …
Palm Sunday Liturgy of the Word
Q: At all our Masses this weekend the pastor said we were skipping the 1st reading, psalm w/response, 2nd reading and Gospel acclamation. After the collect we would go straight to the Gospel. I googled to find the option for this but had no luck. Do you know where I would find the instructions for this “pastoral option”? == A: You’ll find that option in the lectionary, in the comments just before the first reading on Palm Sunday, lectionary number 38ABC.
Communion service on Holy Thursday
Q: Hi Father, sorry to bother you on such a busy week. But, as a deacon, I have a communion service I do at nursing homes three times a month. The next one is this Thursday – Holy Thursday. My question is – I am not sure of the readings for this day. Normally, I read the daily readings/gospel with a short homily and then have communion after. I also do a Rosary prior to the daily communion service followed by Devine Mercy Chaplet. I was reading the Missal, and I see two options: first is the Chrism Mass or …
Holy Thursday processions
Q: I recently moved to a new diocese and a new Catholic parish. On Holy Thursday they are having a mass in English of the Lord ‘s Supper at 6 PM and a Mass in Spanish of the Lord’s Supper at 8 PM. Each mass will end with a procession of the Blessed Sacrament to a chapel for adoration. I believe their bishop gave them permission for both of these masses on the same day in the same parish. However, I would think that the first mass would end as a normal Sunday mass and the second mass would have …
Combined rite
Q: May someone whose a baptized Catholic and needs only confirmation to complete their sacraments of initiation be confirmed during the Easter Vigil with other Elect using the combined rite “Celebration at the Easter Vigil of the Sacraments of Initiation and the Rite of Reception” (“Order of Christian Initiation of Adults” Appendix I is dedicated to the combined rites including “Celebration at the Easter Vigil of the Sacraments of Initiation and the Rite of Reception page 377). Or, do they have to have a separate ceremony with the bishop? == A: This completely depends on your bishop because he is …
Sprinkling rite
Q: Fr. Paul—I know you have a lot on your plate right now (it’s not like you have your own Holy Week coming up), so I am doubly grateful for your help. I’m trying to sort out where the sprinkling rite goes at the Vigil if you are doing the combined rites (Candidates plus Elect), AND having the community (and the Candidates?) renew their baptismal promises when the Elect make their profession of faith and renunciation of sin (no. 49 in the Missal, and repeated in the OCIA book as an option). So three questions: == A: No worries. These …
Master of ceremonies
Q: At a large episcopal celebration, a priest wearing a cassock & surplice, functions as the master of ceremonies. After the Holy, Holy, Holy is sung, he dons a stole and ‘concelebrates’. After the ‘Our Father’, he removes the stole and continues to function as the master of ceremonies. Something isn’t correct. Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? == A: Here’s a previous post about deacons: https://paulturner.org/deacon-vesture/. The same would apply to a priest serving as a master of ceremonies. Furthermore, no priest may begin to concelebrate after Mass has begun (GIRM 206).
OCIA and Sunday Scrutinies
Q: My question has to do with OCIA and Sunday Scrutinies in a multi campus parish, where the Elect will go thru the rituals at one designated liturgy…I questioned whether all campus liturgies would then do the Year A Scriptures… or do the Year C scriptures, in this case prevail at the non-Elect Masses? If, and whenever you can get around to this…appreciate! == A: The lectionary itself permits the use of the Year A readings any year of the cycle. (See the rubric on top of the first reading on these three Sundays.) The OCIA does not require the Year A readings at …
Extraordinary ministers
Q: My bishop is in the process of allowing sacristans and extra-ordinary Minister of Holy Communion who are trained by my office to purify vessels used for Holy Communion in the sacristy after Mass. The clergy have cited the need to have others available to do the purification since they need to travel to multiple parishes on the weekends. I’ve reviewed your book, Let Us Pray. I’m wondering if you are aware of any other written guidelines regarding the proper way to purify. I’ve observed the way some of our priests do it and question just how elaborate (vs. thorough) it …