Q: I have a couple marrying on June 23 – a Friday and the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Do they have to use the readings for the feast of the Sacred Heart? The question has been posed— I don’t’ think you cover this in your book? I said no—but then thought I had best check… A: I cover this in great detail in my new book, which just arrived on my desk today, Inseparable Love from Liturgical Press. The answer is also in chapter 8 of One Love, but I’ve explained more about it in the new book. A wedding that takes …
Rite of Reception
Q: Just wondering if there needs to be a “sponsor” or “witness for the reception of a minor child? I have a child at my parish who is hoping to receive first communion, but she was baptized Episcopal. It seems that the parents make the profession of faith for the girl – or state that they wish her to be known as Catholic. A related, but a distinct question: What about for someone in grade 8 who is baptized Methodist – and hopes to be confirmed in March this year at my parish? (I am facing this, too.) His parents are Catholic but had the child baptized …
Incensing the altar
Q: At evening prayer, if the altar is to be incensed, is only a priest allowed to do it? A: The only instruction about incensing the altar during the office is in the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours 261. It may be done at either morning or evening prayer during the gospel canticle. The rubric is declarative: “There may be an incensation of the altar,” without saying who does it. Consequently, incensation is not restricted to priests.
Gospel proclaimation
Q: If we are celebrating Vigils from the Liturgy of the Hours, and if a priest or deacon is present, must the gospel be proclaimed by that priest or deacon? A: The General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours says nothing about a proper minister for the proclamation of the gospel at Vigils. #73 says that “the gospel should be read” – but does not say by whom. Because the instruction encourages lay groups and families to recite the office (27), it cannot restrict the proclamation of the gospel to an ordained person. The instruction says that a priest …
Prayers of the faithful in lent
Q: I have been wanting to make our Lenten Universal Prayer at Mass a little more “focused” during Lent. I was wondering if it would be permissible to use a pattern similar to that in the Liturgy of the Hours, Appendix II. The intercessions are much briefer, and I am sure with a long pause after each one… with a general response from the congregation at the end. I sure don’t want to break liturgical norms. 🙂 A: I think that this would be fine. Just remember that the prayer is “of the faithful.” So their response is a very …
RCIA sponsor and godparent
Q: What is the difference between a sponsor and a godparent in the RCIA. I know the Latin translates to godparent so why sponsor in the english? Thanks A: The difference is explained in RCIA 10 and 11. A sponsor accompanies a candidate through the early stages of the process, and a godparent begins helping with the Rite of Election, continuing from then on out. When the crafters of the RCIA were drafting their work after Vatican II, the concept of long-term preparatory sponsors was new, and they were afraid that they were making too many demands on people. So …
Easter Vigil Rubrics
Q: I am trying to make sense of Rubrics 49 – 53 in the Easter Vigil. The rubrics use the terms “infants”, “children” and “adults.” We will be baptizing children ranging in age from first grade to 7th grade. No infants will be baptized. Pastorally, because of relative immaturity, I intend to treat the younger children as “infants”, expecting that the parents and godparents will carry the responsibility of the Profession of Faith, with the children’s participation, if they are able. Similarly, it seems to make pastoral sense to treat the older children as adults, questioning them directly about …
Confirmation names
Q: Quick question re Confirmation: Is there any canonical or liturgical prohibition on candidates taking a Confirmation name of the opposite sex? A: There is no official legislation anywhere on confirmation names. Nothing at all in the Rite of Confirmation, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, the Code of Canon Law, or the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The clear implication is that the priest or bishop is supposed to use the candidate’s baptismal name, not a confirmation name. But the practice is widely different. I never promote the taking of a confirmation name, but I tolerate it because of …
New Order of Celebrating Matrimony
Q: If you could be so kind, I would like to know what the difference is between two of your book on the New Order of Celebrating Matrimony? I purchased and read ONE LOVE – which I found helpful – and then I received a flyer in the mail from Liturgical Press marketing your new book: INSEPARABLE LOVE. Could you let me know if ordering INSEPARABLE LOVE would be of great benefit to me. It seems to replicate ONE LOVE, but maybe I am incorrect on first glance. I look forward to hearing from you. A: Thanks for your comments …
Multiple readers at mass
Q: I have a question regarding the use of several children splitting up the reading at mass. Somewhere I thought I read that there was to be only ONE reader. Am I imagining this? A: GIRM 109 says that multiple readers are not to be used for the same reading except for the Passion on Palm Sunday and Good Friday. However, the Introduction to the Lectionary for Masses with Children permits more than one reader at the same reading (52). The same permission appears in the Directory for Masses with Children (47).