Q:  It was my understanding that a crucufix must be shown for Mass. Our church has everything covered in purple(already) including the processional Cross,no crucifix showing anywhere. It doesn’t seem right, is it? A:  The instructions for the optional covering of crucifixes appears in the missal at the beginning of the Fifth Sunday of Lent. It does not distinguish between the cross on the altar and the crosses in the church, but I agree with you. If the processional cross carries a corpus, it is best left exposed, and the main crucifix for the celebration of the mass should best …

Q:  My question relates to #42 of the Missal. I understand this to mean that no baptisms means no litany. It seems to follow that the font, ie. the water for baptism at that event is not blessed, but the priest moves to the Blessing of Water, #54. Our priests do not accept this interpretation; they insist on the Litany. I have read the missal, plus your very helpful book “Glory In The Cross“, page 155 over and over. I have conferred with Liturgy Coordinators who said “no Baptisms, no blessing of the font, hence no Litany.” I would really …

Q:  We have a Blessed Sacrament chapel with 24-hour adoration. What do we do during the Triduum? A:  The USCCB web site says pretty strongly, “Under no circumstances may perpetual exposition take place during the Easter Triduum.” http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/adoration/perpetual-expositon-of-the-blessed-sacrament.cfm My suggestion – and that’s all this is – is that the lunette from the monstrance be brought to the altar after communion has been distributed at the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Let the priest remove the host and break it into four pieces in full view of the faithful. Place those pieces among the hosts that will be processed …

Q:  We have a person in RCIA who was baptized a Catholic but confirmed in the Lutheran Church. Do we use the Rite of Reception of Validly Baptized Christians into the Full Communion of the Catholic Church for him? A:  No, his baptism is a Catholic baptism. If he wishes to be confirmed in the Catholic Church, the bishop is the ordinary minister. But the bishop may give the pastor permission to confirm him at the Easter Vigil or at some other time. If the person or the bishop wishes to have the bishop do the confirmation, you may proceed …

Q:  My daughter recently got married. I wanted the priest to process in just like a Sunday mass. The wedding coordinator was adamant that it was not correct. Can you explain what the a wedding entrance should look like and liturgically why. We also had the brides godparents and confirmation sponsor bring up the gifts . I wanted her to split the bread into two Ciborias but she wanted to have one carry the chalice up at the offertory. Our priest of course said no, I’d like to explain to her why it was not correct. Thank you.  A:  Congratulations …

Q:  I am currently completing RCIA at my parish but will be out of the country over Easter. Is there another parish that can perform the rites other than during the Easter vigil? A:  Adult baptisms may take place on other dates. RCIA 34/2 says that the bishop may decide whether and when the entire rite may be celebrated outside the usual times. RCIA 27 explains that they may celebrated as far as possible on a Sunday, using the appropriate ritual mass from the missal. So your catechumen has two options – baptism on another day, not Easter. Or baptism …

Q: I’m not sure if this has been asked but I was wondering for the Passion Gospels on Palm Sunday and Good Friday, the Narrator part at my parish has always been proclaimed by a Deacon. Now that one of our deacon’s has retired, we only have one Deacon who only speak Spanish so our English masses never see a deacon. For the Passion Gospels coming up, can the narrator part of the gospel be proclaimed by a lector or lay minister if there is no Deacon present? There’s also the beginning part that says, “The Passion of our Lord according …

Q:  A couple getting married in another State are hoping to have a “renewal of their promises” in here later this summer, for those family and friends who couldn’t join them for their actual wedding.  They were specific that this renewal would happen in a “non-church” location. Someone suggested looking at the outline of the blessing we do for married couples, in The Order for Celebrating Matrimony, to see if this would suit their needs.  (I’m leery of simulating a sacrament if this is what they’ve envisioned)  However, now that I look at it, the text only provides a blessing …

Q:  I have a woman who just moved here with her son from Mexico. As you know, in Mexico they make their confirmation before the first communion. She has presented a letter to me from their pastor that the child is prepared to receive both sacraments. What should be done? Do I ask to confirm him with the to be baptized at the Easter Vigil? Thank you for your thoughts. A:  Probably so. You need the permission of your bishop to do this because the child was baptized Catholic as an infant. I think if you explain the case to …

Q:  On the evening of Good Friday, my parish performs a “Live Stations of the Cross.” However, instead of ending with the traditional 14th Station (Jesus lying in the tomb), we end with the Resurrection. Is this liturgically-correct, and should it be done? A:  There is no one official version of the Stations of the Cross. The fourteen stations are traditional, but even Pope John Paul II changed a few of them to make a more biblically-based series of stations. I think there’s no harm in ending with the resurrection. I understand your concern that this is Good Fridaynight, and …