Q:  Why does the lectionary offer shorter and longer versions of the Sunday readings? This question especially has come up given the Cycle A gospels for the Third, Fourth and Fifth Sundays of Lent, which as you know, are such powerful and rich stories. By practice, we always use the longer version of a reading whenever the option is given. But I’m curious, how it came to be this way versus no option, just read what is provided.   A:  Here’s paragraph 80 from the introduction to the Lectionary for Mass. As you’ll see, at the time of the lectionary …

Q:  Is the time given in the diocesan bulletin for the beginning of the Easter Vigil correct:  8pm?  Sunset is 7:51pm.  It will still be light.  Does the church offer a definition of the time of “dark”? A:  Here’s what the Roman Missal says at #3 of its pages pertaining to the Vigil: The entire celebration of the Easter Vigil must take place during the night, so that it begins after nightfall and ends before daybreak on the Sunday. I think it’s deliberately vague to allow some flexibility. Some people prefer to interpret it as beginning when it is truly dark …

Q:  I was thinking about the sprinkling and how our sacristans have helped with the sprinkling. I know you said that the symbol of the sprinkling is the water and not the minister and that you didn’t think that there would be any damage for the sacristan to assist. I have additional considerations that I am wondering if they would continue to support your thoughts on this: At the Vigil we have the assembly process to the baptismal waters and bless themselves with the water after the renewal of the baptismal promises—the missal directs this action as a sprinkling by …

Q:  A couple questions regarding weddings… Creed or no Creed? Rubrics are confusing. Lazo… goes after the Lord’s prayer and before the Nuptial blessing?  When does it come off? Thanks a bunch! A:  Regarding the creed at weddings, it depends on which mass the priest is saying. If it is the one from the ritual masses of the missal, then no, no creed. However, if he has a wedding at a parish Sunday mass, as I did this past weekend, then the presidential prayers come from the Sunday mass, and all recite the creed because it is part of that …

Q:  Does the priest say “the Lord be with you” before the Gospel on Palm Sunday? Normally, we have lay readers participate in the Gospel and proclaim the Gospel reading—the priest reading the part of Jesus. A:  On Palm Sunday and Good Friday the greeting “The Lord be with you” is omitted before the Passion. You can find this instruction in the missal at #21 on the pages pertaining to Palm Sunday, and at the head of the readings for Palm Sunday at Lectionary #38.

Q:  As far as sprinkling—I tried finding what you mentioned (about the sprinkling taking place before the procession) in the USCCB’s Introduction to the Order of  Mass—but didn’t find a paragraph 74. Regardless,  interesting that there is an option that the priest may do the sprinkling at the door of the church. So would that take place before the opening “chant”? Would the blessing of water take place as usual? A:  Here’s the link to the USCCB’s Introduction to the Order of Mass. Paragraph 74 includes this: “If the greeting and blessing take place at the door, the priest may sprinkle the …

Q:  A question keeps coming up as to where the Creed fits in when doing the Scrutinies.  The Rite starts after the homily, and then goes into the Intercessions.  It would seem awkward, at best, to do a Creed after this.  Your thoughts?  Thank you. A:  Awkward, but that is when the Creed falls: after the intercessions. The reason is that the intercessions adhere closely to the rite. The same happens in weddings that take place during a mass that requires the Creed. The practice resulted from an interpretation of article 78 of Sacrosanctum Concilium.

Q:  I know that you have talked  about the new Rite of Marriage and I am wondering when the other rites will be updated, i.e. Reconciliation, Baptism, Holy Orders and Anointing of the Sick? A:  The rites are all on separate timetables. Exorcism and the dedication of a church and altar should be released soon. But “soon” is very hard to define. The ordination ceremonies are the farthest along. It’s possible we’ll see them within a couple of years. The rites of baptism for adults and infants are in the works, but will be another 3-4 years before we see …

Q:  Are there any rubrics for altar servers to bow to the priest, for example at the washing of hands at the preparation of the table? Currently, our pastor bows to the severs, but we have not trained them to do so. He does the bowing as more of an acknowledgement of the servers. A:  The GIRM does not call for bows between the priest and the servers. I think that bows between persons are not a good idea, especially because of the extensive description of bows given in GIRM 275, which does not mention them. Nor does the Order …

Q:  When the sprinkling rite is used during a Mass, we have had a sacristan help the presider sprinkle the assembly with the holy water. Because of our layout, the sacristan has assisted by taking one side of the church while the priest sprinkles the other side. This has helped with the time it takes to sprinkle the entire assembly. Our pastor wants to know if that is okay or not. A:  There is no provision for a lay person to assist in the sprinkling. No forbidding it either. In a church your size, if the priest does it alone, …