Q: Hello Father. Perhaps you have already addressed this question, but I cannot find it in my saved files. But when dealing with the consecrated Hosts out of the tabernacle what is the legislative rules governing who should be allowed to obtain the Blessed Hosts for the purpose of giving communion to the sick and home bound? I assume a priest, deacon and EME, but some question if the EME should be allowed to perform this. Thank you for your help. Happy Holidays Father. == A: The revised translation of Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery is now …
Ringing the Bells
Q: I pray you are well. I read your article in the “Priest” blog regarding “Ringing the Bells”. I am deacon. The parish where I have been assigned has a new pastor who has decided to bring ringing the bells during consecration to our church. For some background, the parish is only 35 years old and I have been a parishioner there with my family the whole time. We have never had bells for consecration. Our founding pastor was against them for the reason you described in your article. Also, he was forward thinking and believed that the bells were …
Funeral Rites
Q: I am enquiring whether the new Edition of Funeral Rites For Roman Pontiff 2024. which was recently released and approved by Vatican, is in the Jerusalem Bible or New Jerusalem Bible version. Thank you always for paying attention with all our enquiries. == A: That book pertains to the funeral of a pope, not to funerals at parishes in the English-speaking world. At papal funerals, the readings may be proclaimed in several languages. In parishes, you use the translation approved by the conference of bishops.
Initiation outside Easter Vigil
Q: Is permission of the bishop required for initiation outside the Easter Vigil. We have a 13 year old with autism in our “special needs” religious formation program. He is easily overwhelmed by sensory overload. There is some question, considering the length of the vigil, as to whether it will be difficult for him to reamain undisturbed by the length and celebration, making it difficult and uncomfortable for him.— A: RCIA 34 §2 gives the bishop authority to determine whether and when adult initiation may be celebrated apart from the Easter Vigil. I suggest you check with your bishop’s office. …
Assembly participation – updated
Q: I’ve wondered recently what a parish can do to enhance Assembly participation at weddings and funerals. I realize that, most of the time, the Assembly is composed of Catholics and non-Catholics on these occasions, but even when the church is full of Catholics for a wedding or a funeral, it seems that the level of Assembly participation is diminished: muted responses and singing, hesitation with posture changes. I’m sure the difference in the ritual creates some uncertainty among well-practiced Catholics. And I honestly like the thought that an Assembly who are familiar with each other and who pray together …
Remaining hosts
Q: Father, this has been a topic at our parish Worship committee meetings. Should consecrated hosts that were not distributed by EMHCs during the Mass be returned to the altar to be re-packed into a ciborium by the deacon or priest and then taken to the tabernacle; or can those undistributed consecrated hosts be returned directly to the tabernacle and placed in the ciborium there? Thanks in advance. == A: GIRM 163 just says that he either consumes the hosts at the altar or carries them to the place designated for reservation. It doesn’t say where to combine the remaining …
Anointing
Q: A couple times a year we have been in the habit of celebrating the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick during a Sunday Mass. I read the rite for celebrating during Mass and it left me with more questions than answers. It gave guidance as to when not to celebrate the Anointing, which I get. Then the outline of the liturgy says it include a penitential rite, but no Gloria. It would seem to me that on a Sunday in Ordinary Time, when this is permitted a Gloria should be included. It also includes a litany, which I …
Assembly participation
Q: I’ve wondered recently what a parish can do to enhance Assembly participation at weddings and funerals. I realize that, most of the time, the Assembly is composed of Catholics and non-Catholics on these occasions, but even when the church is full of Catholics for a wedding or a funeral, it seems that the level of Assembly participation is diminished: muted responses and singing, hesitation with posture changes. I’m sure the difference in the ritual creates some uncertainty among well-practiced Catholics. And I honestly like the thought that an Assembly who are familiar with each other and who pray together …
Unbaptized servers
Q: I’m emailing with a liturgical/pastoral question. I’m on pastoral year as a seminarian this year and have been tasked with training altar servers. In the fifth grade class, we have several non-Catholics (I know one is baptized Presbyterian, not sure about the others). My gut told me that they should not be allowed to serve, and I told them so, but when asked to give a reason, I floundered and said something about needing to be in communion with the Church. I want to speak to these students again in order to apologize if they felt rejected, but then …
Extraordinary minister & viaticum
Q: As an extraordinary minister of holy communion, may I administer viaticum to the dying? And if I do it, may a priest administer it again later? Oh, and if I have one host left when I bring communion to the sick, may I consume it? == A: An extraordinary minister of holy communion may indeed administer viaticum to the dying. The Church is anxious to share communion under those circumstances, so permissions are broad. Yes, a priest may administer viaticum again later, and so may you. But it’s a good idea to keep the pastor informed, so he knows …