CHANGES IN THE MASS:

POSTURES AND GESTURES

POSTURE AND GESTURE FOR THE RECEPTION OF HOLY COMMUNION

THE DEACON AT MASS

LITURGICAL ASSEMBLY

THE WORSHIPING ASSEMBLY

THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

Book Of The Gospels

Back to Articles

CHANGES IN THE MASS: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 

    What we do at Mass and how we are to do it is presented to us in a book called the Roman Missal. Actually, the Roman Missal is made up of two main books -- the Lectionary. for Mass, the book(s) with all the Scripture readings in it, and the Sacramentary, the book with both prayers and direction (rubrics) in it. The instructions for celebrating Mass are found in the front of the Sacramentary. This document is called the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) and includes not only " rules," but the theology behind them.

   For hundreds of years, we used the Roman Missal developed after the Council of Trent (1548-1563). This Missal of Pius V (1570) contained everything -the readings, the prayers, the rubrics. Changes were made gradually in the 20th century, until the Second Vatican Council called for a revision of all the Church's liturgical books. This was not so much an updating as it was a restoration of ancient liturgical practices and texts. So, in 1969, the Missal of Paul VI was promulgated. The readings were published separately from the prayers, a very practical change. A new General Instruction was promulgated as well (1974). Some slight changes were made to the Missal and GIRM in 1985.

    In March 2002, Pope John Paul II promulgated the third edition of the Roman Missal since Vatican II. It includes, logically, a slightly altered General Instruction. This is the book you will be hearing about in the next several months. Prayers have been added to the Missal, mostly to honor the many new saints that have been canonized in the past several decades.

Is this revised Missal and GIRM used by the entire Catholic Church?

    Yes, it is in force around the world for all dioceses employing the Roman Rite. However, it is permissible for a conference of bishops to make adaptations, since cultures vary throughout the world. The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) has done two kinds of adaptations. Certain slight adaptations or "indults" were made within the text of the GIRM. These were approved by the USCCB on November 13, 2001 and confirmed by the Holy See on April 17, 2002. An indult is a permission to modify existing law. Second, the USCCB has published a directory entitled Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion Under Both Kinds in the Diocese of the United States of America (approved by the USCCB on June 14, 2ooi and confirmed by the Holy See on March 22, 2002). As the title implies, this document simply clarifies rituals and procedures for the distribution of Holy Communion at Mass.

 When will we implement these changes?

    While the GIRM has been published in Latin and is universal law now, it need not be implemented until each country has an approved vernacular translation. It will take several years to create translations in English, Spanish, French, Chinese, etc. Then a period of catechesis and implementation is allowed.It is the responsibility of the local bishop to "foster, govern, and watch over the liturgical life of his diocese" (GIRM 387). Bishop Mengeling plans to take many months to allow for catechesis and implementation so that no one is confused.

 So how many changes are we talking about?

    Quite honestly, you won't notice too many changes in your parish. Some changes will effect a particular ministry, such as a deacon. Some changes which are now encoded in the new GIRM have actually been taking place in the parishes since 1974; they reflect established pastoral practice. One of the changes you will notice is the addition of a gesture of reverence at Communion - after the minister I says the "Body of Christ" or "the Blood of Christ," you will make a simple bow of the head just before you say "Amen." You may also notice that we stand earlier during the preparation of the,altar and the gifts or that the priest and the extraordinary ministers do some things differently while we are singing the Lamb of God. As you can see, the changes are quite minor.

Whose idea was it to make these changes?

    Ultimately, these changes are happening at the direction of the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II. Catholics need to remember that the Mass has undergone changes for 2000 years. For 1500 years, cities, dioceses, and bishops celebrated Mass according to the books that they produced locally. At the time of the Council of Trent in the 16th century, a greater effort was made to standardize the Church's celebration of the Mass.

    More recently, the Second Vatican Council realized the need for ongoing change by stating that "where necessary, the rites be revised carefully in light of sound tradition and that they be given new vigor to meet the circumstances and needs of modern times" (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 4). The beautiful changes brought about by this Council were upsetting to some who did not receive adequate information about the reasons for the changes. Let us remember that while our liturgical practices may change over time, the fundamental beliefs behind the practice do not change. The basic structure of the Mass remains the same as it was in the Early Church: the Introductory Rites (gathering); the Liturgy of the Word (proclaiming sacred Scripture and responding to it); the Liturgy of the Eucharist (proclaiming our great prayer of thanksgiving and sharing in the Body and Blood of the Lord); and the Concluding Rites (sending forth to build up the Kingdom).

    The changes are few, but this is a perfect opportunity to study the Mass anew and to reflect on our role in it.

 Why change?

    The answer to this question was stated perfectly in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (14): The Church earnestly desires that all the faithful be led to that full, conscious and active participation in liturgical celebrations called for by the very nature of the liturgy. Such participation by the Christian people as a "chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people" (1 Pt 2:9) is their right and duty by reason of their baptism. In the reform and promotion of the liturgy, this full and active participation by all the people is the aim and object to be considered before all else. For it is the primary and indispensable source from which all the faithful are to derive the true Christian spirit..."

Rita Thiron (c) 2003, Office of Worship B Diocese of Lansing

Some sections adapted from an original by Dennis Smolarski, S. J. Used with permission.

Top of Page

MINISTRIES AND ROLES WITHIN THE LITURGICAL ASSEMBLY

    When the Church comes together to celebrate the Mass, or any other sacrament, her members do not gather simply as a crowd, as an undifferentiated group of people. They gather in a variety of ministries and roles. If we are to understand the significance of these ministries and roles, we must begin with Baptism, for only through Baptism have we been given a share in the priesthood of Christ. In fact, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of the Second Vatican Council tells us that participation in the liturgy is the right and duty of all the baptized (CSL 14). The first qualification, then, for any participant in the celebration of the Eucharist is that he or she has been baptized into the Body of Christ, the Church.

Ordained Ministries

    While all share in the priesthood of Christ, some members of the Church are called by God to serve in the ministerial priesthood as bishops and priests. They are privileged to act in the liturgy in the very person of Christ, on behalf of his people, pronouncing the most sacred prayers of our faith, presiding over the celebration of the sacred mysteries, explaining God's Word and feeding God's people the Body and Blood of Christ. A bishop, as successor to the Apostles, has the added responsibility of being the chief shepherd and principal liturgist of his diocese. Still others are ordained to the ministry of deacon. In the celebration of the Mass, deacons proclaim the Gospel and assist the bishop or priests in exercising their sacred duties.

Non-ordained Ministries

    In addition to the ordained ministries there are liturgical roles which are exercised by lay people who place their time and talent at the service of the liturgical assembly. These include acolytes (altar servers), lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, cantors, choir members, instrumentalists, leaders of song, ushers and greeters. Others prepare the liturgy; maintain the church, vestments, vessels and other appointments; or provide decorations that reflect the liturgical feast or season.

A Variety of Roles

    The General Instruction makes it very clear that this variety of offices and roles is desirable and should be maintained. In fact it goes so far as to state, "... all, whether ordained ministers or Christian faithful, by virtue of their function or their office, should do all and only those parts that belong to them (GIRM 91). For example, if a deacon is present, the priest celebrant should not read the Gospel. The lector should not also take on the role of server or extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. There is a wide variety of services to be performed, and it is desirable that different individuals exercise those services so that the talents and gifts God has placed within the Christian community are fully utilized. These roles of service should not be monopolized by a few.

Formation

    It is not sufficient, however, simply to have a "warm body" filling a given role. Those engaged in liturgical roles need to be well-prepared for those roles and to know how to carry them out with reverence, dignity and understanding. Obtaining the proper preparation requires time on the par-t of the person being prepared as well as on the part of those in the parish responsible for their training. Finally, the practical task of assigning competent individuals to particular Masses and organizing the distribution of roles is another indispensable element in the fabric of well-ordered liturgical ministry in a parish.

All Are Called

    But before individuals can be prepared for liturgical roles, there must first be individuals who are willing to assume those roles. All the baptized need to understand that part of their duty regarding liturgy is to accept some responsibility for the liturgy, to place themselves and their God-given talents at the service of the liturgical community. This includes persons with physical disabilities and that necessitates that we examine our worship space; does it allow them to perform their ministry? Is the sanctuary accessible? Is the ambo of sufficient height for a wheelchair?

    If liturgy is a duty as well as a right, then all should discern their gifts and assume key roles in our corporate act of worship. Whether one brings up the gifts at the Presentation, reads the Word of God, assists with the distribution of Communion and brings the Eucharist to those unable to be present at Mass, serves at the altar, provides music that augments the joy, solemnity and festivity of the celebration or serves the assembled community as an usher or greeter, he or she is contributing to the worship of the community and fulfilling the responsibility that comes with Baptism.

    Finally, this catalogue of specialized roles might give the impression that those who are not exercising one of these roles are free to sit back passively and simply let the liturgy happen around them. Nothing could be further from the truth. Those who come together for liturgy cannot act as passive "pew potatoes," waiting for all to be done for them.

    The liturgy is not only their right, it is their duty, their responsibility, and that responsibility includes full engagement throughout the liturgical celebration. The baptized faithful who form the assembly are called to join in praise and thanksgiving, in song and spoken word; to listen attentively to God's Word; and to exercise their baptismal priesthood in prayer for the Church, the world and all in need during the General Intercessions. In the Liturgy of the Eucharist they join their prayer to that of the priest celebrant, offering Christ the Victim, not only through the hands of the priest, but also together with him and offer themselves as well (GIRM 95). Their participation culminates in the reception of the Body and Blood of the Lord, the sacrament which unites them more fully with Christ their Head and with one another.

Office of Worship + Diocese of Lansing, adapted from materials provided by the Committee on the Liturgy, USCCB

Top of Page

POSTURES AND GESTURES

    We've sung that hymn a hundred times: "Now thank we all our God, with hearts and hands and voices..." Indeed, in the celebration of the Mass, we do pray with our whole person, using our very selves, God's creation, to give him due praise. By praying with our whole bodies, we pray with greater attentiveness and more active participation. During Mass we assume different postures - standing, kneeling, and sitting. We also make a variety of traditional gestures - the sign of the cross, a bow of the head, or a kiss of peace. AR these help us to express and foster our faith.

    The external actions, movements, and posture of the priest, the deacon, and the ministers as well as the people ought to draw things together in such a way that the entire celebration shines with beauty and noble simplicity, that the true and full meaning of the different parts of the celebration is perceived, and that the participation of all is encouraged ... The uniformity in posture ... is a sign of the unity of the members of the Christian community gathered for the Sacred Liturgy; it both expresses and fosters the mind and the spiritual attitude of those present (GIRM 42).

    As early as the first century, kneeling signified penance, reflecting an awareness of sin that would cast one to the ground! So thoroughly was kneeling identified with penance that early Christians were forbidden to kneel on Sundays and during the Easter season when the prevailing spirit of the liturgy was joyful. In the Middle Ages, kneeling signified the homage paid by a vassal to his lord. More recently, this posture has come to signify adoration. It is for this reason that the bishops of this country have chosen the posture of kneeling for most of the Eucharistic Prayer - from after the Sanctus through the Great Amen (GIRM 43).

    Sitting is the posture of attentive listening and meditation. So we sit for the first reading, psalm, second reading and the silence in between them. We also sit for the period of meditation that follows the distribution of Communion.

    Gestures, too, allow us to pray with our whole person. We make the Sign of the Cross at the beginning of Mass and, at the final blessing, we conclude Mass with the same gesture. Because Christ redeemed humankind by his death on the cross, we mark ourselves with the sign of our redemption. We also trace the cross on our forehead lips, and hearts, just before the Gospel reading. By this we are saying, "May the word of God be in my mind, and on my lips, and in my heart."

    During the Confiteor, we might strike our breast at the words through my own fault. Some people might make a similar gesture during the consecration of the Body and Blood of Christ.

    A genuflection is a sign of adoration, so it is reserved for the Blessed Sacrament and for the Holy Cross (on Good Friday and most of Holy Saturday). The priest makes three genuflections during the Mass. We genuflect when we pass the tabernacle, but not during Mass (GIRM 274).

    We bow at the waist when we pass the altar. As we recite the Creed, we bow at the words that commemorate the Incarnation, by the power of the Holy Spirit, he was born of the virgin Mary and became man. This gesture intensifies our profound gratitude to Christ who shared our human condition in order to save us from sin and restore us to friendship with God. This is expressed with even greater solemnity on Christmas and on the feast of the Annunciation of the Lord; we genuflect on those days (GIRM 275).

    We bow our head at the name of Jesus. We also might bow our heads at the mention of the Trinity, Mary, or the name of the saint whose feast we celebrate (GIRM 275).

    When we pray the Lord's Prayer, we may use a variety of gestures. Some assemblies hold hands Some fold them. It is very appropriate to assume the ancient roans position for this prayer - keeping our elbows near our sides and extending our hands outward and towards heaven. This gesture signifies our humble dependence of God and our openness to receive the daily bread and forgiveness that we seek in this prayer.

    At the Exchange of Peace, a prayerful greeting expresses our charity toward one another. By shaking hands or otherwise acknowledging nearby persons, we are really exchanging a sign of peace with the broader community of the Church and all of humankind.

    The bishops of the United States have determined that during the reception of Communion, the posture will be standing and the gesture of reverence will be a bow of the head. The minister will show us the host and say, "The Body of Christ." We acknowledge Christ's Real Presence with a simple bow of the head and then we say "Amen." Likewise, the minister of the cup offers the Precious Blood and says, "The Blood of Christ." We make a simple bow of the head and say "Amen" before we take the cup.

    When we use these gestures and assume these postures we express and foster our unity. We are not free to change these gestures and postures to suit our personal piety, for when we gather for worship, we do so as the Body of Christ with Jesus as our Head, and shun any appearance of individualism or division (GIRM 95). When we stand, sit, kneel, bow, sign ourselves with the cross, or engage in any common action, we give unambiguous witness that we are united in heart, mind, and spirit. 39

One of a series of articles on the Liturgy and the revised General Instruction of the Roman Missal

Rita Thiron (c) 2003, Office of Worship Diocese of Lansing

Top of Page

THE WORSHIPING ASSEMBLY  

    The word "liturgy" comes from the Greek, litourgia, which means "the work of the people." All of us, together, perform the 'work' of liturgy, this corporate act. None of us are ever mere spectators and each particular ministry serve this corporate function (GIRM #27).

     Moreover,in the mass,the action of the Church is joined to the action of Christ. "Every liturgy is considered an exercise of the priestly office of Jesus Christ. ... In the liturgy, the whole public worship is performed by the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, that is, by the Head and his members (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy #7). This corporate action, which is the source and summit of the Christian life (CSL #10), is not initiated by us, but by God. It becomes our action only to the extent that we give ourselves to this mystery of redemptive worship.

    The Church desires that all the faithful be led to that full, conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations called for by the very nature of the liturgy. Such participation by the Christian people as a "chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people (1 Peter 2:9) is their right and duty by reason of their baptism. In the reform and promotion of the liturgy, this full and active participation by all the people is the aim to be considered before all else. For it is the primary and indispensable source from which the faithful are to derive the true Christian spirit (CSL #14).

    In the celebration of Mass, we the faithful give thanks to God and offer the Victim not only through the hands of the priest but also together with him and learn to offer themselves. We should endeavor to make this clear by our deep sense of reverence for God and our charity toward our brothers and sisters who share in the celebration (GIRM #95). We should become one body - by hearing the word of God, joining in prayers and liturgical song, offering the sacrifice together and sharing together in the Lord's table (#96).

    Because the whole liturgy is a corporate act of the gathered assembly (GIRM #34; Catechism of the Catholic Church #1144), there are certain parts of the Mass that are done by the whole assembly. These acts include:

Engaging in the dialogue of prayer through acclamations, greetings, and responses to spoken and sung prayers (#34-37);

Joining in common postures and gestures (#42);

Participating in communal silence (#45);

Participating in the greeting of peace as a sign of ecclesial communion and love for each other (#82);

Participating in specific spoken prayers, such as, the Creed, the General Intercessions, the Lord's Prayer, and the Prayer of Humility before Communion.

Participating in the offering during the eucharistic prayer, which is spoken or chanted by the priest, but in which all join by active listening and vocal acclamations;

Participating in liturgical song, because singing is a way of expressing both the corporate nature of our worship and the intense union between God and the Church in Christ through the Holy Spirit (GIRM 48). Besides the Opening Hymn, these liturgical songs include the Kyrie, the Gloria, the Responsorial Psalm, the Gospel Acclamation, a song during the Presentation of the Gifts, the Sanctus, the Memorial Acclamation, the Great Amen, the Lord's Prayer, the Lamb of God, and the optional psalm, canticle, or hymn after Communion.

    The ultimate act of participation, of course, is our sharing in the Eucharistic feast. For those who are properly disposed (#8o), receiving the one bread consecrated at this Mass is the sign and source of our unity. The reception of Holy Communion is much more than an intimate, "Jesus and me" moment. It is very definitely a "Jesus and us" moment. That is why we sing from the moment the priest consumes the Body and Blood of Christ until the moment that the last person in the last pew receives.

    Finally, you may recall the dismissal in the old Latin Mass, "Ite missa est" -- "Go, it is the sending." How appropriate! For in our celebration of the Mass, we have been nourished by Christ in his word, in the Eucharist, in the person of the priest, and in each other (CSL #7) to go forth and build God's kingdom hereon earth.

One of a series of articles on the Liturgy and the revised General Instruction of the Roman Missal.

R Thiron (c) 2003, Office of Worship El Diocese of Lansing

adapted from materials from the Bishop's Committee on the Liturgy, USCCB

 Top of Page

POSTURE AND GESTURE FOR THE RECEPTION OF HOLY COMMUNION

Liturgical History: Communion Under Both Kinds

    In the early Church, the normative practice was that all who participated in the eucharistic celebration shared bread broken from one loaf and drank wine from the common cup -- both the Body and Blood of the Lord. It was only under special circumstances that reception of the Eucharist was under one form, e.g., taking Communion to the sick. This practice continued through the Middle Ages. With growing concern over the methods of distribution and the danger of spilling, between the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries, Communion from the common cup was discouraged, then finally not permitted at all except for the priest who presided at Mass. The Council of Trent (1548-1563) declared that the faithful were not being deprived of any sacramental grace by this new restriction since Christ is present whole and entire under each of the two forms. Thus, by receiving the bread, they were receiving both the Body and Blood of Christ.

    The Second Vatican Council called for the restoration of communion under both forms, noting the importance of eating and drinking as effective signs of God's grace. "Holy Communion has a more complete form as a sign when it is received under both kinds. For in this manner of reception, a fuller sign of the Eucharistic banquet shines forth..." (GIRM 240). Encouraged by the experience allowed in special circumstances, the bishops of the USA asked for and received permission to distribute communion under both forms at all Masses except those celebrated in very large assemblies or arenas.

    In 2000, mandated by the revised General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), the bishops of the United States determined that the posture for receiving communion in the USA would be standing. They also determined that the gesture of reverence would be a bow of the head - simple, yet dignified, and easily done by communicants of all ages.

    Likewise, if we choose to receive the Precious Blood from the cup, we approach the minister. After he/she has said "The Blood of Christ," we bow our head, raise it, then say "Amen." We then take the cup into our hands, drink from it, and return the chalice to the minister." The communion minister wipes the outside and inside rim with a purificator and rotates it a quarter turn after each communicant. Generally, there should be two ministers of the cup for every one minister of the consecrated bread.

    It is not appropriate to "dip" the host into the cup. First, communion is always given by a minister, we never self-communicate. Second, there is danger of spilling the Precious Blood as the communicant brings it back to his/her lips. "Intinction" is a rarely-utilized manner of administering the communion in which a single minister offers the dipped consecrated host saying, "The Body and Blood of Christ" and places it on the tongue of the communicant. It is always the option of the communicant to receive in the hand; that option is removed when the minister uses this method.

    Any wine remaining in the cup will be consumed by the communion ministers. Remaining hosts are placed in the tabernacle for distribution to the sick.

 Sign of Unity

    The 2002 GIRM sees the assembly's postures and gestures as an expression of unity (GIRM 42). That sign of unity is absent when people use different gestures or postures. Communion may not be denied to anyone because they kneel and choose to act in contradiction to the decision of the bishops. Rather, in such circumstances, the priest ought to deal with the situation pastorally, providing additional catechesis so that the communicant might better understand the bishops' decision.

 (c) 2003, Office of Worship,,, Diocese of Lansing

adapted from anoriginal by Fr.Dennis Smolarski, S.J. Used with permission.

Top of Page

THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

   "Let us give thanks to the Lord our God, " the priest invokes. "It is right to him thanks and praise," we respond. It is indeed fitting and just to "always and everywhere give God thanks and praise." And so we begin our great prayer of thanksgiving. In the ancient Greek, the word was eucharistia, and from that word our prayer gets its name.

    Most Catholics have been aware from their earliest days that during the eucharistic prayer, the bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ. But it is more than that. The entire prayer is the center and summit of the Mass, a prayer of thanksgiving and sanctification (GIRM 78). At its heart, the prayer is creedal -that is, it names or confesses all the great things that God has done for us and offers him thanks. It also asks God to send down his Spirit to sanctify, not only our gifts of bread and wine, but also us.

    The priest unites the people with himself in the prayer he addresses to God the Father in the name of the entire community through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, the meaning of the prayer is that the entire congregation of the faithful joins itself with Christ in acknowledging the great things that God has done and in offering the sacrifice (GIRM 78).

    During the eucharistic prayer, not only does Christ become present under the form of bread and wine, but Christ's saving action - his passion, death, and resurrection - are once again enacted and offered to the Father by Christ himself' Our redemption from sin and death, offered once for all on Calvary, is made present once again for us so that we can join in Christ's perfect offering.

    When the priest prays this prayer, he does so on our behalf. He prays, "we bring you these gifts...," we ask you........ we offer...." This first person plural is important. All the baptized, present at the celebration, make this offering in union with Christ and pray this prayer in union with Christ's priest, frequently adding our acclamations and assent.

    We are also called to offer ourselves - our lives, our sacrifice of praise, and our individual and communal efforts to serve Christ. Although our offering in itself is imperfect, when joined with the sacrifice of Christ, it becomes a perfect offering to the Father.

    There are ten official eucharistic prayers in the Roman Rite - Eucharistic Prayer I (the Roman Canon); Eucharistic Prayers II, III, and IV; two eucharistic prayers for reconciliation; three eucharistic prayers for Masses with Children; and a eucharistic prayer for use at Masses for Various Needs and Occasions. No matter which one is chosen, it will have the following eight elements (GIRM 79):

EPICLESIS - The Church calls upon the power of the Holy Spirit and asks that the gifts offered by human hands be transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ and that we may be sanctified as well.

DOXOLOGY - We conclude this great prayer of praise and thanksgiving, recognizing that all our prayer is offered "through him [Christ], with him [Christ], and in him [Christ], in the unity of the Holy Spirit." We affirm that "all honor and glory are yours, almighty Father, forever and ever" with a great "Amen."

Truly,it is right and just to always and everywhere give God thanks and praise.

Rita Thiron (c) 2003, Office of Worship Diocese of Lansing

Top of Page

THE DEACON AT MASS

    When we gather for worship, there are many ministries, including the ministry of the assembly. Each person has his or her role to play in the celebration of the Mass. Some of these are ordained ministries - bishop, priest, or deacon. Throughout the revised General Instruction of the Roma Missal, the deacon is mentioned first among the ministers who assist the presider at Mass.

   The sacred order of deacon has been held in high esteem since the time of the Apostles. In the Acts of the Apostles, we read that seven good men were chosen to assist in the distribution of food and clothing so that the Apostles could concentrate on prayer and the preaching of the Word (Acts 6: 1-6).

    The sacrament of Holy Orders has three "degrees." A deacon serves the faithful in many ways, but especially in assisting at Mass, in preaching, and in service to the poor. You may encounter two types of deacons. A "transitional deacon" is ordained at least six months before his ordination to the priesthood. A "permanent deacon" will always serve as a deacon; he may be married or single.

    When the deacon serves at Mass, he wears an alb, a white robe which is a symbol of his baptism. Across his chest he wears a diagonal stole, reminiscent of the towel that a deacon of old would have swung across his chest as he served among the poor or waited at table. On more solemn occasions, a deacon will wear a dalmatic. This garment may be made of similar material to the priest's chasuble, but it has sleeves.

What follows is a list of duties a deacon might perform when he is present at Mass.

After the incensation, he goes to the chair and sits at the presider's right (174).

If incense is used at the Gospel reading, the deacon assists the priest when the thurible is prepared.

The deacon makes a profound bow before the presider and asks a blessing. Then he makes the sign of the cross and responds "Amen."

He tales the Book of Gospels from the altar, and elevating it slightly, processes to the ambo.

He greets the people, announces the proclamation, signs the book with his thumb and himself on his forehead, mouth, and chest.

He incenses the book and proclaims the Gospel reading.

He venerates the Book of the Gospel with a kiss, since it is a sign of Christ among us. If a bishop is present, the deacon takes the book to him to be kissed.

A deacon may deliver the other readings if a reader is not present (176).

Top of Page

Why Aren't We Processing The Lectionary Anymore.?

Why Are We Using A Book Of The Gospels Instead.?

    The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of the Second Vatican Council called for a greater reverence for Scripture by Catholics, both in the Mass (#51) and at other times (#35.1, #35-4). As a result of this conciliar decree, the order of readings used at Mass was revised in the late 196o's and published in 1969 as part of the revision of the Order of Mass and the Roman Missal. This new Lectionary for Mass was the first time in around 1000 years that the readings proclaimed at Mass were regularly published in a book separate from the Sacramentary, the book of prayers used by the priest.

    The third edition of the Roman Missal with the revised 2002 GIRM has attempted to clarify and update the rubrics and instructions related to the Mass based on liturgical books issued since 1975 and the experience of over 30 years of using the 1969 Order of Mass and the original GIRM. With regard to the use of the Lectionary and the Book of the Gospels, the 2002 GIRM has tried to clarify the original intent of the 1969 GIRM by specifically noting that it is the Book of the Gospels (and not the Lectionary) that is to be carried in the Entrance Procession. If a special Book of the Gospels is not available, then it is not necessary to carry any sort of "substitute" book. Carrying the cross, flanked by candles is appropriate for any entrance procession.

    If a parish makes use of a special Book of the Gospels, it may be placed on the altar before Mass begins (as is the custom in the Byzantine Churches) (Cf. 2002 GIRM #117) or it may be carried in the entrance procession (Cf. 2002 GIRM #12od, #172) and then placed on the altar (Cf. 2002 GIRM #122, #173). The Book of the Gospels remains on the altar until right before the proclamation of the gospel (Cf. 2002 GIRM #133, #175), when it is carried solemnly elevated during the singing of the Gospel Acclamation from the altar to the ambo and used for the proclamation of the gospel. After the gospel, the Book of the Gospels is placed on the side table or in some other suitable place, such as a special "shrine" for the gospels.

    Christian liturgy has always focused on the person of Christ as the fulfillment of the prophesies of the Hebrew Scriptures. For this reason, liturgical traditions of East and West have given special reverence to the books containing other sacred scriptures. Although a return to carrying only a Book of the Gospels during entrance processions may be a departure from recent practice in some U.S. parishes, it is actually a return to a more ancient Christian liturgical practice to help us focus on the person of Christ, our Risen Savior.

Liturgical Catechesis on the Eucharist

Top of Page