Posted on 04/23/2004 6:04:36 AM PDT by Desdemona
Vatican says Mass norms must be followed exactly to ensure reverence
By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The norms for celebrating Mass must be followed exactly to ensure reverence for the Eucharist and to preserve the unity of the Catholic Church, said a new Vatican document.
"In some places the perpetration of liturgical abuses has become almost habitual, a fact which obviously cannot be allowed and must cease," said the document, "Redemptoris Sacramentum" ("The Sacrament of Redemption"), written by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.
The instruction, approved by Pope John Paul II and released at an April 23 Vatican press conference, particularly cited as abuses the use of eucharistic prayers not approved by the church, changing approved prayer texts, and allowing lay people to carry out functions reserved to a priest or deacon.
The document said that while it was "laudable" to encourage boys and young men to be altar servers, girls and women can be altar servers if the local bishop permitted the practice.
Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the congregation, told reporters, "No one should be surprised that over the course of time the holy church, our mother, has developed words, actions and, therefore, directives regarding this supreme act of worship.
"The eucharistic norms were elaborated to express and safeguard the eucharistic mystery and, even more, to demonstrate that it is the church which celebrates this august sacrifice and sacrament," he said.
Because the Mass and Eucharist are so important to the church, he said, practices that violate the church's norms cannot be taken lightly.
The norms reaffirm church teaching that a Catholic, in a situation of serious sin, must go to confession before approaching the Eucharist.
Cardinal Arinze refused to answer a direct question about whether Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kerry, the probable Democratic nominee for U.S. president and a supporter of legalized abortion, should be denied Communion unless he goes to confession and repents for his position.
"The norm of the church is clear," he said. "The church exists in the United States. There are bishops there, let them interpret it."
However, when asked more generally if a priest should refuse Communion to a politician who supports abortion, Cardinal Arinze said, "Yes."
"If the person should not receive Communion, then he should not be given it," the cardinal said.
Introducing the document, Archbishop Angelo Amato, secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which collaborated in writing the instruction, said that celebrating the Mass in an "arbitrary" manner not only "deforms the celebration, but provokes doctrinal insecurity, perplexity and scandal among the people of God."
The document highlighted violations of existing church norms, but did not set new rules.
It recognized as legitimate the various practices that local bishops have been authorized to permit, including Communion in the hand and the distribution of Communion under the species of bread and wine.
At the same time, it insisted that lay people delegated to assist with the distribution of Communion be referred to as "extraordinary ministers of holy Communion," rather than as eucharistic ministers to emphasize the fact that in the Catholic liturgy the priest is the minister of the Eucharist.
Extraordinary ministers are to assist only when the number of communicants would make it difficult for the priests present to distribute Communion to everyone.
If other priests are present at the Mass and able to help distribute Communion they must do so before extraordinary ministers are employed, it said.
The instruction explicitly bans the practice where priests, "although present at the celebration, abstain from distributing Communion and hand this function over to laypersons."
Any member of the church, it said, "has the right to lodge a complaint regarding a liturgical abuse to the diocesan bishop ... or to the Apostolic See."
The document said, however, that a complaint should be submitted first to the local bishop and that it should be done "in truth and charity."
Unlike an early draft of the document, which was leaked to the press last summer, the instruction did not ban liturgical dance; it did not mention dance at all.
The document said the Second Vatican Council fostered the participation of lay people in the Mass through "responses, psalmody, antiphons and canticles, as well as actions or movements and gestures, and called for sacred silence to be maintained at the proper times."
Following the council's direction, it said, in the choice of music, optional prayers, church decoration and the homily, "there is ample possibility for introducing into each celebration a certain variety."
But only approved Scripture readings are allowed, only a priest or deacon may give the homily and only approved eucharistic prayers can be recited -- and those only by priests.
Anyone at Mass who gives "free reign to his own inclinations, even if he is a priest, injures the substantial unity of the Roman rite, which ought to be vigorously preserved," said the instruction.
"The reprobated practice by which priests, deacons or the faithful here and there alter or vary at will the texts of the sacred liturgy that they are charged to pronounce must cease," it said.
The instruction emphasized that the Eucharist is the memorial of Christ's sacrifice and is not simply a "fraternal meal."
Standing, sitting and kneeling, singing, reciting prayers and praying in silence are all part of an active participation in the Mass, it said.
Reaffirming previous Vatican directives, the instruction said wheat is the only grain acceptable for making hosts and that honey or sugar are not to be added.
While priests who have been laicized may administer the sacrament of confession to someone in danger of death, they are not to celebrate Mass under any circumstances, nor should they serve publicly as lectors or altar servers "lest confusion arise among Christ's faithful."
According to the instruction, some very serious abuses arise from a misplaced desire to promote ecumenism; the document said Mass is not to be concelebrated with a non-Catholic minister.
"The Eucharist is the apex of a Catholic celebration," Cardinal Arinze said. Shared Communion is the goal of Christian unity, not a means to foster full unity in faith and doctrine.
"The Eucharist is not our possession to be given to our friends," he said, but rather it belongs to the church and is a sign of faith held in common.
- - -
I believe this will cover 'dancing girls' around the altar.
[79.] Finally, it is strictly to be considered an abuse to introduce into the celebration of Holy Mass elements that are contrary to the prescriptions of the liturgical books and taken from the rites of other religions.
The 'prescriptions' are those things enumerated in the liturgical books. Dancing is not given as an option in any 'prescriptions'. To introduce it into the Mass would be contrary to the 'prescriptions'. Essentially, nothing may be introduced into the Mass that is not allowed in the GIRM or other authoritative documents.
Not after an official Church document grants bishops the right to use them. Don't count on that authority to be pulled back.
It may be "unkind" but it's also true! This is not a "cafeteria religion" or a bowling club! [Didn't you notice?] If it's "fellowship" you want, there are millions of organizations to pick from where you can do whatever you please, and say that what you are doing is right. But if you happen to be a Jewish Boy and want to be bar mitzvahed, don't be surprised if the rabbi wants you to be circumcised first. And if you want to receive communion in a catholic church, or get married in one, don't be surprised if you are asked to follow the rules!
BTW, I have to thank you two for giving me the laugh of the day. Desdemona, you're moaning that the Vatican didn't forbid female altar servers, crying in your beer that you *know* in your little heart of hearts think Jesus would have slapped away some little girl handing him a cup of wine to consecrate...while at the same time moaning at me for taking issue with a guy who is upset that the priest just can't make up his own words at the eucharist prayer (I guess a "ghetto" consecration can be along the lines of "whoop - dere it is") and consecrate a vodka mai-tai and a bag of dorritos.
You two are enough to make a cat laugh.
If you can't figure out what is really essential, then maybe both of you ought to rethink being in the church. It will shed the rest of us of having to deal with such silliness at both ends of the spectrum.
No, you're a "problem" because you think that a boy is so insecure that if a female also hands one of the cruets to father the altar boy's whole little world will be shattered. Sheesh. Did it ever cross your mind that maybe a girl serving at mass might also be inspired to become a nun? 100-1 it never occured to you. Serving mass is good for BOTH OF THEM.
Frankly, Ive always thought that the whole girl altar server was less about service than it was pushy women whining until they got their way.
Then you think wrong. Why is having a penis a prerequisite for assisting the priest at mass? IS the server ALSO consecrating the bread and wine? NO. Then lay off with your fantasies about "pushy women" and realize that it's good for BOTH boys and girls to learn to serve mass and develop a love of the eucharist. Think about equity and justice for once. Did you have a sister that regularly beat the snot out of you? Or if you are a woman, were you one of those "weak sisters" that threw a ball "like a girl" and resented any any girl that didn't feel like hanging around wearing pink all day and giggling about boys and had a life of her own not ordained or governed by your little clique of what was "socially proper?"
And frankly, I doubt Jesus would have slapped at any child, but remember who He was with when He instituted the Eucharist - 12 MEN. He wasn't with children
Gee, then by your "logic" [/snicker] women shouldn't attend mass at all. Who do you think made the bread and washed the dishes?
There weren't ANY "altar boys" at the last supper either. "Altar boys" were a man made _CUSTOM_. Man made customs can be altered. OR perhaps you will argue for slavery too since Paul told slaves to be obedient to their slave masters.
Try realizing that times change. Do you stand by the door of your church and wag your finger at women/girls wearing braids and pearl earrings too? You sound like you have enough time on your hands to worry about that.
There may be some good reasons for a male only priesthood. But I can find NONE for a "male only" altar server "requirement." To hear some of you talk it's like you believe the sacristy is some sort of male locker room with gang showers. Or it's like you hold some sort of primative belief that if a menstruating women touches something a virile man is using he becomes ritually impure or some such nonsense. Get a grip and come into the 21st century.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.