Catholic Word of the Day: MASS PENNY, 02-25-10

CatholicReference.net ^ | 02-25-10 | Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary

[Salvation]

Featured Term (selected at random):

MASS PENNY

Mass offering of varying amounts given by the faithful. Presented usually at the altar rail as an offertory offering to help in the purchase of candles, wine, and bread used in the ceremonies of the Mass. The term is of Anglo-Saxon origin and was used for over three hundred years until the fifteenth century.

All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

[Salvation]

I've never heard this expression before. Sounds similar to the offertory procession that we currently have.

Comment?

[Salvation]

Catholic Word of the Day – links will be provided later by another FReeper.

 

Monogamy	Sanctoral Cycle/Proper of the Saints	Prinknash
Gift of Knowledge	Nine Offices	Imputability
Thesis	Hypapante	Evangelist of Mary
Grace of God	Morality of Dancing	Priest
Henotheism	Creationism	Incommunicable Attribute
Homoousios	Credence	Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
Baptism	Darius	Papal Decoration
Secret Society	Laus	Humanae Personae Dignitatem
Station Days	Christian Marriage	Incarnation
Gabriel	Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes	Dead Sea
Redemptorists	Agony	Dispensation
Monism	Cathedral of Cologne	Sursum Corda
Sacramental Confession	Mass Penny

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[alexander_busek]

Presented usually at the altar rail as an offertory offering to help in the purchase of candles, wine, and bread used in the ceremonies of the Mass.

WHEN was it presented - the moment before receiving Communion?

Regards,

[Tax-chick]

Maybe it’s just an English thing. It seems to be a special collection for items used in the Mass, rather than the collection for the heating bill and the pastor’s meals.

[Salvation]

I was thinking instead of right at Communion time, it would be taken up closer to the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist TO the altar rail.

[annalex]

One Eastern Orthodox custom I miss in the Latin Church is the candles sold in the narthex. This is a natural way to support the physical plant of the Church without interrupting the Liturgy itself, which has the added benefit of encouraging private devotion.

You typically buy two candles, or two fistfuls of them, “for health” and “for repose”, and light them in front of major icons and crucifixes in the Church, as you say a silent prayer of praise or for the dead.