Posted on 03/17/2013 11:56:38 AM PDT by NYer
I am watching a live feed from the Mass within the Vatican at Santa Anna parish. The altar is dressed in the free standing altar is dressed in the Benedictine fashion as it was in the Sistine Chapel. The Holy Father is wearing a different miter from the Sistine Chapel and bit more elegant but still simple.
His alb of course is still a very nice, full plain one, like the ones that I like to wear, but he is wearing an amice which I don't, so I guess I'm more like St. Francis in this regard, than Pope Francis.
The Mass is in Italian which should become the official language of the Liturgy!
The Holy Father doesn't sing himself and I pray that it is because he can't and that this isn't some kind of sign of simplicity for the Mass! I actually like the fact that the Ordinary Form of the Mass has more flexibility for the priest singing or not singing and still having the laity's parts sung, like the Kyrie, Gloria, Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, Credo, Sanctus, Mystery of Faith, Great Amen, Pater Noster, Agnus Dei and not to mention the Propers.
Oh and yes, the Proper Introit was chanted not some inane hymn although I like hymns, but let's do the liturgy!
The Holy Father preaches standing and from the ambo. I like that actually. His preaching style is quite simple, and I see no notes! He speaks of those who hear the word and then those who are trying to accuse the women caught in adultery, but they don't hear the word. We too are the people some of whome listen to Christ and others who like to cause trouble for others and condemn others. Jesus message is one of mercy.
This is the Lord's strongest message to us, "Mercy!" He comes for the sinner, not for the just. The Lord's mercy is an abyss that we can never really understand!
When anyone comes to the Father and is ashamed to recount their sins, we should not support ourselves in that way and run to God's mercy! The Lord will embrace and welcome us. Jesus then will not condemn us and will say go and sin no more!
After a month or so we find ourselves in sin and we go back to the Lord and go back again and again. The Lord doesn't tire of us, but we tire of asking God of asking for forgiveness. But God does not tire of us and our asking.
Folks, the Holy Father just gave a five minute homily and I have written it as I heard it in Italian!
Several children and adults offer the Universal Prayer.
The Preface and Eucharistic Prayer are in Italian and it is Eucharistic Prayer III. The Holy Father must not be able to sing a word, because another bishop sang "Mystery of Faith" and began the singing of the "Through Him..."! The Pater Noster is spoken not sung, sad!
He is not able to genuflect evidently but gives a very nice bow that looks kind of like a genuflection. He has long elevations of the elements and these are elevated but not overly high.
The sign of peace is in the Roman Style thank God and he offers it to his MC Marini!!!!!!!!
And now, the moment of truth is coming up, how will he distribute Holy Communion to the faithful? Standing or kneeling??????
.....BOMBSHELL! AND TWICE A BOMBSHELL! THE HOLY FATHER DISTRIBUTES HOLY COMMUNION TO THE TWO DEACONS AS THEY KNEEL BEFORE HIM AND BY WAY OF INTINCTION! BUT THE HOLY FATHER SITS AND HOLY COMMUNION IS DISTRIBUTED AND DOES NOT DISTRIBUTE! AND ON TOP OF THAT NONE OF THE BISHOPS OR PRIEST DISTRIBUTE HOLY COMMUNION, ONLY THE TWO DEACONS AND AT THE CENTER OF THE CHURCH (OTHER PRIESTS MAY BE DOING ELSEWHERE, I CAN'T SEE!)
THE COMMUNICANTS ARE KNEELING TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION AND ONLY FROM THE HOSTS!
The Holy Father acknowledges a priest from South America after the Mass and then the recessional and Pope Francis is greeting people outside as any priest would do and people are going wild and kissing him, his ring, genuflecting to him.
I DON'T CARE WHAT ANYONE SAYS, THIS MAN IS VERY ITALIAN IN HOW HE RELATES TO THE LAITY!!!! THIS IS GOOD!
Say whaaaaa?!
In layman’s terms, he interacts more directly with the people and relies more on the ‘lower ranks’ than is expected?
What is "the Roman style" for the sign of peace?
And -- if the laity received kneeling, does that mean they received on the tongue?
How will I learn if I don't ask questions . . . ;-)
The priests didn’t distribute Communion? I thought it was prohibited for priests, if they were present, not to distribute Communion but to leave it to deacons or “EEMS.”
Very strange.
And -- if the laity received kneeling, does that mean they received on the tongue?
Yes ... I posted the video above. You can watch the entire mass ... and probably figure out what is meant by the Roman Style for the sign of peace, as well.
Prohibited? By whom? I posted a link to the video above. The deacons are in vestments. They receive kneeling and then distribute communion to the laity. No EMHCs (Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion).
I tried looking at the video, but my computer (or that I have only DSL) is, well, less than satisfactory for viewing videos (even worse for listening!).
To my knowledge, the deacons are the “proper ministers of the cup” but the priests, if present, are supposed to distribute the consecrated hosts. The bishop can go sit down while the priests distribute communion because they are, after all, his delegates, but the deacons are handed the chalice and that is what they do (along with 10 or 15 EMCH’s, generally).
I think it’s very strange and it doesn’t bode well for priests under Pope Francis. Removing them from giving communion to their people is not a good move, IMHO.
Someone please post if you find out what the “Roman Style” is.
I hope that priests aren’t removed from distributing Communion in our case where we have no deacons and no “EMCHs”! — glad I don’t know what that is. Extra-Marital something?
Some of us have never made the transition from the "Catholic Church".
The Holy Father doesn't sing himself and I pray that it is because he can't and that this isn't some kind of sign of simplicity for the Mass!Singing would take more lung power, that's true. I noticed the cardinals (in Francis' first Mass as pope) took communion on their own at the altar in tincture fashion, while Pope Francis sat and priests served to the laity (same time, but elsewhere) who were sitting behind the cardinals. Is this the norm?
If you watch the video, you will notice that the pope’s chair is offset from center. In my previous RC parish, the pastor’s chair was directly behind the altar and below the Risen Christ figure. The Tabernacle was off to the side (since I left, it has been moved away entirely and hidden in a separate room.) In the Maronite Church, the priest (or bishop) sits in a chair on the left side of the sanctuary and facing the altar. The central focus is Jesus Christ, present in the Tabernacle and on the Crucifix.
Post 9 has your answer. Sometimes reading the thread is helpful.
You didn’t get the joke?
What are you, about thirteen?
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