{"id":108556,"date":"2024-05-23T12:07:53","date_gmt":"2024-05-23T19:07:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/?p=108556"},"modified":"2024-07-08T15:31:54","modified_gmt":"2024-07-08T22:31:54","slug":"five-things-most-catholics-dont-know-about-celebrating-mass","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/five-things-most-catholics-dont-know-about-celebrating-mass\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Things Most Catholics Don’t Know about Celebrating Mass"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A<\/span>lmost three years ago, in the letter accompanying the Motu Proprio Traditionis Custodes<\/em><\/a>, Pope Francis asked the bishops of the world \u201cto be vigilant in ensuring that every liturgy be celebrated with decorum and fidelity to the liturgical books promulgated after Vatican Council II, without the eccentricities that can easily degenerate into abuses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leaving aside for a moment the truism that \u201cnobody reads the instructions\u201d, why did Pope Francis ask for fidelity to the liturgical books? He explains:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I am saddened by abuses in the celebration of the liturgy on all sides. In common with Benedict XVI, I deplore the fact that \u201cin many places the prescriptions of the new Missal are not observed in celebration, but indeed come to be interpreted as an authorization for or even a requirement of creativity, which leads to almost unbearable distortions.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

So in obedience to Pope Francis and, indeed, in obedience to the liturgical laws of Holy Mother Church herself, let\u2019s take a look at just five things found in the current liturgical books that are often unknown or ignored. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Specifically, we\u2019ll be looking at the General Instruction of the Roman Missal<\/a><\/em> – the instructions for how Mass is to be celebrated – which was last revised and published in English in 2011. Of course, the General Instruction<\/em> itself often refers to other documents, and where it does we\u2019ll look at those as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Veiling the Tabernacle<\/h3>\n\n\n
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We’ll start with the location where the Mass is most often celebrated – the humble parish church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These days, most parish churches do not have a veil covering their tabernacle. Inside, sure, but not outside. This was once a ubiquitous practice, but no more. Has the tabernacle veil been abrogated? Is it an optional thing? Here\u2019s what General Instruction<\/em> paragraph 314 says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In accordance with the structure of each church and legitimate local customs, the Most Blessed Sacrament should be reserved in a tabernacle in a part of the church that is truly noble, prominent, conspicuous, worthily decorated<\/strong>, and suitable for prayer.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

(Emphasis mine.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWorthily decorated\u201d seems open to some interpretation. Fortunately, there\u2019s a footnote attached to this sentence. This refers us to a document called Eucharisticum mysterium<\/a><\/em>, which was issued in 1967<\/span>1<\/sup><\/a><\/span>. Paragraphs 54 through 56 of this document provide instructions on the location of the tabernacle. The following paragraph, no. 57, says, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Care should be taken that the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle is indicated to the faithful by a tabernacle veil<\/strong> or some other suitable means prescribed by the competent authority. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the traditional practice, a lamp should burn continually near the tabernacle as a sign of the honor paid to the Lord. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

(Emphasis mine.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since both the veil and the lamp are mentioned, the tabernacle lamp is not to be regarded as a substitution for the veil, but rather an accompaniment to it. So time to put the veil on!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Communion-Plates <\/h3>\n\n\n
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Communion-plates – sometimes called communion patens – are those little brass plates on the end of a wooden handle that altar servers hold under the chins or hands of communicants to catch any dropped hosts or crumbs. Many people think that they were abolished by Vatican II, or at least that they are old fashioned and no longer in use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people even think that they are unnecessary these days, but as most Priests, Deacons, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion can tell you, despite best efforts, the number of hosts dropped to the ground during Communion is distressingly high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Communion-plates are rarely seen these days, but they are mentioned in the General Instruction<\/em> in a section called \u201cThings to be Prepared\u201d for celebrating Mass. In paragraph 118, we read the following: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(For clarity and ease of reading on a screen, I\u2019ve added line breaks and bullets after each semi-colon in the list.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Likewise these should be prepared \u2026 on the credence table: <\/p>\n\n\n\n