ROME - 23 April 2004 - 3,330 words
Vatican presents Redemptoris Sacramentum
Today at a press conference in the Holy
See Press Office, Cardinal Francis Arinze and Archbishop Domenico
Sorrentino, respectively prefect and secretary of the congregation
for Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments, presented
the congregation's document on the liturgy entitled "Redemptionis
Sacramentum." Also present was Archbishop Angelo Amato, SDB,
secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith which
collaborated in preparing this document.
In opening remarks Cardinal Arinze spoke of both the positive
and negative developments on the liturgy that had occurred since
Vatican Council II, stating, however, that abuses in liturgy have
occurred over the years and "have been a motive of anguish
for everyone." He said "there has been a temptation
to think that paying attention to abuses is a loss of time, that
they have always existed and will always exist. This can lead
us into error. Abuses relative to the Holy Eucharist do not all
have the same weight. Some threaten to make the sacrament invalid.
Others show a lack of eucharistic faith. Others yet contribute
to spreading confusion among the people of God and to taking the
sacred out of Eucharistic celebrations. Abuses are not to be taken
lightly."
Archbishop Sorrentino underscored that "the Instruction does
none other than reiterate existing norms." He said that "the
request for the observance (of these norms) does not involve any
ban to study more deeply and to propose, as happened in the history
of the 'liturgical movement' and still today normally occurs within
the sphere of theological, liturgical and pastoral studies. What
is absolutely excluded is making liturgy a free zone for experimentation
and personal choices, not justified by any good intentions."
For his part, Archbishop Amato referred to the doctrinal meaning
of the Instruction, saying that "liturgical norms are the
concrete expression of the ecclesiality of the Eucharist. The
oneness and indivisibility of the Eucharistic Body of the Lord
implies oneness of His Mystical Body, which is the Church, one
and indivisible."
"The Instruction," he concluded, "should
arouse in the Church a healthy curiosity and a generous welcome,
to contemplate with renewed stupor this great mystery of our faith
and to give incentives to appropriate Eucharistic behaviour and
attitudes."
Summary:
REDEMPTIONIS SACRAMENTUM: LITURGY OF THE
EUCHARIST
The document consists of an Introduction, eight chapters and a
Conclusion, divided into 186 paragraphs.
Chapter I, 'The Regulation of the Sacred Liturgy,' speaks of the
role of the Apostolic See, the diocesan bishop, the episcopal
conference, priests and deacons in the regulation of the liturgy,
drawing particular attention on "The Diocesan Bishop, High
Priests of His Flock." Para 22 states: "The Bishop governs
the particular Church entrusted to him and it is his task to regulate,
to direct, to encourage, and sometimes also to reprove; this is
a sacred task that he has received through episcopal ordination,
which he fulfills in order to build up his flock in truth and
holiness."
Para 24 adds: "It is the right of the Christian people themselves
that their diocesan bishop should take care to prevent the occurrence
of abuses in ecclesiastical discipline, especially as regards
the ministry of the word, the celebration of the Sacraments and
sacramentals, the worship of God and devotion to the saints."
Regarding episcopal conferences, Para 28 states: "All liturgical
norms that a conference of bishops will have established for its
territory in accordance with the law are to be submitted to the
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
for the 'recognitio', without which they lack any binding force."
In the section on priests, Para 31 says: "They ought not
to detract from the profound meaning of their own ministry by
corrupting the liturgical celebration either through alteration
or omission, or through arbitrary additions."
Chapter II is entitled "The Participation of the Lay
Christian Faithful in the Eucharistic Celebration." Para
36 notes that "the common priesthood of the faithful and
the ministerial or hierarchical Priesthood, though they differ
in essence and not only in degree, are order to one another, for
both partake, each in its own way, of the one Priesthood of Christ."
Para 42 clarifies: "Nor is the Eucharistic Sacrifice to be
considered a "concelebration", in the univocal sense,
of the Priest along with the people who are present. On the contrary,
the Eucharist celebrated by the Priests 'is a gift which radically
transcends the power of the community'. . . . The community that
gathers for the celebration of the Eucharist absolutely requires
an ordained Priest, who presides over it so that it may truly
be a eucharistic convocation. On the other hand, the community
is by itself incapable of providing an ordained minister. Accordingly,
terms such as 'celebrating community' or 'celebrating assembly'
(in other languages 'asamblea celebrante', 'assemblée célébrante',
'assemblea celebrante') and similar terms should not be used injudiciously."
On the question of altar servers, Para 47 states: "It is
altogether laudable to maintain the noble custom by which boys
or youths, customarily termed servers, provide service of the
altar after the manner of acolytes, and receive catechesis regarding
their function in accordance with their power of comprehension.
Nor should it be forgotten that a great number of sacred
ministers over the course of the centuries have come from among
boys such as these. Associations for them, including also
the participation and assistance of their parents, should be established
or promoted, and in such a way greater pastoral care will be provided
for the ministers. Whenever such associations are international
in nature, it pertains to the competence of the Congregation for
Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments to establish
them or to approve and revise their statutes. Girls or women
may also be admitted to this service of the altar, at the discretion
of the diocesan Bishop and in observance of the established norms."
Chapter III, "The Proper Celebration of the Mass," highlights
"The Matter of the Most Holy Eucharist" in Para 48:
"The bread used in the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharistic
Sacrifice must be unleavened, purely of wheat, and recently made
so that there is no danger of decomposition" and in Para
50 "The wine that is used in the most sacred celebration
of the Eucharistic Sacrifice must be natural, from the fruit of
the grape, pure and incorrupt, not mixed with other substances."
Para 52 underscores that "the proclamation of the Eucharistic
Prayer, which by its very nature is the climax of the whole celebration,
is proper to the Priest by virtue of his Ordination."
Para 59 affirms: "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. For in doing thus, they render the celebration of
the Sacred Liturgy unstable, and not infrequently distort the
authentic meaning of the Liturgy."
Para 62 continues: "It is also illicit to omit or to substitute
the prescribed biblical readings on one's own initiative, and
especially "to substitute other, non-biblical texts for the
readings and responsorial Psalm, which contain the word of God".
The instructions states in Para 64 that a homily is given by a
priest, occasionally by a concelebrating priest or deacon "but
never by a lay person."
At the moment of the sign of peace being extended before Holy
Communion, says Para 72, "It is appropriate 'that each one
give the sign of peace only to those who are nearest and in a
sober manner'. 'The Priest may give the sign of peace to the ministers
but always remains within the sanctuary, so as not to disturb
the celebration."
This Chapter concludes with Para 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."
Chapter IV, "Holy Communion," includes the Dispositions
for the Reception of Holy Communion, including Para 81: "The
Church's custom shows that it is necessary for each person to
examine himself at depth and that anyone who is conscious
of grave sin should not celebrate or receive the Body of the Lord
without prior sacramental confession, except for grave reason
when the possibility of confession is lacking; in this case he
will remember that he is bound by the obligation of making an
act of perfect contrition, which includes the intention to confess
as soon as possible."
"On First Communion of Children," Para 87 states: "The
First Communion of children must always be preceded by sacramental
confession and absolution. Moreover First Communion should
always be administered by a Priest and never outside the celebration
of Mass."
Concerning the reception of communion, the document notes the
right of all the faithful to receive it in the mouth or by hand.
In this latter case, notes Para 92, "in areas where the Bishops'
Conference with the 'recognitio' of the Apostolic See has given
permission, special care should be taken to ensure that the host
is consumed by the communicant in the presence of the minister,
so that no one goes away carrying the Eucharistic species in his
hand."
Para 101 states: "In order for Holy Communion under both
kinds to be administered to the lay members of Christ's faithful,
due consideration should be given to the circumstances, as judged
first of all by the diocesan Bishop." Para 104 underscores
the prohibition: "The communicant must not be permitted to
intinct the host himself in the chalice, nor to receive the intincted
host in the hand:"
In Chapter V, "Certain Others Matters Concerning the Eucharist,"
it is underscored in Para 109 that "It is never lawful
for a Priest to celebrate in a temple or sacred place of any non-Christian
religion." Para 112 states "Except in the case of celebrations
of the Mass that are scheduled by the ecclesiastical authorities
to take place in the language of the people, Priests are always
and everywhere permitted to celebrate Mass in Latin."
Regarding the sacred vessels, Para 117 states in part: "Reprobated,
therefore, is any practice of using for the celebration of Mass
common vessels, or others lacking in quality, or devoid of all
artistic merit or which are mere containers, as also other vessels
made from glass, earthenware, clay, or other materials that break
easily. This norm is to be applied even as regards metals and
other materials that easily rust or deteriorate."
On priestly vestments, it says that "the vestment proper
to the priest celebrant at mass is the chasuble, worn over the
alb and stole. Likewise the Priest, in putting on the chasuble
according to the rubrics, is not to omit the stole." Para
142 says: "A faculty is given in the Roman Missal for the
Priest concelebrants at Mass other than the principal concelebrant
(who should always put on a chasuble of the prescribed colour),
for a just reason such as a large number of concelebrants or a
lack of vestments, to omit the chasuble, using the stole over
the alb."
Chapter VI is entitled "The Reservation of the Most Holy
Eucharist and Eucharistic Worship Outside Mass." Para
130 states: "The Most Holy Sacrament is to be reserved in
a tabernacle in a part of the church that is noble, prominent,
readily visible, and adorned in a dignified manner. It should
also be borne in mind that removing or retaining the consecrated
species for a sacrilegious purpose or casting them away are graviora
delicta, the absolution of which is reserved to the Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith."
The Instruction recommends "both public and private devotion
to the Most Holy Eucharist even outside Mass should be vigourously
promoted, for by means of it the faithful give adoration to Christ,
truly and really present."
"Extraordinary functions of the Lay Faithful is the title
of Chapter VII which recalls in Para 151 that "Only out of
true necessity is there to be recourse to the assistance of extraordinary
ministers in the celebration of the Liturgy." Para 153 adds.
"Furthermore, it is never licit for laypersons to assume
the role or the vesture of a Priest or a Deacon or other clothing
similar to such vesture."
Para 158 states: "Indeed, the extraordinary minister of Holy
Communion may administer Communion only when the Priest and Deacon
are lacking, when the Priest is prevented by weakness or advanced
age or some other genuine reason, or when the number of faithful
coming to Communion is so great that the very celebration of Mass
would be unduly prolonged."
In the question of preaching, Para 161 notes that "the homily
on account of its importance and its nature is reserved to the
Priest or Deacon during Mass." Para 162 adds: "Therefore
when it is difficult to have the celebration of Mass on a Sunday
in a parish church or in another community of Christ's faithful,
the diocesan Bishop together with his Priests should consider
appropriate remedies. Among such solutions will be that other
Priests be called upon for this purpose, or that the faithful
transfer to a church in a nearby place so as to participate in
the Eucharistic mystery there."
In Para 164 we see that "if participation at the celebration
of the Eucharist is impossible on account of the absence of a
sacred minister or for some other grave cause, then it is
the Christian people's right that the diocesan Bishop should provide
as far as he is able for some celebration to be held on Sundays
for that community under his authority and according to the Church's
norms. Sunday celebrations of this specific kind, however, are
to be considered altogether extraordinary. (Para 165) It
is necessary to avoid any sort of confusion between this type
of gathering and the celebration of the Eucharist."
Para 167 underscores that "similarly it is unthinkable on
the Lord's Day to substitute for Holy Mass either ecumenical celebrations
of the word or services of common prayer with Christians from
the Ecclesial Communities or even participation in these communities'
liturgical services."
With respect to "Those Who Have Left the Clerical State,"
they are "prohibited from exercising the power of order.
It is therefore not licit for him to celebrate the sacraments
under any pretext whatsoever save in the exceptional case set
forth by law, nor is it licit for Christ's faithful to have
recourse to him for the celebration, since there is no reason
which would permit this according to canon 1335."
In Chapter VII, entitled "Remedies," it is recalled
in Para 171 that "Among the various abuses there are some
which are objectively graviora delicta or otherwise constitute
grave matters, as well as others which are nonetheless to be carefully
avoided and corrected." Bearing in mind everything that is
treated especially in Chapter I of this Instruction, attention
should be paid to what follows.
Para 172 says the "'Graviora delicta' against the sanctity
of the Most August Sacrifice and Sacrament of the Eucharist are
to be handled in accordance with the Norms concerning 'graviora
delicta' reserved to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the
Faith, namely:
a) taking away or retaining the consecrated species for sacrilegious
ends, or throwing them away;
b) the attempted celebration of the liturgical action of the Eucharistic
Sacrifice or the simulation of the same;
c) the forbidden concelebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice with
ministers of Ecclesial Communities that do not have the apostolic
succession nor acknowledge the sacramental dignity of priestly
Ordination;
d) the consecration for sacrilegious ends of one matter without
the other in the celebration of the Eucharist or even of both
outside the celebration of the Eucharist.
Para 175 underscores that "the things set forth in this Instruction
obviously do not encompass all the violations against the Church
and its discipline that are defined in the canons, in the liturgical
laws and in other norms of the Church for the sake of the teaching
of the Magisterium or sound tradition. Where something wrong has
been committed, it is to be corrected according to the norm of
law."
The Diocesan Bishop, says the document, in Para 177, "Since
he must safeguard the unity of the universal Church, the Bishop
is bound to promote the discipline common to the entire Church
and therefore to insist upon the observance of all ecclesiastical
laws. He is to be watchful lest abuses encroach upon ecclesiastical
discipline, especially as regards the ministry of the Word, the
celebration of the Sacraments and sacramentals, the worship of
God and the veneration of the Saints.".
Para 179 affirms: "Delicts against the faith as well as graviora
delicta committed in the celebration of the Eucharist and
the other Sacraments are to be referred without delay to the Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith, which 'examines [them] and, if
necessary, proceeds to the declaration or imposition of canonical
sanctions according to the norm of common or proper law'. "
"Any Catholic," says Para 184, "whether Priest
or Deacon or lay member of Christ's faithful, has the right to
lodge a complaint regarding a liturgical abuse to the diocesan
Bishop or the competent Ordinary equivalent to him in law, or
to the Apostolic See on account of the primacy of the Roman Pontiff.
It is fitting, however, insofar as possible, that the report or
complaint be submitted first to the diocesan Bishop. This is naturally
to be done in truth and charity."
In concluding, Cardinal Arinze and Archbishop Sorrentino, both
of whom signed the document, expressed the hope that by the diligent
application of those things that are recalled in this Instruction,
human weakness may come to pose less of an obstacle to the action
of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, and that with all
distortion set aside and every reprobated practice removed, through
the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, "Woman of the
Eucharist", the saving presence of Christ in the Sacrament
of his Body and Blood may shine brightly upon all people."
To read the whole document visit: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/index.htm
Source: VIS
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