Commentary by Bishop John T. Steinbock for the priests and deacons of the Diocese of Fresno, June 1, 2004
My dear fellow priests and deacons,
The instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments presents norms that are considered law for the celebration of the Eucharist. The purpose of these norms is to assure that the celebration of the Eucharist leads to conformity of thought and word with that of Christ Himself, so that our external actions be illuminated by faith and charity and enable God’s people to be united with Christ in one body and one spirit. (5)
The document is written mainly to correct abuses in the celebration of the Eucharist that have arisen in different parts of the world. One specific purpose of the instruction from the Congregation is to clarify and emphasize the distinction between the roles of the hierarchical Priesthood and of the laity when participating in the Eucharist.
There are very few changes that will need to be effected in our liturgies in our Diocese, as most of our priests are already in accord with most of the norms. I encourage all of you to read the full instruction and make any minor changes that are needed to be in conformity with the instruction. I will just point out a few norms and make a few observations that I know may need to be applied in one or more of our parishes, and norms that may need clarification. If the text has quotation marks, the text comes directly from the instruction of the Congregation. If there are no quotation marks it is my summation of the text. Matters in parentheses are my commentary and direction as the Bishop. I remind each priest and deacon that he is bound to follow the norms for the proper celebration of the Eucharist. If there is ever a question about any of these norms, it should be referred to the Bishop.
I ask all pastors/administrators to give a copy of my commentary to all those involved in liturgical roles in your parish, and give further instruction to your ministers as you see fit. The full instruction of the Congregation has already been sent by E-mail to all our priests and deacons, and anyone can get the full instruction through the Internet.
PREAMBLE
2.
“The
Church’s doctrine regarding the Most Holy Eucharist, in which the whole
spiritual wealth of the Church is contained—namely Christ our Paschal Lamb—the
Eucharist which is the source and summit of the whole Christian life, and which
lies as a causative force behind the very origins of the Church, has been
expounded with thoughtful care and with great authority over the course of the
centuries in the writings of the Councils and the Supreme Pontiffs.” So the Supreme Pontiff mandated the
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, in
collaboration with the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, to prepare
this instruction.
Chapter I: The
Regulation of the Sacred Liturgy
19.
“The
diocesan Bishop, the first steward of the mysteries of God in the particular
Church entrusted to him, is the moderator, promoter and guardian of her whole
liturgical life.”
Chapter
II: The Participation of the Lay
Christian Faithful in the Eucharistic Celebration
36. “The celebration of the Mass, as the action of Christ and of the Church, is the center of the whole Christian life for the universal as well as the particular Church, and also for the individual faithful.”
46. “The lay Christian faithful called to give assistance at liturgical celebrations should be well instructed and must be those whose Christian life, morals and fidelity to the Church’s Magisterium recommend them.”
53. While the priest proclaims the Eucharistic Prayer there is to be no organ music or other musical instruments being played in the background.
56. (The mention of the Bishop’s name should simply be “Bishop John.” There is no need to say my last name.)
62. It is never allowed to substitute non-biblical texts for the readings and responsorial Psalm.
65. and 66. Non-ordained faithful are not to give the homily during the Eucharistic celebration. This includes seminarians and pastoral assistants. Without omitting the homily, they may give a reflection after the Prayer after Communion (for a pastoral need as decided by the pastor.) (74).
73. “In the celebration of Holy Mass the breaking of the Eucharistic Bread—done by the Priest celebrant, if necessary with the help of a Deacon or of a concelebrant—begins after the exchange of peace, while the Agnus Dei is being recited (or sung).” This rite should be brief and lay persons are not to help with this rite.
78. “It is not permissible to link the celebration of Mass to political or secular events, nor to situations that are not fully consistent with the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.” (If there is a question about this, it should be referred to the Bishop, before a commitment for such a celebration is given.)
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.”
82. “Moreover, the church has drawn up norms aimed at fostering the frequent and fruitful access of the faithful to the Eucharistic table and at determining the objective conditions under which Communion may not be given.” (News reports were in error when they stated that the document declared that politicians who vote pro abortion are to be denied Communion. The document does not refer to Catholic politicians. “The objective conditions under which Communion may not be given” are found in Canon Law. To deny a truth that the Church proposes as divinely revealed, e.g., the Trinity or the Incarnation, is heresy and such a person may not receive Communion. Not believing a moral teaching of the Church regarding the natural law that does not have a necessary connection with Divine Revelation causes a person not to be in full communion with the Church but does not make that person a heretic. Not being in full communion with the teaching of the Church in matters that are not directly related to what the Church proposes as divinely revealed does not necessarily prevent a person from receiving the Sacraments. Cf. Response of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, “Proclaiming the Truth of Jesus Christ,” Vallombrosa Meeting, Feb 9-12, 1999, Menlo Park, published February 2000 by the USCC, Question 6, page 66. The person must be prevented by law in order to be denied Communion, cf 91. A Bishops’ committee from the National Conference of Catholic Bishops is preparing a report on the responsibilities of Catholic politicians in relation to both Canon Law and the moral teaching of the Church).
87. “The First Communion of children must always be preceded by sacramental confession and absolution.”
91. In distributing Holy Communion, it is to be remembered that “sacred ministers may not deny the sacraments to those who seek them in a reasonable manner, are rightly disposed, and are not prohibited by law from receiving them. Hence, any baptized Catholic who is not prevented by law must be admitted to Holy Communion. Therefore, it is not licit to deny Holy Communion to any of Christ’s faithful solely on the grounds, for example, that the person wishes to receive the Eucharist kneeling or standing.” (“Rightly disposed” can only be judged in the exterior forum, e.g., a person approaches to receive Communion and is drunk or acts irreverently, or has no concept of what is happening. Here in our Diocese, according to the norms approved by the Holy See for the United States of America, people are to be instructed that the proper way to receive Communion is standing. People who continue to kneel to receive Communion, should be given Communion, but at a proper time outside of the Mass should be encouraged pastorally to follow the norms for God’s people. Don’t make a big deal out of it if they remain obstinate. Respond with patience and love, and a smile, and give them Communion.)
93. “The Communion plate for the Communion of the faithful should be retained, so as to avoid the danger of the sacred host or some fragment of it falling.” (If the paten is used, altar servers should be trained to keep the paten face up at all times, lest fragments fall to the ground. The priest should check the paten for any possible fallen fragments at the purification of the chalice and ciboria.)
98. Concelebrating priests are always to receive hosts consecrated at the same Mass. “It is to be noted that if the Priest or Deacon hands the sacred host or chalice to the concelebrants, he says nothing; that is to say, he does not pronounce the words ‘The Body of Christ, or ‘the Blood of Christ.”
104. “The communicant must not be permitted to intinct the host himself in the chalice, nor to receive the intincted host in the hand.” (In our Diocese the receiving directly from the chalice is encouraged. If for a good reason intinction is used to distribute Communion, vessels designed for the priest to hold both the Precious Blood and the hosts are to be used, to prevent any possible spilling of the Precious Blood.)
105. “If one chalice is not sufficient for Communion to be distributed under both kinds to the Priest concelebrants or Christ’s faithful, there is no reason why the Priest celebrant should not use several chalices…. It is praiseworthy, by reason of the sign value, to use a main chalice of larger dimensions, together with smaller chalices.”
106. “However, the pouring of the Blood of Christ after the consecration from one vessel to another is completely to be avoided, lest anything should happen that would be to the detriment of so great a mystery. Never to be used for containing the Blood of the Lord are flagons, bowls, or other vessels that are not fully in accord with the established norms.” (Chalices on the altar are to be filled with wine at the Offertory. Only the main chalice needs the water added. Only when a large number of chalices are needed, a flagon may be used, but the priest or deacon alone should fill the chalices with the Precious Blood. Vessels must be made of durable material. Chalices, flagons and ciboriums made of glass that can break or chip easily are not in accord with the established norms. Cf 117.)
Chapter V: Certain Other Matters concerning the Eucharist
124.
The
principal celebrant is always to have a chasuble over the stole and alb.
125.
The
proper vestment of the Deacon is the dalmatic.
(For good cause in our Diocese, the dalmatic need not be used, e.g.,
heat in the summer time, lack of a dalmatic in many of our parishes. For special feasts and special celebrations
the dalmatic is to be worn if the parish has one.)
126.
“Priests
who are present at a Eucharistic Celebration, unless excused for a good reason,
should as a rule exercise the office proper to their Order and thus take part
as concelebrants, wearing the sacred vestments. It is not fitting, except in rare and exceptional cases and with
reasonable cause, for them to participate at Mass, as regards to externals, in
the manner of the lay faithful.”
Chapter
VI: Reservation of the Holy Eucharist and Eucharistic Worship Outside Mass
132.
“No
one may carry the Most Holy Eucharist to his or her home, or to any other place
contrary to the norm of law.”
133. “A Priest or Deacon, or an extraordinary minister who takes the Most Holy Eucharist when an ordained minister is absent or impeded in order to administer it as Communion for a sick person, should go insofar as possible directly from the place where the Sacrament is reserved to the sick person’s home, leaving aside any profane business so that any danger of profanation may be avoided and the greatest reverence for the Body of Christ may be ensured. Furthermore the Rite for the administration of Communion to the sick, as prescribed in the Roman Ritual, is always to be used.” (All pastors are reminded of their serious responsibility of training any extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion in all aspects of proper knowledge and reverence for the Eucharist. When hosts are given to extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion at the celebration of the Eucharist, the pyx should be placed on the altar to receive hosts and not presented to the priest while he is distributing Communion. For those who receive the hosts to take to the sick after the Sunday Mass, a proper public sending and blessing of the Eucharistic Ministers to the sick should be given.)
151. “Only out of true necessity is there to be recourse to the assistance of extraordinary ministers in the celebration of the Liturgy. Such recourse is not intended for the sake of a fuller participation of the laity but rather, by its very nature, is supplementary and provisional.”
156. The name to be used for the function of distributing Communion by anyone who is not a priest, deacon, or ordained acolyte is “extraordinary minister of Holy Communion” not “extraordinary minister of the Eucharist.”
157. “If there is usually present a sufficient number of sacred ministers for the distribution of Holy Communion, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion may not be appointed. Indeed, in such circumstances, those who may have already been appointed to this ministry should not exercise it. The practice of those Priests is reprobated who, even though present at the celebration, abstain from distributing Communion and hand this function over to laypersons.”
158. “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.”
165. In rare cases of Sunday celebration in the absence of a Priest, a Deacon should lead the liturgy. “It will be preferable, moreover, when both a Priest and a Deacon are absent, that the various parts be distributed among several faithful rather than having a single lay member of the faithful direct the whole celebration alone.”
176. “The diocesan Bishop, since he is the principal dispenser of the mysteries of God, is to strive constantly so that Christ’s faithful entrusted to his care may grow in grace through the celebration of the sacraments, and that they may know and live the Paschal Mystery. It is his responsibility, within the limits of his competence, to issue norms on liturgical matters by which all are bound.”
186. “Let all Christ’s faithful participate in the Most Holy Eucharist as fully, consciously and actively as they can, honoring it lovingly by their devotion and the manner of their life. Let Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, in the exercise of the sacred ministry, examine their consciences as regards the authenticity and fidelity of the actions they have performed in the name of Christ and the church…”
As I mentioned at the beginning of this commentary, there is little change needed in our Diocese. There are no grave abuses to my knowledge anywhere in our Diocese. I do want to express my unity with all the priests of our Diocese and my thanks for your faithful service of God’s people and for your fidelity in following the norms for the proper celebration of the Eucharist. It is a sign of our communio. Christ in the Eucharist is at the center of the life of God’s people and at the center of our lives as Priests and Deacons. May our Blessed Mother continue to protect and guide us as we seek with her to lead the people entrusted to our care to be conformed to the mind and heart of Christ.
Most Rev. John T. Steinbock
Bishop, Diocese of Fresno