Handbook of ceremonies for priests and seminarians

Front matter

Class _

Book. ;

Copyright N°

Author's Preface

The present manual owes its existence to a practical need. For some years it has been the author's duty to introduce to a knowledge of the sacred Rites candidates for the priesthood, and he has been at a loss for a ready work, which on the one hand was not too extensive in matter, and on the other imparted the necessary information with sufficient respect to detail. Especially during the sacred functions of Holy Week was this want felt. Hence his only resource was to arrange materials taken from various larger works, particularly from the liturgical books of the Church. It is clear that such an arrangement must needs overlook local customs and can offer but general rules and directions. In doing this, however, it was not intended to question the claims of venerable customs, claims recognized by the Church herself. For the author has in mind and esteems this dictum of St. Francis de Sales : " My administrator says, that it is not right to seek Rome's assistance in regard to things which do not require it and this opinion even Cardinals have expressed; for they say there are cases in which the approbation of authority is not needed,

vii

Vlll AUTHOR S PREFACE.

for the very reason that they are permissible, and if it is desirable to obtain such authorization, various investigations will follow; and it is the Pope's good pleasure that custom should authorize certain matters to which on account of consequences he did not choose to give his own sanction.'' x

The compiler desires to extend his sincere thanks here to the Rev. George Schober, C.SS.R., Consultor of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, who has kindly given his prompt and reliable advice on controverted points.

The following have been the chief sources and aids used in the compilation of this work : Missale Romanum (Miss.), Leonis XIII. auctorit. recogn., 1900; Caeremoniale Episcoporum (Caer. Ep.), 1902; Rituale Romanum (Rit. Rom.), 1895; Memoriale Rituum Bened. XIII.; Decreta Authentica (Deer. Aath,), 1898-1900; furthermore Baldeschi, de Carpo, Ephemerides Liturgicae, Erker, Falise, Gavanti-Merati (Mer.) y Hartmann, de Herdt, Kunz, Linzer Quartalschrift, Magister Choralis, Martinucci (Mr.), Muenstersches Pastoralblatt, O'Kane, Rindfleisch, Andr. Schmid, Schneider-Lehmkuhl, G. Schober, Thalhofer, Le Vavasseur, Wapelhorst.

The author will be pardoned if with a view to the practical purpose of the work he occasionally resorts to abbreviations both in the matter of style and expression.

He will moreover deem himself sufficiently

1 Brief e, vol. Ill, 491, p. 358 et seq. Regensburg, 1883, Manz.

AUTHOR S PREFACE. IX

recompensed if this compilation contributes its mite to the worthy celebration of the sacred Rites as well as to the glorification of the Eucharistic Saviour.

The Author.

Feldkirch,

Feast of the Holy Lance and Nails, Feb. 26th, 1904.

r

ABBREVIATIONS.

C. = Celebrant. S. = Sub-deacon.

D. = Deacon. T. = Thurifer.

M. = Master of Ceremonies.

Ac. = Acolyte or Acolytes.

AA. = Auctores.

k

Chap. I. The Mass in General. Bows 5

Position of the Hands 8

Position of the Eyes 9

The Voice 11

Rules concerning the Changeable

Parts of the Mass . . . . . 11

Gloria 11

Orations 11

Credo 17

Preface . 18

Communic antes . 18

The Last Gospel 19

Remarks on Votive Masses ... 19

Votive Masses Improperly so Called. 20 Private Votive Masses Properly so

Called 21

xi

Art

§ 1.

§ 2.

§ 3-

§ 4-

Art

. II.

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

f-

§ 2.

a.

b.

Xll CONTENTS.

PAGE

1. On the Various Parts of the Mass. 21

2. Masses Which May or May Not Be

Said as Votive Masses ... 23

3. Color of Vestments at Votive

Masses . 24

4. When Votive Masses are Forbidden 24

5. Concerning Various Votive Masses

in Particular 25

§ 3. Solemn Votive Masses 27 a. General Remarks on Masses for the

Dead 30

b. Table of Various Masses for the Dead

(Kind of Mass; When Prohibited;

Rite) 32

§ 5. Mass by a Visiting Priest (i.e. in

Ecclesia aliena) 42

§ 6. First Mass 43

Supplementary Remarks : Solemnity of a Beatification or Canonization 43

Chap. II. The Solemn High Mass

Art. I. The Ordinary High Mass ... 45

§ 2. General Rules for the Deacon and

§ 3. The Functions of the Sub-deacon . 48

§ 4. The Functions of the Deacon . 62

§ 5. The Functions of the Assistant Priest 80

§ 6. The Functions of the Celebrant . . 82

Art. II. High Mass coram Sanctissimo Ex-

posito 94

§ 1. Rubrics 94

a) Commemoratio SSi 94

b) The Forty Hours' Adoration Properly

so Called 95

c) The so Called Perpetual Adoration . 96 § 2. Ceremonies 97

CONTENTS. Xlll

PAGE

a) General Directions for the C, D.

and S 97

b) Special Directions for the Celebrant 99

c) Special Directions for the Deacon . 100

d) Special Directions for the Sub-

deacon 100

Appendix 1. The Low Mass coram Sanctissimo Exposito 101

Appendix 2. Hints regarding the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 103

Art III. Missa Cantata 106

Appendix. Blessing of and Aspersion with Holy Water 107

Chap. III. Benediction ........ 129

Art. I. With Assistants 129

§ 1. Vestments 129

§ 2. The Deacon (Assistant) .... 130

§ 3. The Celebrant 134

Art. II. Without Assistants . . . . . 137

§ 1. Vestments 137

Art. III. Exposition of the Bl. Sacrament with

the Ciborium 138

XIV CONTENTS.

Chap. VI. Maundy Thursday 166

Art. I. Solemn Rite with Ministers . . . 166

§ 3. Vespers 174

§ 4. Rite Observed in Transferring the Bl.

Sacrament 174

§ 5. The Stripping of the Altars . . . 175

Art. II. The Rite without Ministers . . . 176

Chap. VII. Good Friday ....... 178

Art. I. Solemn Rite with Ministers . . . 178 a. From the Beginning to the Chanting

of the Passion . . ' . . . .180

b. From the Chanting of the Passion to

the Unveiling of the Cross . . 182

c. The Unveiling and Adoration of the

Cross 184

d. Order to be observed in the Adora-

tion of the Cross 187

e. The Procession 189

/. Mass of the Pre sanctified . . . . 192

Art. II. The Rite without Ministers . . . 196

a. From the Beginning to the Unveiling

of the Cross 196

b. The Unveiling of the Cross and Pro-

cession 197

c. Mass of the PresanctiHed . . . .198

d. Removal of the Ciborium . . . .198

Chap. VIII. Holy Saturday 198 Preliminary Remarks 198

XVI CONTENTS.

PAGE

Art. I. Solemn Rite with Ministers . . . 200

Art. II. The Rite without Ministers . . .216

Chap. I. Administration of Baptism . . . 219

§ 2. Preliminary Questions 220 a. At the Church Door 221

b. At the Entrance of the Baptistery . 222

c. At the Font 223

d. In the Sacristy 224

Chap. II. Distribution of Holy Communion . 224 § 1. In Church but extra Missam . . . 224 § 2. Holy Communion Administered to the

Sick during Mass 226

§ 3. Holy Communion Administered Privately (occnlte) to the Sick . . 227

Chap. VI. Blessings (Sacramentals) . . . 234 Appendix: Methods of Intonation 238

Index 249

Table of various Functions during the Solemn High Mass.

INTRODUCTION.

GENERAL PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS.

The knowledge of some general rules renders the performance of the sacred Rites less difficult and imparts certainty and dexterity in the exercise of ecclesiastical functions. Hence the more prominent rules are considered here.

i. In receiving objects the hand of the person who presents them is kissed first and then the objects themselves; — in presenting objects, however, the latter are kissed first and then the hand of the one to whom they are presented (Caer. Ep. I, c. 18, n. 16).

Exception. According to Miss, and Caer. Ep. the blessed candle and palm are kissed first and then the hand of the Celebrant, for in this case there is question not of the mere act of receiving but of a blessed object.

2. During a function the head is never covered while standing (except during a sermon) ; therefore e.g. at High Mass, the first thing to do is to sit down and then cover the head; likewise, before rising the head should first be uncovered; hence one of the Regulae Generales de Benedictionibus is : " Stando semper benedicat et aperto capite " (Rit. Rom. tit. 8, c. i, n. 3). Therefore the following direction : On arriving at the altar

I

2 INTRODUCTION.

the first thing is to take off the biretta; the last before leaving the altar is to put on the biretta.

3. No one is to move backwards (except one step or thereabouts), but should turn about, usually to the right.

4. Genuflections. In making a genuflection with one knee (we shall simply designate it genuflection hereafter) three things are to be observed : a) The right knee should be bent to the floor alongside the ankle of the left foot; b) the head and upper part of the body should be held erect, not inclined; c) rise again without delay. If the words pronounced in making the genuflection are many, as e.g. at the Et incarnatus est, it should be made slowly; in other cases, as at the Veni, Sancte Spiritns, the Missal itself directs, that in a Low Mass the genuflection be made at the first words only, while at a High Mass during the time these words are being sung, all are supposed to kneel on both knees ; — therefore never remain kneeling on one knee.

In genuflecting with both knees {prostratio) the right knee is bent first and then the left; thereupon a low bow of the head is made and then the person rises.

Rides: a) For all those who officiate, excepting the Celebrant, Bishop and Canons, a genuflection tozvards the cross of the high altar is prescribed (Caer. Ep. I, c. 18, n. 3). But this applies in acta functionis tantum {Deer. Anth. n. 3792 ad 11), hence not e.g. w r hile such an altar is being decorated.

b) The following applies to all: While the Blessed Sacrament is exposed, the prostratio is made only on entering or leaving the choir;

INTRODUCTION. 3

otherwise a simple genuflection is always to be made.

c) The following rules are to be observed by the Celebrant and Minister (i.e. Deacon and Sub-deacon) : They genuflect on the floor {genn- Aexio in piano) only on entering or leaving the choir. In the course of the function, however, they genuflect on the step (genuflexio in gradu) in case they are standing there {Deer. Auth* n. 2682 ad 47). The ministri inferiores genuflect exclusively on the floor.

5. Bows. We distinguish three kinds:

a) A low bow of the body, i.e. such an inclination of the upper part of the body, that the arms if extended would just about reach the knees;

b) a medium bow of the body, such that the toes may be seen ;

c) a bow of the head (called inclinatio simplex) ; the latter is again distinguished as profunda, media, and minima; if referred to God {Jesus Christ, Jesus, or if made at the Gloria Patri, Or emus, etc.) it is profunda; if to the Bl. Virgin, media; if to a Saint (or the reigning Pontiff), minima. A certain distinction is prescribed in the following: Cum profert nomen Jesu vel Mariae inclinat se; sed, profundius, cum dicit, " Jesus " {Caer. Ep. II, c. 8, n. 46). Therefore in making the inclin. cap. prof., the shoulders are also somewhat inclined.

Rules: 1. The low bow of the head is always made to the cross (except at the Gospel, when it is made to the book) ; during the Exposition of the Bl. Sacrament and after the Consecration (e.g. at the Or emus previous to the Pater Master) , all the low bows of the head are to be

4 INTRODUCTION.

made to the BL Sacrament (even at the Gospel.

according to Deer. AutJi. n. 3875 ad 4). 1 For the bows in particular, vid. p. 6 et seq.

2. The bows of the head made while pronouncing the names of Mary and of the Saints are generally directed towards the book. If however the main image of the altar represent the Bl. Virgin or the Saint in question, the bow is made to this image (Ruhr, novae, Rit. Cel. tit. 5. n. 2).

3. At every Mass (even a Mass for the dead ) a bow is made whenever the name of Mary or of the Pope occurs ; the same is the case with the names of the Saints, as often as the Mass is said in their honor or a Commemoration of them is made : this applies to every part of the Mass where their names are pronounced, except in the titles of the Epistles and Gospels. If for some reason or other e.g. on account of a coincident Feast of the 2nd class, the Commemoration of the Saint be dropped during his Octave, a bow is nevertheless made at the occurrence of his name during the Mass 1 5. R. C, Tune 19th. 1903). When several names occur the bow is made per modum unius.

4. A bow is made at the name of the Bishop only in annvu. eleet. et eonseer. 1 in the Oration and Canon), or when the Bishop is present at the function I in the latter case to the book alone).

5. Xo bozu is made when mere titles occur, e.g. 55. Angelorum or at the word Trinitas or Spiritus Sanctus.

1 If the bow has to be directed to one side. e. g. from the Epistle side to the cross in the middle of the altar, not merely the head but the upper part of the body should be bent in that direction.