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Eucharist: Celebrating and Savouring ..

Acknowl~dgements

"The Best Place for the Tabernacle" is reprinted from Environment & Art (Oct. 1999), text by David Philippart © 1999 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1-800-933-1800. Used with permission.

''Encourage a Separate Chapel" is reprinted from Environment & Art (Nov. 1999), text by Conrad Kraus © 1999 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1-800- 933-1800. Used with permission.

Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the , ©1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches in the United States of America.

Quotations from the English translation of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, the General Instruction of the , and the General Norms for the and the Calendar are from Documents on the Liturgy, 1968-1979: Conciliar, Papal, and Curial Texts © 1982, International Committee on English in the Liturgy.

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130 • National Bulletin on Liturgy Contents Page Acknowledgements...... 130 Your Turn...... 130 About This Issue...... 132 Celebrating and Savouring Eucharist The Eucharistic Prayer: Summit of the Summit ...... Attila Mikloshazy 133 Sunday Celebrations of the Word: Some Reflections upon our Experience ...... Raymond Lahey 143 Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery ...... Kenneth Pearce 152 Outlines for Eucharistic Exposition and ...... 168 Helpful Reading...... 170 The Best Place for the Tabernacle ...... David Philippart 171 Encourage a Separate Chapel ...... Conrad Kraus 177 Canadian Realities Lay Leadership of Prayer: Theology and Practice ...... Mary Schaefer 182 From the National Office: Reservation Chapels...... 188 Reservation Chapel Survey ...... 190 From the Regions ...... Ontario Liturgical Conference 191 The Last Word ...... Douglas Crosby 192 Announcements Congratulations Archbishop Hayes ...... 142 National Association of Pastoral Musicians ...... 167

Volume 33 • Number 162 • 131 About This Issue

"Take this, all of you, arui eat it: ... Take Nationnl Bulletin on Liturgy #69, which is still this, all of you arui drink from it: ... Do in print. Readers will find there excerpts this in memory of me." (Eucharistic from the Roman document, Holy Prayers, Roman Missal) arui Worship of the Eucharist Outside , recommended scriptural texts t is clear from the words ofJesus at the Last for celebrations, and suggested outlines for Supper that taking and sharing his body parish gatherings for adoration. Iand blood are to constitute our remem­ brance of him and of his perpetual presence In the present issue Attila in his Church. This liturgical remem­ Mikloshazy and Father Kenneth Pearce lead brance-the celebration of eucharist­ us in a deeper exploration of our celebration opens up the possibility of having in our of the eucharist and of Holy Communion arui midst an enduring presence of Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass. Bishop our risen Lord. The Church is thus able to Raymond Lahey writes on the lessons, ques­ take advantage of this special mode of pres­ tions and challenges of our experience of ence in order to unite the sick and the dying Sunday Celebration of the Word and Hours. with the community's celebration of the sac­ What is at the heart of our Sunday celebra­ rificial meal (the mass), and to give public tion? Are communion services always expression to the Church's faith in the real allowed, always pastorally wise, ever neces­ presence by acts of adoration. sary? What does it mean for devotions to be "in accord with the sacred liturgy"? What is Throughout its existence, the Church has adoration? What do Christians adore? How? struggled to keep in balance these two types of eucharistic activity: celebrating and The tabernacle has been caught up, so to savouring, otherwise described as liturgy and speak, in the tension between our liturgical devotion. This balance has been made all and devotional activity. Articles by David the more difficult to achieve and maintain Philippart and Conrad Kraus help us to sort because of the multivalent nature of the out the underlying principles involved in our vocabulary that surrounds this particular decisions with regard to the treatment of the sacrament. "Eucharist" is both action and tabernacle. object; these two meanings are intimately Our experiences of holy communion and related but not synonymous. The word worship of the eucharist outside mass often "communion" is used in most Catholic cir­ involve lay leaders of prayer. Mary Schaefer cles to refer to the sacred food "received," offers an incisive theological examination of rather than to the spiritual effect achieved in lay leaders of prayer along with some very the community's sharing of the bread of life concrete and practical implications of this and cup of salvation. Thus for many the understanding of lay ministry. This article is "communion of saints" is an incomprehensi­ the last in a series of three articles that have ble phrase. We have even had to translate appeared in the Bulletin since the fall of communio, the Latin word in liturgical texts, 1998 (#154 and #155). as "fellowship" in the opening rites of the This issue of the Bulletin has an interactive mass ("the fellowship of the Holy Spirit") to element-two, in fact. One is a survey avoid confusion. (And then there's the regarding the experience of parishes with recurring debate: are those who assist in the tabernacles located in separate reservation communion rite "eucharistic ministers," chapels; the other is a request for general "ministers of communion," or "ministers of comment that will become a permanent part the bread and cup"?) The term "blessed of the Bulletin. Please take some time to give sacrament" is used less ambiguously; it gener­ us your input! [I] ally refers to the reserved consecrated bread. The basic issues surrounding the "savouring" aspect of the eucharist are addressed in

132 • National Bulletin on liturgy .... The Eucharistic Prayer: Summit of the Summit

Attila Mikloshazy, S.J.

Introduction Centre and Summit of The reminded us the Celebration again of what every Catholic Christian We do not want to analyze here the whole knew; that the liturgy is the source and theology of the eucharist, but rather we summit of our whole Christian life. The would like to discuss its liturgical celebra­ liturgical celebration of the eucharist has tion, especially that which we call the cen­ undergone quite a development through tral part of the eucharistic mystery: the the centuries. In the first millennium it eucharistic prayer. In the West, this is was much more evident how the three called the "canon"; in the East it is known dimensions of the eucharistic mystery­ as the ""; recently, we tend to use the real presence of Christ, the sacrificial the ancient expression: eucharistic prayer. action of the holy mass, and the holy com­ The eucharistic prayer, of course, does not munion-belong strictly to one another. exhaust the whole celebration of the mass For different historical and theological because that contains also the liturgy of reasons, and with time, this strict unity the word, the preparation of the gifts, the between the three dimensions loosened rite of holy communion, and the conclud­ considerably, and so our theology began to ing section, which are all important and treat them separately; our liturgical prac­ integral parts of the mass; yet, the central tice has reflected this theological diver­ part is still the canon, which begins with gence. In the mass there was hardly any the invitation of the priest, "Lift up your holy communion because this occurred hearts!" and ends with the and elsewhere, either before or after. From the the solemn Amen. We would like to talk thirteenth century, great emphasis was now about this prayer in the light of more then paid to the adoration of the real pres­ recent theological insights. ence of Christ in the various eucharistic devotions. This deeper insight into the mystery is important for us because the eucharistic Of course, all three dimensions of the prayer is quasi our daily bread; the Church eucharistic mystery are important, and it is recites it every day, but we hardly realize in understandable that in every age one or between the extent to which it is filled the other receives more attention. Yet this with the deepest theological content and separation and division of the one mystery spiritual food. From the theological view­ lessened the unified view of the eucharist, point we should look upon this prayer as and sometimes even led to mistaken prac­ one of the most important sources of our tices. The of the 20th theologizing, one that is superseded in century tried to correct this somewhat importance only by scripture itself. Just as until the Second Vatican Council restored scripture is "the book of the Church," so again the unity of the eucharistic mystery. the eucharistic prayer is "the prayer of the

Attila MikloshazY, S], is bishop far Hungarian emigrants. He resides in Taranto.

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Church," which the Church produces and distributed it to them with these words: adopts as heF own, in order to express in it "Take it and it eat it, this is my-body." He her faith. In this prayer we find the mys­ did the same with the cup: took it into his tery, the eucharistic mystery, which in hands, said the blessing, and gave it to his ancient Christian times was surrounded disciples to drink with these words: "This with secrecy (disciplina arcani); it was not is the cup of my blood." even written down for fear that it may fall We do not want to analyze these words of into the hands of the enemies of the the Lord here, though they are theologi­ Church. cally very important. We do not want to Liturgical theology today looks upon this examine here the meaning of the state­ prayer as the one, unified, unique conse­ ment, "This is my body, this is my blood," cratory prayer of the eucharist. This may or how essential, fundamental, and cre­ sound a bit unusual because, according to ative these words are. We presuppose here the essentialist method of scholastic theol­ all that the Church teaches in this respect. ogy, we see the essential consecratory for­ What we do want to pay attention to, mula in the words of the Lord alone: "This however, is the connection between the is my body ... This is my blood .... " Today, scriptural and liturgical texts. however, recalling the first thousand years' Scripture describes for us the action of the practice of the Church, we find that the Lord in four parts, out of which then our whole eucharistic prayer is consecratory. eucharistic action has developed. And so, There are certain peak moments in the the taking of the bread and wine happens besides the prayer, and it is certain that during the preparation of the gifts, which epiklesis, such a peak moment is the pro­ is rightly speaking not an offering yet, but nunciation of the words of the Lord. But merely the preparation of the sacrificial be isolated these peak moments cannot gifts. Then comes the second part or prayer. It is from the context of the whole action, the pronouncing of the blessing prayer, pro­ therefore a unified, priestly over the bread and wine. The third action and nounced by the head, the authorized is the breaking of the bread. And finally ordained leader, the priest, who speaks in the fourth action: the distribution of the the name of Christ and "in the person of consecrated bread and drinking from the Christ" the head of the Church. cup, the holy communion.

Origins "Birkat Ha-Mazon" The Our primary interest at this point is the following question: What was that "bless­ Let us see, first of all, from where this ing" that the Lord said at the Last prayer comes. We find its origin, of course, Supper? It would be a wrong interpreta­ in scripture because our eucharist arises tion of the text if we assumed that the from the Last Supper. The three synoptic Lord took the bread and the cup,. and gospels and the First Letter of Paul to the blessed them in the way we understand Corinthians describe what happened in that action today. This is wrong because the room of the Last Supper. (But unfortu­ we should not imagine that he blessed the nately this description is rather brief, terse, bread and wine with some kind of formula a compact presentation of the event.) The as the priest blesses certain food on Easter historical account of the scripture then Sunday in certain cultural traditions. The entered into our eucharistic prayer. right translation is that the Lord said a What do these accounts tell us? "blessing prayer" (berakah). It is interesting When the Lord Jesus came together with to find that already in the fourth-fifrh his disciples to celebrate and eat the tradi­ century there were some people who gen­ tional paschal meal, he took the bread, tly rebuked the evangelists for their terse said the blessing, broke the bread and account and for not writing more about

134 • National Bulletin on liturgy Celebrating and Savouring • Eucharistic Prayer: Summit of the Summit

what happened at the Last Supper. They The later eucharistic prayers also manifest were especially interested in the text of the same structure and content. that "blessing" that the Lord said over the bread and wine. Berakah The study of this blessing leads liturgical Here we have to remember some impor­ scholars today to the text and structure of tant things about the "blessing of God," the Jewish paschal meal-to a prayer that the berakah. This is important for a right is still in use today. It is well-known that understanding of the content of the the Jewish paschal meal consists of four eucharistic prayer. The berakah is the fun­ parts and that at the end of each of the damental act of worship and the basic atti­ four parts the participants drink from the tude in the Jewish and Christian religions. cup. The text speaks therefore of four cups. To bless God means to acknowledge God The first part of the paschal meal ritual as the only, omnipotent creator God, and also Father. When a creature accepts this contains an introduction and blessing over "One God," the creature says berakah. In the different symbolic foods. The second this blessing everything is included. First, part consists of ritual teaching in which we include our joy that he is our God and the exodus from Egypt is recited in ques­ we are his creatures and children, and we tion and answer form. The third part con­ depend on our God in every moment of tains the actual paschal supper when the our existence. In this blessing and praise paschal lamb is eaten. But before partici­ we have also to include the essence of sac­ pants begin to eat it, they say a short bless­ rifice, that is, the surrender of ourselves ing over the unleavened bread. After they into the hands of God. finish the lamb, they drink the third cup. At this point-at the third cup-we find This then is how we have to understand a longer prayer of blessing, which they the text of the gospel story. When the called at the time of Jesus and even now Lord Jesus at the Last Supper wanted to the "grace after meals" or, in Hebrew, make present his life-sacrifice, which he "Birkat Ha-Mazon". Then the fourth part offered the next day on the cross, he said a of the paschal meal follows, with thanks­ blessing, a berakah in the context of the givings and the singing of , which paschal meal. He praised and blessed God, are mentioned also in the biblical account and with this he perfectly expressed what of the night of the Last Supper. every human being ought to do by the sheer fact that he or she is a creature. We have to imagine the Last Supper, Adam was supposed to do this but did not. therefore, in this setting. From here we Now comes the second Adam, and lo, he can understand that when the scripture blesses God with his whole life, because he indicates that the Lord "said the blessing," accepts completely the creaturely exis­ it refers to the blessing over the bread, and tence of this human nature and his utter especially the blessing over the third cup. dependence on God. St. Paul calls this third cup "the cup of blessing" because this blessing was so Thanksgiving and Praise important and central that it gave the title The literary form of the eucharistic prayer to the cup that was connected with it. is therefore blessing and praise, or berakah. Recent liturgical investigations show that The Greek translation uses two words to the most ancient eucharistic prayer that express the rich content of the Hebrew we have in written form is that of the East­ berakah: eulogia and eucharistia. These two Syrian liturgy (the "Anaphora of Addai words mean almost the same, yet there is a and Mari"), which most probably origi­ slight difference between the two. nates from the second or third century. This prayer corresponds structurally, con­ Eulogia normally means "to say good about" tent-wise, and even in its key-words, with someone, to praise. We bless God and the Jewish text of the "Birkat Ha-Mazon". praise God, because he is, above all, the

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creator God who can do whatever he Latin translation of this exomologesis is con­ wants. Joyfully we acknowledge God's fessio, so that the word "confession" comes -- goodness, greatness, holiness. This is a pure, from berakah. Whenever we make a con­ unselfish blessing and praising of God. fession, we confess (acknowledge) the true reality---God and our utter dependence The other word, eucharistia, is somewhat on God. This is applicable even to the different because it means "thanksgiving," confession of sins in the sacrament of rec­ that is, returning thanks for the gifts that onciliation: here too, first of all we confess we have received, giving thanks for the God's greatness, holiness and especially his great benefits bestowed upon humanity throughout salvation history. Pure praise kindness and mercy. acknowledges that we are creatures and The Content of the God is the creator God and Lord above everything, saying in effect, "You created "Birkat Ha-Mazon" every being, even life itself, and because First Pericope life is good and beautiful, we bless you and Let us take a look now at the content of praise you." In thanksgiving, on the other hand, God appears not only as creator this berakah, in order to learn from it how God, but also as the God of the covenant, Jesus prayed, what he prayed at the Last that is the covenant partner, who is walk­ Supper. The original "Birkat Ha-Mazon" is ing with us on the way of salvation history. a rather lengthy prayer, which consists of God showers us with his benefits and for three parts or pericopes. The first pericope this reason we tum to God with gratitude; begins with the words: "Blessed are you, we give thanks and praise. YHWH, our God, King of the whole uni­ verse ...." In essence it expresses: "Blessed We express our blessing and praising of are you, because you feed the whole world God in words and deeds. We praise God with your goodness. You created this uni­ with words when we sing the hymns, verse and you give bread in your mercy to chant the psalms, shout the ; we all living beings, you sustain us in exis­ praise with deeds when we bring symbolic tence by giving us food. You feed all crea­ gifts in return for God's goodness to us. tures that you have created. And for this This latter happens in the form of sacri­ we bless you and praise you." fices, everyday small-offerings, or with the complete surrender of our life in the This first pericope therefore is pure praise moment of our death. This blessing and of the creator God. Its theological content praising of God is the main content of is this: YHWH is the creator who created every celebration. Every liturgical celebra­ everything, who produced life itself, who tion ought to express primarily this inner sustains this life by giving us food at all attitude of the human person. times. Food always directs one's attention to the fact that God sustains the world in Acknowledgement, Confession being. So this first pericope is called oratio The Hebrew berakah has still another theologiro, i.e. theological prayer. translation in Greek: exomologesis, which means acknowledgement or confession. Second Pericope We notice that whenever the New The second pericope of the "Birkat Ha­ Testament quotes the prayer of the Lord Mazon" contains thanksgiving. It begins, Jesus, this word always appears in the "We give you thanks, YHWH, our beginning. For example: "I ackrwwledge God .... " It continues along the following you and I praise you, Father, Lord of lines: "We give you thanks because you heaven and earth, for hiding these things promised to our fathers the promised land, from the learned and wise ... " (Mt 11.25). led them out of Egypt, introduced them When Jesus prays before raising Lazarus, into Canaan; you entered into a covenant he uses this same word (] n 11.41). The with them, you gave them the law to

136 • National Bulletin on Liturgy Celebrating and Savouring • Eucharistic Prayer: Summit of the Summit direct their lives. You give us life, grace, "YHWH," but "Father"; and when he mercy, and you care for us day by day. For spoke about the building up of Jerusalem, all these we thank you and we praise you." he spoke about the New Jerusalem, which is his Church. There was also a need to This second part turns to the God of the supplement the enumeration of God's covenant, who walks together with the magnificent deeds, since beyond the people of Israel during their journey of sal­ events of the , now the vation history and performs magnificent greatest benefit of God is Jesus Christ him­ deeds, through which they experience self and his redemptive life work. how much God loves them. In the "Birkat Ha-Mazon" the people express gratitude The "Birkat Ha-Mazon" and praise. Here we deal not so much with and the Structure of the an unselfish, pure praise, but rather with gratitude for the gifts received. But this Eucharistic Prayers too belongs to the concept of berakah. Let us now see how we can find the struc­ ture and content of the "Birkat Ha­ Third Pericope Mazon" in the eucharistic prayers that we The third pericope begins: "Be kind and know. We do not suggest taking the First have mercy on us, YHWH, our God .... " It Eucharistic Prayer, or Roman Canon, expresses the longings of the people with which has such a great authority and tra­ these sentiments: "Especially be gracious dition in the Western Church, as an to your people, to your city Jerusalem, and example because its structure, for various the house of David, your anointed one. reasons, has been disturbed (although Our Father and our God, lead us as a good even the present form has its own mean­ shepherd and feed us. Come among us, be ing and reason, why and how it was with us on our way, remember how much changed). The best example however is you did for our fathers and for us in the the Fourth Eucharistic Prayer, which we past, and do it also in the future. Especially propose to follow now in our reflection. build up Jerusalem, your holy city. For all these once again we bless you and praise First Pericope you." The first part of the Fourth Eucharistic Prayer corresponds precisely to the first As we can see, this third pericope consists pericope of the "Birkat Ha-Mazon": pure of petitions: the people ask God to be with praise of the creator God. This part con­ them in the future as in the past. They ask cludes with the . Let us take a look God to come among them, so that the at the text: "Father in heaven, it is right holy city may be built up. that we should give you thanks and glory: So the "Birkat Ha-Mazon" consists of you are the one God, living and true." three parts: pure praise of God, thanksgiv­ Mark the words: "thanks" and "glory," the ing, and petition for the presence of the vocabulary of berakah. We call God Lord now and in the future so that he may "Father in heaven," or Holy Father, where gather his people into one and build up "holy" means the sovereign, transcendent Jerusalem. This then is the prayer that the God, who at the same time is also our Lord used most probably at the Last Father. "You are the one God." This paral­ Supper, when he instituted the eucharist lels the Jewish profession of faith, the and gave himself to us under the species of shema: "YHWH is our God, the only God, bread and wine. This structure and essen­ the true and living God." tial content is present in all the ancient Then we hear the properties of this mighty eucharistic prayers. God: exists from eternity, remains forever, Of course, the Jewish prayer underwent he is incomprehensible, absolutely unap­ some stylistic changes when the Lord Jesus proachable. But at the same time this is recited it, since he called God not the creator God, the source of all life, and

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everything comes from him. God made only Son to be our Savior. ... " The great­ eve.ryiliLngin order wlet us creatures par­ est gift of God to us is the incarnation, the take in the divine holiness, in the divine person of Jesus Christ, the Christ-event. life, the radiation of which is the light of God has come among us, became like us, glory. God made us in order "to fill [all] and brought us the good news. The good creatures with every blessing and lead all news of the evangelium is summed up here men to the joyful vision of [God's] light." in the text: how Christ healed the sick, And for this, "the countless host of angels how he brought us freedom, how he con­ stand before [God] ... night and day," and soled everyone. "united with them, and in the name of every creature under heaven, we too praise After the historical enumeration we arrive [God's] glory." at the main event of the life of Christ, when he put the crown upon his life with We therefore sing together the Sanctus, his death on the cross, and doing the which expresses precisely this profession of Father's will, he surrendered himself with faith, in essence expressing: "Holy, Holy, loving obedience to the Father. The Holy are you, eternal God; heaven and paschal mystery is presented here, because earth, the angels and the whole creation "by rising from the dead, he destroyed blesses you and praises you." The first part death and restored life." of our eucharistic prayer is therefore the acknowledgement of the Holy God, just as The second part of this eucharistic prayer we find in the first pericope of the "Birkat is therefore thanksgiving for the great ben­ Ha-Mazon". efits, just as in the Jewish prayer, but the includes the Christ­ Second Pericope event, the paschal mystery. We call there­ fore this part "Christological prayer," The second pericope of the Jewish prayer through which we arrive at the paschal is thanksgiving. It enumerates the great mystery. benefits that God has showered upon us through salvation history. The second part First Christian Insertion: of the Fourth Eucharistic Prayer also Institution Narrative begins in this way: "We acknowledge (exo­ mologoumai) your greatness." The Latin At this point something interesting hap­ text says confitemur, which is again the pens. When in the historical account we translation of berakah. We further arrive at the event of Christ's death on the acknowledge God's greatness: "All your cross, the Christian tradition inserts into actions show your wisdom and love." the Jewish prayer structure a special text. This insertion is called an "," Then follows a list of historical events, that is, a text that was not in the original God's magnificent deeds among and with text, but became part of it by addition us. The prayer leads us beautifully through from outside. This is nothing other than the Old Testament: "You formed man in the gospel account of the Last Supper. As your own likeness and set him over the we have seen before, this account is con­ whole world to serve you, his creator, and crete, brief, terse and precise. This text to rule over all creatures. Even when he came to be inserted into the structure of disobeyed you and lost your friendship ... the "Birkat Ha-Mazon" at that point, [You] helped all men to seek and find you when the death of Christ is mentioned: . . . Again and again you offered a "When the time came for him to be glori­ covenant to man . . . and through the fied ... he took bread .... " prophets taught him .... " Then we hear the wonderful deeds of the Second Christian Insertion: New Testament: "You so loved the world that in the fullness of time you sent your We notice that not only the account of

138 • National Bulletin on Liturgy Celebrating and Savouring • Eucharistic Prayer: Summit of the Summit the Last Supper is inserted into the struc­ Anamnesis as Participation ture of the "Birkat Ha-Mazon"; but we also We have to point out still another thing in notice something quite significant: the this connection. When the Aramaic text anamnesis. The scriptural text ends with was translated into Greek for the sake of the commandment of the Lord: "Do this the Christians in Antioch, the Hebrew in memory of me!" The account is fol­ and Aramaic zikkaron became anamnesis. lowed by the very commandment by The Greek word means simply to remem­ which the Lord institutes the celebration ber some past event; it did not have the of the eucharist until the end of time. The rich meaning of the Hebrew. Therefore commandment includes the words anam­ when the Church wanted to say that we nesis, memoria, solemn remembrance. This obey the Lord's commandment and conse­ needs some explanation, because unfortu­ quently celebrate his memorial (anamne­ nately the Greek, the Latin, and also the sis), they added always the word anaphora, English translation indicate merely an which means offering or sacrifice in intellectual act, that is, remembering Greek. Thus in the Greek texts and its something that happened in the past. translations up to our day, the remem­ The original Hebrew work is zikkaron, brance is always connected and comple­ which means much more. Its real meaning mented with the word of offering, can be seen again in the Jewish liturgy. In surrender and sacrifice. the liturgy of the Jewish paschal meal is a In the text of the Fourth Eucharistic text that reminds the members of the Prayer, after the institution narrative and Jewish family who eat the paschal supper, commandment, we find the acclamation "Keep in mind that when you now by the people, which clearly states that we remember the exodus from Egypt, when proclaim the death and resurrection of the you eat the paschal lamb in memory of Lord until he comes again. The text of the being freed from slavery, then you anamnesis follows immediately: "We now know that not only your ancestors have celebrate this memorial of our redemp­ been freed from the slavery of Egypt, but tion. We recall Christ's death ...." The be aware that you yourself and everyone remembering is an intellectual act, but at partaking in this ritual are freed from slav­ the same time, we also celebrate actively. ery and are being led to the God-given Internally and externally we participate in freedom." This is the real meaning of the that action that precisely through the anamnesis. anamnesis will become present: the paschal mystery of Christ, his self-surren­ Jesus Christ referred to this when he said der and resurrection. The text of the to his disciples: "Do this in memory of anamnesis expresses that here truly we deal me!" Celebrate this symbolic meal with with , , offering, self-sur­ bread and wine; celebrate it as his memo­ render within the eucharistic sacrifice. rial-feast. That is, he wanted to say, we Consequently, the remembrance is not should not just remember his death on the merely an intellectual act, but a deep, cross and his resurrection 2000 years ago, inner act of which we are active partici­ but all of us who participate in this memo­ pants. rial feast should get involved in this event, which happened in the past, yet now In the middle ages, the eucharistic prayer becomes present to us. Therefore, we was called actio (actio Missae). Why? ought to become active, dynamic partici­ Because we do not just listen to the mass pants of the paschal mystery, the paschal but we must become actively involved in transformation: the transition from death the paschal transformation of Christ. We to life. The anamnesis therefore is an invi­ have been invited to this through our bap­ tation to this active, intimate participa­ tism and we commit ourselves to do this: tion by all who take part in the to live and die with Christ so that we may celebration. live with him forever.

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The text of the anamnesis mentions in The second epiklesis then begs the Father detail this paschal mystery: "Christ's death, that we who receive the body ancl-bbod of his descent among the dead, his resurrec­ Christ, through the operation of the Holy tion, and his ascension." We mention even Spirit, may be transformed into the mysti­ his glorious return because that too cal , i.e. that the Holy Spirit becomes mysteriously present at this time. may make us, separate individuals, into In this way we offer sacrificially the the one body of Christ, which is the eucharist that Christ has offered once and Church. In other words, we expect that for all on the cross, and that now becomes through the mysterious operation of the present for us, so that we all may join him, Holy Spirit, first the bread and wine, then may surrender ourselves to the Father and the gathered people, may be transformed in Christ we may make our existential sac­ into the body of Christ. rifice. The eucharistic commandment says, "Do this in memory of me!" But St. Paul The Jewish prayer asks God to be with the adds: "For as often as you eat this bread and people, to come among them, to help drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's them and to build up Jerusalem, the holy death until he comes" (1 Cor 11.26). This city. The eucharistic action reaches its fruit already points to the future. We celebrate and goal when it arrives at the building up the eucharist on one hand as a profession of the ecclesial communion. of faith in the paschal mystery of Christ; on the other hand, we proffer it before the The eucharistic prayer then further devel­ Father as a supplication, insistently begging ops this idea and draws in the whole and waiting for the glorious coming of the Church. We remember all those with Lord. Thus, through the celebration of the whom and for whom we offer this sacrifice: eucharist we keep alive the expectation of the pope, our bishops, , the whole this coming of the Lord, as it was expressed people of God, and all those who seek God also in the ancient Christian acclamation: with a sincere heart. The whole earthly "Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!" Church is present here, in union with the bishop of and the local bishop. Third Pericope The third pericope of the "Birkat Ha­ Then we pray for and with those who have Mazon" is petition for the coming of God died in the peace of Christ: here appears among the people and for his continued the suffering Church. Finally we remem­ presence among them. In the Fourth ber the victorious Church: the Mother of Eucharistic Prayer, this is how it sounds: God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the apostles "Lord, look upon this sacrifice ... " i.e. look and other saints. We express in this way upon us and accept in your fatherly love that the saints in heaven also take part in this sacrifice. Then we ask for the sending this eucharistic action and communion; so of the Spirit as a sign of God's acceptance: our attention is directed now towards "and by your Holy Spirit, gather all who heaven. This is the goal of our life and also share this one bread and one cup into the of our eucharistic action: that one day we one body of Christ, a living sacrifice of may arrive where together with the saints praise." This is the epiklesis. It begins by and the whole creation, we may glorify, asking the Father to send the Holy Spirit praise and bless God. upon us to penetrate everything, especially the sacrificial gifts, the bread and wine, At the end of the eucharistic prayer, we and to change them into the body and then bless God with the doxology: glory ; this is one of the aims of and praise to the Almighty Father, the Holy Spirit's coming, which the newer through Jesus Christ, in union with Holy eucharistic prayers usually express in the Spirit, for ever and ever. To this final epiklesis that comes befare the narrative of berakah then thunders the response of the the institution. created world: Amen!

140 • National Bulletin on Liturgy Celebrating and Savouring • Eucharistic Prayer: Summit of the Summit

Transformation through Neither should we forget the material cre­ Active Engagement in ation, the cosmos. In the Oriental liturgy the Liturgy this is much more prevalent. It is interest­ ing to note that in the Western church, we We must look upon the mass, therefore, as are so much awed by the fact of redemp­ an action, as an intensive activity. It is not tion that we almost forget about the fact of enough just to "hear" the mass or "say" the creation, about its rich variety of gifts. Yet, mass. We must get involved in it-actively redemption cannot be considered inde­ involved. For this to happen, it is necessary pendently from creation. Sunday is not to explore and make our own the inner only the celebration of the resurrection, attitude that is expressed in the texts. It is but also of creation. This, of course, pre­ to important to bring our whole selves and supposes that we accept the beauty and include our previous spiritual experiences goodness of creation and that we can mass and there, in our celebration of the rejoice in it. through the words and sacramental actions, express all that is in our hearts. Interceding We should bring to the mass the fruit of At the same time, the mass widens our our daily prayer life, our private prayers, and does not allow us to withdraw devotions, liturgical prayers, meditations, horizon, individual sorrows and woes, but etc., because they are joined to the great, into our and so it makes us transformative action of Christ. In this shares those of others, having universal way, the eucharistic prayer will become the truly "catholics," i.e., compendium of our whole spiritual life. interests not just our own. Here the whole Church prays and celebrates; here we deal Praising with the interests and needs of the whole Church. Our Christian life opens up in First, one praises, glorifies, blesses God. time and space. This broader, catholic But one can bless God only if one loves aspect of the mass is served also by the life, loves the creator, and even loves one's feasts of the saints, when we realize our sol­ utter dependence on the creator-which idarity with the great figures of our is not easy, especially when beset with Christian past and also the great multitude troubles. To acknowledge the greatness of Christians in the celebration of the and goodness of God, and at the same time to make the basic sacrifice of one's life in eucharist. these occasions requires quite a bit of spir­ Longing itual strength. The basic attitude of active participation Thanking in the mass demands also that we take the dimension of The same can be said about thanksgiving. threefold salvation historical pre­ Each person ought to bring to the mass all the liturgical signs and symbols (past, of that has happened during the course of his sent, future) seriously. The divine action or her own salvation history. One's private the past becomes present in the present life, family, and nation all have their own time, so that we may here and now enjoy salvation history in which God leads, it; and it points also to the future, where often on crooked paths, but always with we long to go. We ought to include this fatherly care. Having made such an histor­ longing in the mass, just as the early ical recollection of one's past life, one Christians did when they insistently asked would be able to discover God's marvel­ for the coming of the Lord in their accla­ lous deeds. Everything that happens in the mation: Maranatha! "Come Lord Jesus!" spiritual life-the events of the past day or week, its sorrows and joys--one ought to Begging bring into the mass and give thanks for In the eucharist there is place also for the them all. begging attitude of the Christian faithful,

Volume 33 • Number 162 • 141 Celebrating and Savouring • Eucharistic Prayer: Summit of the Summit

especially when we feel the weakness of is clearly in opposition to that Jansenist the-ereatmely and sinful self. We realize opinion, according-to whieh eFtly--t:h€ truly that we are unable to stand on our feet holy people may receive communion. alone and that we are unable to live with­ This is not the right Christian attitude. out the helping presence of God. The eucharist was given by the Lord to us Therefore, we beg and entreat God to be fallible sinners to give us strength for our with us on our pilgrim way in every daily life. moment. Conclusion Dining This is, therefore, the theological and spir­ The eucharistic celebration, the mass, is itual content of the eucharistic prayer and also a meal, an agape, a sacrificial meal, the eucharistic action. We find in it our full of sobriety and dignity. The symbolism entire Christian theology and spirituality. of meal here serves precisely to make us But we should not forget that the aware of our union of love with Christ and eucharistic prayer first of all is action, with one another, so that it may produce dynamic activity. If we pray it sincerely, if that unity, communion, koinonia, which is behind the words there is our whole life, the Church. In this joyful meal we may then this half-hour or hour-long celebra­ receive the bread of life every day. The tion truly would exhaust our spiritual primitive Church called this daily com­ energy. Yet, we find here the source of our munion "" because it was truly a Christian life and its summit; here we food for the journey of the pilgrims. This truly enter into the life of God. IIJ

Congratulations Archbishop Hayes

n Monday, June 19, 2000, Archbishop James Hayes was one of four recipi­ ents of the Liturgy Network's "Spirit and Truth" awards presented at the 0 opening of the Pastoral Liturgy Conference of the Center for Pastoral Liturgy, University of Notre Dame. This is the second year in which the Center has recognized Network members, nominated from within the Network, whose work stands as a testimony to those "unsung efforts" needed to bring worship to life. The citation accompanying the award reads: "For thirty-four years, Archbishop James Martin Hayes (emeritus) has nurtured the priestly action of the body of Christ in tireless collaboration with men and women of the local church and the Canadian church. He has taught us all across our land, and established a tradition for all who follow. It is [for] this work of shaping a priestly people ... that we nominate him ... " wrote [the Canadian members of the Liturgy Network of the Center for Pastoral Liturgy, University of Notre Dame.] As parish priest, chancellor, bishop, and now hos­ pital chaplain, Archbishop Hayes has seen with a penetrating vision and the eyes of the heart the beauty and power of the liturgy to touch and to transform the people of God. Archbishop Hayes' credentials are impressive-a doctorate in Canon Law form the Angelicum, participation in Vatican Council II, mem­ ber of the Canadian Bishops committee in the Liturgy (with two terms as pres­ ident), Canada's representative to the Episcopal Board of ICEL, member of Societas Liturgica, the North American Academy of Liturgy, and our own Liturgy Network! He bears these distinctions with humility and grace.

142 • National Bulletin on Liturgy Sunday Celebrations of the Word: Some Reflections upon our Experience

Raymond J. Lahey

The Pastoral Situation Manitoba and British Columbia were also In some parts of Canada, the experience of below the national average of 16% in this Sunday celebrations of the word now regard. By far the greatest changes took spans a whole generation. Of course, that place in the west and in the territories, experience is not uniform across the coun­ with major change also on Prince Edward try. It has predominated in the rural areas Island (and probably Newfoundland also, rather than the urban centres; it is far although for there historical figures are not widespread, and has a longer history, in available). In the 1951-1996 period, the west, the east and the north, than it Saskatchewan, Alberta, and the Yukon has had in south-central Canada. While it all had population shifts from rural to is usually attributed to the shortage of urban areas of over 30%, for example. priests, this is not entirely true. Moreover, despite the population boom in that period, the rural populations of What has happened in Canada was the Saskatchewan and Manitoba (and likely convergence of the decline in the number Newfoundland also) actually decreased in of priests that began in the 1960s with the absolute terms, the first by over 200,000. 1 decline also of the small rural community. While churchgoers are at least generally These population shifts have had, and will aware of the decline in numbers of the likely continue to have, a great impact on clergy, and the overall growth of the pastoral planning. Yet they often go unrec­ Canadian population, few recognize the ognized. The sad fact is that while the degree to which urbanization has created rural communities have not disappeared, an additional problem. they have become much smaller and their population older. The cities, on the other To appreciate why there has been a grow­ hand, where populations are generally ing need for Sunday celebrations of the younger and more diverse in ethnic and word, it is worthwhile considering a few socio-economic terms, continue to make demographic facts. Overall there has been growing demands on the fewer Canadian a significant shift in Canada to the cities. clergy. In 1951, 62% of the population lived in cities; in 1996, that figure had increased to Regional distinctions often contribute to 78%. However, this was not an even differences of perception, even among movement across the country. It bypassed Canadian Catholics. In parts of the west, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick was lit­ the east, and the north, Sunday cele­ tle affected by it. Ontario, Quebec, brations of the word can be regarded as

In 1951 the rural population of Saskatchewan was 579,258; in 1996 it was only 363,059, a difference of 216,199. For the same years, the Manitoba figures are 336,931 and 313,835 respectively. Source: Statistics Canada.

Raymond Lahey is bishop of St. George's diocese in Newfoundland.

Volume 33 • Number 162 • 143 Celebrating and Savouring • Sunday Celebrations of the Word commonplace, normal and even tradi­ priesthood, at least with the current mod­ tional. In many areas of the country these els of priestly ministry and parish organiza­ are becoming a regular part of the lived tion. Community size, financial viability, experience of being a Catholic. On the and distances would remain major factors. other hand, people in south central Indeed, for many remote areas of Canada, Canada who have nothing in their experi­ Sundays without a priest are not a new ence that would allow them to appreciate phenomenon but an historical one. Long the real need for such celebrations can before the present generation of Sunday regard them as something novel, certainly celebrations of the word was conceived, uncalled for in a developed country like numerous Catholic communities in Canada, and even "un-Catholic." Some­ Canada celebrated the eucharist only times one even encounters just the oppo­ monthly or even quarterly. In the inter­ site reaction (although it too comes from a vals, they gathered on Sundays using their failure to appreciate the circumstances): a own forms of common prayer. practice that is clearly not ideal, but that can be justified in the north (because of a Recent Happenings genuine need that cannot be met other­ While this is by no means an entirely new wise) is imported into the south for rea­ situation, then, four things have changed. sons of convenience or perhaps just First, of course, the shortage of priests and because the "new" becomes attractive. the demographic decline of the rural Even a cursory reading of the raw statistics parish have led to a dramatic increase in indicates that in many smaller communi­ the frequency of Sunday worship when no ties Sunday liturgical celebrations without priest can be present. A crucial second fac­ a priest are likely to be a factor for some tor was that for the first time in its history time to come. Clearly in those areas most the universal Church effectively institu­ affected this constitutes a major pastoral tionalized this development. Several doc­ challenge that is not likely to disappear uments were central to this process. The quickly. The pace of urbanization shows practice seems first to have been given no signs of slowing; in some areas it may recognition in the liturgy constitution still be accelerating. (In this diocese, for of Vatican IJ.Z Three later documents­ example, the average rural community lost paragraph 3 7 of the instruction Inter 10% or more of its people between 1991 Oecumenici (1964),3 Canon 1248 of the and 1996 alone-before the full impact of Code of Canon Law ( 1983 )4 and the Direc­ the Newfoundland fishery crisis!) Further, tory of Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of the incidence of Sundays without the a Priest issued by the Congregation for eucharist in rural areas would probably Divine Worship in 1988---codified this outlast any resurgence in vocations to the recognition.5 Locally, various diocesan,

2 , 35. 4, said that bible services should be encouraged, including on Sundays and holydays. "They are particularly recommended when no priest is available; when this is the case a dea­ con or some other person authorized by the bishop is to preside over the celebration." Documents on the Liturgy 1963-1979: Conciliar, Papal and Curial Texts (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, n.d.), 35. 3 "In places without a priest and where none is available for the celebration of Mass on Sundays and holy­ days of obligation, a sacred celebration of the word of God with a or even a properly appointed layperson presiding, shall be arranged, at the discretion of the local ." Ibid., 329. This paragraph also included an outline of the order of celebration. 4 "§ 2. If it is impossible to assist at a eucharistic celebration, either because no sacred minister is avail­ able or for some other grave reason, the faithful are strongly recommended to take part in a liturgy of the word, if there be such in the parish church or some other sacred place, which is celebrated in accor­ dance with the provisions laid down by the diocesan bishop; or to spend an appropriate time in prayer, whether personally or as a family or, as occasion presents, in a group of families." This provision refers specifically to a Sunday or holyday of obligation; see Canon 1247. 5 Sunday Celebration of the Word and Hours (Ottawa: CCCB, 1995), pp. vi-xi.

144 • National Bulletin on liturgy Celebrating and Savouring • Sunday Celebrations of the Word regional and national initiatives imple~ (and supported by improved transporta­ mented these general provisions.6 A third tion), three relatively recent changes in consideration, related to the second, was Church discipline have had an important that the form of such Sunday worship has and positive pastoral effect on the Sunday taken on the fixed character of a liturgical worship of rural Canada. The first change celebration of the word; this was suggested was the mitigation of the eucharistic fast, by Vatican II, outlined in Inter Oecumenici, since this allowed the priest, in practical "strongly recommended" by Canon 1248, terms, to celebrate the Sunday eucharist and provided for in the Directory. Finally, in places much farther apart, and over a the ritual provision, confirmed by the longer time period.8 Secondly, the provi­ papal instruction Immensae caritatis of sions allowing for Sunday evening mass 1973,1 allowing the laity to distribute com­ and anticipated Sunday mass on Saturday munion in various circumstances apart evening, combined with the more exten­ from the celebration of mass, meant that sive concessions for bination and trination communion can take place in such cir­ that gave these provisions practical appli­ cumstances on a regular basis even when cation, had a similar, though perhaps an the eucharist is not celebrated. This has even greater, effect. 9 These first changes had the significant effect of making such allowed the more frequent and regular celebrations far more acceptable to parish­ provision of Sunday eucharist in smaller ioners, especially in light of the fact that communities. They were quickly followed the worshipping populations of the com­ by the institutionalization of Sunday wor­ munities in which they take place are ship without a priest. 10 This last change often older than average. promoted the common Sunday worship of the community when the eucharist could We now have had a relatively long-term be celebrated. Together all these changes experience of Sunday worship without a gave a different face to the liturgical cele­ priest in many parts of this country. bration of Sunday in larges areas of this Perhaps we also have at this point the country and underlined the centrality of opportunity to assess this experience more Sunday to Christian life. Even beyond fully, to examine the issues it raises, and to their implications for Sunday worship, understand better its implications for the they had the wider effect of maintaining Church in future years. and building up parish life in rural areas. Sunday celebrations of the word cannot Indeed, it is difficult to envisage just what be viewed in isolation. Taken together would have happened to the religious life

6 See John G. Hibbard, "Sunday Celebrations of the Word," National Bulletin on Liturgy 139; Winter, 1994, pp. 195-198. 7 Documents on the Liturgy, 2074-2081. 8 Pius XII, , January 6, 1953, and Sacram communionem, March 19, 1957. 9 Anticipated Sunday eucharist on Saturday evening occurred by means of an indult given in individual cases to specific countries. It is "rather uncommon and remains an exception to the general law accord­ ing to which the discipline of the Church stays unchanged; ever since the apostolic age the Church has regarded Sunday to be the Lord's Day." One of the reasons given for this concession, already in 1964, was "the regrettable shortage of clergy." La Civilta cattolica, ll5, 3 (1964) cited in Documents on the Liturgy, 3829, Rl. The general permission to bishops to allow bination and trination for genuine pas­ toral needs was given by Pastorale munus, November 30, 1963. See Documents on the Liturgy, 713. 10 In Canada, the first formal recognition of this seems to have been in the National Bulletin on Liturgy, no. 51 (November-December, 1975), pp. 310-311, where, in response to a question posed by a priest regard­ ing a remote community in his parish, the use in such circumstances of a bible service presided over by a sister was approved and encouraged, and an outline was provided. It was suggested, for harmony with the universal Church and for reasons of familiarity, that "it would seem best to have it follow the Mass as closely as possible," although it is made clear that "in no way should the leader try to imitate the eucharistic prayer." Six years later, a further National Bulletin was entirely devoted to this topic, with a full order of service. National Bulletin on Liturgy, no. 79 (May-June, 1981).

Volume 33 • Number 162 • 145 Celebrating and Savouring • Sunday Celebrations of the Word of many small Canadian communities had the most general is when they should take these changes not oc_curred. place and when should they not. Because of the enormous variety of situations the Gains answer to this question may not always be Even as we accept that Sunday liturgies clear-cut. For this reason, both the Code of celebrated when the eucharist cannot take Canon Law and the Directory recognize place are never the ideal, we must recog­ the clear and broad authority of the local nize their positive effects. One has to diocesan bishop to regulate this matter, acknowledge that they maintain and build and to decide in just what circumstances up the community as the body of Christ Sunday celebrations without a priest and that they encourage the development should take place.u However the opera­ of the co-responsibility of the laity for the tive principle is both simple and very things of the Church. They contribute to clear: Sunday celebrations of the word the formation of the laity, and to their can, and should, take place in any case active participation in a variety of min­ where for a group of the faithful "partici­ istries and services, some of which go pation in the celebration of the Eucharist beyond the Sunday assembly. They enrich is impossible" (Canon 1248 §2). 12 As the the prayer life of the community, and they Directory points out, and as the Holy bring to the gathered assembly the pres­ Father's more recent letter on the Lord's ence of Christ speaking through the word. Day eloquently re-states, "the Sunday cel­ In fact, by gathering to hear and reflect ebration of the Lord's Day and his upon the same word of God that is pro­ Eucharist is at the heart of the Church's claimed universally, the community life." 13 The Sunday celebration of the word renews its own communion in Christ, is is never an alternative, in any real sense of connected to the larger parish and dioce­ that word, to the Sunday eucharist. The san community, and is united to the former should take place only in circum­ Church throughout the world. Even more stances where for good reasons the to the point, a community unable to cele­ eucharist cannot be celebrated, thus ren­ brate the eucharist is still enabled, as part dering impossible the participation of the of the body of the risen Christ, to gather in faithful. Because particular situations can the Spirit to offer its own Sunday worship be very complex, the Church regards the and praise to God. bishop's judgment in this matter as both 14 Questions necessary and decisive. However while the principle here is quite Assessing the simple and straightforward, the reasons Community's Need that might give rise to the bishop's judg­ Of the questions that arise with regard to ment that such a situation genuinely exists Sunday celebrations of the word perhaps can cover a wide range of circumstances.

11 See Canon 1248 §2; Directory, 24. 12 See also Directory, 2-7, 18. 13 Dies domini, 32; see also Directory, 1, 18, and 25. The Holy Father says that Sunday celebrations of the word should take place "in situations where the Eucharist cannot be celebrated_" Dies domini, no.53. 14 Without here entering into what must needs be a prolonged discussion on the obligation of Catholics "to participate in the Mass" on Sundays and holydays, it must be noted that the matter of the Sunday obligation and that of the bishop's decision to provide Sunday celebrations where the eucharist cannot be celebrated, although related to one another, are distinct issues. The Sunday obligation is personal, and binds unless individuals are excused from it by "serious reason or dispensed by their pastor_" (Traditional considerations have included illness, age, child-care, work, and distance.) On this matter see Canon 1247 and the Catechism of the (Ottawa, CCCB, 1994), nos. 2180 and 218L The bishop's decision to authorize Sunday celebrations of the word is to be made on the basis of a pastoral judgment that it is not possible, practically speaking, for a particular group or groups of the

146 • National Bulletin on Liturgy Celebrating and Savouring • Sunday Celebrations of the Word

The degree to which a community is iso­ where such celebrations can be warranted, lated is an obvious consideration, along even in the urban core. Prisons, hospitals, with the difficulty of transportation, and nursing homes, and senior citizens com­ economic considerations such as whether plexes are cases in point. If a significant people have their own vehicles and what group of people genuinely cannot get out are the costs involved. In Canada, weather to take part in the eucharist, and it is and road conditions (and sometimes even impossible for priests to celebrate Sunday the thickness of ice cover) can be real fac­ eucharist in these institutions, then the tors. So too can entirely different things circumstances for Sunday celebrations of like the general age and health of the the word would clearly seem to exist. The group in question. The physical impossi­ case for their approval in such instances bility of people being able to get to mass would not be diminished in the least by nearby is clearly a valid reason, as for the fact, for example, that they had mass example in the case of prisoners, the hos­ on a weekday, or by the fact that a com­ pitalized, and members of the armed forces munion minister brought communion on who must remain on base. Language Sundays to the individuals in such situa­ might also be a consideration in some cir­ tions. Even when there are other types of cumstances. So must be the temporary liturgical celebrations on weekdays, peo­ absence of the clergy because of illness, ple still have a right and a duty to take part vacation, or other good reasons. But in Sunday worship and to hear proclaimed almost none of these criteria is absolute, in their midst each Sunday the word of and usually they must be carefully weighed God that is proclaimed elsewhere. in combination with one another. What is Moreover, when communion is distrib­ called for here is a genuinely pastoral and uted apart from mass, it is the Church's prudent judgment that recognizes the real clear preference, especially on Sunday, situations where people cannot, in practi­ that the faithful be gathered in groups in cal terms, participate in the Sunday which they can be nurtured by the riches eucharist, while never detracting from the of the Sunday scriptures. Where possible, ideal that participation in the Sunday communion of the sick and others in sim­ eucharist is central to the life of the ilar circumstances will most fittingly take Catholic Church and its members. place within this contextY On the other hand, the indiscriminate use Urban Areas of Sunday celebrations of the word in situ­ It should be noted that while for obvious ations for which they are clearly not reasons the celebration of Sunday liturgies intended is a real disservice to the Church. of the word most often will be justified in Their use, for example, when a priest in an rural areas involving large distances and urban or suburban context is on holidays scattered populations, there are situations must be carefully considered. 16 In drawing

faithful to take part in the Sunday eucharist. (Directory, 24.) To cite an extreme but clear example, the bishop's decision to authorize the regular Sunday celebration of the word for the patients confined to a hospital is not of itself the removal of the Sunday obligation to participate in the eucharist for the per­ sonnel who work there, even if by virtue of their duties they were to take part in the Sunday celebration of the word. The fact that they must work a twelve-hour shift that prevents them from participating in any local mass, however, could clearly constitute matter for a "serious reason". At the same time the bishop's judgment that it is a practical impossibility for a group of the faithful to participate in the Sunday eucharist should afford the comfort of conscience some people need when they cannot realisti­ cally participate in the mass. Basically each of these matters must be treated on its own merits. 15 Directory, 19-20; see also Pastoral Care of the Sick: Rites of Anointing and Viaticum (Ottawa, CCCB, 1983 ), 72, 73, 78. 16 Obviously a whole different set of considerations would apply where, for a good reason, a number of priests in an area were absent from their parishes simultaneously.

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up a policy to address this situation, the Weekdays bishop will certainly want to examine a Whatever may be the considerations rela­ whole range of facts, such as the time tive to Sunday worship, nothing in the period involved, the possibility of clerical relevant documents justifies applying to supply, distance, transportation, the age, weekdays the liturgical provisions regard­ economic circumstances, mobility and ing the absence of a priest on Sunday. This language of the community, the availabil­ would be the case for urban and rural areas ity and times of mass elsewhere, and the equally. The Directory, for example, quite capacity of other churches to accommo­ clearly envisages only the situation of date larger numbers. But while all of these Sunday, where people would otherwise be factors may need to be taken into account deprived of the opportunity to celebrate and weighed carefully, the automatic use the Lord's Day liturgically. 17 The of Sunday celebrations of the word when a Directory's provisions for Sunday are based priest is absent from an urban parish would on the assumption of a real and serious hardly seem to be justified. need, not on convenience. Again it must be said that what is of paramount impor­ It is sometimes said that the parish com­ tance here is that the celebration of the munity should be kept together as a word is not presented, or does not come to Sunday worshipping community. This is be regarded, as an alternative to the clearly true, and obviously an important eucharist. On weekdays in urban areas, value, but it is rarely likely to be an daily mass is usually readily available in absolute. It must be weighed against the nearby parishes. If it is not, or if for any equally clear, and even more important, reason there is a need to provide a liturgi­ value of the centrality of the Sunday cal service on weekdays, morning or eucharist for the life of the Church. It cer­ evening prayer will always be fitting, tainly is far less than absolute when many whether the situation is urban or rural. members of the same parish may already Indeed, the daily parish liturgy of the be very mobile in their choice of masses. hours is fully appropriate even when the Given the current shortage of priests for eucharist is celebrated. supply, however, reciprocal arrangements among a cluster of parishes, with parish­ Communion ioners of a particular parish being formally A further general question often arising hosted and welcomed by a neighbouring from the more widespread use of Sunday parish while their own is unavoid­ celebrations of the word concerns the dis­ ably absent, may be a good solution in tribution of communion. Indeed, this has many situations. Ideally they would be been a matter of much debate. Neither the able to return the same hospitality during Liturgy Constitution of Vatican II nor the the absence of the priest from a neigh­ Code of Canon Law makes reference to bouring parish. With some real prepara­ communion, but only to liturgies of the tion, and provided that things like word. 18 The instruction Inter Oecumenici distance, transportation, language, and in 1964 outlined an order of service that space are not major problems, such clearly did not include communion. 19 arrangements can have the very positive Nevertheless, the Directory of 1988 effect of building communion and reduc­ encouraged it. 10 The Canadian ritual book ing unacceptable rivalries. makes provision for communion, while

17 Directory, 1-7. 18 Sacrosanctum Concilium, 35, 4. Canon 1248 § 2. 19 Documents on the liturgy, 329. 20 Directory, 20.

148 • National Bulletin on Liturgy Celebrating and Savouring • Sunday Celebrations of the Word rightly not including it as an essential part of the Church must evaluate over time­ of the service. Nevertheless, at least in to raise it in such a way as to challenge the places where Sunday celebrations of the deep and valid convictions of those in the word take place regularly, the sensus pews will certainly be unproductive. What fidelium seems to demand communion. may be more fruitful would be to seek to There are good reasons for this. First of all, deepen their understanding of eucharistic of course, communion provides a sense of communion. For in the truest sense there "familiarity," especially for the many older is never communion "outside mass" or Catholics who often form a significant "apart from mass." Indeed, this is recog­ portion of the congregation in rural areas. nized in the very decree approving the Second, it provides a link to the Catholic Church's document entitled Holy eucharistic tradition and to the Sunday Communion and the Worship of the Eucharist eucharist celebrated elsewhere throughout Outside MassY Unfortunately we simply the world. And finally, it comes from a lack other language. However ultimately strong sense that Catholics in areas where these commonly used terms are mislead­ the eucharist cannot be celebrated are no ing. Eucharistic communion is always and less deprived of communion through no inextricably linked to the eucharistic sac­ fault of their own than are their fellow rifice. Of course it is about receiving the Catholics confined to hospitals, nursing Lord Jesus Christ, but it is also about being homes and other similar situations. received by him, made one with him and being given a part in that great paschal Certainly, communion can be both a legit­ action by which he is raised from death to imate and proper component of such new life. Communion is about "": Sunday worship. If people question its the Holy Spirit has been invoked upon place, presumably they do so because of its those who share the sacramental body of effects on the long-term perception of the Lord to transform them into the one such services when communion is an inte­ body of Christ, and to bring them into gral part of them. In other words, will the communion with one another. Commu­ regular provision of communion as part of nion is about our communion with our the liturgies of the word-initially pro­ God; for even here on earth sacramental posed by the Council and by Canon Law communion brings us into the divine life without mention of communion-effec­ itself. Thus communion can never be sta­ tively create, over time, an alternative to tic or passive. It is always a participation in the Sunday eucharist? To ask this question the eucharistic sacrifice, in the pasch of is really to recognize the centrality of com­ our salvation, it is always another mighty munion to the Catholic tradition and to deed of God on our behalf, and it is always the Catholic psyche. In other words, is our own surrender to God and to others in communion being used to fabricate a Jesus Christ. To share communion is to novel kind of Catholicism that finds its enter into and to be linked to the celebra­ strength apart from the eucharist? tion of the eucharist. In that sense, the While to raise this question is clearly rea­ communion rite, whenever it takes place, sonable-indeed, it is something those is always the extension of the communion responsible for the sacramental discipline rite of the eucharist itself.

21 Eucharistiae Sacramentum ("Holy Communion and the Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass"), june 21, 1973. The second paragraph of the decree of approval reads: "The celebration of the eucharist in the sacrifice of the Mass is the true origin and purpose of the worship shown to the eucharist outside Mass. The principal reason for reserving the sacrament after Mass is to unite, through sacramental commu­ nion, the faithful unable to participate in the Mass, especially the sick and the aged, with Christ and the offering of his sacrifice." The Rites of the Catholic Church as Revised by Decree of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council and Published by the Authority of Pope Paul VI (2 vols.; New York, Pueblo, 1976), I, p. 453.

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It is notable that today many parishes forms, there is little danger of this. If any­ expiieitly ·· indieate in some fashion that thing, it seems that paFishioRers are able to ministers are taking communion to the make a very clear distinction between the sick and shut-ins to enable them to share two. Indeed, the most common complaint in the eucharistic sacrifice. The converse is that parishioners who feel less bound by of this is precisely the sense that must be the general precept to keep holy the Lord's developed when people participate in Day than by the legal obligation to take communion during a Sunday celebration part in the mass, do not attend Sunday of the word. They should understand that worship in their communities when the their act of communion is not just the eucharist is not celebrated. receiving of something, even something so important as the body of Christ, but it is Long Term Effects an action that links them to the table of If there is a problem in this regard today it the Lord and to the great saving action of may be that communities who over the Jesus Christ celebrated and made present long term can celebrate the eucharist only is encourag­ in the eucharist. Actually, it occasionally and for whom the Sunday ing to see that many communities who fre­ celebration of the word is the norm and quently have Sunday celebrations of the not the exception will come to view the word take real care when they celebrate of latter as "normal." A related difficulty may the eucharist to emphasize those elements have to do with the all-too-ready use of of the communion rite that most convey such services as an alternative to mass, its inherent connection to the eucharistic sometimes in circumstances far removed sacrifice: communion under both forms; a from those intended in the Church's doc­ proper celebration of the breaking of the uments.22 In a less than happy turn of bread; the use, as the Church prescribes, phrase, the Directory says at one point: "it only of the sacred species consecrated at be taught to that celebration. is imperative that the faithful see the substitutional character of these cel­ Awareness of the connection between ebrations."23 The context indicates, how­ communion at a Sunday celebration of ever, that it is precisely the opposite that the word and participation in the the Directory intends. It wants Catholics eucharistic action is clearly something to to know that such services, although they be fostered. So too is whatever creates a meet a real pastoral need in some circum­ yearning for the celebration of the Sunday stances, are never a substitute for the eucharist. In more general terms, it will be eucharist. Despite the best of catechesis, always helpful to emphasize the connec­ however, regular practice may give a dif­ tion between this celebration, this com­ ferent message. munity, and the Sunday eucharistic worship of the whole Church. Initially Sunday celebrations of the word can never some people feared that Sunday celebra­ be the ideal. Provided that major concerns tions of the word might come to be mis­ are adequately addressed, however, they taken for a eucharist with a lay presider. It should continue to fill a real pastoral need is true that there were occasional refer­ in a positive way. In Canada at least, the ences to "Sister's mass," and perhaps in the need for them is historical. In some areas early years prayers were sometimes used at least, it goes back for centuries, antedat­ that were difficult to distinguish from the ing the current priest shortage. To change eucharistic prayers of the missal. Today, that traditional situation would probably especially with the evolution of the ritual involve significant changes in the way

22 They "should not be regarded as the optimal solution to new difficulties nor as a surrender to mere con­ venience." Directory, 21. 23 Ibid.

150 • National Bulletin on Liturgy Celebrating and Savouring • Sunday Celebrations of the Word

priests are provided for small and isolated kind of natural unity, both social and rural communities, if not in the discipline religious, that it would be dangerous of the Church.H The absence of a priest to give up or to scatter. We under­ and the need for Sunday worship in that stand the sense of this very well and situation is nothing new to rural Canada. the advantages that can be gained for What is new is that the traditional need is the participants' exercise of responsi­ now being met in an untraditional way: by bility and the village's vitality. providing for the community's celebration Today's preference is for communi­ of Sunday using a liturgy other than the ties that keep their human dimen­ Sunday eucharist. In a relatively short sion, provided they have sufficient period Sunday celebrations of the word resources, are alive, and are not ghet­ have met with general acceptance, and tos. We therefore say to you: proceed they have been productive of real good. judiciously, but without multiplying But they are likely to be with us for some this type of Sunday assembly, as time to come, and because of that, what­ though it were the ideal solution and ever the good and valid reasons for them, the last chance! ... Furthermore, the the Church will have to consider their goal must always be celebration of long-term effects. the sacrifice of the mass, the only true actualization of the Lord's It is worthwhile here to reflect on some paschal mystery. 25 insightful remarks on this issue made to the bishops of central France by Pope Paul These same challenges seem destined to VI even as early as 1977: face the Church for some time to come. IIJ You are faced also with the issue of Sunday assemblies without a priest in rural areas. There the village forms a

24 Among those issues that would likely require attention are seminary formation, financial support, the matter of "part-time" priests, and the possibility of married clergy in certain situations. Sometimes it has been suggested that the encouragement of would meet the needs of such communities. This is not really so. Deacons of course, though ordained, would not be able to celebrate the eucharist. Nor is the role of the deacon really that of presiding over the parish and its liturgy. In fact Canon 517 §2 makes no distinction between a deacon and a layperson in terms of administering a parish in the absence of a priest. 25 March 26, 1977, Documents on the Liturgy, 3842.

Volume 33 • Number 162 • 151 - Wo_rshlp nf._t~be Eucharistic Mystery

Kenneth Pearce

ose generations of Roman Catholic celebration of eucharist, were concerned Christians raised on the ceremony of to return the celebration itself to its place -nbenediction of the as the central action in the life of the (as well as parishes currently "rediscover­ Church. Quite simply, every other activity ing" something of the same) often find it was to be seen as flowing from and leading difficult to understand why the Second to the celebration of the (Sunday) Vatican Council forbade this particular eucharist. In dealing with devotions, ritual. In fact, neither the Council nor the including those that were in fact eucharis­ subsequent documents that followed the tic at least in their intent, this centrality event did any such thing. What was called was to be clear and uppermost. The for, however, was a re-understanding of Council did not seek to end devotional this ritual-and indeed all aspects of practices, but called for are-understanding eucharistic devotion that took place out­ of their intent. And so it declared: side of the celebration of the eucharist Popular devotions of the Christian itself-along with a clearer vision of how people are to be highly endorsed ... these activities should look. Devotions proper to particular Churches also have a particular dig­ This discussion was given practical form nity . . . But these devotions should in Holy Communion and Worship of the be so fashioned that they harmonize Eucharist outside Mass, which was pub­ with the liturgical seasons, accord lished by the Congregation for Divine with the sacred liturgy, are in some Worship on the , way derived from it, and lead the (June 21) 1973. Although the document people to it, since, in fact the liturgy is now almost thirty years old, it remains by its very nature far surpasses any of the fundamental statement guiding all them (13). aspects of eucharistic devotion. It deserves not only a re-visitation, but in some This was to be the touchstone for the dis­ instances perhaps a simple discovery, as it cussion and documentation that followed remains one of the more overlooked, let the Council. alone misunderstood, of the post-Con­ ciliar instructions. Eucharisticum Mysterium (1967) On May 25, 1967, the first instruction touching the matter of eucharistic devo­ Background tion was issued by the Sacred Congrega­ tion of Rites. Its stated purpose was to Constitution on the Sacred fulfill a need "to draw out practical norms" Liturgy (1963) from the teaching of the various docu­ The bishops of the Council, during their ments so far published "in order to indi­ deliberations on liturgy, specifically on the cate what the relationship of the Christian

Kenneth Pearce is a priest of the archdiocese of Toronto and currently edits the Liturgical Calendar for the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

152 • National Bulletin on liturgy - Celebrating and Savouring • Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery people toward this mystery should be so Bugnini regarded this 1967 instruction as that they may achieve that understanding fundamental; any discussion of the subse­ and holiness which the Council set before quent 1973 document will properly take it the Church as an ideal" (2). into consideration. The legislation and principles that were stated (or re-stated) Archbishop Annibale Bugnini was an had already been hashed out with architect of the liturgical reform. His in 1973 reflections on that reform, published in some care and deliberation back in 1967. 1983 (translated and published in English The 1973 document fleshed out the 1967 in 1990) 1 provide a context for this instruction and gave it ritual content by particular (and just about every other) actually providing texts for some of the document. He insists that Eucharisticum rites. mysterium be read with Pope Paul VI's encyclical Mysterium fidei (September 3, Holy Communion and Worship 1965). Bugnini points out that this sort of of the Eucharist outside Mass instruction would usually follow an (1973) encyclical, thereby translating the doctri­ In 1973 the Congregation for Divine nal principles into particular norms. In Worship set about to "bring together and this case, however, the two documents update all the extensive material dealing were independent in their genesis, though with the Eucharist" that had so far been the writers of the instruction did take the published.3 Although it contained noth­ encyclical into account. He does note, ing new from the doctrinal and pastoral however, that the instruction was to be viewpoint, Holy Communion and Warship understood as the basic document on the of the Eucharist outside Mass was a synthe­ regulation of the worship of the eucharist. sis of material already published and the It was meant to be a practical document, legislation already in force. As its name not attempt to re-discover or re­ and did clearly indicates it regulated the rites of state all of the theological points that had communion outside mass and the forms of been developed in Paul VI's encyclical or eucharistic worship. in already published documents.1 It was new in one area: this was the first One basic and unifying principle was time that a formal rite had been published clearly stated in the instruction: "The cel­ for the reception of communion outside ebration of the eucharist in the sacrifice of to this time the ritual had simply the Mass is truly the origin and the pur­ mass. Up rite from pose of the worship that is shown to the taken the people's communion eucharist outside Mass" (3e). the Tridentine missal and added a con­ cluding prayer (as at benediction) and It was this principle in paragraph 3e that blessing. guided the entire text of the document. It provided the underlying sense of the mat­ The various forms of worship outside mass ters that were the subject of legislation, were set out: exposition of the holy including that of the simple enough sen­ eucharist, eucharistic , and tence in paragraph 66 that seems to have eucharistic congresses. It is paragraphs started much of the difficulty: "Exposition 79-108 of the 1973 document (those deal­ merely for the purpose of giving benedic­ ing with exposition and processions) that tion after Mass is prohibited." are of concern in this article.

1 Annibale Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy 1948--1975 (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1990). 2 Ibid., 848--858. 3 Ibid., 661.

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One basic principle guides the Church's time shifts, there is something to be gained appn:mch to eucharistic devotion: by looking atthe 1967 instruction,jf only The first and original purpose of to take advantage of some of Archbishop reserving the sacred species is the Bugnini's comments on the process that communion of the sick, especially in produced the document, and to note some the form of viaticum; secondary pur­ of the responses to questions raised and poses are the distribution of commu­ answered in the Notitiae commentaries. If nion to the faithful who have not nothing else, the background will flesh out been able to take part in the Mass, some of the terse prose of the final (1973) and adoration. 4 document. That sense is reflected in the general intro­ Prayer "in the Presence of duction to the 1973 document and guides the Blessed Sacrament" the legislation. Since "the celebration of the eucharist is the center of the entire Both the 1973 document and the 1967 Christian life" (1), the devotion that sur­ instruction deliberately avoid the use of rounds eucharist must mirror that fact. the term "visits to the blessed sacrament," Therefore: which had become a standard part of • There is to be no reservation of the Roman Catholic vocabulary. Prayer was sacrament in the tabernacle from the certainly to be encouraged since it "leads beginning of mass. (In other words to familiarity with Christ and to the open­ communion is always to be from bread ing of the person's heart to him. It also consecrated at this particular celebra­ leads the person to realize that the pres­ tion.) ence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament is • The eucharistic presence is to be seen the fruit of the sacrifice and leads to com­ as the fruit of the consecration. munion."7 Archbishop Bugnini points out • Churches are to be open for some time that while some of the commentators on each day so that people may pray in the the 1967 document saw the phrase "visit" presence of the blessed sacrament.5 as useful-since it was common currency and evoked a sense of pilgrimage-most The text continues with the matter of felt that it had too many other connota­ reservation in a pre-eminent, though ide­ tions, namely the idea of the "prisoner of ally separate 6 place, and with the signs of the tabernacle" and that of "showing an reverence (lamp and ) that mark the imprisoned Lord an act of courtesy." The place of reservation (9-11). Everything is phrase was dropped. This same approach to centre on the celebration of the eucharist was echoed in the 1973 document. and appear to be drawn from it; eucharist is to be the reason for devotion, and not Eucharistic Processions the other way around. It is that principle, The first feeling was that indoor eucharis­ once again, that drives the legislation and tic processions should be prohibited. The centres the document itself. 1967 instruction originally contained a A Closer Look at simple and explicit interdiction of proces­ Eucharisticum Mysterium sions inside the church. Processions were (1967) to be a matter only of public outdoor wit­ ness, celebration and externalized devo­ At the risk of involving readers in dizzying tion. Strictly speaking, as is clear in the

4 Ibid., 856; see also Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist outside Mass, 5. 5 See Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist outside Mass, 6-8. 6 For more on the place of reservation see pp. 171-181, 188--190 of this issue of the Bulletin. 7 Bugnini, 856.

154 • National Bulletin on Liturgy Celebrating and Savouring • Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery

1973 document, a is something (86). It is, however, no less explicit. The that implies movement through streets, practice of having a list of one or two peo­ involving a real march with the participa­ ple promising to "spend an hour" is clearly tion of the community, not simply an contrary to the public and solemn charac­ immobile congregation watching someone ter of the annual (and even of any less for­ else's movement. (The procession to the mal) exposition. place of reposition at the end of the Just to make this point even more plain, Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper, and one of the Notitiae responses 11 notes that the procession during the inauguration of there is a clear difference between a few the blessed sacrament chapel in the rite of people being present at exposition, on the Dedication of a Church and an are not, one hand, and a religious community in strictly speaking, processions, but transfer­ which daily adoration is part of the rule rals.) The text was eventually modified and whose members take it in turns to however, in consideration of those areas of spend periods of prayer before the sacra­ the world where religious display outside ment, on the other hand. (This was taken is forbidden by civil authority.8 of churches up in Eucharisticum mysterium, 90.) Exposition Solemn and prolonged exposition implies There was never intent to end the devo­ both serious celebration and the presence tional practice of exposition. There was, of the faithful in proper numbers. however, a very clear aim to reform the practice and to give it new direction. Exposition and Non-eucharistic Devotions The forty-hours devotion was not a casu­ Eucharistic devotions and other devotions alty of the Second Vatican Council. In are presented as two separate actions; they fact, it had been losing popularity for some are not to be intermingled, especially time. The 1967 instruction did, in fact, where the devotion in question has no rel­ suppress the "Clementine Instruction," evance to, for example, the liturgical sea­ which had mandated the form of the son. Exposition falls clearly under the annual devotion since 1731,9 as well as the heading of an activity of eucharistic devo­ provisions of the 1917 Code, which had tion. But what about other (non-liturgi­ made the devotion mandatory. Two cal) devotions that take place during aspects of the Clementine Instruction exposition? In other words, what does, made the forty-hours, as it was practised, normally, take place during the period of impossible under the 1967 instruction: exposition. Eucharisticum mysterium forbade celebra­ tion of mass in the presence of the exposed The 1967 instruction proposed the follow­ sacrament (83), and it raised the question ing rubric: "During the exposition every­ of exposition when there is an insufficient thing should be arranged that the faithful number of adorers. Bugnini put it baldly can devote themselves attentively in enough, "Protracted exposition that no prayer to Christ the Lord" (62). Bugnini one or only a few people attend is mean­ points out that the text, which now reads ingless."10 The instruction is gentler, say­ "Christo Domino vacent," originally read ing, "This kind of exposition, however, "unice vacent"; people were to "devote may take place ... only if suitable numbers themselves solely in prayer" to Christ the of the faithful are expected to be present" Lord. His commentary notes that "the

8 See Eucharisticum mysterium, 59. 9 For more information see heading "Forty-hours Devotion," p. 160 below. 10 Bugnini, 857. II Notitiae (Not) 4 (1968) 135, no 113.

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intention was to prevent the minds of the The regulations in general are not just a f<'!itbful frqm being drqwn to other things matter of simplificatiQn; th~y attempt to ---·- and therefore to ban prayers and songs in focus the rites connected with exposition honor of Our Lady (rosary) and saints dur­ on the celebration of eucharist; exposition ing the time of exposition."' 2 and mass are fundamentally one event. Exposition, whether brief or lengthy, must In the final revision, the "solely" disap­ always refer to the mass that provided its peared. Still, some commentaries argue possibility and beginning. that there should be no prayers (including the rosary) that are not strictly eucharistic It is already stated ( 83) that exposition during exposition. A Notitiae reply 13 does must be interrupted for the celebration of invite a more restrictive sense, opening mass (unless the celebration is in a truly the door for the "solely" back into the distinct area and exposition itself contin­ interpretation, if not into the text itself: ues with a sufficient number of people). Other devotions, although good and Now the ceremonies surrounding exposi­ commendable take the attention tion are also to refer back to the celebra­ away to a different object and should tion, to the way that mass is itself therefore be assigned to another celebrated: time, either before or after exposi­ • a single , tion and benediction of the blessed • only four or six candles (two for expo­ sacrament." sition with the ), • the presence of a priest (or deacon) for However, this was published before the the benediction itself (88), although final legislation. Bugnini points out quite other specific individuals may interrupt honestly that this interpretation is not in the exposition during the day (91), and the spirit of the final text, even if he per­ • the use of the altar table (94) for the sonally leaned toward the more restrictive exposition (although a throne is per­ reading. The 1973 document simply mitted provided it is not lofty or dis­ argues for the precedence of the liturgical tant) to keep clear the connection with season and that devotions be in harmony the sacrificial action. with the liturgy. The desired connection is made clear with A Closer Look at a simple phrase-all is to take place "as at mass" ( 85 )-and a summary statement: Holy Communion and This kind of exposition must clearly Worship of the Eucharist express the cult of the blessed sacra­ outside Mass (1973) ment in its relationship to the Mass. All this brings us to the matter of exposi­ The plan of the exposition should tion as it is presented in the 1973 docu­ carefully avoid anything which ment, Holy Communion and Worship of the might somehow obscure the princi­ Eucharist outside Mass. It begins with some pal desire of Christ in instituting the general regulations ( 84--85) that are in Eucharist, namely, to be with us as themselves informative, and then dis­ food, medicine, and comfort (82). cusses "lengthy" exposition (86--88) and The simplification of the ceremonies was what is termed exposition for a "brief not intended to lessen the reverence and period" (89), which would encompass the devotion surrounding the rite, but to traditional forms of the and make it clear that exposition is no more benediction, as well as any new forms. important or solemn than the celebration

12 Bugnini, 858. 13 Not 4 (1968) 133-34, no 110.

156 • National Bulletin on Liturgy Celebrating and Savouring • Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery that makes it possible. (If six candles are eucharistic devotion. Prior to the decree, good enough for mass, they are good benediction was simply an accepted and enough for exposition. Extra candles and widely used conclusion to almost any ser­ ornament, while attractive, can create a vice, from novenas to the rosary-­ false sense of focus.) and-benediction format that had become a staple of parish devotional life (Sunday Exposition flows out of and must be seen vespers having pretty well ceased to be cel­ to flow·out of a previous celebration. (In the section under processions, the note ebrated in parishes). suggests that "it is fitting that a eucharistic The 1958 decree patterned itself on the procession begin after the Mass in which theology expressed in Pope Pius XII's the host to be carried in the procession has (1947) encyclical . In raising been consecrated" [103].) In the case of benediction to the level of a proper litur­ extended exposition, the host is to be con­ gical action, the decree made three asser­ secrated in the mass that immediately pre­ tions: cedes, and the concluding rites of the mass • It is unlawful to mix liturgical functions omitted (94 ). The exposition thus takes and pious exercises, which are to pre­ on the character of an extended period of cede or follow the liturgical rite (12). prayer after communion in the spirit of the • hymns and prayers were not General Instruction of the Roman Missal, permitted at liturgical functions (13). 121. What is clear is that there is a con­ • The form of benediction was to be that nection being set up: Exposition flows out given in the Rituale Romanum under X, of celebration, and benediction will be its v, 5 (47). conclusion-a sort of concluding rite of the mass, delayed. Local differences could be tolerated if they were of "immemorial" custom and practice. Rite of Eucharistic Historically, benediction seems to have Exposition and Benediction developed out of the Corpus Christi pro­ Although the 1973 document deals with cession as a rite of conclusion (or an action lengthy exposition first (and it is the more repeated at various stations along a proces­ solemn that sets the standard for the sim­ sion route). Although accepted as a quasi­ pler), brief periods of exposition will likely independent service by the 16th and 17th be more common and will themselves centuries, the initial legislation was in fact have to be more generally known and quite restrictive. Nathan Mitchell suggests more widely celebrated, if any lengthy that its increasing popularity "reflected devotion is to be possible let alone prop­ popular but unofficial custom" and that erly understood. "officially, the Church has always insisted It would likely come as something of a sur­ that the norm of eucharistic devotion in prise to most to find out that benediction, the life of Christians is participation in that ceremony that was a standard part of Mass." 14 He also notes that there was a def­ the devotional life of Catholics prior to inite reluctance by the Church to approve the Council, was actually not accepted as the custom: on the one hand there were a "true liturgical function" until a 1958 the problems and excesses associated with decree of the Sacred Congregation of Jansenism, on the other hand was the Rites, a decree that was really more con­ desire to maintain the centrality of mass. cerned with sacred music and the possibil­ But in this case, popular devotion won ity of the than with out.

14 N. Mitchell, Cult and Controversy: The Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass (New York: Pueblo, 1982) 205-206.

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The form that found its way into the "Exposition which is held exclusively for 1614 Rituale Romanum simply made refer­ the giving of benediction is prohibited." ence to and took the format of the Corpus Benediction may still take place, but it is Christi procession as the rite for benedic­ now always a form of shorter exposition tion: and is to be arranged "in such a way that • exposition, the blessing with the eucharist is preceded • the singing of the "Tantum Ergo" {last by a suitable period for readings of the two verses of the "Pange Lingua"), word of God, songs, prayers, and sufficient • the versicle and response: "Panem de time for silent prayer" (89). caelo. .. " and "Omne declamentum ... ," • the of the feast of Corpus An "Official" Rite Christi, and for Benediction • the blessing with the sacrament by the A new (or rather an official) rite for bene­ priest. diction is provided in the document in All this was carried out in Latin (since this paragraphs 97-100. The implication is was a proper liturgical function) although that exposition has occurred some time there was often local variation in the before and songs, readings and prayer have details as (barely) tolerated by the 1958 taken place. The ritual then calls for: decree. Hymns and acclamations in the • a hymn or eucharistic song ("Tantum vernacular were permitted only before the Ergo" is neither mentioned nor speci­ service began or after the blessing, because fied) during which incense is used, the liturgical part of the action had ended. • an invitation to prayer, a period of (Such was the case with the "Divine silence and a presidential prayer (the Praises" and the final hymn-often "Holy opening prayer from the Solemnity of God, We Praise Thy Name"-which, the Body and Blood of the Lord or a because they were in the vernacular, were choice from six other options), never permitted until after the blessing • the action of blessing with the mon­ which closed the rite itself.) strance or ciborium (using the humeral veil), Benediction became a popular and • reposition of the sacrament, and increasingly complicated rite with, for • an optional hymn or acclamation by example, the ministry of deacon and sub­ the people. deacon, and provisions for a bishop to pre­ side at the ceremony without actually The current rite is distinguished from the being the one vested or giving the bless­ former by the option of a choice of hymn, ing. One indication of its popularity, and the absence of the versicle and response, an example of a rite starting to get out of and by an insistence upon a time of prayer balance, was the summer custom of bene­ before the actual benediction. (The diction (complete with singing, added "Divine Praises" were not prescribed in the candles and servers, and a complete former rite any more than they are men­ change in and ) following tioned in this one.) immediately-and sometimes by local Mitchell suggests that "the use of the diocesan decree-after a summer Sunday Divine Praises in the liturgy seems to have "" that had taken place without originated in the nineteenth century song and with minimal ceremony. among the prayers recited after Mass (the 15 The 1973 document seeks to remedy both "Leonine" prayers ). Their use at Benedic­ difficulties and abuses by legislating: tion appears to have developed gradually

15 The (originally placed by Pope Leo XIII at the end of all "low masses" for the intention of the the conversion of Russia) consisted of: three Hail Mary's, the Hail Holy Queen, the prayers that begin "0 God our refuge and our strength ... ,"and "St. Michael, the archangel, defend us in battle ... ," followed by three ejaculatory prayers to the Sacred Heart.

158 • National Bulletin on Liturgy Celebrating and Savouring • Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery around the end of the century." 16 They • To encourage a prayerful spirit, there were not a part of the rites given in any should be readings from scripture with a version of the Rituale (including the Latin or brief exhortations to develop version) and are not given in the current a better understanding of the eucharis­ ritual. Although they might take the place tic mystery. It is also desirable for the of the acclamation suggested as an option people to respond to the reading of the at the end of the rite or be included among word of God by singing and to spend the prayers during exposition, adding some periods of time in religious prayers after the blessing seems superfluous silence. and certainly goes against the "noble sim­ There is a genuine sensitivity to the need plicity" that is to mark liturgical rites. If for some series of activities to take place in indeed, the benediction comes at the end order to help focus the attention of those of a period of adoration that follows mass, gathered for the period of exposition. they seem as out of place as the Leonine Extensive or long periods of uninterrupted Prayers now suppressed. silence are simply not part of the mindset Benediction is presided over by a priest (or of this generation. deacon). An appointed lay person may Earlier on, we mentioned the discussion expose the sacrament and interrupt the that took place in the matter exposition as required, but the celebration of Marian devotions (including the rosary) taking of the rite belongs to the ordained minis­ place during exposition. Whatever the ter. Benediction is an extension of concerns around the 1967 document, this eucharist; its celebration is thus given over devotion to those who preside at eucharist (priest) is not excluded. There was a sim­ ilar discussion or formally preside at liturgy in the name around the celebration of of the Church (deacon). (specifically) evening prayer before the exposed sacrament. In the discussion one Again, benediction is seen by this docu­ particular point was made: "Benediction ment as the conclusion of a time of prayer, must not take on the appearance of being song, reading the word, and reflection. a conclusion to evening prayer." 17 The sug­ The 1967 instruction had prohibited gestion and solution offered was that exposition "merely for the purpose of giv­ evening prayer should take place first, ing benediction after Mass" (66) and the then exposition-with a period of silence, current document (197 3) prohibits expo­ though without readings and homily if sition "exclusively for the giving of bene­ these have taken place during evening diction" ( 89). Benediction is to be prayer-and benediction. celebrated as a rite that involves dignity, care, activity, and time. The 1973 document does not have the same limitation and indeed encourages Worship during Exposition the celebration of the liturgy of the hours and "especially the principal hours" during Paragraph 95 of Holy Communion and exposition since they "[direct] the prayers Worship of the Eucharist outside Mass offers of the Church to Christ and through him a guideline, if not exactly providing an to the Father in the name of the whole example or framework, for the time of world" (96). exposition: • During the exposition there should be A similar discussion took place regarding prayers, songs and readings to direct the preaching during exposition. The pre­ attention of the faithful to the worship Conciliar tradition (if not its actual legis­ of Christ the Lord. lation) was that during a veil was

16 Mitchell, 330. 17 Not4{1968)134,no111.

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to be placed in front of the . ing the night) and mass may not be cele­ When. the. question was raised after the brated during exposition. The only restric­ - 1967 instruction, the reply was clear tion mentioned regarding the lengthy enough: "Sermons in the presence of the period of exposition is the consent of the exposed blessed sacrament are forbid­ local Ordinary and the assurance that den."18 Thus, the custom of using a period "suitable numbers of the faithful of exposition (holy hour) as an occasion are expected to be present" (Holy Commu­ for presentations on general doctrinal nion and Worship of the Eucharist outside matters was to be excluded. In its place Mass, 86). (and therefore without a veil} there were to be short elucidations of the texts of the Forty-hours Devotion readings proclaimed during exposition that would lead "to a better understanding The custom of the forty hours began in of the eucharistic mystery." 19 Any preach­ 1527 Milan as a period of prayer in time of ing is to be integrated into and flow from war. The remote origins of the devotion the sense of the action. may possibly be traced to the medieval custom of keeping watch at a sepulchre Accordingly, while certainly giving pride constructed (much like a nativity scene) of place to the celebration of parts of the liturgy of the hours, there are few restric­ in churches for the last days of . tions put on what can, in fact, take place, A cross, and later in some places a conse­ other than a sensitivity to the liturgical crated host, was "buried" in the tomb after seasons and to the eucharistic character of the liturgy, remaining there the moment. The Notitiae reply, however, until Easter morning, when it was brought does offer one useful guideline: the rite of out. The devoted faithful would keep benediction should not appear as an add­ watch at this tomb through the "forty­ on to another liturgical event; it must hour" period. stand on its own. This was precisely the reasoning behind the prohibition of expo­ The Milanese devotion, later popularized sition merely for the giving of benediction. by St. Philip Neri in Rome (around 1550), What takes place during exposition is to and preached by the Jesuits as a time of lead to better reflection on the entire mys­ parish and personal reparation, was per­ tery of the eucharist. mitted as a devotion by Pope Pius IV in 1560. He linked it to the forty days of Lengthy Exposition Jesus' fast in the desert and omitted any Both the 1973 document and 1967 sense of the tomb watch. In 1731, Pope instruction recommend a yearly period of Clement XII issued regulations for Rome solemn exposition. (The earlier instruc­ (the "Clementine Instruction") that even­ tion actually mentions the "annual tually became the norm for the three-day solemn exposition" under a separate head­ annual exposition, and were made manda­ ing. The later document groups it with tory for parishes in the 191 7 Code of lengthy exposition, without singling out a Canon Law. In this incarnation, the yearly one for separate mention.) This is period of devotion has evolved from an not the traditional forty-hours devotion, occasion of reparation to an annual period since exposition may now be interrupted of formal reverence-an annual extended up to twice a day, something that was act of piety to the sacrament itself. excluded in the forty-hours devotion (although the exposition was customar­ The Clementine form of the devotion ily-though not everywhere-halted dur- took place over three days.

18 Not 4 (1968) 135, no112. 19 Ibid.

160 • National Bulletin on Liturgy Celebrating and Savouring • Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery

• Day One: opening mass followed by a Clementine form of the devotion in favour procession, the litany of the saints and of an encouraged, though unspecified, extended intercessory prayers; lengthy (annual) exposition. • Day Two: (for peace), an evening devotion (usually a holy hour Annual Exposition consisting of a sermon and benedic­

20 ).A. Jungmann, Pastoral Liturgy (New York: Herder and Herder, 1962) 238.

Volume 33 • Number 162 • 161 Celebrating and Savouring • Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery exposition. First, how are we to integrate simply reposed (as for any celebration of the liturgical seasons into the time of mass that will take place in the same area) exposition or, indeed, celebrate major and, after a suitable period, mass begins. feasts that might appear in the calendar at the time? Is it proper, or does it in fact Perpetual Adoration become necessary, to make an extended Continual exposition of the blessed sacra­ exposition into a two- or three-day cele­ ment is not something that is considered bration of the Solemnity of the Body and by either of the two documents, except in Blood of the Lord? Second, how are other regard to that form of "perpetual eucharis­ celebrations of the mass to be integrated tic adoration or adoration over extended into the exposition? The guidelines make periods of time" as it is practised by certain it clear that each period of exposition is to religious communities or groups (Holy follow each particular celebration, but Communion and Worship of the Eucharist what seems to be the ultimate result is that outside Mass, 90). The practice as it is cur­ rather than a period of extended exposi­ rently taking place in certain churches is tion there will be a whole series of shorter unknown, and frankly not envisaged, by periods stacked together. This seems to be the 1973 legislation. true especially of the closing liturgy when that liturgy is mass. Perhaps this is simply Some general direction, however, may be inevitable. offered in a 1971 Notitiae reply.z' The ques­ tion concerned the use of glass as a mater­ A similar consideration is faced by com­ ial for tabernacle construction. The 1917 munities in which "first Fridays" (or other Code forbade the use of glass as a con­ days) are a time of extended (all day) struction material. Current legislation exposition that begins with a morning (or speaks of a tabernacle that is solid, opaque, noon) mass thai: is concluded with bene­ immovable and unbreakable (Holy diction, and is then followed immediately Communion and Worship of the Eucharist by another (evening) mass. As in the clos­ outside Mass, 10; Canon 938, 3 ). Medieval ing ceremonies of the American model, custom saw the use of "sacrament houses," the day becomes a matter of mass-exposi­ which had glass windows or open grille or tion-mass, with little expression of the grate work that permitted the sacrament separateness of the events. (Moreover, to be seen at all times. This custom was there is often the additional difficulty of a eventually excluded. lengthy exposition with no activity other than private prayer, a matter to be consid­ The Notitiae reply makes three points: ered later.) Perhaps the simplest sugges­ 1. Referring to the legislation that even­ tion is that the two events, benediction tually forbade the use of glass or grat­ and a second eucharist, be separated by a ing, the reply notes that such material sufficient (and indeed lengthy) period of "would give the impression of having a time to indicate that there are two sepa­ kind of permanent exposition of the rate events here. Benediction is not to be blessed sacrament in the church and the mere closing of another rite, but it is that is unacceptable." not to be the beginning (indeed the open­ 2. Since mass before the exposed sacra­ ing rite) of another eucharist either. A sec­ ment is forbidden, "the difficulties ond option, one not envisaged by the indicated in the Instruction would not current legislation, though not excluded, be avoided if the celebration of Mass is simply that when exposition that takes were to take place in proximity to a place with another mass following, bene­ tabernacle of glass." diction not be included. The sacrament is 3. Finally, since the purpose of exposition

21 Not 7 (1971) 414--415.

162 • National Bulletin on Liturgy Celebrating and Savouring • Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery

is to lead to devotion and prayer, "if Lord" as envisaged by the document (Holy the sacrament were exposed continu­ Communion and Worship of the Eucharist ously, there would be a lessening of the outside Mass, 95). While silence and value of these occasions as reminders reflection are certainly part of exposition of their proper place in the spiritual prayer, the limitations of the community life and of their character as high have to be considered and respected. Are points for reflection on the eucharist." people today capable of long periods of The problem is not in glass as a material, unsupported, sustained reflection? Per­ since it can in fact be suitably secure, but haps, in the beginning, events (however in the possible effect of its use. (Tamper brief) may have to be scheduled hourly, to proof glass is acceptable if a veil is used.) provide material for personal reflection. Continual exposition, by its character of Expressing Adoration constant celebration, minimizes what is to be something particularly significant; con­ Although there is clear mention of "peri­ stant exposition tends to minimize its ods of time in religious silence" the docu­ importance. ment certainly intends that there be activity during the times of exposition. In A further difficulty is simply that the legis­ fact, these activities are placed under the lation sees exposition as always involving heading of "adoration" in paragraphs 95 significant numbers of people. The special and 96. It would seem that these activities permission given to religious communities are the way to "take it in tum" during exposition itself that adoration is expressed. Readings from points to the unacceptability of one or two scripture and exhortations individuals as all who are present at expo­ will develop a sense of what is taking sition. place. In other words, any period of expo­ sition (including perpetual) has to be the Perpetual adoration (having someone in scene of formal prayer and activity, of the church) is not the same as perpetual response in sacred song, not simply of pri­ exposition-a practice that certainly has vate and silent devotion. to be approached carefully in light of the character of significance encouraged as Liturgy of the Hours part of every period of exposition. during Exposition However, in places where perpetual expo­ We have already looked at the discussion sition is permitted to take place (and the around devotions that were deemed to be legislation does note that the permission acceptable during exposition; the rosary of the Ordinary is what is required for such was included. It is, however, not men­ an undertaking-as, indeed for any tioned in the 1973 document. What is sin­ lengthy exposition [86])---care must at gled out (and, again, there was a discussion least be taken to provide a sufficient num­ about this that was noted earlier) is parts ber of the faithful (86) and to make cer­ of the liturgy of the hours. By their very tain that any celebration of mass is not in nature, the hours extend "the praise and conflict with the exposition. This would, thanksgiving offered to God in the again, mean the interruption of exposition eucharistic celebration to the several for the celebration or, if the adoration is hours of the day" and direct "the prayers of taking place in a separate chapel, that suf­ the Church to Christ and through him to ficient numbers remain there during mass. the Father in the name of the whole The other matter that needs to be world" (96). By the simple format of their addressed during any lengthy form of celebration, the liturgy of the hours keeps exposition is the provision of "prayers, adoration within the wider context of the songs, and readings to direct the attention prayer of the whole Church, not simply of of the faithful to the worship of Christ the that of an individual.

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Organized prayer during extended exposi­ anticipated: remains Advent until tion could well begin with the celebration Christmas, and thechoice.ofreadings and of the hours, especially with the more songs will reflect the current season as well important events of morning and evening as the change to a new one. Mention of prayer. This should not be a particular bur­ the celebration of a particular saint is den, even a financial one. Basic forms of appropriate on a proper feast or memorial, this prayer are found in the Catlwlic Book but must not be a constant factor in devo­ of Worship,Z 2 and one-volume versions are tions during exposition. (This would be available that reflect the whole year particularly true of novena devotions and (including those in shorter forms). Only prayers to particular saints, which seem the leader and reader need to be briefed on out of place during exposition. Novena and have available the actual prayers devotions are no more acceptable during attached to the liturgical day. To begin, a exposition than they are during mass.) community might find it useful to begin Finally the sense of"noble simplicity" that with a "votive" office (see General is the characteristic of the Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours, 245), should be apparent. We do not multiply such as that from the Solemnity of the prayers nor add what are essentially per­ Body and Blood of the Lord, to acquaint sonal devotions to the public celebration. itself with the format of the office. The One simple example of faulty respect for leader and reader will change the readings the tradition of simplicity is the tendency and intercessions appropriately until some for devotion to outstrip liturgy, at least in level of understanding has been reached length. Some communities have devel­ by all. Then the psalms could follow their oped the tradition of reciting the rosary proper order and cycles. after (or before) daily mass. But what hap­ The presider at these hours need not be a pens when the recitation starts to accumu­ priest or deacon (although it would be late more and more individual and improper for a priest or deacon to merely personal prayers? when the prayers after attend without presiding); lay people are mass stan to take longer than the mass encouraged to lead the hours (in church as itself? when the Leonine prayers return? well as at home). Prayers and prayer services that take place during periods of exposition are reflective Other forms of prayer (novenas and prayer of and guided by the public, liturgical cycles) are not mentioned in the docu­ prayer life of the Church. They cannot be ment, which suggests that they should be allowed to simply "happen" without any used sparingly, if at all. Any devotion that respect for the Church's tradition and leg­ takes place during exposition must take islation, or without direction from an edu­ into account the liturgical season, be in cated and sensitive parish pastoral staff. harmony with the spirit of the liturgy, and The forms of celebration offered by the both draw its inspiration from the liturgy liturgy of the hours (including the shorter and lead people back to it (Holy Com­ day hours and the longer Office of munion and Worship of the Eucharist outside Readings) offer not only options for cele­ Mass, 79). bration, but standards against which cele­ On a practical level, while devotions are brations can and should be measured. not excluded, they must reflect the char­ acter of proper liturgy. For example, they What is Adoration? must respect the liturgical season: Referring back to the 1967 instruction, "" is not sung during the season of the introduction to Holy Communion and ; the choice of songs and hymns will Worship of the Eucharist outside Mass take this into account. Seasons are not (1973) notes that no one may doubt "that

2Z See also National Bulletin on Uturgy #!58 "We Shall Proclaim Your Praise."

164 • National Bulletin on liturgy Celebrating and Savouring • Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery all the faithful show this holy sacrament the Church and explained; then in the veneration and adoration which is due the person of the minister; finally, to God himself, as has always been cus­ and above all, in the eucharistic tomary in the Catholic Church" (3). sacrament. In a way that is com­ There is, however, even in the paragraphs pletely unique ... (Holy Communion under adoration (95 and 96), no definition and Worship of the Eucharist outside of what is actually meant by adoration. Mass, 6). Even in his encyclical, Pope Paul VI sim­ Worship, whether private or communal, at ply notes that the Church "has always home or in church, in the blessed sacra­ offered and still offers the worship of /atria ment chapel or before the exposed sacra­ to the sacrament of the eucharist, not only ment, is the recognition of the presence of during Mass, but also outside it" God. (Mysteriumfidei, 56). That we worship and adore the eucharist is taken for granted; Private Prayer at what that means is expressed more under Exposition the category of how this is done than by giving a definition of what this means. The community gathered in prayer during periods of exposition is invited not only to The encyclical makes use of the word participate in the prayers and exercises "/atria" to describe the veneration given to that are to be part of the period of exposi­ the eucharist. Latria is the worship that is tion, but also to spend time in silent prayer given to God alone. It is the recognition (89) and religious silence (95). But these that God is present here; it is the essence moments of gathering can also provide a of adoration. Thus, the (secondary) rea­ framework for all personal and private son-secondary, after viaticum and the prayer of adoration, even outside the time giving of communion to the sick-for the of exposition. These times are meant for reservation of the eucharist is the adora­ reflection on the word of God that was tion of our Lord Jesus Christ who is pre­ read to the community, even for reflection sent in the sacrament (Holy Communion on the word as it was read at the mass that and Worship of the Eucharist outside Mass, preceded, or at least made possible, this 5). Exposition gives the community an time of exposition. These times of prayer opportunity "to acknowledge Christ's mar­ are meant to build the communion with vellous presence in the sacrament" (Holy the Lord that is the fruit of the celebration Communion and Worship of the Eucharist of the eucharist. outside Mass, 82) and by ritual gesture and personal prayer to worship and adore. In one of its more eloquent passages, the document lays out a regimen for private Adoration is the response of the Christian prayer before the sacrament: in the presence of God. As such, it can The same piety which moves the take place anywhere and at any time. faithful to When this takes place in church, there is attracts them to a deeper participa­ the added character of presence. When tion in the paschal mystery. It makes this takes place with the exposed sacra­ them respond gratefully to the gifts of ment, there is a particular aspect of Christ who by his humanity contin­ acknowledgement and celebration that is ues to pour divine life upon the peculiar to this form of worship. It is an members of his body. Living with avowal of the ways in which God is pre­ Christ the Lord, they achieve a close sent to us and Christ is present in his familiarity with him and in his pres­ Church: ence pour out their hearts for them­ First he is present in the very assem­ selves and for those dear to them; bly of the faithful gathered together they pray for peace and for the salva­ in his name; next he is present in his tion of the world. Offering their word, when the Scriptures are read in entire lives with Christ to the Father

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in the Holy Spirit, they draw from What will this involve and who will this wondrous exchange an increase do it? -- of faith, hope and love. Thus they 3. How long will the event be: an nourish the proper disposition to cel­ and evening, all ebrate the memorial of the Lord as evening, afternoon devoutly as possible and to receive day? a number of days? frequently the bread given to us by 4. Will this truly be a parish event-will the Father (80). it involve a sufficient number of peo­ It is that sense that is at the core of the ple to meet the requirement that reflective feeling of the document. numbers of people be present during exposition? Conclusion 5. What will be the participation of The rediscovery of forms of eucharistic readers, musicians, and other minis­ adoration is a phenomenon that is wel­ ters so that the event will have a sense comed by and is beginning to be cele­ of occasion? brated in more and more parishes. The 1973 document offered a framework for 6. What celebrations (liturgy of hours, that celebration when it was first pub­ holy hour, liturgies of the word) will lished, and it deserves to be acknowledged be scheduled during the time of the as the framework for celebration now. Far event? to eliminate benediction, from attempting Who will prepare them and ensure or to diminish exposition or other forms of that they meet a high standard? eucharistic adoration, it attempted to pro­ vide a wider context. If that context 7. How often will such celebrations take seemed limiting thirty years ago, surely place? now its truly expansive nature is more evi­ Is there a need to offer some sort of dent, as it invites a creative community to communal celebration at frequent find forms of celebration that will both intervals (hourly) at least for the first serve their needs and reflect the liturgical occasions of exposition? reality of the Church. Rather than looking to old forms, Holy Communion and Worship 8. What about celebrations of mass of the Eucharist outside Mass invites us to (those regularly scheduled through­ celebrate with the Church the mystery of out the year) during the time of expo­ the Lord's presence in a style that is sition? grounded firmly on authentic eucharistic devotion. 9. Will evening events have to include mass, i. e. will this be the only way to Discussion insure participation? (But does this Some questions for discussion for parishes not defeat the purpose of the event planning an event of eucharistic (adora­ itself?) tion) exposition. 10. Are there solemnities (feasts) that 1. What is the reason for this event? will have to be included in the event? Why now (why not before now)? How will the liturgical season be respected and celebrated? 2. What is the parish tradition regarding benediction, exposition, lengthy 11. How will the event be assessed and exposition? who will do it? Has such an event happened lately or ever before? 12. How will the assessment be used in Will a catechesis be necessary to the planning of future similar occa­ explain what is to take place? sions?

166 • National Bulletin on liturgy

------~------Celebrating and Savouring • Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery

Documentation Jungmann, Joseph A. Pastoral Liturgy. New York: Herder and Herder, 1962. Basic document: Mitchell, Nathan. Cult and Controversy: Congregation for Divine Worship. Holy The Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass. Communion and Worship of the Eucharist New York: Pueblo Publishing Company, outside Mass. June 21, 1973. 1982. Relevant documents: Reference Sacred Congregation of Rites. Eucharis~ Diocese of London, Liturgical Commission. ticum mysterium (Instruction: On the Guidelines for Eucharistic Adoration and Worship of the Eucharist). May 21, 1967. Exposition. 1999. Vatican Council II. Sacrosanctum concil~ An excellent example of local guidelines. ium (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy). National Bulletin on Liturgy #69 (Volume December 4, 1963. 12, May-June 1979). These documents as well as the Notitiae This issue of the Bulletin includes signifi­ replies are available in cant portions of the text of the 1973 Documents on the Liturgy 1963-19 79: Instruction and presents some of the same Conciliar, Papal and Curial Texts. themes visited here. It is not outdated. It Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical also provides texts from scripture suitable Press, 1982. for use during exposition or at short cele­ brations during exposition (although the Background. references will be out of date). Bugnini, Anibale. The Reform of the It also offers celebration outlines for ser­ Liturgy 1948-1975. Trans. by M.J. vices during exposition and a possible out­ O'Connell. Collegeville, Minnesota: The line of activities during a period of yearly Liturgical Press, 1990. celebration. IIJ

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PASTORAL MUSICIANS NBM President and CEO The NPM Board is seeking applications for the position of Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians. Successful candidates should be recognized administrators whose active and distinguished professional records include some combination of music, liturgy, and/or pastoral leadership in the arts, with competence in either finance or conven­ tion planning. Candidates must be Roman Catholic, either lay or clergy, able to own and live the mission of NPM. Successful candidates will share the membership's vision of inclusiveness, and be coalition builders aware and appreciative of the broad spectrum of musical abilities in the Catholic Church. Nominations and applications will be reviewed continu­ ously from this date forward and will be accepted until the position is filled. Contact: John A Romeri, NPM Search Committee, 509 Kingsbury Square W, St. Louis, MO 63112. Or: [email protected].

Volume 33 • Number 162 • 167 Outlines for Eucharistic·-·Exposi'fiori and Benediction as suggested by Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass. 93-1 00

Outline of the Rite of Eucharistic Exposition with Liturgy of the Word

INTRODUCTORY RITES Use either A orB. A: Song and Entrance of Minister(s) (during which the blessed sacrament is brought to the altar) B: Entrance of Minister(s) Greeting Opening Prayer Song (during which the blessed sacrament is brought to the altar)

PERIOD OF EXPOSITION Period of Silent Adoration Celebration of the Word of God [Song] First Reading Responsorial Psalm Second Reading Gospel Acclamation Gospel Homily Period of Silent Adoration

BENEDICTION Entrance of Minister Song [and lncensationt] Prayer Blessing with Monstrance or Ciborium

REPOSITION [with song or acclamation]

168 • National Bulletin on Liturgy Celebrating and Savouring • Outlines for Exposition and Benediction

Outline of Lengthy Eucharistic Exposition with Liturgies of the Word throughout the Day and Evening Prayer and/or Morning Prayer

MASS (which ends with the prayer after communion) [ENTHRONEMENT AND INCENSATION OF BLESSED SACRAMENTI PERIOD OF EXPOSITION Period of Silent Adoration

Celebration of the Word of God* Song First Reading Responsorial Psalm Second Reading Gospel Acclamation Gospel Homily

Period of Silent Adoration Celebration of Evening Prayer Invitation to Prayer Evening Hymn Evening Psalm Second Psalm Psalm or Canticle of Praise Word of God Homily Gospel Canticle Intercessions Lord's Prayer Concluding Prayer Blessing (without ) Period of Silent Adoration

BENEDICTION Entrance of Minister Song [and Incensationt] Prayer Blessing with Monstrance or Ciborium

REPOSITION [with song or acclamation]

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Celebrating and Savouring • Outlines for Exposition and Benediction

If it is impossible to begin the lengthy exposition with a community celebration of the eucharist, or if exposition ·has continued throughout the nigh~ crr··begins- befcrrB-it~i5 appro~ priate to celebrate morning prayer, the following may be inserted in the schedule at or after sunnse: Period of Silent Adoration Word of God Celebration of Homily Morning Prayer Gospel Canticle Invitation to Prayer Intercessions Morning Hymn Lord's Prayer Morning Psalm Concluding Prayer Second Psalm Blessing (without dismissal) Psalm or Canticle of Praise Period of Silent Adoration * Portion in shaded area should be inserted several times throughout the day using different songs, readings and responsorial psalms. t lncensation is always used if exposition is celebrated using the monstrance. It is optional when a dborium is used. [I]

Helpful Reading

Basic Documents Canadian Studies in Liturgy, Number 6 Second Vatican Council. Constitution on the "Pastoral Notes: Sunday Celebration of Sacred Uturgy. 1963. the Word and Hours." Ottawa: CCCB, Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship. 1995. De Sacra Communione et de Cultu Mysterii On the Worship of the Eucharistid Extra Missam "Holy Commu­ Eucharistic Mystery nion and Worship of the Eucharist out­ Mitchell, Nathan. Cult and Controversy: side Mass." 1973. The Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass. Sunday Celebration of the Word and Hours. New York: Pueblo, 1982. Ottawa: CCCB, 1995. National Bulletin on Uturgy, Vol. 12, #69 On the Celebration of the "Eucharistic Devotions" (May-June Eucharist 1979). Glendinning, Barry. Preparing the Eucharistic Congregation of Rites. Instruction Table. Ottawa: Navalis, 1996. Eucharisticum mysterium, on worship of Marra vee, William. The Popular Guide w the the eucharist, 1967. Mass. Washington, DC: Pastoral Press, Pope Paul VI. Encyclical Mysterium fidei on 1992. the doctrine and worship of the eucharist. Mazza, Enrico. The Eucharistic Prayers of 1965. the Roman Rite. Trans. Matthew J. National Bulletin on Uturgy, Vol. 30, #149 O'Connell. New York: Pueblo, 1986. "Litanies and " (Summer 1997), pp.98-102. Sunday Celebrations Diocese of London, Liturgical Commission. of the Word Guidelines for Eucharistic Adoration and National Bulletin on Uturgy, Vol. 27, #139 Exposition. 1999. "Sunday Celebrations of the Word" (Winter, 1994). On Architecture for Britz, Andrew and Zita Maier. Preparing Catholic Worship Sunday without the Eucharist. Ottawa: Our Place of Worship. Ottawa: CCCB, 1999. Navalis, 1996. [I]

170 • National Bulletin on Liturgy The Best Place for the Tabernacle

David Philippart

s locating the tabernacle in its own chapel canonical standing) are accused of being distinct from the main body of the church heretics: "You don't believe in the real pres­ I(and not in view of all at Mass), "shoving ence of Christ in the eucharist!" The peo­ Jesus aside"? Is having the tabernacle in the ple making these serious accusations often center of the sanctuary the authentic think their desire to see the tabernacle dur­ Roman Catholic tradition? Does having a ing Mass is guaranteed by liturgical law. separate chapel for the tabernacle lead peo­ ple away from belief in the real presence? Options and a Preference Should we put the tabernacle back behind What does the law say? Inter oecumenici, the altar to encourage faith in the eucharist the 1964 instruction on carrying out the and enable eucharistic devotions? Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (CSL), first gave options initiating a transition These issues arise frequently today, though from the prior common practice of locating rarely in such civil form. Usually they are the tabernacle on the high altar in parish not even asked as questions but hurled as churches: The tabernacle may go either on accusations by those objecting to the pro­ the main altar or on another altar, or in posed location of the tabernacle in a new or "another, special, and properly adorned renovated church building. (priests part of the church" (#95). Options were in good canonical standing), consultants necessary in order to address both existing and architects (who often are themselves church buildings and those still to be built. practicing Catholics likewise in good Two years later, the instruction Eucharisticum mysterium noted that the place for the tabernacle should be "suited to private prayer," and "therefore it is recommended that as far as possible, the tabernacle be placed in a chapel set apart from the main body of the church, especially in churches where there fre­ quently are marriages and funerals and in places that, because of their artistic or historical treasures, are visited by many people ... " (#53). Notice that this says "especially," not only. A preference among the options emerges.

Tabernacle in Chapel Holy Spirit Parish, Saskatoon, SK

David Philippart has a master's degree in liturgical studies and ten years of parish pastoral experience. He lectures widely about church architecture and art.

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The 1973 document Holy Communion and Psalm 147:12-20: "Praise the Lord, the Worship of the Eucharist Outside of Mass Jerusalem!" Another appropriate (HCWE) reiterates this preference, adding song may be sung. (80) that the respect due to the reserved sacra­ Further, the Rite of Dedication states: "If the ment and the adoration of the people "will chapel where the blessed sacrament is be achieved more easily if the [tabernacle's] reserved can be seen clearly by the congre­ chapel is separate from the body of the gation, the bishop immediately imparts the church" (#9). The 1975 General Instruction blessing of the Mass .... Otherwise the pro­ of the Roman Missal (GIRM) goes further: cession returns to the sanctuary by the "Every encouragement should be given to short route ... " (82). Lex orandi, lex cre­ the practice of eucharistic reservation in a dendi: The law of prayer is the law of belief. chapel suited to the faithful's private adora­ This part of the dedication, modeled after tion and prayer" (#276; another translation the closing rite of the Evening Mass of the of this passage is "It is highly recommended Lord's Supper to be celebrated each year that the holy eucharist be reserved in a hence in this new church, clearly indicates chapel ... ") Notice that it says "private that the liturgy inherently prefers a sepa­ adoration." It is assumed that public acts of rate blessed sacrament chapel. devotion to the eucharist outside of Mass will take place at the altar. Later Documents

Lex Orandi The United States Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy's 1978 statement Environment Most importantly, the revised Rite of and Art in Catholic Worship (EACW) sim­ Dedication of a Church and an Altar (1977) ply reiterated Roman legislation adding "A presumes that a new church will have a room or chapel specifically designed and blessed sacrament chapel. After commu­ separate from the major space is important nion, the chapel is inaugurated by the so that no confusion can take place bishop (see #79-82). Again, there is flexi­ between the celebration of the eucharist bility: The rubric allows that "if there is no and reservation. Active and static aspects inauguration" (#78) the Mass concludes of the same reality cannot claim the same with the blessing and dismissal. (There are human attention at the same time" (78). instances in which the eucharist might not This is a clumsy explanation, but clearly be reserved in a dedicated church build­ EACW did not invent the idea of a sepa­ ing-in a parish's "mission station," for rate tabernacle chapel. example.) This inauguration of the blessed sacrament chapel is no mere blessing of a In 1980, the Congregation for the Sacra­ tabernacle that is a few feet behind the ments and Divine Worship issued the altar: instruction Inaestimabile donum. Some have argued that paragraph 24 of this instruction When the prayer [after communion] supersedes and invalidates all that has is completed, the bishop returns to been quoted above. This is simply false. the altar, genuflects, and incenses the Inaestimabile donum itself states that it is blessed sacrament. Afterward, when "not a summary of everything already he has received the humeral veil, he stated by the Holy See in the documents takes the , which he covers with concerning the eucharist promulgated the veil itself. Then a procession is since the Second Vatican Council and still formed in which, preceded by the in force, particularly in the Missale cross-bearer and with lighted torches Romanum (GIRM), the ritual De Sacra and incense, the blessed sacrament is Communione et de Cultu Mysterii Eucharis­ carried through the main body of the tici Extra Missam [HCWE], and the instruc­ church to the chapel of reservation. tions Eucharisticum mysterium, Memoriale As the procession proceeds, the Domini, Immensae caritatis, and Uturgicae following antiphon is sung with instaurationes" (from the foreword).

172 • National Bulletin on Liturgy Celebrating and Savouring • The Best Place For the Tabernacle

Furthermore, concerning the placement of wrong. The actual dubium has nothing to the tabernacle, Irwestimabile donum simply do with the tabernacle. The accompanying paraphrases existing legislation. It says: commentary makes a tangential remark "The tabernacle in which the eucharist is about the tabernacle, which again is a para­ kept can be located on an altar or away phrase of existing legislation, expressing from it, in a spot in the church which is concern that "the tabernacle be placed on prominent, truly noble, and duly decorated, an altar or in a part of the church that is or in a chapel suitable for private prayer clearly visible, truly noble and duly and for adoration by the faithful" (24). So adorned." "Clearly visible" is a paraphrase GIRM, 276 is still in force, and thus "every of "conspicuous" and "prominent." encouragement" is still given to having a The blessed sacrament chapels of St. Louis separate chapel. Cathedral (Missouri), SS. Peter and Paul Nor does the 1983 Code of Canon Law con­ Cathedral (Indianapolis), Blessed Junipero tradict this. It simply reminds us that "the Serra Church (Camarillo, California) and tabernacle in which the most holy eucharist Santa Maria de la Paz Church (Santa Fe, is reserved should be placed in a part of the New Mexico)-just to name four-are church that is prominent, conspicuous, clearly visible because of their architecture, beautifully decorated, and suitable for and they are very distinct chapels. (They prayer" (#938.2; emphasis added). Nowhere are also "truly noble and duly adorned.") does the code say or even imply that the tabernacle must be visible from every part of The Lawful Ideal the room. Nor does it suggest that the taber­ The legislation is straightforward. It's based nacle be near the altar of sacrifice. on the traditional reasons for reserving the "Prominent" and "conspicuous" are not eucharist: first, for the communion of the here (or anywhere in the law) restricted to sick, especially the dying; and second, for mean "behind the altar." Canon 2 explicitly the adoration of the eucharist outside of states that "current liturgical norms retain Mass. (The ranking is deliberate; see their force unless a given liturgical norm is HCWE, 5.) It's also based on the liturgy's contrary to the canons of the Code." So inherent logic: At Mass, communion is again, GIRM, 276 is still in force. given not from tabernacle but from the sac­ rifice just enacted (see GIRM, 56h). The 1989 Ceremonial of Bishops (CB) states: "It is recommended that the tabernacle, in Does the law require, in a strict sense, that accordance with a very ancient tradition in every church must have a distinct chapel? cathedral churches, should be located in a No. In smaller or preconciliar buildings, a chapel separate from the main body of the distinct chapel may not be possible That's church" (49). True, this addresses the okay. But should we discourage establishing cathedral church, but three paragraphs ear­ such chapels when they are possible? Not if lier, CB, 46 states: "The cathedral church we want to obey the law. Especially in new should be a model for the other churches of constructions, why should we not aim for the diocese in its conformity to the direc­ the ideal? tives laid down in liturgical documents and This is not "arid liturgical rationalism" or books with regard to the arrangement and ivory-tower elitism. The long history and adornment of churches." tradition of reserving the blessed sacrament Some now quote the commentary written favors a separate chapel, and today there to accompany the responsum ad dubium remain sound theological and pastoral rea­ about "contempt for the eucharist," issued sons for continuing this tradition. The his­ in June 1999 by the Pontifical Council for tory of reserving the eucharist will have to the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, as be dealt with in another article, but here, proof that the tabernacle belongs in the let's look at why supporting the tradition of center of the sanctuary. But that too is a separate chapel is a good idea today.

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Pastoral Questions best served by respecting the internal, No hard data exists on what Roman poetic logic of the liturgy: The baptized go Catholics think about where the tabernacle up to God's altar and share in the fruits of should be. Most are trying hard to live the the sacrifice in which they are participat­ gospel in their daily lives and are willing to ing. Then, outside of Mass, they share com­ trust their pastors regarding the arrange­ munion with the sick and dying from, and ment of church furnishings. Those who adore Christ present in, the tabernacle-in come to the meetings about a new or reno­ its worthy chapel. vated church design are parishioners who People who have been to St. Peter's are excited about the project and parish­ Basilica never claim that the popes have ioners who are afraid that orthodox faith is shoved Jesus aside. Most visitors to St. going to be harmed by it. Both groups are Peter'~r any of the major churches of usually numerical minorities in the parish. Rome--don't even notice that the taber­ Thus claims that it is "the sense of the nacle is not near the altar, even though faithful" that the tabernacle belongs in the they visit the blessed sacrament chapel. center of the sanctuary are premature. They are not bothered in the least. The For the sake of discussion, though, let's overall environment and the solemn assume that 90 percent of the faithful enacting of the liturgy engage people. They would vote to put the tabernacle right encounter God and don't sweat the behind the altar. Does this make it a good arrangement of things. thing to do? Majority percentages also Parish churches are not all papal basilicas. might vote to limit Mass to 30 minutes, to But in their own ways, they too can provide conduct in the style of a talk show, a sense of the sacred, especially and maybe or to eliminate homilies altogether. (And even only if the liturgy is enacted there no matter what you think about the state of with beauty and with grace, nobly robed in preaching in the church today, you have to the best elements of the culture(s) of those admit that these would not be good things participating in it. No particular location of to do.) So "give the people what they want" the tabernacle will substitute for poor cele­ is no solution- even if we were ever to brations of the liturgy. Putting a tabernacle ascertain what they truly want. in full view from the pews belies a terrible More to the point: What is behind the misunderstanding if the building itself is upset of this minority over the tabernacle? not the most fitting place for liturgy that The underlying issue is quite important: It's the community can create. about locating the divine, finding God. Those who would focus the whole building Liturgical Questions around the tabernacle believe this serves And putting a tabernacle in full view of the best to express the divine presence. But the pews causes interesting problems. If the church building is not merely a tabernacle tabernacle is behind the altar, what do for the tabernacle. The building is, as his­ ministers do, after the eucharistic prayer, tory shows and Pope John Paul II recently when they pass between the tabernacle and stated in his 1999 Letter to Artists (#12), the altar? Do they genuflect to the taberna­ first of all a place for the celebration of the cle and then pirouette and genuflect to the sacred mysteries. The liturgy invites us to eucharist on the altar? Do they ignore encounter Christ in four active ways in the the eucharist on the altar! Ignore the liturgy: in the assembly of the baptized, in tabernacle? the person of the ordained minister, in the proclamation of the scriptures and in the Those claiming that the tabernacle belongs consecrated elements that are shared in in the sanctuary appeal to reverence for the holy communion (and only then reserved sacrament. But what's so reverent about in the tabernacle; see CSL, 7 and GIRM, 7; the priest and other ministers constantly see also Mysterium fidei, 39). And this is having their backs to the tabernacle when

174 • National Bulletin on Liturgy Celebrating and Savouring • The Best Place For the Tabernacle

they minister at ambo, chair or altar? What exposition is done here, it need not be are ministers signaling to the assembly interrupted. when they genuflect whenever they pass 3. It allows for the eucharist to be taken to the tabernacle and ignore the consecrated the dying at any moment of the day or altar of sacrifice, the focus of the liturgy? night without interrupting the celebra­ And outside of Mass, when the lone person tion of Mass or other rites. is in church, wouldn't it be an aid to prayer 4. At Mass, it encourages attentiveness to to be closer to the tabernacle? the altar of sacrifice, to the action of the liturgy, without showing disregard of the Benefits of a Chapel tabernacle. In architecture, space signifies importance: 5. Outside of Mass, it encourages intimacy The CEO gets the largest office with the and focus in adoration. You can kneel in best view; the public spaces of a building close proximity to the tabernacle. You are larger and more lavish than its store­ can prostrate yourself on the floor with­ rooms; a formal parlor gets better wood out feeling self-conscious. Isn't this bet­ trim, rugs and furniture than a rumpus ter than being 40 feet away from the room. Devoting an entire chapel to the tabernacle in a wide-open church that reservation of the eucharist is not "shoving seats 1000 people? (This has been Jesus aside." It is establishing in stone the parishioners' experience with the aus­ parish's love and reverence for this mode of tere and beautiful chapel at Most Holy Christ's presence And done right, it isn't Trinity parish in Saco, Maine, as well as cheap! A separate chapel dedicated solely the experience of retreatants at the new to the presence of Christ in the blessed spiritual life center in the diocese of sacrament makes a bold architectural and Wichita, Kansas, which has a chapel for financial statement: We make room for the celebration, and another, quite lovely things that we hold most dear. one for reservation.) 6. It allows for the proper celebration of A distinct blessed sacrament chapel in the the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper, parish church has any number of pastoral the beginning of the holiest days of the advantages: year. (How reverent is it to set up an 1. It accommodates the faithful's access to elaborate for the close of the blessed sacrament for prayer (see Holy Thursday only to have to take it canon 93 7). The rest of the building can apart at midnight and then remove the be secured, and entry to the chapel can blessed sacrament to the safe for be controlled (by locating an outside Good Friday and Holy Saturday?) door to the chapel near the office or by installing a keypad lock for which Practice and Belief parishioners can obtain the code, for But what about the 1992 Gallup poll that example) so that the safety of lone or claims that only 35 percent of Catholics off-hour worshipers is enhanced. Lights, believe in the real presence? Just as Trent heating and ventilation can also be used cemented the tabernacle to the high altar more efficiently and economically. (The in response to seventeenth-century doubts folks of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church about the nature of the reserved sacrament, in Carmel, Indiana, have 24-hour access shouldn't we be doing the same now? to their lovely chapel, and the keypad system is used by the folks at St. If this poll is true, we are in big trouble. Celestine in Elmwood Park, Illinois, for This is not to doubt the poll's technical their popular chapel.) accuracy-Gallup did it!-but did it truly 2. It allows for adoration (perpetual or measure the faith of Catholics? For most periodic) uninterrupted by funerals, people today, "real" means "empirically wedding rehearsals, choir practice, quantifiable." Electricity is real-1 can children's liturgies and so on. When measure it and I have to pay for it. Pizza is

Volume 33 • Number 162 • 175 Celebrating and Savouring • The Best Place For the Tabernacle real because it looks, smells, tastes and han­ The U.S. bishops themselves could seek an dles like pizza. This Gallup poll measured indult for a variance in practice. But this the fact that a majority of Catholics do not isn't going to solve anything. Having know that the word "real" has a technical claimed "the confusion of the faithful" as theological meaning. (I think that those the excuse for such action, real confusion who took the poll thought, "Hmmm ... will result as the majority of parishes-who after the consecration, it still looks like have tried to be faithful to liturgical law bread, tastes like wine, but I know it's and sound pastoral practice-will now Christ's body and blood; okay, it's not sci­ have to undo what they did and explain entifically skin and corpuscles, so, let's see one more time why furniture is being ... I'll say 'symbol."') Look at the people rearranged again, when what people really coming up in procession Sunday after want and need today are celebrations of the Sunday to eat Christ's body and drink liturgy that will enable them to live their Christ's blood! Tell me that they do not daily struggles to be faithful to Christ. believe! Tell them that they do not The problem is not with separate chapels believe! but rather with the poor chapels that are Contemporary European American, mid­ sometimes built, and even more so with the dle class culture is very informal. We wear half-hearted ways we continue to enact the shorts to church, we don't genuflect and rites. Rather than abandon the wisdom of bow much anymore, and we shuffle up to current liturgical law, let's embrace it and communion. Some even sit through the get it right! Let's build chapels for our eucharistic prayer and communion. This tabernacles that are stunning and evoca­ doesn't mean that we don't believe- it tive. (Sometimes it's as simple a solution as means that we need to be convinced that scale- make the chapel big enough! walking in procession, genuflecting before Always, it's a matter of money-we get a tabernacle and bowing to an altar are what we're willing to pay for.) Let's build important prayers of the body. We need places for celebration that are worthy and spiritual exercise! beautiful. When we do, people won't even be tempted to think that Jesus has been Where you place the tabernacle is not "shoved aside." Then in these places, let's going to make or break people's faith in the act accordingly. !IJ eucharist. How you celebrate the liturgy will! Whether or not you provide catech­ esis will! Rome could change liturgical law.

------Eucharistic ---- Chapel St. Augustine Church, Humboldt, SK (Windows are from the original 1912 church.)

Photos for this anicle are taken from Our Place of Worship, Copyright© Concacan Inc., 1999. All rights reserved.

176 • National Bulletin on Liturgy Encourage a Separate Chapel

Conrad Kraus

f a mother were to give "every encour­ ance company were to give "every encour­ agement" to her child with poor reading agement" for annual physical examina­ Iskills, would she offer the remote control tions, would it refuse to cover such exams for the television, or a book? If an insur- in its benefits?

A Suitable Chapel Every encouragement should be given to the practice of eucharistic reservation in a chapel suited to the faithful's private adoration and prayer. If this is impossible because of the structure of the church, the sacrament should be reserved at an altar or elsewhere, in keeping with local custom, and in a part of the church that is wor­ thy and properly adorned. General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 276

"Every encouragement" are the first two and certainly not preferred. One of the words of paragraph 275 of the General options is placing the tabernacle on an Instruction of the Roman Missal, in which is altar. But the instruction Eucharisticum found the liturgical law currently in force mysterium (#54) clearly instructs that about the location for the reservation of there should be one altar in the place of the blessed sacrament: "Every encourage­ worship, and that "as far as possible, the ment should be given to the practice of tabernacle should be placed in a chapel set eucharistic reservation in a chapel suited apart from the main body of the church. to the faithful's private prayer and adora­ location of the tion." Contrary to what some are claiming Such a preference for the today, this text is not superseded by the tabernacle, although it may offend the 1980 instruction Inaestimabile donum, the piety of some, logically follows from the 1983 Code of Canon Law, the Catechism of church's teaching about how Christ is pre­ the Catholic Church or any recent reponsum sent in the action of the liturgy. This ad dubium from the Pontifical Council for teaching is found in both the Constitution the Authentic Interpretation of Texts. on the Sacred Uturgy, (#7) and GIRM itself (also #7). Succinctly summarizing this One would suppose that if "every encour­ teaching, Eucharisticum mysterium makes to a practice, agement" were to be given another important point, indicated here then that practice is the ideal: Bishops, by the italics: pastors and architects should see that this is what is done; any contrary practice is In order to achieve a deeper under­ exceptional. GIRM 275 goes on to say, "If standing of the eucharistic mystery, this is impossible . . . " and then gives the faithful should be instructed in options. But these options are exceptions, the principal modes by which the

Conrad Kraus, a presbyter of the diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania, is the director of the Office of Warship in that diocese.

Volume 33 • Number 162 • 177 Celebrating and Savouring • Encourage a Separate Chapel

Lord is present to his church in litur­ that there is more than one way in which gical celebrations. Christ is present in the liturgy-and that He is always present in the assembly all of them are real! of the faithful gathered in his name The reservation of the sacrament is related (see Matthew 18.20). He is also pre­ to these four modes of Christ's presence: It sent in his word, for it is he who is is a fruit of the liturgy that endures after speaking as the sacred scriptures are the liturgy is ended, especially for the read in the church. nourishment of the sick and the dying. In the eucharistic sacrifice he is pre­ But the fact of Christ's presence "substan­ sent both in the person of the minis­ tially and continuously" in the reserved ter, "the same now offering through sacrament does not diminish the real pres­ the ministry of the priest who for­ ence of Christ in assembly, priest and merly offered himself on the cross," word, nor in the action of the liturgy, mak­ and above all under the eucharistic ing the sacrifice of thanks and praise over elements. For in that sacrament, in a the bread and the wine and then receiving unique way, Christ is present, whole back from God the body and blood of and entire, God and man, substan­ Christ. (Nor does the relationship tially and continuously. This presence between the celebration of the sacrament of Christ under the elements "is called and its reservation demand a linear spatial the real presence not to exclude the relationship between the altar and the other kinds, as if they were not real, but tabernacle. This is too literal. The rela­ because it is real par excellence. " tionship between altar and tabernacle can be signified by the choice of materials used This last sentence is a quote from Pope in their construction, for example.) Paul VI's encyclical Mysterium fidei. "In order to achieve a deeper understanding of A short tour of some of our more impor­ the eucharistic mystery, the faithful should tant buildings for liturgy teaches much be instructed ... " This is precisely why a about the best location for the tabernacle. separate chapel for the tabernacle is so One of the earliest basilica-style building strongly encouraged. It embodies con­ in Rome is Saint John Lateran, which is cretely a pride of place for adoration of the often called "the pope's cathedral" because reserved sacrament outside of Mass. And it is the cathedral of the bishop of Rome. it creates four focal points for the celebra­ It has been renovated, rebuilt (after hav­ tion of the liturgy. In a well-built post­ ing burned down by invading armies), and Vatican II church building, the members adjusted to fit the evolving demands of of the assembly see each other as well as liturgy since it was first constructed, some the priest and ministers at the altar. As the time between 311 and 314. The separate liturgy begins, they recognize Christ pre­ blessed sacrament chapel is befitting a sent in each other. The focus shifts to the cathedral church (see the Ceremonial of ordained minister at the chair, another Bishops, 49). Notice, though, its interest­ mode of Christ's presence. Then attention ing location-nearer the baptistry than is given to the word of God proclaimed the altar. from the ambo-another mode of Christ's Not long after the Lateran was built, in presence. Finally, attention is focused on the 380s, the basilica of Saint Paul outside the action at the altar and in the sharing the Walls was constructed. It completely of communion. burned down in 1823 but was rebuilt as it The current attempts to return the taber­ was prior to the fire. It's hard to tell how nacle to a place behind the altar could all of the spaces were originally used, stem from a lack of understanding of this which spaces might have been rebuilt basic Catholic teaching, necessitating from the fourth century and which are today the absolutely traditional reminder reconstructed additions made between the

178 • National Bulletin on liturgy Celebrating and Savouring • Encourage a Separate Chapel fourth and nineteenth centuries. But one not mean that parish churches should. Yet thing is clear: A separate blessed sacra­ in the "Church of the Year 2000," a parish ment chapel has been part of this basilica church designed by U.S. architect Richard since time immemorial. The same is true Meier for the diocese of Rome on direct of the basilica of Saint Mary Major which orders from Pope John Paul II, the taber­ was built in Rome between 432 and 440. nacle is not located in the main body of the church. It is in the daily Mass chapel. Finally, and perhaps ultimately, Saint Peter's Basilica contains a lovely The practice of placing the tabernacle in chapel for the reservation of the blessed the daily Mass chapel is common in sacrament. The basilica took about 160 European churches built since Vatican II, years to build, and it's important to realize following a suggestion by Cardinal that it was being worked on as the Council Giacomo Lercaro in a letter to the presi­ of Trent was articulating aspects of the dents of the national conferences of bish­ doctrine of the eucharist. In St. Peter's, ops on furthering the reform. The letter, there are no signs, no arrows, to tell visi­ called today "Le renouveau liturgique," is tors where the sacrament is reserved. Yet dated 30 June 1965. It was written in no one complains. Once visitors discover French and translated into six other lan­ this fitting chapel, they never need to ask guages. In it, Cardinal Lercaro, who was again. It is a favoured place of prayer in writing on behalf of the Consilium in this, perhaps the world's most famous charge of implementing the Constitution church. on the Sacred Liturgy, wrote: "Particularly We can spring forward to the twentieth in larger churches, a chapel set aside for century and to the United States, and look the reservation and adoration of the at a church building that is at the centre of eucharist is advisable and might well be both ecclesiastical and national life. The used for the eucharistic celebration during basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate the week, when there are fewer of the Conception in Washington, D.C., faithful participating" (see Documents on includes a wonderful blessed sacrament the Liturgy, 416). chapel on the left aisle, about half-way Cardinal Lercaro's suggestion never makes down the building. Information about it into any other documents about locating the history of this chapel indicates that it the tabernacle. Placing the tabernacle in was added by order of the National the daily Mass chapel does not do either Conference of Catholic Bishops. This the tabernacle or the altar for daily Mass chapel is a good example of being "suitably justice. It does not solve the problem of decorated" and noble. one overshadowing the other-it simply In the Shrine, as in the four major basili­ relocates it. The same architectural focus cas of Rome, there is no lack of devotion on the four modes of Christ's presence that to the blessed sacrament, and the architec­ is needed in the Sunday assembly is no less ture does not fail to embody a sound the­ needed Monday through Saturday. ology of eucharist in terms of reserving the So it is an odd situation today that groups sacrament. One would be hard-pressed to who otherwise claim fidelity to the law assume that the architects, the pastors or choose to ignore or explain away the clear parishioners of these places do not believe directives of the Holy See that every in the real presence. encouragement is to be given to establish­ Some will object that these five examples ing a separate chapel for the tabernacle. are not pertinent to parish practice. All National or diocesan documents that list five of these classic churches are places of exceptions, that automatically exempt pilgrimage, and one of them is a cathedral. older churches from wrestling with the So of course they should have separate issue, or that call for devices that close blessed sacrament chapels, but that does and open a niche to hide or reveal the

Volume 33 • Number 162 • 179 Celebrating and Savouring • Encourage a Separate Chapel tabernacle before or after Mass, seem to building of distinct chapels for reserving run counter to "every encouragement" the blessed sacrament. that bishops ought to be giving to the

The Presences of Christ In the celebration of the Mass the principal modes of Christ's presence to his church emerge clearly, one after the other: first he is seen to be present in the assembly of the faithful gathered in his name; then in his word, with the reading and explanation of scripture; also in the person of the minister, finally, in a singu­ lar way under the eucharistic elements. Consequently on the grounds of sign value, it is more in keeping with the nature of the celebration that, through reser­ vation of the sacrament in the tabernacle, Christ not be present eucharistically from the beginning on the altar where Mass is celebrated. That presence is the effect of the consecration and should appear as such. Eucharisticum mysterium (#54)

Proper Reverence The eucharist is reserved for the following purposes and in this order: viaticum to the dying, communion for the sick and for others absent from Mass, and adora­ tion of the "sacred species. Communion from the tabernacle during Mass is not foreseen in church documents, since consecration of hosts at each celebration is the norm. It is strongly recommended that the eucharist be reserved in a chapel, suited to private adoration and prayer, set apart from the main body of the church. A room specifically designed and separate from the major worship space will help avoid any confusion between the celebration of the eucharist and eucharistic reservation for the purposes listed above. Far from relegating the reserved eucharist to an unimportant place, a eucharistic chapel, if properly designed and appointed, gives it proper reverence and attention .... Only when it is impossible to arrange for a separate room or chapel should a loca­ tion within the main assembly space be considered. This, however, should not lie on a central axis behind the altar, nor should the place of reservation compete in importance with the altar. During Mass there should be no additional lighting or candles to draw attention to the place of reservation .... The eucharistic chapel should be retained for the sole purpose of quiet adoration and prayer. When it becomes necessary to celebrate the eucharist in an area out­ side the main worship space, namely on weekdays, it is preferable to appoint a room other than the eucharistic chapel for this purpose. Celebration of the eucharist and adoration of the reserved sacrament should clearly appear as two dis­ tinct forms of worship conducted at different times.

National Liturgy Office Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops Our Place of Worship (draft 1998), pages 46--47

180 • National Bulletin on liturgy Celebrating and Savouring • Encourage a Separate Chapel

Distinctive Location The place of reservation relates to the ancient tradition of reserving the blessed sacrament when Mass is over. The purpose of this reservation is to pro­ vide for communion of the sick and for adoration, both public and private. In designing for reservation, it should be kept in mind that the eucharistic cel­ ebration itself is the true center of the church's worship, and indeed of the whole Christian life. The actual celebration of the eucharist is the focus of the normal Sunday assembly, and the altar its center.... As with other liturgical elements, the tabernacle should have its own distinctive location, visibly set apart for the purpose of reservation. Much more is therefore required than a merely arbitrary chosen place, however con­ venient .... Two possible arrangements are recommended: A: A blessed sacrament chapel. This arrangement is recommended by current legislation .... Such a setting can more easily provide an ambiance of quiet, calm and withdrawal, being of a scale conducive to intimate contemplative prayer and .... B: The tabernacle in the sanctuary. This arrangement accords with current legislation. A tabernacle in the sanctuary (but not on the altar), properly related to the altar and the other sanctuary elements, and visible to the con­ gregation during Mass, public devotions and private prayer, can give a total, ordered and permanent unity to the whole church.

Being "properly related to the altar" does not necessarily mean "located in the center behind the altar." In fact, such an arrangement is not satisfactory from a liturgical point of view, as it can create its own problems by occasioning a visual tension between altar and tabernacle, since both are on one axis; by requiring that disrupt liturgical movement and weaken recogni­ tion of Christ's presence in other forms; and by drawing attention away from the progressive unfolding of Christ's presence during the celebration.

The Irish Episcopal Commission on Liturgy, Roman Catholic Bishops of Ireland The Place of Warship: Pastoral Directory on the Building and Reordering of Churches, 16 III

Volume 33 • Number 162 • 181 Canadian Realities Lay Leadership of Prayer: Theology and Practice

Mary M. Schaefer

or more than half of the world's thanks in eucharist, and to be brought into Catholics lay-led Sunday celebra­ God's intimate company in communion Ftions are a regular feature of life. This with his body the Church. Obligation holds true for parishes and missions in the alone cannot motivate them, and God Canadian north and in many rural or does not need the worship of human coastal areas. In one-priest parishes sudden beings. Rather, we need worship, for illness may occasion a lay-led celebration. expressing faith in word and symbol real­ Conditions may prohibit travel; a meeting izes and deepens faith in ourselves and of the wider Church or a holiday may call encourages that of others. Defying an away the pastor. Within Catholic circles imperial edict that prohibited assemblies, large and small, at gatherings of people in the year of the Lord 303, the members implementing the Rite of Christian of a small house-church in North Africa Initiation of Adults, among people gathered were rounded up by the authorities. They for social justice, bible study, communal confessed the faith in these terms: prayer, retreats, meetings, and in senior As though a Christian could be with­ citizens' residences, homes for the infirm out the dominicum (Lord's Day and hospitals, a non-ordained member of assembly) or the dominicum be cele­ the laos may lead prayer. After all, it is the brated without the Christian .... the prerogative and responsibility of the bap­ Christian is constituted in the Lord's tized, sharers in the royal priesthood of Day assembly and the assembly in Jesus Christ, to pray together. 1 the Christian..... 1 Why Do Christians Pray Assembling on Sunday for prayer is in Together as well as in the Christians' bones. Secrecy of Hearts and Homes? Why Is Our Corporate Prayer Offered through Christians assemble weekly on the Lord's Day to celebrate the resurrection of Christ Christ? and the dawn of the new creation, to hear Sociologists tell us that a leaderless group God's word and respond to it as good news, does not survive. This axiom holds for the to pray in praise and petition, to offer Church, community of Jesus Christ, who

This article continues the theme of two previous ones on the configuration of the Church, which can be analyzed architecturally (the environment for worship), ecclesiologically (the theology of Church), and ministerially (here focusing on the ministry of lay leader of prayer). See Mary M. Schaefer, "Building Communities of Faith, Building the Church," National Bulletin on Uturgy #IS4 (Vol. 31, Fall 1998) 144-ISS; idem, "Liturgical Ministry, Faith and Discernment," NBL #ISS (Vol. 31, Winter 1998) 242-24S. 2 Edward J. Kilmartin, "The Basis of the Sunday Mass Obligation," in Bread from Heaven, ed. Paul J. Bernier (New York: Paulist 1977) 1S1-161, here 158.

Mary M. Schaefer is Professor of Christian Worship and Spirituality at Atlantic School of Theology, Halifax

182 • National Bulletin on liturgy Canadian Realities • Lay Leadership of Prayer

is its faithful leader and high priest. Royal Priesthood, Moreover, Christ abides with the commu­ Charisms and Ministries nity of disciples. All service of leadership in the Church is . Go therefore and make disciples of based on the royal priesthood which all nations, baptizing them in the Christians share (1 Peter 2.4-5, 9-10; name of the Father and of the Son Revelation 1.6, 5.10) and which is held in and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching common by the whole people (the laos). them to obey everything that I have Baptized into Christ and anointed by the commanded you. And remember, I Spirit, this kingdom of priests is nourished am with you always, to the end of the for the faith-journey by eucharistic food. age (Matthew 28.19-20). "Each has a particular gift from God, one having one kind and another a different The crucified One, by the power of the kind" (1 Cor 7.7). Gifts of grace are to be Spirit risen from the dead to sit at God's "received" and put to use in the commu­ right hand, has a new, cosmic presence in nity. Acknowledgement and "reception" the world. Christ has a special kind of vis­ of the different gifts of grace up-build the ibility when human beings, confessing whole people. (A gift "unreceived" is a him as Lord, allow him to configure their source of suffering for the bearer; the com­ lives to his. Christians know from experi­ munity that rejects the offer actually ence that to hear Christ preached, to despises the Spirit's gift.) When the many remember his deeds, and to recount his gifts are received, the community grows in promises is to encounter him. Here is the Spirit into the stature of Christ its another kind of visibility: Christ is actively leader. The Sunday eucharistic assembly present whenever faith is expressed mutu­ constitutes the visible communion of the ally, in the very gathering for worship, in Church. Laity exercise ministries by virtue the word, in the persons of the presider of sharing in the royal priesthood. and the other ministers, in prayer and Charisrns, duly discerned in the commu­ song. 3 All of the above are aspects of the nity, together with appropriate formation, equip "real" presence of the risen Christ, laity for ministerial collaboration. although that adjective is most commonly Ordained and Lay applied to the substantial presence of Leadership of Public Christ in the consecrated bread and wine. Prayer Christ's promise to remain with believers, To signify that the body of Christ is ani­ that is, to be actively or operationally pre­ mated by Christ, a duly appointed and sent, concludes the commission to make equipped leader is required. Bishops and disciples by baptizing. The point of the presbyters are ordained as permanent lead­ "make disciples" pericope (Matthew ers of the Spirit-filled Church; deacons are 28.16-20) is not jesus' bestowal of author­ ordained for a permanent ministry of ser­ ity (thus conferring personal status) but vice. For Catholic Christians the "bishop rather his entrusting to others the work or priest who presides" at the eucharist and mission that animated his life and for "signifies the presence of Christ the Head which he died. 4 with his body. Presbyter and bishop, by

3 Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 7. See also Edward J. Kilmartin. : Theology and Practice. V. I: Systematic Theology of Liturgy. (Kansas City, : Mo.: Sheed & Ward, 1988) 303-355, here 317. 4 The synoptics do not show Jesus "preaching" himself. He is entirely focused on furthering the reign of God. So it should be with Church leadership. Not status but a call from God accompanied by charisms that equip persons to do God's work are criteria to be discerned and accepted by the ecclesial community.

Volume 33 • Number 162 • 183 Canadian Realities • Lay Leadership of Prayer virtue of ordination, also represent the When lay leaders forget that royal and bond of communion between this assem­ ministerial priesthood are of two different bly and the local and universal Church."5 orders/ they may take ordained leadership as a model for their ministry and become The Catholic affirmation that some per­ "clericalized." This happens, for example, sons are constituted apostolic witnesses to when they act as sole minister or take God's plan of salvation in Jesus Christ by upon themselves a number of ministries the sacrament of does not intended to be shared among others. restrict authentic representation and car­ rying out of the ministry of Jesus Christ to However, liturgical celebrations whether the ordained. (The Lord is always most led by ordained or by lay leaders share the fully represented by the witness of holi­ same general liturgical principles. Remem­ ness, faith and love.) But those who are bering that the assembly is the primary made permanent pastoral officers to act in mode for Christ's liturgical presence, ani­ the name of the community give the com­ mating the action of the assembly, and munity a public face and accountability.6 facilitating its variety of ministries is the They "sacramentalize" Christ when they leader's raison d'etre. And like the ordained act in the name of the head of the body. leader, it is never enough that a lay minis­ Structurally they also link their local ter volunteers or is self-appointed. His or assembly to the larger Church. They may her charism for liturgical ministry must be entrusted with ministry beyond parish be identified within the community, and boundaries. Their ordination endures she and he commit themselves to its even when they do not have the right to development. 8 exercise it. As signs of every Christian's call, the ordained undertake, within the Qualities "Wanted" in Church and before the world, to be per­ Lay Leaders of Prayer manent, publicly accountable witnesses to Jesus Christ. Attitude of Service to the Liturgical Assembly Lay leaders of prayer may be deputed by 1. They are regular members of the pray­ ecclesial authority to positions of responsi­ ing assembly that has commissioned bility for sustaining the ongoing life of a them and worship with the commu­ faith community. Such deputation should nity whether "their name is on the list" be public, and should include prayer. or not. They know that the ministry of However, laity and lay religious are not the assembly, not their own ministry, installed into the permanent ecclesial comes first. Without the assembly office of apostolic witness. As well, lay their ministry has no reason to exist. liturgical ministries are exercised within Instead of modelling themselves on the parish. These ministries are not dioce­ the ordained, they are content to act as san in scope, nor are they "transportable." members of the baptized and anointed The different ways that lay and ordained people. Their leadership gives visibil­ relate to Church structures suggest differ­ ity to the royal priesthood of all the ences in the way ordained and laity func­ baptized. It is characterized by open­ tion appropriately as leaders of the prayer. ness, mutuality, and collabration.

5 Sunday Celebration of the Word and Hours (Ottawa: CCCB 1995), Pastoral Notes, 19, pp. xvi-xvii. 6 Mary M. Schaefer and j. Frank Henderson, The Catholic Priesthood: A Liturgically Based Theology of the Pastoral Office (Canadian Studies in Liturgy, 4; Ottawa: CCCB 1990) esp. 53-65. No doubt the Churches established ordained leaders everywhere during the course of the 2nd century because of soci­ ological and theological imperatives which were undergirded by the Spirit's prompting. 7 Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 10. 8 Conciliar and Post-Conciliar Documents, ed. A. Flannery, rev. ed., pp. 54-59.

184 • National Bulletin on Liturgy Canadian Realities • Lay Leadership of Prayer

2. They aim for transparency, that self­ Prayer, Reflection and Ministry forgetfulness that enables the leader to 8. From time to time they participate in pray in front of others so as to model sessions for prayer, education and skill authentic prayer before God. The old development. They realize that reflec­ virtue of humility (not self-abase­ tion on the celebration, its strengths ment) enables them to see things in and areas needing improvement, is an their true light and to accept the truth integral part of any ministry. about self. 9. Leaders of prayer, as all ministers, 3. Ministry is undertaken "for the greater strive to live a centred life of personal glory of God." To advance the work of prayer and reflection on the scrip­ God they willingly yield ministry to tures. What has been said of preach­ others. They live the demanding ing is equally applicable to lay counsel, "Give way to one another in leadership of prayer: the Lord." After all, Jesus willingly One truth that always comes gave away everything. across, regardless of one's preach­ ing [presiding) abilities, is the 4. They offer their gift to be discerned preacher's [presider's) relationship and received instead of volunteering a to God, a universally important talent. They accept community dis­ matter to worshipers. They dis­ cernment, by bishop or priest, then by cern it with or without the others skilled in the ministry. They preacher's [presider's) help .... understand how wanting to "do" Whatever the nature of the everything is debilitating to other preacher's [presider's) relationship ministers. They do only what is appro­ to God, it is food for the congrega­ priate to a given ministry. tion .... Nothing can obscure it. 10 5. They count it a privilege to animate the gifts of the gathered community. When sharing the fruits of their Large-heartedness inspires them to prayer and study, they are attentive to acknowledge giftedness in others and the Spirit's movements, speaking if the Spirit has given them something to assist the assembly in receiving useful to say, otherwise realizing the these gifts. 9 They are alert to the for­ blessings of silence. mation of cliques and to jealousies 10. Outside the time of communal prayer that inhibit the Spirit's action. They their work and life contributes to the work to enlarge the hearts of those Church's mission. Liturgical ministry who may be threatened by an abun­ is the ritual dimension of ongoing dance of Spirit-gifts. commitment to advance God's reign 6. They are not divisive. Their ministry in the world. actually up-builds the community 11. They are authentic witnesses to without drawing undue attention to Christian discipleship in lifestyle, themselves. They do not sit in the seat word and works. If their life beyond reserved for a presbyter, actually or fig­ the church walls is not in keeping uratively with what Christian ministry symbol­ 7. They are full members of the team izes, they withdraw voluntarily, taking that prepares liturgy, not expecting to heart the apostle's exhortation to others to do their work for them. the Ephesians,

9 Because of their role overseeing the community's wirness, service and worship, ordained leaders must exhibit aptitude and be trained for a whole range of competencies. The natural leaders of the parish, e.g., the chair of parish council or even of the bible study group, may not have the charism to lead prayer. The community may require education to accept the person having a gift for leadership of public prayer. 10 Richard N. Chrisman, "Preaching the Truth," Liturgy 8/2 (Falll989) 87-88 (my insertions in brackets].

Volume 33 • Number 162 • 185 Canadian Realities • Lay Leadership of Prayer

Be imitators of God, as and convert. They do not undertake beloved children, and live in more. than their . g.~vtm ministry love, as Christ loved us, and entails, more than the ritual books gave himself up for us .... But for­ indicate or more than circumstances nication and impurity of any require. They do not combine the kind, or greed, must not even be ministry of lay leader of prayer and mentioned among you, as is communion minister in the same cel­ proper among saints. Entirely ebration. out of place is obscene, silly, and 17. Having been invited and prepared, vulgar talk; but instead, let there then appointed for a set period, lay be thanksgiving (Ephesians ministers do not presume appoint­ 5.1-4). ment in perpetuity. When needed, their commission is renewed. Other­ Developing and Offering Natural wise they take their place in the Abilities and Gifts assembly of the royal priesthood, per­ 12. They possess the ability to take charge haps serving in another ministry. when this is called for, and insight and strength to stand up for what God Differing Perspectives requires, Christ models, the Spirit In recent years the question has been encourages, and the Church intends. raised whether those not ordained can be 13. Even if training is limited, leaders pos­ called to "ministry." This question cannot sess a "theological instinct," which be answered solely at the level of canon enables them to discern the action of law or even of liturgical principles. The God calling the assembly together operative theology of Church must also be and of Christ and the Spirit animat­ accounted for. Does the particular faith ing its witness and prayer. community live an ecclesiology of com­ 14. They have a prudential ability to munion modelled on the life of the judge who is the person God has Trinity? Does it make place for the action gifted for ministry in this particular of both Christ and the Holy Spirit in rais­ celebration, at this moment of the ing hearts and minds to God and building community's life. a community of praise and witness? For 15. As with ordained ministry, lay leaders fruitful lay ministry the answer to these are appointed only after they have questions must be "yes." If royal priest­ internalized the meaning of and hood is not presumed and ministers are not acquired the skills of a variety of min­ selected on the basis of charism, individu­ istries. They wait their tum to serve. als cannot hope to participate in a true They accept "feedback" both when it ministry of the Church. flatters and when it challenges. 16. Having studied the liturgy to under­ The diagram that follows provides a stand its rationale and rhythms, they schematic analysis of the diverse ecclesi­ love it. They are competent to set its ologies (theologies of church) that pace, and can orchestrate its peace underly liturgical participation and leader­ and prayerfulness, its ability to inspire ship.

186 • National Bulletin on Liturgy Canadian Realities • Lay Leadership of Prayer

Ecclesiologies Underlying Liturgical Ministry

Perspective Lay Ministers Theory of Church 11

POLITICAL individuals volunteer their Juridical (authority, laws determine talents (radically secular) roles, actions)

Doing, "how to" "I" will do ... ordained leader decides everything, acts "in place of God, Christ"; others act by the authority of the ordained

Ritual scholastic sacramental theology emphasizes God's downward grace

LITURGICAL gifts identified, training "Christ-only" commu- (principles are drawn from developed to meet faith- nion (christomonistic) the liturgy) community's needs

Acting and reflecting with "we" represent the commu- the bishop or presbyter alone community discernment nity, try to act according to represents Christ; he confers, the mind of the Church but makes all decisions

Earthly liturgy sacramental theology uses model of encounter, takes account of the assembly's response

THEOLOGICAL Christ and the Spirit are Trinitarian communion (modelled on triune activity) active in faith-filled minis- ters to lead the community to God

Being, allowing Christ and every minister seeks in the representing Christ the the Spirit to act Spirit to be transparent to Head, the ordained leader Christ12 consults, shares with the team, rarely needs to make decisions alone

Heavenly liturgy theology of liturgy is derived from the Trinity and their mutual relations

11 The categories are those of Edward J. Kilmartin. Culture and the Praying Church (Canadian Studies in Liturgy, 5; Ottawa: CCCB 1990), Ch. 3. 12 See Schaefer and Henderson, Catholic Priesthood, 89.

Volume 32 • Number 162 • 187 Canadian Realities • Lay Leadership of Prayer

If the political perspective governs the collaborative model and an authentic litur­ activity of a parish, its ordained leader must gical spirituality. Ecclesial·activity is mod­ make all decisions respecting liturgy. Laity elled on the work of both Christ and the cannot be awarded competence; in the Spirit in drawing the world to the Father. strict sense they do not even participate in Therefore laity as well as ordained minis­ ministries. While the governance of every ters exercise true ministries that, in their human community necessarily involves various ways, are acknowledged as repre­ juridical elements, a worshipping commu­ senting Christ and having the Spirit as nity that does not go beyond juridical inspiration. The theology of liturgy and ecclesiology is not living out its royal priest­ sacraments is drawn from the Church's hood. How can a lay leader whose mode of trinitarian prayer. In this model the parish acting has not developed beyond the level as well as the liturgical team can say, "It of ritual signify Christ's presence in the seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us." Spirit? Trinitarian communion ecclesiology, barely In a liturgical perspective the ordained present in the documents of Vatican II but leader represents the risen Christ, who is increasingly found in writings of John Paul present according to a variety of modes. 13 In II, is still more proposed than actualized. this "Christ-only" ecclesiology the work of Lay liturgical leaders will be required to live the Holy Spirit is given structural ecclesial in the world of juridical practice unless recognition in the ministry of the ordained, their communities take the trinitarian life but not in the activity of other Christians. as model. As long as this is so, exercise of Therefore participation of laity in min­ ministries by laity will remain in question. istries cannot be fully explained. Awareness More seriously, the earthly liturgy will fail of the Spirit's action elsewhere in the to be a vibrant reflection of the liturgy of Church is limited. The ministry of the laity heaven. And Christ and the Spirit will be can be activated only in juridical terms, by inhibited in their work of returning all of the ordained leader. creation to God. IIJ Trinitarian communion ecclesiology is the fully theological perspective that grounds a

13 Vatican Council II, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium), 7. -----.----- From the National OHice Reservation Chapels: A Preliminary Look at Our Experience

n mid-March, the National Liturgy Office and spiritual life of individuals and commu­ (NLO) sent questionnaires to a small nities. This article is a brief summary and Inumber of parishes that were known to discussion of the responses. (The question­ have their tabernacle located in a separate naire appears at the end of this article. We reservation chapel. The purpose of this sur­ ask any readers in a leadership position in a vey was to assess the validity of claims that community that has a separate reservation such chapels are detrimental to the faith chapel and did not previously receive a

188 • National Bulletin on Liturgy From the National Office • Reservation Chapels

questionnaire to please photocopy and eucharistic adoration (including recitation complete it and send it to the NLO, of the rosary). Eight of the remaining 16 90 Parent Ave., Ottawa, ON K1N 7B1 by reported that daily mass (among other December 31, 2000.) things) is celebrated in the chapel of reser­ vation. This practice of using the reserva­ Within six weeks, responses were received tion chapel for small group liturgies seems from 26 parishes in six provinces and one to undermine all the arguments for having territory. Only three respondents reported a separate chapel: instead of devotional sensing a loss of reverence for the eucharist activity in the liturgical space we now have in their communities. Signs of loss of rever­ liturgical activity in the devotional space. ence for the eucharist listed by two of these In fact, if we think about the mathematics respondents included: casual socialization of such situations, mass is probably cele­ in the main worship area, males not remov­ brated more frequently in the reservation ing hats inside the church building, gum chapel than in the "main" worship space; chewing and bulletin reading during mass, the chapel thus becomes a celebration in addition to minimal use of reservation chapel rather than a reservation chapel. chapel. One of these two was unwilling to Surely a reservation chapel has no need of attribute this perceived loss of reverence to an altar. the existence of the chapel. (The third responded "yes and no," but did not specify Two respondents indicated regular simulta­ any signs.) neous use of two tabernacles, one parish having tabernacles both in the main wor­ Fifteen respondents reported a greater ship space and in the reservation chapel, intensity of eucharistic devotional activity while the other had tabernacles both in a since the establishment of the separate reservation chapel and in a perpetual ado­ chapel. They also reported that this special ration chapel. On this practice see Canon place of honour for the reserved sacrament 938 §1. allows the community to express its faith in the real presence by its use of the chapel A few respondents made additional com­ and by its attention to design and appoint­ ments that should be noted. ments within the chapel. (Six respondents • The most common extra comment included photos to demonstrate what a (seven respondents) was to note the truly special place they have created to need for thorough and ongoing house the blessed sacrament.) Four of the eucharistic catechesis both with regard remaining eight respondents (those who to the nature of the Sunday celebration did not report either positive or negative and to the practice of eucharistic reser­ change in eucharistic devotion) noted an vation. increased appreciation of the nature of the • In two parishes the chapel was in a high Sunday celebration of eucharist on the part traffic area, a fact that rendered the of parishioners. atmosphere non-conducive to private adoration at times when the building The most positive responses came from was being used for other purposes. In communities in which the chapel is most fact, the extent of traffic in one of these accessible physically and temporally. parishes (the only access to the sacristy However, such accessibility often calls for is through the chapel of reservation) careful design so that the whole building seemed to do a serious disservice to the does not need to be open just because the blessed sacrament. Two respondents chapel is. In some instances, worshippers noted that they have had to be assertive simply punch in an access code, which about closing the chapel during liturgi­ allows ready access to the space while guar­ cal celebrations; this certainly makes anteeing a degree of safety and security. sense if the community is offered a rea­ Only ten of the 26 respondents reported sonable alternative opportunity to use that the chapel was used exclusively for the chapel.

Volume 33 • Number 162 • 189 From the National Office • Reservation Chapels

• One respondent noted that it is a and Church." He warns that ministry to source of sadness to the community this group ocGwpiesa-lar-ge·pmtion of-his that while many parishioners have time and energy, and that those who intensified their eucharistic adoration establish a perpetual adoration schedule activity and deepened their apprecia­ must be well prepared to take on this tion of the Sunday celebration, a few ministry in addition to ministry within have left the parish because of the the parish community. location of the tabernacle. • And finally, one respondent sent us a • The pastor of an urban parish with a quote from David Philippart, "If the large perpetual adoration chapel in a Mass is being celebrated so poorly that separate building on the parish property people aren't aware of how Christ commented that the chapel attracts a becomes present in the Eucharist, the large number of "people with problems priest can wear the tabernacle around and difficulties both in their private his head and it's not going to make any lives and in their understanding of God difference." III ------.------Reservation Chapel Survey

everal claims have been made as to the effects (for good or ill) of a separate chapel of reservation on the faith, eucharistic devotion and prayer life of ordinary Catholic Sparishioners and on parish liturgy and parish life in general. At this time many parishes have opened such chapels of reservation in the course of renovations or in building a new parish worship space. The National Liturgy Office would like to gather information about the experience of such parishes. We invite you to photocopy and complete this survey questionnaire or, if you find the questionnaire too confining, to submit your comments on a separate sheet of paper. 1. Does your parish church have a separate chapel of reservation? 2. List the times when it is accessible to worshippers? 3. How long has this chapel been in existence? 4. How many people will it accommodate? 5. Describe its location in relationship to the altar-table at which the daily and Sunday eucharist is celebrated. 6. In addition to the personal private prayer of individuals, for what else is it used? 7. Have you seen any signs that any of the following have arisen since and because of the establishment of the separate chapel: • a decreased reverence for the eucharist in the parish community? • a decrease in faith in the real presence of Christ in the eucharist? • a diminished sense of the importance of Christ in the lives of Christians and Christian communities? • an attitude of contempt for the eucharist? If you answered "yes" to any part of question 7, please explain the signs you have seen. 8. What benefits or positive changes in parish life have you witnessed that you would attribute to the establishment of the chapel?

9. Please use the back of the paper to describe (or diagram) the chapel in greater detail and to add any further comments you have.

190 • National Bulletin on liturgy From the Regions

he Ontario Liturgical Conference organists, choir directors, choir members, (OLC) held its annual meeting at cantors, members of folk ensembles, teens, TSt. Joseph's Retreat Centre (Morrow young and middle-aged adults, and seniors Park), in Toronto, on Nov. 10-12, 1999. from all over Ontario and outside the The conference is currently grappling province, including music ministers from with the question of how it can best assist other Christian denominations. Our 96 Ontario dioceses with the implementa­ students spent the week in an intense pro­ tion of the Rite of Christian Initiation of gram which included morning and Adults. The past practice was centred on evening prayer, two daily skill classes (gui­ annual institutes offered in a different dio­ tar, organ, , music leader, sight­ cese each year, with the bulk of the orga­ singing, music reading for guitarists, nizational work handled by personnel of liturgical movement and dance, and the that diocese. This approach has become concert choir for advanced voice stu­ increasingly difficult in recent years and dents), a daily liturgical focus session and less broadly effective than the conference follow-up discussion group, a plenary ses­ hoped. At this year's meeting the question sion to highlight music for the various was addressed with a two-pronged parts of the Easter Journey, in addition to approach. First, Sheila O'Dea, of the special events each evening. It was a North American Forum on the tremendous success! Catechumenate, was invited to enter into a frank dialogue with the conference The third major project of the conference about the Forum's current programs, style during the past year has been the develop­ and accommodation of the Canadian real­ ment of a tool for the examination of the ity. Second, noting the words of Bishop practice of various popular devotions in James Doyle in the ritual book, "Regular dioceses, parishes, schools and various use of the rites over a period of some years other Catholic groups who pray together. will enable us to determine what further This project was originally undertaken in adaptations may be necessary or desirable response to discussions over the past two in our land. Suggestions for adaptation years centred on the relationship of popu­ may be sent at any time to our National lar devotions to the liturgical celebration Liturgical Office," the conference asked of the paschal mystery, and the meaning of Catherine Ecker of Toronto's Catholic the paschal mystery in daily Christian life, Office of Religious Education to lead in light of the fact that the Great Jubilee members in a process of reflecting on Year 2000 has been dedicated to the twelve years of experience with the rite in eucharist. the province of Ontario. The discussion The OLC plans to meet in Toronto, proved highly fruitful and revealing, and October 25-2 7, 2000 to discuss "Liturgical notes on the discussion were taken back to Catechesis" with the assistance of Ottawa by Sr. Donna Kelly, director of the Catherine Ecker and Margaret Bick. For National Liturgical Office. further information on the work of the The OLC's second major project during Ontario Liturgical Conference contact: the past was the Summer School for Murray Kroetsch Liturgical Musicians held August 2-6, Liturgy Office 1999 at St. Joseph's College in Toronto. 700 King St. West (Focus presentations from this year's sum­ Hamilton, ON L8P 1C7 mer school, entitled "the Easter Journey," were published in Bulletin #160 Spring Phone: 905-528-7988 2000.) Participants included guitarists, Fax: 905-528-1088 III

Volume 33 • Number 162 • 191 rI I The Last Word R-edlscovering Eucharistic Devotion

Douglas Crosby

n the years since Vatican II our apprecia­ evening celebrations. (Saturday anticipa­ tion of eucharist has been nourished. We tion would come much later.) Just as ves­ Iare evermore aware of the importance of pers had been replaced by novenas and the celebrating community. There is a new benediction as a fixture of Sunday evening, appreciation for the eucharistic prayer, and now such devotions were themselves to there are a variety of liturgical texts facili­ give way to Sunday evening celebrations of tating our worship on any occasion. New mass. liturgical service and other min­ forms of Today, for more than nostalgic reasons, been established-noting in istries have some parishes are rediscovering some of our particular those who bring communion to devotional roots, e.g., in the service of the sick. benediction. The post-conciliar documents Currently, many parishes are rediscovering do in fact have something to say about the other dimensions of eucharist, especially matter of devotion-both encouraging it the devotional aspects. As a youngster, I and centring it on the celebration of the was enthralled by the mystery, beauty and eucharist itself. These documents also pro­ simplicity of the weekly Sunday evening vide new rituals for celebration, which are benediction in our parish church. This not exactly the same as those commonly in time of prayer was followed by a breakneck use before their publication. to watch "The Ed Sullivan sprint home As we deepen our appreciation of the Show" on television! eucharist as a centre of devotion, it is Eucharistic devotion did not cease as a important that those who plan such devo­ result of any decree of Vatican II. In fact, tions keep in sight the primary sense of cel­ such devotions had started to wane before ebration, and respect the theolo~ and the Council. A contributing factor, per­ ritual set before us by the Church. liJ haps, was the acceptance of Sunday

+ Douglas Crosby, OMI, bishop of Labrador City-SchefferviUe is currently chair of the Episcopal Commission for Liturgy.

192 • National Bulletin on Liturgy National Bulletin on Liturgy

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