Volume 22, No.2, Summer 2004 as Vatican II. We have all been deeply affected by its results, CSL called the celebration of JIlIb most notably and visibly in the the Eucharist the "source and way we pray liturgically. But summit" of the Christian life. the purpose of this Council was In other words, the transform- 'UrWordon to reform the entire church, not ing effect of the Eucharist is just the liturgy. Certainly the that to which we aim our lives Council Fathers knew well the and it is also the very thing Worship term lex orandi, lex credendi - which strengthens us to be the way we pray tells us what transformers of the world. Newsletter oflhe Worship Office, Archdiocese, of Newark, NJ we believe - as the first thing Nothing else in the life of the they did in this reform of the Church has as powerful an The purpose of this article is to church was to call for a reform effect on its members than the give a basic introduction for of how we pray. They did this celebration of the liturgy, par- deacons to the 2002 third edi- by scripting the Constitution ON ticularly the Eucharistic cele- In This Issue: tion of the General Instruction the Sacred Liturgy (CSL). bration. This means that there of the Roman Missal (GIRM). is a deep connection between The Third Edition of the General While the article covers many The vision of the Church as a how we live our lives in the Instruction of the Roman Missal important topics from the 2002 sacrament and as a sign of the world and what we do at the GIRM, it is important that min- Kingdom on earth could only table of the Lord each Sunday. This article is adapted from a isters of the liturgy read the be shaped into being through And I believe that is especially presentation given by the entire document and other sup- the prayer life of the Church true of the role of the deacon Worship Office of the porting directives, which com- which is what truly forms the whose very name comes from Archdiocese of Newark in late plement it. Please see the list- People of God into the Body of the Greek diakonia which as 2003. ing at the end of this article for Christ. This was the reason for you know means "service." other helpful sources. writing the Constitution ON the Sacred Liturgy and calling for a Keeping these and other princi- In truth, there is much more liturgical reform. ples in mind, the Constitution that is the same in the new called for a reform of the rites GIRM as in the previous one. If one concept could summa- of the church and in the follow- It continues to be a very posi- rize the entire reform of the ing years new rites were devel- tive document, which carries liturgy and the church at oped for all of the sacramental on the reform of the liturgy by Vatican II, it would be the bat- celebrations including of adding new directives, and as tle cry of the liturgical move- course the Liturgy of the we will see, adding more ment for "full, conscious and Eucharist. With the Eucharist strength to some original prin- active participation" of the at the heart of our faith, it could ciples found in the previous faithful in the whole life of the be said that the second most GIRM. This article will first church, particularly its prayer important document after the look at the background of the life. These words were forever Constitution is the GIRM. GIRM, point out what has been fixed into church teaching in Copies of the new GIRM are reinforced from the previous the CSL. In effect these words available from the Worship edition and finally examine say that every baptized member Office and will eventually be what has been added to this of the church matters and included in the introduction to , . newer version. indeed is necessary for the the new Sacramentary for prayer and life of the church, Mass. It is important to BACKGROUND not just as spectator but as con- remember that the GIRM is not scious participant. This princi- a launching point from which First, a little background about ple is something we need to we can go and do our own this document. About 40 years keep in mind as we read the thing, but rather is a binding ago, Pope John XXIII called GIRM. document for how the liturgy is together a Council now known THE THIRD EDmON OF TIlE GmERAL INSlRUCIlON OF TIlE 9 ROMAN MIssAL to be regularly celebrated. been promulgated and there- at the table while kneeling. fore supercedes any previous The most interesting and signif- editions. The exact wording in 179 is icant comment to make about that the deacon "normally" the current GIRM is that we are Just because a document has kneels after the Holy, Holy. looking at the third edition of been promulgated, however, Some pastoral reasons as to this document since 1969. does not mean that there is not why this may be impractical When you consider that the time given to implement it. In could include the deacon's abil- previous instruction for the fact, it would probably be safe ity to kneel, the architectural Roman Missal prior to Vatican to say that there has not yet design of the church and the II was virtually unchanged for been a single Mass, in a parish number of concelebrants. about 400 years, we realize that or a monastery (cathedral litur- 3 editions in 40 years is a testi- gies and papal masses includ- It should also be noted that mony to another principle ed), at which every single nothing ought to detract atten- found in the CSL that "sound norm, instruction, and rubric of tion from the primary symbols tradition be retained and yet the the liturgy has been carried out. and actions of the Eucharistic, way remain open to legitimate If we have not, then, after 35 namely the altar itself, the progress." plus years been able to fully Eucharistic Prayer and the ele- implement the old Roman ments of bread and wine. If the We must also be conscious of Missal with its GIRM, ought deacon kneels it should be done the fact that the initial texts we feel that we should have the discretely and unnoticeably; which the CSL called for in the new one completely and the use of anything as obstruc- 1960's were very different from painstakingly implemented by tive and distracting as a kneeler what came before as any here "next Sunday?" No! near the altar is forbidden. In who lived through the changes any case, this example particu- could attest to. The reformers This is not to say that pastors larly relevant to deacons is used could not possibly envision and ministers can pick and to point out the occasional dif- what would work and what choose which rubrics and direc- ferences between the norms of would need clearer defmition. tives they want to obey; every this document and some of its As time has gone on, this has effort should be made to imple- directives. Pastoral considera- become more apparent; needs ment the liturgy as we have tions will need to be made; un-imagined when these rites received it. Still, liturgy is an however, they should not be were first composed 30 years organic thing and as with all done randomly but consistently ago are now apparent. And that living beings, useful things under the direction of the local is why we have before us today tend to grow and gain strength pastor. the third edition of the GIRM. while weaker elements tend to die off. Some things, yes, need A final general remark on the GENERAL REMARKS to be implemented as soon as GIRM is that there is a clear possible while others are going concern for defming the roles Regarding the publication of to take time to grow on the peo- of various ministers, including the new GIRM, we are living in ple of God, and it is up to pas- and especially the ordained. very interesting times because toral ministers to support these Admittedly there is an accent while the General Instruction changes and encourage their placed particularly on the priest has been both translated into growth. presider in this document, but a English and promulgated for greater emphasis is also placed use, the rest of the book (the rit- In the new GIRM there are on the role of the deacon. uals and prayers and rubrics) many powerful liturgical norms has not been translated or but at times they can seem to be Now whether that stress on the approved for use. In essence, juxtaposed by more particular ordained excites you or upsets we have been given the instruc- directives. In paragraph 179 of you, there is one clear point tion manual on how to put the GIRM regarding the role of here: the reformed liturgy together the desk from lKEA, the deacon at Mass, it says that depends a lot on the ordained but we have not received the at the altar, the deacon is to minister. You can make the parts. Or perhaps a better way assist the presider with the liturgy or break it. So ask of saying it is that we have the book and the cup. However, yourself before each Mass, "Is parts, the old Sacramentary, but there is also a clear directive in it going to be the liturgy of we they are not exactly the ones for 179 that the deacon is to kneel or the liturgy of me?" "Am I which the instructions were for part of the Eucharistic focusing people on the pres- written.