Liturgical
Norms of the Archdiocese of
Promulgated
Between 2001 and 2006
Sacred
Rites
The
Mass
The
Homily
The homily should ordinarily be given by
the priest celebrant himself. He may entrust it to a concelebrating priest, or
occasionally, according to circumstances, to the deacon, but never to a lay
person. (GIRM, no. 66)
On occasion, the pastor will ask members
of the lay faithful to address the congregation for some specific purpose, and
it is often done at the time reserved for the homily. A better time is at the
conclusion of Mass, after the Communion Rite is completed, and before the final
greeting and the celebrant's blessing. In any case, the homily is always to be
delivered, by a priest or deacon, regardless of any extraordinary presentation.
(GIRM-Notes)
The
Creed
At the words et incarnatus est (by the
power of the Holy Spirit…and became man) all make a profound bow; but on the
solemnities of the Annunciation and of the Nativity of the Lord, all
genuflect. (GIRM, no. 137)
The bow or genuflection
at the words commemorating the Incarnation of our Lord are not optional; I ask
that these signs of reverence and humility be practiced throughout the
Archdiocese of Atlanta.
The words of the Nicene Creed are not to be changed
from the text which appears in the Roman
Missal.
(GIRM-Notes)
The Sign of
Peace
The priest may give
the sign of peace to the ministers, but always remains within the sanctuary, so
as not to disturb the celebration. In the dioceses of the
The priest celebrants of the Archdiocese
of Atlanta should consider remaining within the sanctuary during the Sign of
Peace the norm, and should leave the sanctuary only under the circumstances
given above. (GIRM-Notes)
Holy
Communion
The deacon or priest
places the consecrated bread in several ciboria or patens and, if necessary,
pours the Precious Blood into enough additional chalices as are required for the
distribution of Holy Communion. (Norms
If extraordinary ministers…are required…they approach the altar
as the priest receives Communion. (Norms
The extraordinary
ministers distribute the Eucharist according to local practice, then they give
the vessel to the celebrant, deacon or acolyte, or place it on the altar. Each
genuflects and goes to the credence table to cleanse his or her fingers, in the
case of those who have distributed the Precious Body, before returning to places
among the assembly. (Communion Distribution 2002)
In the Archdiocese of
Atlanta, it is permitted to distribute Holy Communion under both species at all
masses. (Communication from Archbishop Gregory)
The
Purification
Beginning with the First Sunday of
Advent in 2006, parishes in the Archdiocese of Atlanta are requested to see that
all sacred vessels are purified by a priest, deacon, or instituted acolyte. ...
The GIRM permits that vessels be purified either after communion or after mass,
and parishes with large numbers of vessels may find it more convenient to do so
after mass. In any case, all of the Precious Blood that remains should be
consumed at the end of communion. In the Archdiocese of Atlanta, the permission
for extraordinary ministers to consume any of the precious blood that remains
after communion continues in effect. While the Prefect of the Congregation, in
his letter, mentions two additional pastoral approaches: the distribution of
Holy Communion under only one species or the use of intinction, at present the
use of intinction is not encouraged in the Archdiocese of Atlanta. The choice to
distribute communion under one or both kinds remains at the discretion of the
priest.
(Purification-Notice)
The purifications should take place only
at the altar or the credence or side table, not in the sacristy. The following
is the policy of the Archdiocese of Atlanta regarding the actions of
extraordinary ministers at the conclusion of the Communion rite:
They (the
extraordinary ministers) distribute the Eucharist according to local practice,
then they give the vessel to the celebrant, deacon or acolyte, or place it on
the altar. Each goes to the credence table to cleanse his or her fingers, in the
case of those who have distributed the precious Body, before returning to his or
her place among the faithful. ... It is to be remembered that the extraordinary
ministers are commissioned, as their name implies, to a restricted function, and
only when necessary. When the distribution of Holy Communion is completed, they
should return to their appropriate places among the faithful, since the only
persons authorized to be in the sanctuary are the ministers of the altar, the
priest(s), deacon(s), and their authorized assistants (acolytes, lectors,
cantors, etc.). (GIRM-Notes)
Posture
The faithful continue to sit at the
conclusion of the Offertory while the invitation "Pray, brethren…"is extended.
They rise to respond, "May the Lord accept…" The only licit posture of the
faithful during the Eucharistic Prayer is kneeling, unless they are prevented
on occasion from kneeling due to "health, lack of space, the large number
of people present, or some other good reason." The determination of what
constitutes "some other good reason" will be made by the Diocesan Bishop.
The
phrase "on occasion" was specifically chosen by the Bishops in order to
establish a uniform posture of kneeling during the Eucharistic Prayer. It is
only on exceptional and extraordinary occasions, therefore, and never on a
regular basis, that standing during the Eucharistic Prayer is permitted in the
dioceses of the
The following chart is provided
to assist in catechesis for the proper common posture at
|
From the
beginning of Mass until the First Reading |
STAND |
|
From the
First |
SIT |
|
From the
Gospel Acclamation until the end of the Gospel |
STAND |
|
During the
Homily |
SIT |
|
From the
profession of Faith until the end of the General Intercessions
|
STAND |
|
From the
Preparation of the Gifts to the completion of "Pray brethren…"
|
SIT |
|
From the
beginning of the people's response "May the Lord…" to the end of the Holy,
Holy |
STAND |
|
From the
completion of the Holy, Holy until after the Amen of the Eucharistic
Prayer |
KNEEL |
|
From the
beginning of the Our Father until the completion of the Lamb of God
|
STAND |
|
From the
"Behold the Lamb of God" until the distribution of Holy Communion
|
KNEEL |
|
When
receiving Holy Communion (see Chapter 4, Reception of Holy Communion
below) |
STAND |
|
During the
sacred silence after the Distribution of Holy Communion
|
SIT or
KNEEL |
|
From the
beginning of the Prayer after Communion until the end of Mass
|
STAND |
(GIRM-Notes)
Deacons
From the
epiclesis until the priest shows the chalice, the deacon normally remains
kneeling. (GIRM, no.
179)
In the Archdiocese of Atlanta, for
reasons of age or infirmity, the assisting deacon may remain standing during the
consecration. In all other instances, the deacon should kneel as directed.
(GIRM-Norms)
Baptism
The Church teaches that Baptism may be
performed either by immersion or by pouring water over the head of the
candidate. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1239-1240, #1278) In the
–
Baptism by
immersion or by pouring water over the head of the candidate are both acceptable
in the Archdiocese of Atlanta.
–
As with
pouring water over the head, if Baptism is to be performed by immersion, the
actions must be carried out in such a way that the dignity of the Sacrament is
in no way compromised:
–
The pool used
for immersion must be located within the church, and of permanent construction.
The physical circumstances providing for immersion may not be improvised simply
so immersion can take place.
–
Safety,
especially in the case of infants, must be of paramount concern. The Sacrament
must never be an occasion for possible harm occurring to the person receiving
it, or to those assisting in the ceremony.
–
When the
Sacrament is celebrated using immersion, great care must be given to preparation
for the actual movements of the ritual and the disposition of those taking part
– for example: where will the celebrant stand, what will the celebrant wear, who
will help with the robing and disrobing, where will the candidate dress after
the immersion, etc. In all circumstances of the Rite, the dignity of the
Sacrament must be guarded from awkwardness or unintentional levity which might
result from lack of preparation.
–
A pastor may
permit Baptism by immersion as long as the ritual integrity of the action is
observed and the dignity of the Sacrament is guaranteed, as above. The family or
individuals involved must agree to the celebration of Baptism by immersion
rather than being confronted with this option without proper preparation. Where
permitted by the pastor, the choice of immersion or pouring of water over the
head remains with the parents or guardians of the candidate in the case of
infants or minors, or with the candidate. (Baptism Instruction
2005)
Extraordinary
Ministers of Holy Communion
One of the duties of the bishop is to
delegate through pastoral assignment, members of the lay faithful to assist in
the distribution of Holy Communion. They are called “extraordinary” ministers to
distinguish them from those who are the “ordinary” ministers of Holy Communion,
the bishop, the priest, and the deacon. In the recent instruction on the
Eucharist, Redemptionis Sacramentum, the following direction is given,
and I ask that it be followed faithfully in the Archdiocese, not only in
parlance, but also where the words themselves appear is as printed text, such as
parish bulletins and websites.
“This function (extraordinary minister)
is to be understood strictly according to the name by which it is known, that is
to say, that of extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, and not “special
minister of Holy Communion” nor “extraordinary minister of the Eucharist” nor
“special minister of the Eucharist” by which names the meaning of this function
is unnecessarily and improperly broadened.”
Also, the term “Eucharistic Minister” is
to be used only to describe those who are the ordinary ministers of the
Eucharist: the bishop, the priest and the deacon. (2004-letter)
Distribution of
Holy Communion Outside of Mass
Sunday Celebrations in the
Absence of a Priest
Circumstances calling for the use of the
Directory for Sunday Celebrations in the
Absence of a Priest are not
to be found in the Archdiocese of Atlanta
(2004-letter)
Communion
Services
The Rite of Distributing Holy Communion
outside Mass with the Celebration of the Word is to be used in the following
instances:
a) When sickness or emergency causes the
absence of the only priest in a parish from a scheduled
mass
b) In parishes with only one priest,
when on a regularly scheduled off-day, no other priest is available to cover the
scheduled daily mass.
The Rite for Communion outside Mass
should be held in the place where the Eucharist is regularly celebrated or
reserved. (Communion may be given, however, in other places, including private
homes, when it is a question of the sick, prisoners, or others who cannot leave
the place without danger or serious difficulty.)
The Rite may be celebrated only by a
deacon, an instituted acolyte, or an appointed extraordinary minister of Holy
Communion. All other rubrics given in the Introduction to Holy Communion
Outside Mass are to be followed.
This rite may be celebrated only with
the permission of the pastor, or in his absence, permission from the local dean,
or from a Vicar of the Archdiocese or the
Archbishop.
This rite may not be used in parishes
where Mass is offered for the general parish community on the same day, and it
may not be used as an “optional” ceremony for any other purposes, such as the
commissioning of leaders, teachers, or other incidental parish events.
(2004-letter)
Communion for the
Sick
The Church's primary reason for
reserving the Holy Eucharist is for distribution to the sick as viaticum. The
usual ministers for this merciful work are the priest and the deacon, but when
necessary, also the extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. The rites to be
followed are found in the Roman Ritual: Administration of Communion to the
Sick. The rite may be obtained from the USCCB Publishing office. In
Redemptionis Sacramentum, the following caution is given:
“A Priest or Deacon, or an extraordinary
minister who takes the Most Holy Eucharist when an ordained minister is absent
or impeded in order to administer it as Communion for a sick person, should go
insofar as possible directly from the place where the Sacrament is reserved to
the sick person's home, leaving aside any profane business so that any danger of
profanation may be avoided and the greatest reverence for the Body of Christ may
be ensured.” (2004-letter)
Improvisation
Words of the Order of the Mass and of
the prayers proper to the day, as printed in the Missal and the Sacramentary,
and the words of the readings as printed in the Lectionary approved for use in
the
Music
In some churches it has become the
practice to use the organ or other instruments to cover moments of silence, as
musical "filler." This practice is to be discouraged. The Eucharistic Prayer
must never be accompanied by any so-called "background music."
(GIRM-Notes)
The use of
Latin
“All other things being equal, Gregorian
chant holds pride of place because it is proper to the Roman liturgy. Other
types of sacred music, in particular polyphony, are in no way excluded, provided
that they correspond to the spirit of the liturgical action and that they foster
the participation of all the faithful.
“Since faithful from different
countries come together ever more frequently, it is fitting that they know how
to sing together at least some parts of the Ordinary of the Mass in Latin,
especially the Creed and the Lord's Prayer, set to the simpler melodies. (GIRM,
no. 41)”
The Second Vatican Council expressed the desire of the Church that
the Latin language and the use of Gregorian Chant not be discarded as regular
practices of the Roman Church. (GIRM-notes)
Sacred
Times
Lent
Holy water should remain in the holy
water fonts during Lent, as a reminder of Baptism and of the repentance
especially appropriate to the Season, and never be replaced with sand, or
any other substance.
The represents the teaching of the
Church as clarified by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments in
2003 as follows:
1. The liturgical legislation in force
does not foresee this innovation, which in addition to being 'praeter legem' is
contrary to a balanced understanding of the season of Lent, which though truly
being a season of penance, is also a season rich in the symbolism of water and
baptism, constantly evoked in liturgical texts.
2. The encouragement of the Church that
the faithful avail themselves frequently of the sacraments is to be understood
to apply also to the season of Lent. The 'fast' and 'abstinence' which the
faithful embrace in this season does not extend to abstaining from the
sacraments or sacramentals of the Church.
The practice of the Church has been to
empty the Holy Water fonts on the days of the Sacred Triduum in preparation of
the blessing of the water at the Easter Vigil, and it corresponds to those days
on which the Eucharist is not celebrated (i.e., Good Friday and Holy Saturday)
(Lent Letter 2004)
The Sacred
Triduum
Good
Friday
Please remind the Faithful, that from
the solemn adoration during the liturgical celebration on Good Friday until the
beginning of the Easter Vigil, all are to genuflect when presenting themselves
or passing before the Holy Cross. (Holy Thursday
Announcement)
Sacred Objects
and Places
Silence
Even before the celebration itself, it is commendable
that silence be observed in the church, in the sacristy, in the vesting room,
and in adjacent areas, so that all may dispose themselves to carry out the
sacred action in a devout and
fitting manner. (GIRM, no. 45)
In many churches, conversation, even in
raised voices, has become acceptable, impairing the sense of reverence and
silence which should be observed in the presence of our Lord, and as a fitting
preparation for the celebration of the Eucharistic mystery. Pastors are urged to
promote the custom of silence as directed in the paragraph above.
(GIRM-Notes)
Sacred
Vessels
Glass vessels, or vessels of clay,
earthenware, ceramic or porcelain or any easily broken material are no longer to
be used as containers for the Precious Blood. It is acceptable to use such
vessels to carry the wine forward at the Offertory, but as the instruction
stipulates, from that point, the wine should be poured into chalices - see #
117. (Redemptionis Sacramentum Letter)
Linens
All altar cloths, corporals,
purificators, lavabo towels and palls used in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, must
be made of absorbent cloth and never of paper. No reasons concerning economy or
utility will be allowed to supersede the reverence we are bound to show the
Precious Blood of our Lord, and the care with which we will treat all those
surfaces that may come in contact with His Body and Blood. Any cloth that
becomes saturated with any portion of the Precious Blood, should immediately be
washed, and the water poured into the sacrarium. (Purificator
Memo)
Holy
Oils
The sacramental oils of the Church
are:
- the Oil of Catechumens, used at baptism,
or in ceremonies during the period of the catechmenate as specified in the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults;
- the Oil of the Sick, used in
celebrations of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick;
- the Holy Chrism, used in the Sacraments
of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders. Bishops, priests, and deacons are the
only ministers authorized to use the holy oils, and the holy oils are not to be
used in any ceremonies other than the sacramental liturgies listed above.
(2004-letter)
Sources
2004-letter – Undated Letter included in
the Clergy Mailing in 2004
Redemptionis Sacramentum Letter – Letter
dated July 2, 2004 accompanying a copy of Redemptionis
Sacramentum.
Purificator Memo – A memo from
Archbishop Donoghue dated May 2, 2003 regarding paper
purificators
GIRM-Notes – A collection of excerpts
from the GIRM with local adaptations promulgated by Archbishop Donoghue on Nov
24, 2003.
Baptism Instruction 2005 – An
instruction from July 2005 regarding Baptism, especially the requirements for
Baptism by immersion.
Communion Distribution 2002 – A letter
from Archbishop Donoghue dated Nov 1, 2002, providing certain details for the
actions of extraordinary ministers following Holy
Communion.
Lent Letter 2004 – A letter from
Archbishop Donoghue regarding removing Holy Water from the fonts during
Lent.
Purification Notice – A memo from
Archbishop Gregory dated Oct 26, 2006 regarding the purification of vessels by
lay ministers.