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Bro. Ignatius
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Posted -
2007/3/21 上午 09:11:14
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When Reading the Passion
And More on Masses for Non-Catholic Officials
ROME, MARCH 20, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.
Q: The music director of our parish has some rather liberal ideas of how he uses music during Mass. Once, the reading of the Passion was stopped at the moment when we were kneeling in remembrance of Christ's dying moment. The music director then had the assembly sing three verses of "Were You There." After the music, the Passion was completed. I find this more than a bit bizarre. Is this sort of practice considered something that is allowed during a Mass? -- C.S., Homosassa, Florida
Q: During the Gospel readings on Palm Sunday and Good Friday (the Passion of our Lord) the readings normally have parts assigned for the priest, the laity and other lectors. But in our parish, the choir director divides the readings in chunks between lectors and the priests and deacons without order. And the choir sings at particular places with a chorus that is not related to the Passion of Our Lord. Is that proper? -- E.K., San Diego, California
Q: Until a few years ago in our parish, people stood during the reading of the Passion as they always do when the Gospel is read. However, a pastor decided that since those readings were very long, people would concentrate better if they sat. When the words of Jesus' death are proclaimed, everyone kneels, and then they go back to sitting. I personally find it makes no sense to sit comfortably while listening to the words of the part of the Gospel which proclaim the most painful moments of Jesus' life, while during all other Masses of the year, we stand. -- M.P., Toronto
A: Since these three questions are closely related, I will attempt to answer them together.
In the Florida case, the music director is not doing a good job by interrupting the text of the Passion but rather shows a certain lack of knowledge of the ceremony's rhythm and tradition. The same could be said of the director in San Diego.
Likewise, neither the music director nor anyone else cooperating in the liturgy should be allowed to have the final word in organizing a liturgical celebration. It is incumbent upon a pastor to supervise and guide such participants so as to assure that the faithful receive an authentic Catholic liturgy.
In 1988 the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments published "Paschales Solemnitatis," a "Circular Letter Concerning the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts." Regarding Good Friday it states:
"58. On this day, when 'Christ our passover was sacrificed,' the Church meditates on the passion of her Lord and Spouse, adores the cross, commemorates her origin from the side of Christ asleep on the cross, and intercedes for the salvation of the whole world.
"64. The Order for the Celebration of the Lord's Passion (the Liturgy of the Word, the adoration of the cross, and Holy Communion), that stems from an ancient tradition of the Church, should be observed faithfully and religiously, and may not be changed by anyone on his own initiative."
Indeed, Good Friday is perhaps the most archaic of all liturgical services. For centuries it conserved elements, such as the general intercessions, that had disappeared from other parts of the liturgy.
"Paschales Solemnitatis" continues in No. 66: "The readings are to be read in their entirety. The responsorial psalm and the chant before the Gospel are to be sung in the usual manner. The narrative of the Lord's passion according to John is sung or read in the way prescribed for the previous Sunday (cf. n. 33). After the reading of the passion a homily should be given, at the end of which the faithful may be invited to spend a short time in meditation."
The aforementioned No. 33 says:
"The passion narrative occupies a special place. It should be sung or read in the traditional way, that is, by three persons who take the parts of Christ, the narrator and the people. The passion is proclaimed by deacons or priests, or by lay readers. In the latter case, the part of Christ should be reserved to the priest.
"The proclamation of the passion should be without candles and incense, the greeting and the signs of the cross are omitted; only a deacon asks for the blessing, as he does before the Gospel.
"For the spiritual good of the faithful the passion should be proclaimed in its entirety, and the readings which precede it should not be omitted."
This indication would appear to exclude any intervention of the choir; however, it is also common practice in some places, notably St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, to use a fourfold division of parts: Christ, narrator, other individuals, and the multitude. This latter role is carried out by the choir who sing phrases such as "Crucify him" in dramatic polyphony.
At the Vatican the Passion is thus sung in Italian on Palm Sunday and in Latin on Good Friday.
The fourfold division can also be used in a read Passion, with a group of readers taking the part of the multitude.
Other interventions of the choir -- such as singing songs that do not form part of the Gospel text or that interrupt its reading -- should be totally excluded from the celebration.
Finally, as our Toronto reader points out, most of the faithful attending the reading of the Passion expect to make the sacrifice of standing during the reading and associate themselves in this manner with the Lord's suffering. Of course, elderly people and anybody with particular physical difficulties who find it hard to remain standing for long periods can freely sit down if necessary.
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Follow-up: Masses for Non-Catholic Officials
In the wake of our response on praying for public officials (March 6) a West Hartford, Connecticut, reader commented: "Does the Gospel not say: 'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you'? This kind of righteousness that holds back prayers at Mass smacks of the attitudes of the Pharisees. Of course we ought to pray for these people at Mass."
I am in full agreement with this correspondent that we ought to pray for those who govern us, regardless of their religion. But I fear that he may have read too much into the original question.
Our original questioner made a precise technical query regarding the possibility of offering a public Mass "for the intentions" of a governing official who intentionally supports some very anti-Catholic policies. As we explained, this is quite different from asking God, even at Mass, for the overall physical and spiritual welfare of the same official.
I am sure that our original Brookfield, Connecticut, reader is more than sufficiently Catholic to pray often for the official in question who, from the sketch provided, certainly needs them.
Another reader, from Cork, Ireland, mentioned a slightly different case: "A good Methodist lady recently died in our town. Would it be wrong or unwise to pray for her soul publicly with permission from her relatives, or announce the details of her funeral rites? The latter I can see could be dodgy, as it is advertising going to a non-Catholic place of worship. What about praying privately for non-Catholic poor souls?"
As in many cases, there is no simple answer, since the specific pastoral context must be taken into account. From the tone of our correspondent's note I presume that the Methodist woman was well known in the area and esteemed by all.
In such a case I think that a pastor could very well mention the death and even include a petition for the repose of her soul in the prayers of the faithful.
This can be, and often is, done in other circumstances such as when prayers are offered at Mass for the victims of a tragedy that has impacted the national or local community, or when well-known public figures die.
It is also usually possible for a Catholic to be present at the funeral services of people of other faiths out of respect or friendship for the deceased. In such cases a Catholic may join in a prayer or psalm that is not contradictory to his faith. But he or she should not, for example, receive communion at a non-Catholic service, or participate in prayers that explicitly or implicitly deny fundamental Christian truths.
A Catholic may always pray for the deceased of other faiths. Indeed the Church often does so publicly, as in Eucharistic Prayer IV when we ask the Father to "Remember those who have died in the peace of Christ and all the dead whose faith is known to you alone."
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