INSTRUCTION
Redemptionis
Sacramentum
On certain matters to be
observed or to be avoided
regarding the Most Holy Eucharist
INDEX
Preamble [1-13]
Chapter I
The regulation of the Sacred Liturgy [14-18]
1. The Diocesan Bishop, High Priest of his Flock
[19-25]
2. The Conference of Bishops [26-28]
3. Priests [29-33]
4. Deacons [34-35]
Chapter II
The Participation of the Lay Christian Faithful in
the Eucharistic Celebration
1. Active and Conscious Participation [36-42]
2. The Ministries of the Lay Christian Faithful in the Celebration of
Holy Mass [43-47]
Chapter III
The Proper Celebration of Mass
1. The Matter of the Most Holy Eucharist [48-50]
2. The Eucharistic Prayer [51-56]
3. The Other Parts of the Mass [57-74]
4. The Joining of Various Rites with the Celebration of Mass [75-79]
Chapter IV
Holy Communion
1. Dispositions for the Reception of Holy Communion
[80-86]
2. The Distribution of Holy Communion [87-96]
3. The Communion of Priests [97-99]
4. Communion under Both Kinds [100-107]
Chapter V
Certain Other Matters concerning the Eucharist
1. The Place for the Celebration of Holy Mass
[108-109]
2. Various Circumstances Relating to Mass [110-116]
3. Sacred Vessels [117-120]
4. Liturgical Vesture [121-128]
Chapter VI
The Reservation of the Most Holy Eucharist and
Eucharistic Worship outside Mass
1. The Reservation of the Most Holy Eucharist
[129-133]
2. Certain Forms of Worship of the Most Holy Eucharist outside Mass
[134-141]
3. Processions and Eucharistic Congresses [142-145]
Chapter VII
Extraordinary Functions of the Lay Faithful
[146-153]
1. The Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
[154-160]
2. Preaching [161]
3. Particular Celebrations Carried Out in the Absence of a Priest
[162-167]
4. Those Who Have Left the Clerical State [168]
Chapter VIII
Remedies [169-171]
1. Graviora Delicta [172]
2. Grave Matters [173]
3. Other Abuses [174-175]
4. The Diocesan Bishop [176-180]
5. The Apostolic See [181-182]
6. Complaints Regarding Abuses in Liturgical Matters [183-184]
Conclusion [185-186]
Preamble
[1.] In the Most Holy Eucharist, Mother Church with
steadfast faith acknowledges the Sacrament of redemption,[1]
joyfully takes it to herself, celebrates it and reveres it in
adoration, proclaiming the death of Christ Jesus and confessing his
Resurrection until he comes in glory[2]
to hand over, as unconquered Lord and Ruler, eternal Priest and King
of the Universe, a kingdom of truth and life to the immense majesty of
the Almighty Father.[3]
[2.] The Church’s doctrine regarding the Most Holy
Eucharist, in which the whole spiritual wealth of the Church is
contained - namely Christ, our Paschal Lamb[4]
- the Eucharist which is the source and summit of the whole of
Christian life,[5] and
which lies as a causative force behind the very origins of the Church,[6]
has been expounded with thoughtful care and with great authority over
the course of the centuries in the writings of the Councils and the
Supreme Pontiffs. Most recently, in fact, the Supreme Pontiff John
Paul II, in the Encyclical Letter
Ecclesia de
Eucharistia, set forth afresh certain elements of great
importance on this subject in view of the ecclesial circumstances of
our times.[7]
In order that especially in the celebration of the
Sacred Liturgy the Church might duly safeguard so great a mystery in
our own time as well, the Supreme Pontiff has mandated that this
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments,[8]
in collaboration with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith,
should prepare this Instruction treating of certain matters pertaining
to the discipline of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Those things
found in this Instruction are therefore to be read in the continuity
with the above-mentioned Encyclical Letter,
Ecclesia de
Eucharistia.
It is not at all the intention here to prepare a
compendium of the norms regarding the Most Holy Eucharist, but rather,
to take up within this Instruction some elements of liturgical norms
that have been previously expounded or laid down and even today remain
in force in order to assure a deeper appreciation of the liturgical
norms;[9] to establish
certain norms by which those earlier ones are explained and
complemented; and also to set forth for Bishops, as well as for
Priests, Deacons and all the lay Christian faithful, how each should
carry them out in accordance with his own responsibilities and the
means at his disposal.
[3.] The norms contained in the present Instruction
are to be understood as pertaining to liturgical matters in the Roman
Rite, and, mutatis mutandis, in the other Rites of the Latin
Church that are duly acknowledged by law.
[4.] “Certainly the liturgical reform
inaugurated by the Council has greatly contributed to a more
conscious, active and fruitful participation in the Holy Sacrifice of
the Altar on the part of the faithful.”[10]
Even so, “shadows are not lacking”.[11]
In this regard it is not possible to be silent about the abuses, even
quite grave ones, against the nature of the Liturgy and the Sacraments
as well as the tradition and the authority of the Church, which in our
day not infrequently plague liturgical celebrations in one ecclesial
environment or another. In some places the perpetration of liturgical
abuses has become almost habitual, a fact which obviously cannot be
allowed and must cease.
[5.] The observance of the norms published by the
authority of the Church requires conformity of thought and of word, of
external action and of the application of the heart. A merely external
observation of norms would obviously be contrary to the nature of the
Sacred Liturgy, in which Christ himself wishes to gather his Church,
so that together with himself she will be “one body and one spirit”.[12]
For this reason, external action must be illuminated by faith and
charity, which unite us with Christ and with one another and engender
love for the poor and the abandoned. The liturgical words and rites,
moreover, are a faithful expression, matured over the centuries, of
the understanding of Christ, and they teach us to think as he himself
does;[13] by conforming
our minds to these words, we raise our hearts to the Lord. All that is
said in this Instruction is directed toward such a conformity of our
own understanding with that of Christ, as expressed in the words and
the rites of the Liturgy.
[6.] For abuses “contribute to the obscuring of the
Catholic faith and doctrine concerning this wonderful sacrament”.[14]
Thus, they also hinder the faithful from “re-living in a certain way
the experience of the two disciples of Emmaus: ‘and their eyes were
opened, and they recognized him’”.[15]
For in the presence of God’s power and divinity[16]
and the splendour of his goodness, made manifest especially in the
Sacrament of the Eucharist, it is fitting that all the faithful should
have and put into practice that power of acknowledging God’s majesty
that they have received through the saving Passion of the
Only-Begotten Son.[17]
[7.] Not infrequently, abuses are rooted in a false
understanding of liberty. Yet God has not granted us in Christ an
illusory liberty by which we may do what we wish, but a liberty by
which we may do that which is fitting and right.[18]
This is true not only of precepts coming directly from God, but also
of laws promulgated by the Church, with appropriate regard for the
nature of each norm. For this reason, all should conform to the
ordinances set forth by legitimate ecclesiastical authority.
[8.] It is therefore to be noted with great sadness
that “ecumenical initiatives which are well-intentioned, nevertheless
indulge at times in Eucharistic practices contrary to the discipline
by which the Church expresses her faith”. Yet the Eucharist “is too
great a gift to tolerate ambiguity or depreciation”. It is therefore
necessary that some things be corrected or more clearly delineated so
that in this respect as well “the Eucharist will continue to shine
forth in all its radiant mystery”.[19]
[9.] Finally, abuses are often based on ignorance, in
that they involve a rejection of those elements whose deeper meaning
is not understood and whose antiquity is not recognized. For “the
liturgical prayers, orations and songs are pervaded by the inspiration
and impulse” of the Sacred Scriptures themselves, “and it is from
these that the actions and signs receive their meaning”.[20]
As for the visible signs “which the Sacred Liturgy uses in order to
signify the invisible divine realities, they have been chosen by
Christ or by the Church”.[21]
Finally, the structures and forms of the sacred celebrations according
to each of the Rites of both East and West are in harmony with the
practice of the universal Church also as regards practices received
universally from apostolic and unbroken tradition,[22]
which it is the Church’s task to transmit faithfully and carefully to
future generations. All these things are wisely safeguarded and
protected by the liturgical norms.
[10.] The Church herself has no power over those
things which were established by Christ himself and which constitute
an unchangeable part of the Liturgy.[23]
Indeed, if the bond were to be broken which the Sacraments have with
Christ himself who instituted them, and with the events of the
Church’s founding,[24] it
would not be beneficial to the faithful but rather would do them grave
harm. For the Sacred Liturgy is quite intimately connected with
principles of doctrine,[25]
so that the use of unapproved texts and rites necessarily leads either
to the attenuation or to the disappearance of that necessary link
between the lex orandi and the lex credendi.[26]
[11.] The Mystery of the Eucharist “is too great for
anyone to permit himself to treat it according to his own whim, so
that its sacredness and its universal ordering would be obscured”.[27]
On the contrary, anyone who acts thus by giving free reign to his own
inclinations, even if he is a Priest, injures the substantial unity of
the Roman Rite, which ought to be vigorously preserved,[28]
and becomes responsible for actions that are in no way consistent with
the hunger and thirst for the living God that is experienced by the
people today. Nor do such actions serve authentic pastoral care or
proper liturgical renewal; instead, they deprive Christ’s faithful of
their patrimony and their heritage. For arbitrary actions are not
conducive to true renewal,[29]
but are detrimental to the right of Christ’s faithful to a liturgical
celebration that is an expression of the Church’s life in accordance
with her tradition and discipline. In the end, they introduce elements
of distortion and disharmony into the very celebration of the
Eucharist, which is oriented in its own lofty way and by its very
nature to signifying and wondrously bringing about the communion of
divine life and the unity of the People of God.[30]
The result is uncertainty in matters of doctrine, perplexity and
scandal on the part of the People of God, and, almost as a necessary
consequence, vigorous opposition, all of which greatly confuse and
sadden many of Christ’s faithful in this age of ours when Christian
life is often particularly difficult on account of the inroads of
“secularization” as well.[31]
[12.] On the contrary, it is the right of all of
Christ’s faithful that the Liturgy, and in particular the celebration
of Holy Mass, should truly be as the Church wishes, according to her
stipulations as prescribed in the liturgical books and in the other
laws and norms. Likewise, the Catholic people have the right that the
Sacrifice of the Holy Mass should be celebrated for them in an
integral manner, according to the entire doctrine of the Church’s
Magisterium. Finally, it is the Catholic community’s right that the
celebration of the Most Holy Eucharist should be carried out for it in
such a manner that it truly stands out as a sacrament of unity, to the
exclusion of all blemishes and actions that might engender divisions
and factions in the Church.[32]
[13.] All of the norms and exhortations set forth in
this Instruction are connected, albeit in various ways, with the
mission of the Church, whose task it is to be vigilant concerning the
correct and worthy celebration of so great a mystery. The last chapter
of the present Instruction will treat of the varying degrees to which
the individual norms are bound up with the supreme norm of all
ecclesiastical law, namely concern for the salvation of souls.[33]
Chapter I
THE REGULATION
OF THE SACRED LITURGY
[14.] “The regulation of the Sacred Liturgy depends
solely on the authority of the Church, which rests specifically with
the Apostolic See and, according to the norms of law, with the Bishop.[34]
[15.] The Roman Pontiff, “the Vicar of Christ and the
Pastor of the universal Church on earth, by virtue of his supreme
office enjoys full, immediate and universal ordinary power, which he
may always freely exercise”[35],
also by means of communication with the pastors and with the members
of the flock.
[16.] “It pertains to the Apostolic See to regulate
the Sacred Liturgy of the universal Church, to publish the liturgical
books and to grant the recognitio for their translation into
vernacular languages, as well as to ensure that the liturgical
regulations, especially those governing the celebration of the most
exalted celebration of the Sacrifice of the Mass, are everywhere
faithfully observed”.[36]
[17.] “The Congregation for Divine Worship and the
Discipline of the Sacraments attends to those matters that pertain to
the Apostolic See as regards the regulation and promotion of the
Sacred Liturgy, and especially the Sacraments, with due regard for the
competence of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. It
fosters and enforces sacramental discipline, especially as regards
their validity and their licit celebration”. Finally, it “carefully
seeks to ensure that the liturgical regulations are observed with
precision, and that abuses are prevented or eliminated whenever they
are detected”[37]. In
this regard, according to the tradition of the universal Church,
pre-eminent solicitude is accorded the celebration of Holy Mass, and
also to the worship that is given to the Holy Eucharist even outside
Mass.
[18.] Christ’s faithful have the right that
ecclesiastical authority should fully and efficaciously regulate the
Sacred Liturgy lest it should ever seem to be “anyone’s private
property, whether of the celebrant or of the community in which the
mysteries are celebrated”[38].
1. The Diocesan Bishop, High Priest of
his Flock
[19.] The diocesan Bishop, the first steward of the
mysteries of God in the particular Church entrusted to him, is the
moderator, promoter and guardian of her whole liturgical life.[39]
For “the Bishop, endowed with the fullness of the Sacrament of Order,
is ‘the steward of the grace of the high Priesthood’,[40]
especially in the Eucharist which he either himself offers or causes
to be offered,[41] by
which the Church continually lives and grows”.[42]
[20.] Indeed, the pre-eminent manifestation of the
Church is found whenever the rites of Mass are celebrated, especially
in the Cathedral Church, “with the full and active participation of
the entire holy People of God, joined in one act of prayer, at one
altar at which the Bishop presides”, surrounded by his presbyterate
with the Deacons and ministers.[43]
Furthermore, “every lawful celebration of the Eucharist is directed by
the Bishop, to whom is entrusted the office of presenting the worship
of the Christian religion to the Divine Majesty and ordering it
according to the precepts of the Lord and the laws of the Church,
further specified by his own particular judgement for the Diocese”.[44]
[21.] It pertains to the diocesan Bishop, then,
“within the limits of his competence, to set forth liturgical norms in
his Diocese, by which all are bound”.[45]
Still, the Bishop must take care not to allow the removal of that
liberty foreseen by the norms of the liturgical books so that the
celebration may be adapted in an intelligent manner to the Church
building, or to the group of the faithful who are present, or to
particular pastoral circumstances in such a way that the universal
sacred rite is truly accommodated to human understanding.[46]
[22.] The Bishop governs the particular Church
entrusted to him,[47] and
it is his task to regulate, to direct, to encourage, and sometimes
also to reprove;[48] this
is a sacred task that he has received through episcopal Ordination,[49]
which he fulfills in order to build up his flock in truth and
holiness.[50] He should
elucidate the inherent meaning of the rites and the liturgical texts,
and nourish the spirit of the Liturgy in the Priests, Deacons and lay
faithful[51] so that they
are all led to the active and fruitful celebration of the Eucharist,[52]
and in like manner he should take care to ensure that the whole body
of the Church is able to grow in the same understanding, in the unity
of charity, in the diocese, in the nation and in the world.[53]
[23.] The faithful “should cling to the Bishop as the
Church does to Jesus Christ, and as Jesus Christ does to the Father,
so that all may be in harmonious unity, and that they may abound to
the glory of God”.[54]
All, including members of Institutes of consecrated life and Societies
of apostolic life as well as those of all ecclesial associations and
movements of any kind, are subject to the authority of the diocesan
Bishop in all liturgical matters,[55]
apart from rights that have been legitimately conceded. To the
diocesan Bishop therefore falls the right and duty of overseeing and
attending to Churches and oratories in his territory in regard to
liturgical matters, and this is true also of those which are founded
by members of the above-mentioned institutes or under their direction,
provided that the faithful are accustomed to frequent them.[56]
[24.] It is the right of the Christian people
themselves that their diocesan Bishop should take care to prevent the
occurrence of abuses in ecclesiastical discipline, especially as
regards the ministry of the word, the celebration of the sacraments
and sacramentals, the worship of God and devotion to the Saints.[57]
[25.] Commissions as well as councils or committees
established by the Bishop to handle “the promotion of the Liturgy,
sacred music and art in his diocese” should act in accordance with the
intentions and the norms of the Bishop; they must rely on his
authority and his approval so that they may carry out their office in
a suitable manner[58] and
so that the effective governance of the Bishop in his diocese will be
preserved. As regards all these sorts of bodies and other entities and
all undertakings in liturgical matters, there has long been the need
for the Bishops to consider whether their working has been fruitful
thus far,[59] and to
consider carefully which changes or improvements should be made in
their composition and activity[60]so
that they might find new vigour. It should be borne in mind that the
experts are to be chosen from among those whose soundness in the
Catholic faith and knowledge of theological and cultural matters are
evident.
2. The Conference of Bishops
[26.] The same holds for those commissions of this
kind which have been established by the Conference of Bishops in
accordance with the will of the Council,[61]
commissions whose members consist of Bishops who are clearly
distinguished from their expert helpers. Where the number of members
of a Conference of Bishops is not sufficient for the effective
establishment of a liturgical commission from among their own number,
then a council or group of experts should be named, always under the
presidency of a Bishop, which is to fulfill the same role insofar as
possible, albeit without the name of “liturgical commission”.
[27.] As early as the year 1970, the Apostolic See
announced the cessation of all experimentation as regards the
celebration of Holy Mass[62]
and reiterated the same in 1988.[63]
Accordingly, individual Bishops and their Conferences do not have the
faculty to permit experimentation with liturgical texts or the other
matters that are prescribed in the liturgical books. In order to carry
out experimentation of this kind in the future, the permission of the
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
is required. It must be in writing, and it is to be requested by the
Conference of Bishops. In fact, it will not be granted without serious
reason. As regards projects of inculturation in liturgical matters,
the particular norms that have been established are strictly and
comprehensively to be observed.[64]
[28.] All liturgical norms that a Conference of
Bishops will have established for its territory in accordance with the
law are to be submitted to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the
Discipline of the Sacraments for the recognitio, without which
they lack any binding force.[65]
3. Priests
[29.] Priests, as capable, prudent and indispensable
co-workers of the order of Bishops,[66]
called to the service of the People of God, constitute one
presbyterate with their Bishop,[67]
though charged with differing offices. “In each local congregation of
the faithful, in a certain way, they make present the Bishop with whom
they are associated in trust and in generosity of heart; according to
their rank, they take upon themselves his duties and his solicitude,
and they carry these out in their daily work”. And “because of this
participation in the Priesthood and mission, Priests should recognize
the Bishop as truly their father and obey him reverently”[68].
Furthermore, “ever intent upon the good of God’s children, they should
seek to contribute to the pastoral mission of the whole diocese, and
indeed of the whole Church”.[69]
[30.] The office “that belongs to Priests in
particular in the celebration of the Eucharist” is a great one, “for
it is their responsibility to preside at the Eucharist in persona
Christi and to provide a witness to and a service of communion not
only for the community directly taking part in the celebration, but
also for the universal Church, which is always brought into play
within the context of the Eucharist. It must be lamented that,
especially in the years following the post-Conciliar liturgical
reform, as a result of a misguided sense of creativity and adaptation,
there have been a number of abuses which have been a source of
suffering for many”.[70]
[31.] In keeping with the solemn promises that they
have made in the rite of Sacred Ordination and renewed each year in
the Mass of the Chrism, let Priests celebrate “devoutly and faithfully
the mysteries of Christ for the praise of God and the sanctification
of the Christian people, according to the tradition of the Church,
especially in the Eucharistic Sacrifice and in the Sacrament of
Reconciliation”.[71] They
ought not to detract from the profound meaning of their own ministry
by corrupting the liturgical celebration either through alteration or
omission, or through arbitrary additions.[72]
For as St. Ambrose said, “It is not in herself . . . but in us that
the Church is injured. Let us take care so that our own failure may
not cause injury to the Church”.[73]
Let the Church of God not be injured, then, by Priests who have so
solemnly dedicated themselves to the ministry. Indeed, under the
Bishop’s authority let them faithfully seek to prevent others as well
from committing this type of distortion.
[32.] “Let the Parish Priest strive so that the Most
Holy Eucharist will be the center of the parish congregation of the
faithful; let him work to ensure that Christ’s faithful are nourished
through the devout celebration of the Sacraments, and in particular,
that they frequently approach the Most Holy Eucharist and the
Sacrament of Penance; let him strive, furthermore, to ensure that the
faithful are encouraged to offer prayers in their families as well,
and to participate consciously and actively in the Sacred Liturgy,
which the Parish Priest, under the authority of the diocesan Bishop,
is bound to regulate and supervise in his parish lest abuses occur”.[74]
Although it is appropriate that he should be assisted in the effective
preparation of the liturgical celebrations by various members of
Christ’s faithful, he nevertheless must not cede to them in any way
those things that are proper to his own office.
[33.] Finally, all “Priests should go to the trouble
of properly cultivating their liturgical knowledge and ability,
so that through their liturgical ministry, God the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit will be praised in an ever more excellent manner by the
Christian communities entrusted to them”.[75]
Above all, let them be filled with that wonder and amazement that the
Paschal Mystery, in being celebrated, instills in the hearts of the
faithful.[76]
4. Deacons
[34.] Deacons “upon whom hands are imposed not for the
Priesthood but for the ministry”,[77]
as men of good repute,[78]
must act in such a way that with the help of God they may be
recognized as the true disciples[79]
of him “who came not to be served but to serve”[80],
and who was among his disciples “as one who serves”.[81]
Strengthened by the gift of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of
hands, they are in service to the People of God, in communion with the
Bishop and his presbyterate.[82]
They should therefore consider the Bishop as a father, and give
assistance to him and to the Priests “in the ministry of the word, of
the altar, and of charity”.[83]
[35.] Let them never fail, “as the Apostle says, to
hold the mystery of faith with a clear conscience,[84]
and to proclaim this faith by word and deed according to the Gospel
and the tradition of the Church”,[85]in
wholehearted, faithful and humble service to the Sacred Liturgy as the
source and summit of ecclesial life, “so that all, made children of
God through faith and Baptism, may come together as one, praising God
in the midst of the Church, to participate in the Sacrifice and to eat
the Lord’s Supper”.[86]
Let all Deacons, then, do their part so that the Sacred Liturgy will
be celebrated according to the norms of the duly approved liturgical
books.
Chapter II
THE
PARTICIPATION OF THE LAY CHRISTIAN FAITHFUL
IN THE EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION
1. Active and Conscious Participation
[36.] The celebration of the Mass, as the action of
Christ and of the Church, is the center of the whole Christian life
for the universal as well as the particular Church, and also for the
individual faithful,[87]
who are involved “in differing ways according to the diversity of
orders, ministries, and active participation.[88]
In this way the Christian people, “a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
a holy people, a people God has made his own”,[89]
manifests its coherent and hierarchical ordering”.[90]
“For the common priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial or
hierarchical Priesthood, though they differ in essence and not only in
degree, are ordered to one another, for both partake, each in its own
way, of the one Priesthood of Christ”.[91]
[37.] All of Christ’s faithful, freed from their sins
and incorporated into the Church through Baptism, are deputed by means
of a sacramental character for the worship of the Christian religion,[92]
so that by virtue of their royal priesthood,[93]
persevering in prayer and praising God,[94]
they may offer themselves as a living and holy sacrifice pleasing to
God and attested to others by their works,[95]
giving witness to Christ throughout the earth and providing an answer
to those who ask concerning their hope of eternal life that is in
them.[96] Thus the
participation of the lay faithful too in the Eucharist and in the
other celebrations of the Church’s rites cannot be equated with mere
presence, and still less with a passive one, but is rather to be
regarded as a true exercise of faith and of the baptismal dignity.
[38.] The constant teaching of the Church on the
nature of the Eucharist not only as a meal, but also and pre-eminently
as a Sacrifice, is therefore rightly understood to be one of the
principal keys to the full participation of all the faithful in so
great a Sacrament.[97]
For when “stripped of its sacrificial meaning, the mystery is
understood as if its meaning and importance were simply that of a
fraternal banquet”.[98]
[39.] For promoting and elucidating active
participation, the recent renewal of the liturgical books according to
the mind of the Council fostered acclamations of the people,
responses, psalmody, antiphons, and canticles, as well as actions or
movements and gestures, and called for sacred silence to be maintained
at the proper times, while providing rubrics for the parts of the
faithful as well.[99] In
addition, ample flexibility is given for appropriate creativity aimed
at allowing each celebration to be adapted to the needs of the
participants, to their comprehension, their interior preparation and
their gifts, according to the established liturgical norms. In the
songs, the melodies, the choice of prayers and readings, the giving of
the homily, the preparation of the prayer of the faithful, the
occasional explanatory remarks, and the decoration of the Church
building according to the various seasons, there is ample possibility
for introducing into each celebration a certain variety by which the
riches of the liturgical tradition will also be more clearly evident,
and so, in keeping with pastoral requirements, the celebration will be
carefully imbued with those particular features that will foster the
recollection of the participants. Still, it should be
remembered that the power of the liturgical celebrations does not
consist in frequently altering the rites, but in probing more deeply
the word of God and the mystery being celebrated.[100]
[40.] Nevertheless, from the fact that the liturgical
celebration obviously entails activity, it does not follow that
everyone must necessarily have something concrete to do beyond the
actions and gestures, as if a certain specific liturgical ministry
must necessarily be given to the individuals to be carried out by
them. Instead, catechetical instruction should strive diligently to
correct those widespread superficial notions and practices often seen
in recent years in this regard, and ever to instill anew in all of
Christ’s faithful that sense of deep wonder before the greatness of
the mystery of faith that is the Eucharist, in whose celebration the
Church is forever passing from what is obsolete into newness of life:
“in novitatem a vetustate”.[101]
For in the celebration of the Eucharist, as in the whole Christian
life which draws its power from it and leads toward it, the Church,
after the manner of Saint Thomas the Apostle, prostrates herself
in adoration before the Lord who was crucified, suffered and died,
was buried and arose, and perpetually exclaims to him who is clothed
in the fullness of his divine splendour: “My Lord and my God!”[102]
[41.] For encouraging, promoting and nourishing this
interior understanding of liturgical participation, the continuous and
widespread celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours, the use of the
sacramentals and exercises of Christian popular piety are extremely
helpful. These latter exercises – which “while not belonging to the
Liturgy in the strict sense, possess nonetheless a particular
importance and dignity” – are to be regarded as having a certain
connection with the liturgical context, especially when they have been
lauded and attested by the Magisterium itself,[103]
as is the case especially of the Marian Rosary.[104]
Furthermore, since these practices of piety lead the Christian people
both to the reception of the sacraments – especially the Eucharist –
and “to meditation on the mysteries of our Redemption and the
imitation of the excellent heavenly examples of the Saints, they are
therefore not without salutary effects for our participation in
liturgical worship ”.[105]
[42.] It must be acknowledged that the Church has not
come together by human volition; rather, she has been called together
by God in the Holy Spirit, and she responds through faith to his free
calling (thus the word ekklesia is related to klesis, or
“calling”).[106] Nor is
the Eucharistic Sacrifice to be considered a “concelebration”, in the
univocal sense, of the Priest along with the people who are present.[107]
On the contrary, the Eucharist celebrated by the Priests “is a gift
which radically transcends the power of the community. . . . The
community that gathers for the celebration of the Eucharist absolutely
requires an ordained Priest, who presides over it so that it may truly
be a eucharistic convocation. On the other hand, the community is by
itself incapable of providing an ordained minister”.[108]
There is pressing need of a concerted will to avoid all ambiguity in
this matter and to remedy the difficulties of recent years.
Accordingly, terms such as “celebrating community” or “celebrating
assembly” (in other languages “asamblea celebrante”, “assemblée
célébrante”, assemblea celebrante”) and similar terms should not be
used injudiciously.
2. The Ministries of the Lay Christian
Faithful in the Celebration of Holy Mass
[43.] For the good of the community and of the whole
Church of God, some of the lay faithful according to tradition have
rightly and laudably exercised ministries in the celebration of the
Sacred Liturgy.[109] It
is appropriate that a number of persons distribute among themselves
and exercise various ministries or different parts of the same
ministry.[110]
[44.] Apart from the duly instituted ministries of
acolyte and lector,[111]
the most important of these ministries are those of acolyte[112]
and lector[113] by
temporary deputation. In addition to these are the other functions
that are described in the Roman Missal,[114]
as well as the functions of preparing the hosts, washing the
liturgical linens, and the like. All, “whether ordained ministers or
lay faithful, in exercising their own office or ministry should do
exclusively and fully that which pertains to them”.[115]
In the liturgical celebration itself as well as in its preparation,
they should do what is necessary so that the Church’s Liturgy will be
carried out worthily and appropriately.
[45.] To be avoided is the danger of obscuring the
complementary relationship between the action of clerics and that of
laypersons, in such a way that the ministry of laypersons undergoes
what might be called a certain “clericalization”, while the sacred
ministers inappropriately assume those things that are proper to the
life and activity of the lay faithful.[116]
[46.] The lay Christian faithful called to give
assistance at liturgical celebrations should be well instructed and
must be those whose Christian life, morals and fidelity to the
Church’s Magisterium recommend them. It is fitting that such a one
should have received a liturgical formation in accordance with his or
her age, condition, state of life, and religious culture.[117]
No one should be selected whose designation could cause consternation
for the faithful.[118]
[47.] It is altogether laudable to maintain the noble
custom by which boys or youths, customarily termed servers, provide
service of the altar after the manner of acolytes, and receive
catechesis regarding their function in accordance with their power of
comprehension.[119] Nor
should it be forgotten that a great number of sacred ministers over
the course of the centuries have come from among boys such as these.[120]
Associations for them, including also the participation and assistance
of their parents, should be established or promoted, and in such a way
greater pastoral care will be provided for the ministers. Whenever
such associations are international in nature, it pertains to the
competence of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline
of the Sacraments to establish them or to approve and revise their
statutes.[121] Girls or
women may also be admitted to this service of the altar, at the
discretion of the diocesan Bishop and in observance of the established
norms.[122]
Chapter III
THE PROPER
CELEBRATION OF MASS
1. The Matter of the Most Holy
Eucharist
[48.] The bread used in the celebration of the Most
Holy Eucharistic Sacrifice must be unleavened, purely of wheat, and
recently made so that there is no danger of decomposition.[123]
It follows therefore that bread made from another substance, even if
it is grain, or if it is mixed with another substance different from
wheat to such an extent that it would not commonly be considered wheat
bread, does not constitute valid matter for confecting the Sacrifice
and the Eucharistic Sacrament.[124]
It is a grave abuse to introduce other substances, such as fruit or
sugar or honey, into the bread for confecting the Eucharist. Hosts
should obviously be made by those who are not only distinguished by
their integrity, but also skilled in making them and furnished with
suitable tools.[125]
[49.] By reason of the sign, it is appropriate that at
least some parts of the Eucharistic Bread coming from the fraction
should be distributed to at least some of the faithful in Communion.
“Small hosts are, however, in no way ruled out when the number of
those receiving Holy Communion or other pastoral needs require it”,[126]
and indeed small hosts requiring no further fraction ought customarily
to be used for the most part.
[50.] The wine that is used in the most sacred
celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice must be natural, from the
fruit of the grape, pure and incorrupt, not mixed with other
substances.[127] During
the celebration itself, a small quantity of water is to be mixed with
it. Great care should be taken so that the wine intended for the
celebration of the Eucharist is well conserved and has not soured.[128]
It is altogether forbidden to use wine of doubtful authenticity or
provenance, for the Church requires certainty regarding the
conditions necessary for the validity of the sacraments. Nor are other
drinks of any kind to be admitted for any reason, as they do not
constitute valid matter.
2. The Eucharistic Prayer
[51.] Only those Eucharistic Prayers are to be used
which are found in the Roman Missal or are legitimately approved by
the Apostolic See, and according to the manner and the terms set forth
by it. “It is not to be tolerated that some Priests take upon
themselves the right to compose their own Eucharistic Prayers”[129]
or to change the same texts approved by the Church, or to introduce
others composed by private individuals.[130]
[52.] The proclamation of the Eucharistic Prayer,
which by its very nature is the climax of the whole celebration, is
proper to the Priest by virtue of his Ordination. It is therefore an
abuse to proffer it in such a way that some parts of the Eucharistic
Prayer are recited by a Deacon, a lay minister, or by an individual
member of the faithful, or by all members of the faithful together.
The Eucharistic Prayer, then, is to be recited by the Priest alone in
full.[131]
[53.] While the Priest proclaims the Eucharistic
Prayer “there should be no other prayers or singing, and the organ or
other musical instruments should be silent”,[132]
except for the people’s acclamations that have been duly approved, as
described below.
[54.] The people, however, are always involved
actively and never merely passively: for they “silently join
themselves with the Priest in faith, as well as in their interventions
during the course of the Eucharistic Prayer as prescribed, namely in
the responses in the Preface dialogue, the Sanctus, the
acclamation after the consecration and the “Amen” after the
final doxology, and in other acclamations approved by the Conference
of Bishops with the recognitio of the Holy See”.[133]
[55.] In some places there has existed an abuse
by which the Priest breaks the host at the time of the consecration in
the Holy Mass. This abuse is contrary to the tradition of the Church.
It is reprobated and is to be corrected with haste.
[56.] The mention of the name of the Supreme Pontiff
and the diocesan Bishop in the Eucharistic Prayer is not to be
omitted, since this is a most ancient tradition to be maintained, and
a manifestation of ecclesial communion. For “the coming together of
the eucharistic community is at the same time a joining in union with
its own Bishop and with the Roman Pontiff”.[134]
3. The Other Parts of the Mass
[57.] It is the right of the community of Christ’s
faithful that especially in the Sunday celebration there should
customarily be true and suitable sacred music, and that there should
always be an altar, vestments and sacred linens that are dignified,
proper, and clean, in accordance with the norms.
[58.] All of Christ’s faithful likewise have the right
to a celebration of the Eucharist that has been so carefully prepared
in all its parts that the word of God is properly and efficaciously
proclaimed and explained in it; that the faculty for selecting the
liturgical texts and rites is carried out with care according to the
norms; and that their faith is duly safeguarded and nourished by the
words that are sung in the celebration of the Liturgy.
[59.] The reprobated practice by which Priests,
Deacons or the faithful here and there alter or vary at will the texts
of the Sacred Liturgy that they are charged to pronounce, must cease.
For in doing thus, they render the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy
unstable, and not infrequently distort the authentic meaning of the
Liturgy.
[60.] In the celebration of Mass, the Liturgy of the
Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist are intimately connected to one
another, and form one single act of worship. For this reason it is not
licit to separate one of these parts from the other and celebrate them
at different times or places.[135]
Nor is it licit to carry out the individual parts of Holy Mass at
different times of the same day.
[61.] In selecting the biblical readings for
proclamation in the celebration of Mass, the norms found in the
liturgical books are to be followed,[136]
so that indeed “a richer table of the word of God will be prepared for
the faithful, and the biblical treasures opened up for them”.[137]
[62.] It is also illicit to omit or to substitute the
prescribed biblical readings on one’s own initiative, and especially
“to substitute other, non-biblical texts for the readings and
responsorial Psalm, which contain the word of God”.[138]
[63.] “Within the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy,
the reading of the Gospel, which is “the high point of the Liturgy of
the Word”,[139] is
reserved by the Church’s tradition to an ordained minister.[140]
Thus it is not permitted for a layperson, even a religious, to
proclaim the Gospel reading in the celebration of Holy Mass, nor in
other cases in which the norms do not explicitly permit it.[141]
[64.] The homily, which is given in the course of the
celebration of Holy Mass and is a part of the Liturgy itself,[142]
“should ordinarily be given by the Priest celebrant himself. He may
entrust it to a concelebrating Priest or occasionally, according to
circumstances, to a Deacon, but never to a layperson.[143]
In particular cases and for a just cause, the homily may even be given
by a Bishop or a Priest who is present at the celebration but cannot
concelebrate”.[144]
[65.] It should be borne in mind that any previous
norm that may have admitted non-ordained faithful to give the homily
during the eucharistic celebration is to be considered abrogated by
the norm of canon 767 §1.[145]
This practice is reprobated, so that it cannot be permitted to attain
the force of custom.
[66.] The prohibition of the admission of laypersons
to preach within the Mass applies also to seminarians, students of
theological disciplines, and those who have assumed the function of
those known as “pastoral assistants”; nor is there to be any exception
for any other kind of layperson, or group, or community, or
association.[146]
[67.] Particular care is to be taken so that the
homily is firmly based upon the mysteries of salvation, expounding the
mysteries of the Faith and the norms of Christian life from the
biblical readings and liturgical texts throughout the course of the
liturgical year and providing commentary on the texts of the Ordinary
or the Proper of the Mass, or of some other rite of the Church.[147]
It is clear that all interpretations of Sacred Scripture are to be
referred back to Christ himself as the one upon whom the entire
economy of salvation hinges, though this should be done in light of
the specific context of the liturgical celebration. In the homily to
be given, care is to be taken so that the light of Christ may shine
upon life’s events. Even so, this is to be done so as not to obscure
the true and unadulterated word of God: for instance, treating only of
politics or profane subjects, or drawing upon notions derived from
contemporary pseudo-religious currents as a source.[148]
[68.] The diocesan Bishop must diligently oversee the
preaching of the homily,[149]
also publishing norms and distributing guidelines and auxiliary tools
to the sacred ministers, and promoting meetings and other projects for
this purpose so that they may have the opportunity to consider the
nature of the homily more precisely and find help in its preparation.
[69.] In Holy Mass as well as in other celebrations of
the Sacred Liturgy, no Creed or Profession of Faith is to be
introduced which is not found in the duly approved liturgical books.
[70.] The offerings that Christ’s faithful are
accustomed to present for the Liturgy of the Eucharist in Holy Mass
are not necessarily limited to bread and wine for the eucharistic
celebration, but may also include gifts given by the faithful in the
form of money or other things for the sake of charity toward the poor.
Moreover, external gifts must always be a visible expression of that
true gift that God expects from us: a contrite heart, the love of God
and neighbour by which we are conformed to the sacrifice of Christ,
who offered himself for us. For in the Eucharist, there shines forth
most brilliantly that mystery of charity that Jesus brought forth at
the Last Supper by washing the feet of the disciples. In order to
preserve the dignity of the Sacred Liturgy, in any event, the external
offerings should be brought forward in an appropriate manner. Money,
therefore, just as other contributions for the poor, should be placed
in an appropriate place which should be away from the eucharistic
table.[150] Except for
money and occasionally a minimal symbolic portion of other gifts, it
is preferable that such offerings be made outside the celebration of
Mass.
[71.] The practice of the Roman Rite is to be
maintained according to which the peace is extended shortly before
Holy Communion. For according to the tradition of the Roman Rite, this
practice does not have the connotation either of reconciliation or of
a remission of sins, but instead signifies peace, communion and
charity before the reception of the Most Holy Eucharist.[151]
It is rather the Penitential Act to be carried out at the beginning of
Mass (especially in its first form) which has the character of
reconciliation among brothers and sisters.
[72.] It is appropriate “that each one give the sign
of peace only to those who are nearest and in a sober manner”. “The
Priest may give the sign of peace to the ministers but always remains
within the sanctuary, so as not to disturb the celebration. He does
likewise if for a just reason he wishes to extend the sign of peace to
some few of the faithful”. “As regards the sign to be exchanged, the
manner is to be established by the Conference of Bishops in accordance
with the dispositions and customs of the people”, and their acts are
subject to the recognitio of the Apostolic See.[152]
[73.] In the celebration of Holy Mass the breaking of
the Eucharistic Bread – done only by the Priest celebrant, if
necessary with the help of a Deacon or of a concelebrant – begins
after the exchange of peace, while the Agnus Dei is being
recited. For the gesture of breaking bread “carried out by Christ at
the Last Supper, which in apostolic times gave the whole eucharistic
action its name, signifies that the faithful, though they are many,
are made one Body in the communion of the one Bread of Life who is
Christ, who died and rose for the world’s salvation” (cf. 1 Cor
10,17).[153] For this
reason the rite must be carried out with great reverence.[154]
Even so, it should be brief. The abuse that has prevailed in some
places, by which this rite is unnecessarily prolonged and given undue
emphasis, with laypersons also helping in contradiction to the norms,
should be corrected with all haste.[155]
[74.] If the need arises for the gathered faithful to
be given instruction or testimony by a layperson in a Church
concerning the Christian life, it is altogether preferable that this
be done outside Mass. Nevertheless, for serious reasons it is
permissible that this type of instruction or testimony be given after
the Priest has proclaimed the Prayer after Communion. This should not
become a regular practice, however. Furthermore, these instructions
and testimony should not be of such a nature that they could be
confused with the homily,[156]
nor is it permissible to dispense with the homily on their account.
4. On the Joining of Various Rites with
the Celebration of Mass
[75.] On account of the theological significance
inherent in a particular rite and the Eucharistic Celebration, the
liturgical books sometimes prescribe or permit the celebration of Holy
Mass to be joined with another rite, especially one of those
pertaining to the Sacraments.[157]
The Church does not permit such a conjoining in other cases, however,
especially when it is a question of trivial matters.
[76.] Furthermore, according to a most ancient
tradition of the Roman Church, it is not permissible to unite the
Sacrament of Penance to the Mass in such a way that they become a
single liturgical celebration. This does not exclude, however, that
Priests other than those celebrating or concelebrating the Mass might
hear the confessions of the faithful who so desire, even in the same
place where Mass is being celebrated, in order to meet the needs of
those faithful.[158]
This should nevertheless be done in an appropriate manner.
[77.] The celebration of Holy Mass is not to be
inserted in any way into the setting of a common meal, nor joined with
this kind of banquet. Mass is not to be celebrated without grave
necessity on a dinner table[159]
nor in a dining room or banquet hall, nor in a room where food is
present, nor in a place where the participants during the celebration
itself are seated at tables. If out of grave necessity Mass must be
celebrated in the same place where eating will later take place, there
is to be a clear interval of time between the conclusion of Mass and
the beginning of the meal, and ordinary food is not to be set before
the faithful during the celebration of Mass.
[78.] It is not permissible to link the celebration of
Mass to political or secular events, nor to situations that are not
fully consistent with the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.
Furthermore, it is altogether to be avoided that the celebration of
Mass should be carried out merely out of a desire for show, or in the
manner of other ceremonies including profane ones, lest the Eucharist
should be emptied of its authentic meaning.
[79.] Finally, it is strictly to be considered an
abuse to introduce into the celebration of Holy Mass elements that are
contrary to the prescriptions of the liturgical books and taken from
the rites of other religions.
Chapter IV
HOLY COMMUNION
1. Dispositions for the Reception of
Holy Communion
[80.] The Eucharist is to be offered to the faithful,
among other reasons, “as an antidote, by which we are freed from daily
faults and preserved from mortal sins”,[160]as
is brought to light in various parts of the Mass. As for the
Penitential Act placed at the beginning of Mass, it has the purpose of
preparing all to be ready to celebrate the sacred mysteries;[161]even
so, “it lacks the efficacy of the Sacrament of Penance”,[162]
and cannot be regarded as a substitute for the Sacrament of Penance in
remission of graver sins. Pastors of souls should take care to ensure
diligent catechetical instruction, so that Christian doctrine is
handed on to Christ’s faithful in this matter.
[81.] The Church’s custom shows that it is necessary
for each person to examine himself at depth,[163]
and that anyone who is conscious of grave sin should not celebrate or
receive the Body of the Lord without prior sacramental confession,
except for grave reason when the possibility of confession is lacking;
in this case he will remember that he is bound by the obligation of
making an act of perfect contrition, which includes the intention to
confess as soon as possible”.[164]
[82.] Moreover, “the Church has drawn up
norms aimed at fostering the frequent and fruitful access of the
faithful to the Eucharistic table and at determining the objective
conditions under which Communion may not be given”.[165]
[83.] It is certainly best that all who are
participating in the celebration of Holy Mass with the necessary
dispositions should receive Communion. Nevertheless, it sometimes
happens that Christ’s faithful approach the altar as a group
indiscriminately. It pertains to the Pastors prudently and firmly to
correct such an abuse.
[84.] Furthermore when Holy Mass is celebrated for a
large crowd - for example, in large cities - care should be taken lest
out of ignorance non-Catholics or even non-Christians come forward for
Holy Communion, without taking into account the Church’s Magisterium
in matters pertaining to doctrine and discipline. It is the duty of
Pastors at an opportune moment to inform those present of the
authenticity and the discipline that are strictly to be observed.
[85.] Catholic ministers licitly administer the
Sacraments only to the Catholic faithful, who likewise receive them
licitly only from Catholic ministers, except for those situations for
which provision is made in can. 844 §§ 2,3, and 4, and can. 861 § 2.[166]
In addition, the conditions comprising can. 844 § 4, from which no
dispensation can be given,[167]
cannot be separated; thus, it is necessary that all of these
conditions be present together.
[86.] The faithful should be led insistently to
the practice whereby they approach the Sacrament of Penance outside
the celebration of Mass, especially at the scheduled times, so that
the Sacrament may be administered in a manner that is tranquil and
truly beneficial to them, so as not to be prevented from active
participation at Mass. Those who are accustomed to receiving Communion
often or daily should be instructed that they should approach the
Sacrament of Penance at appropriate intervals, in accordance with the
condition of each.[168]
[87.] The First Communion of children must always be
preceded by sacramental confession and absolution.[169]
Moreover First Communion should always be administered by a Priest and
never outside the celebration of Mass. Apart from exceptional cases,
it is not particularly appropriate for First Communion to be
administered on Holy Thursday of the Lord’s Supper. Another day should
be chosen instead, such as a Sunday between the Second and the Sixth
Sunday of Easter, or the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, or
the Sundays of Ordinary Time, since Sunday is rightly regarded as the
day of the Eucharist.[170]
“Children who have not attained the age of reason, or those whom” the
Parish Priest “has determined to be insufficiently prepared” should
not come forward to receive the Holy Eucharist.[171]
Where it happens, however, that a child who is exceptionally mature
for his age is judged to be ready for receiving the Sacrament, the
child must not be denied First Communion provided he has received
sufficient instruction.
2. The distribution of Holy Communion
[88.] The faithful should normally receive sacramental
Communion of the Eucharist during Mass itself, at the moment laid down
by the rite of celebration, that is to say, just after the Priest
celebrant’s Communion.[172]
It is the Priest celebrant’s responsibility to minister Communion,
perhaps assisted by other Priests or Deacons; and he should not resume
the Mass until after the Communion of the faithful is concluded. Only
when there is a necessity may extraordinary ministers assist the
Priest celebrant in accordance with the norm of law.[173]
[89.] “So that even by means of the signs Communion
may stand out more clearly as a participation in the Sacrifice being
celebrated”,[174] it is
preferable that the faithful be able to receive hosts consecrated in
the same Mass.[175]
[90.] “The faithful should receive Communion kneeling
or standing, as the Conference of Bishops will have determined”, with
its acts having received the recognitio of the Apostolic See.
“However, if they receive Communion standing, it is recommended that
they give due reverence before the reception of the Sacrament, as set
forth in the same norms”.[176]
[91.] In distributing Holy Communion it is to be
remembered that “sacred ministers may not deny the sacraments to those
who seek them in a reasonable manner, are rightly disposed, and are
not prohibited by law from receiving them”.[177]
Hence any baptized Catholic who is not prevented by law must be
admitted to Holy Communion. Therefore, it is not licit to deny Holy
Communion to any of Christ’s faithful solely on the grounds, for
example, that the person wishes to receive the Eucharist kneeling or
standing.
[92.] Although each of the faithful always has the
right to receive Holy Communion on the tongue, at his choice,[178]
if any communicant should wish to receive the Sacrament in the hand,
in areas where the Bishops’ Conference with the recognitio of
the Apostolic See has given permission, the sacred host is to be
administered to him or her. However, special care should be taken to
ensure that the host is consumed by the communicant in the presence of
the minister, so that no one goes away carrying the Eucharistic
species in his hand. If there is a risk of profanation, then Holy
Communion should not be given in the hand to the faithful.[179]
[93.] The Communion-plate for the Communion of the
faithful should be retained, so as to avoid the danger of the sacred
host or some fragment of it falling.[180]
[94.] It is not licit for the faithful “to take . . .
by themselves . . . and, still less, to hand . . . from one to
another” the sacred host or the sacred chalice.[181]
Moreover, in this regard, the abuse is to be set aside whereby spouses
administer Holy Communion to each other at a Nuptial Mass.
[95.] A lay member of Christ’s faithful “who has
already received the Most Holy Eucharist may receive it again on the
same day only within a Eucharistic Celebration in which he or she is
participating, with due regard for the prescriptions of can. 921 § 2.”[182]
[96.] The practice is reprobated whereby either
unconsecrated hosts or other edible or inedible things are distributed
during the celebration of Holy Mass or beforehand after the manner of
Communion, contrary to the prescriptions of the liturgical books. For
such a practice in no way accords with the tradition of the Roman
Rite, and carries with it the danger of causing confusion among
Christ’s faithful concerning the Eucharistic doctrine of the Church.
Where there exists in certain places by concession a particular custom
of blessing bread after Mass for distribution, proper catechesis
should very carefully be given concerning this action. In fact, no
other similar practices should be introduced, nor should unconsecrated
hosts ever be used for this purpose.
3. The Communion of Priests
[97.] A Priest must communicate at the altar at the
moment laid down by the Missal each time he celebrates Holy Mass, and
the concelebrants must communicate before they proceed with the
distribution of Holy Communion. The Priest celebrant or a concelebrant
is never to wait until the people’s Communion is concluded before
receiving Communion himself.[183]
[98.] The Communion of Priest concelebrants should
proceed according to the norms prescribed in the liturgical books,
always using hosts consecrated at the same Mass[184]
and always with Communion under both kinds being received by all of
the concelebrants. It is to be noted that if the Priest or Deacon
hands the sacred host or chalice to the concelebrants, he says
nothing; that is to say, he does not pronounce the words “The Body of
Christ” or “The Blood of Christ”.
[99.] Communion under both kinds is always permitted
“to Priests who are not able to celebrate or concelebrate Mass”.[185]
4. Communion under Both Kinds
[100.] So that the fullness of the sign may be made
more clearly evident to the faithful in the course of the Eucharistic
banquet, lay members of Christ’s faithful, too, are admitted to
Communion under both kinds, in the cases set forth in the liturgical
books, preceded and continually accompanied by proper catechesis
regarding the dogmatic principles on this matter laid down by the
Ecumenical Council of Trent.[186]
[101.] In order for Holy Communion under both kinds to
be administered to the lay members of Christ’s faithful, due
consideration should be given to the circumstances, as judged first of
all by the diocesan Bishop. It is to be completely excluded where even
a small danger exists of the sacred species being profaned.[187]
With a view to wider co-ordination, the Bishops’ Conferences should
issue norms, once their decisions have received the recognitio
of the Apostolic See through the Congregation for Divine Worship and
the Discipline of the Sacraments, especially as regards “the manner of
distributing Holy Communion to the faithful under both kinds, and the
faculty for its extension”.[188]
[102.] The chalice should not be ministered to lay
members of Christ’s faithful where there is such a large number of
communicants[189]that
it is difficult to gauge the amount of wine for the Eucharist and
there is a danger that “more than a reasonable quantity of the Blood
of Christ remain to be consumed at the end of the celebration”.[190]
The same is true wherever access to the chalice would be difficult to
arrange, or where such a large amount of wine would be required that
its certain provenance and quality could only be known with
difficulty, or wherever there is not an adequate number of sacred
ministers or extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion with proper
formation, or where a notable part of the people continues to prefer
not to approach the chalice for various reasons, so that the sign of
unity would in some sense be negated.
[103.] The norms of the Roman Missal admit the
principle that in cases where Communion is administered under both
kinds, “the Blood of the Lord may be received either by drinking from
the chalice directly, or by intinction, or by means of a tube or a
spoon”.[191] As regards
the administering of Communion to lay members of Christ’s faithful,
the Bishops may exclude Communion with the tube or the spoon where
this is not the local custom, though the option of administering
Communion by intinction always remains. If this modality is employed,
however, hosts should be used which are neither too thin nor too
small, and the communicant should receive the Sacrament from the
Priest only on the tongue.[192]
[104.] The communicant must not be permitted to
intinct the host himself in the chalice, nor to receive the intincted
host in the hand. As for the host to be used for the intinction, it
should be made of valid matter, also consecrated; it is altogether
forbidden to use non-consecrated bread or other matter.
[105.] If one chalice is not sufficient for Communion
to be distributed under both kinds to the Priest concelebrants or
Christ’s faithful, there is no reason why the Priest celebrant should
not use several chalices.[193]
For it is to be remembered that all Priests in celebrating Holy Mass
are bound to receive Communion under both kinds. It is praiseworthy,
by reason of the sign value, to use a main chalice of larger
dimensions, together with smaller chalices.
[106.] However, the pouring of the Blood of Christ
after the consecration from one vessel to another is completely to be
avoided, lest anything should happen that would be to the detriment of
so great a mystery. Never to be used for containing the Blood of the
Lord are flagons, bowls, or other vessels that are not fully in accord
with the established norms.
[107.] In accordance with what is laid down by the
canons, “one who throws away the consecrated species or takes them
away or keeps them for a sacrilegious purpose, incurs a latae
sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See; a
cleric, moreover, may be punished by another penalty, not excluding
dismissal from the clerical state”.[194]
To be regarded as pertaining to this case is any action that is
voluntarily and gravely disrespectful of the sacred species. Anyone,
therefore, who acts contrary to these norms, for example casting the
sacred species into the sacrarium or in an unworthy place or on the
ground, incurs the penalties laid down.[195]
Furthermore all will remember that once the distribution of Holy
Communion during the celebration of Mass has been completed, the
prescriptions of the Roman Missal are to be observed, and in
particular, whatever may remain of the Blood of Christ must be
entirely and immediately consumed by the Priest or by another
minister, according to the norms, while the consecrated hosts that are
left are to be consumed by the Priest at the altar or carried to the
place for the reservation of the Eucharist.[196]
Chapter V
CERTAIN OTHER
MATTERS CONCERNING
THE EUCHARIST
1. The Place for the Celebration of
Holy Mass
[108.] “The celebration of the Eucharist is to be
carried out in a sacred place, unless in a particular case necessity
requires otherwise. In this case the celebration must be in a decent
place.”[197] The
diocesan Bishop shall be the judge for his diocese concerning this
necessity, on a case-by-case basis.
[109.] It is never lawful for a Priest to celebrate in
a temple or sacred place of any non-Christian religion.
2. Various Circumstances Relating to
the Mass
[110.] “Remembering always that in the mystery of the
Eucharistic Sacrifice the work of redemption is constantly being
carried out, Priests should celebrate frequently. Indeed, daily
celebration is earnestly recommended, because, even if it should not
be possible to have the faithful present, the celebration is an act of
Christ and of the Church, and in carrying it out, Priests fulfill
their principal role.”[198]
[111.] A Priest is to be permitted to celebrate or
concelebrate the Eucharist “even if he is not known to the rector of
the church, provided he presents commendatory letters” (i.e., a
celebret) not more than a year old from the Holy See or his
Ordinary or Superior “or unless it can be prudently judged that he is
not impeded from celebrating”.[199]
Let the Bishops take measures to put a stop to any contrary practice.
[112.] Mass is celebrated either in Latin or in
another language, provided that liturgical texts are used which have
been approved according to the norm of law. Except in the case of
celebrations of the Mass that are scheduled by the ecclesiastical
authorities to take place in the language of the people, Priests are
always and everywhere permitted to celebrate Mass in Latin.[200]
[113.] When Mass is concelebrated by several Priests,
a language known both to all the concelebrating Priests and to the
gathered people should be used in the recitation of the Eucharist
Prayer. Where it happens that some of the Priests who are present do
not know the language of the celebration and therefore are not capable
of pronouncing the parts of the Eucharistic Prayer proper to them,
they should not concelebrate, but instead should attend the
celebration in choral dress in accordance with the norms.[201]
[114.] “At Sunday Masses in parishes, insofar as
parishes are ‘Eucharistic communities’, it is customary to find
different groups, movements, associations, and even the smaller
religious communities present in the parish.”[202]
While it is permissible that Mass should be celebrated for particular
groups according to the norm of law,[203]
these groups are nevertheless not exempt from the faithful observance
of the liturgical norms.
[115.] The abuse is reprobated by which the
celebration of Holy Mass for the people is suspended in an arbitrary
manner contrary to the norms of the Roman Missal and the healthy
tradition of the Roman Rite, on the pretext of promoting a “fast from
the Eucharist”.
[116.] Masses are not to be multiplied contrary to the
norm of law, and as regards Mass stipends, all those things are to be
observed which are otherwise laid down by law.[204]
3. Sacred Vessels
[117.] Sacred vessels for containing the Body and
Blood of the Lord must be made in strict conformity with the norms of
tradition and of the liturgical books.[205]The
Bishops’ Conferences have the faculty to decide whether it is
appropriate, once their decisions have been given the recognitio
by the Apostolic See, for sacred vessels to be made of other solid
materials as well. It is strictly required, however, that such
materials be truly noble in the common estimation within a given
region,[206]so that
honour will be given to the Lord by their use, and all risk of
diminishing the doctrine of the Real Presence of Christ in the
Eucharistic species in the eyes of the faithful will be avoided.
Reprobated, therefore, is any practice of using for the celebration of
Mass common vessels, or others lacking in quality, or devoid of all
artistic merit or which are mere containers, as also other vessels
made from glass, earthenware, clay, or other materials that break
easily. This norm is to be applied even as regards metals and other
materials that easily rust or deteriorate.[207]
[118.] Before they are used, sacred vessels are to be
blessed by a Priest according to the rites laid down in the liturgical
books.[208] It is
praiseworthy for the blessing to be given by the diocesan Bishop, who
will judge whether the vessels are worthy of the use to which they are
destined.
[119.] The Priest, once he has returned to the altar
after the distribution of Communion, standing at the altar or at the
credence table, purifies the paten or ciborium over the chalice, then
purifies the chalice in accordance with the prescriptions of the
Missal and wipes the chalice with the purificator. Where a Deacon is
present, he returns with the Priest to the altar and purifies the
vessels. It is permissible, however, especially if there are several
vessels to be purified, to leave them, covered as may be appropriate,
on a corporal on the altar or on the credence table, and for them to
be purified by the Priest or Deacon immediately after Mass once the
people have been dismissed. Moreover a duly instituted acolyte assists
the Priest or Deacon in purifying and arranging the sacred vessels
either at the altar or the credence table. In the absence of a Deacon,
a duly instituted acolyte carries the sacred vessels to the credence
table and there purifies, wipes and arranges them in the usual way.[209]
[120.] Let Pastors take care that the linens for the
sacred table, especially those which will receive the sacred species,
are always kept clean and that they are washed in the traditional way.
It is praiseworthy for this to be done by pouring the water from the
first washing, done by hand, into the church’s sacrarium or into the
ground in a suitable place. After this a second washing can be done in
the usual way.
4. Liturgical Vesture
[121.] “The purpose of a variety of colour of the
sacred vestments is to give effective expression even outwardly to the
specific character of the mysteries of faith being celebrated and to a
sense of Christian life’s passage through the course of the liturgical
year”.[210] On the
other hand, the variety “of offices in the celebration of the
Eucharist is shown outwardly by the diversity of sacred vestments. In
fact, these “sacred vestments should also contribute to the beauty of
the sacred action itself”.[211]
[122.] “The alb” is “to be tied at the waist with a
cincture unless it is made so as to fit even without a cincture.
Before the alb is put on, if it does not completely cover the ordinary
clothing at the neck, an amice should be put on”.[212]
[123.] “The vestment proper to the Priest celebrant at
Mass, and in other sacred actions directly connected with Mass unless
otherwise indicated, is the chasuble, worn over the alb and stole.”[213]
Likewise the Priest, in putting on the chasuble according to the
rubrics, is not to omit the stole. All Ordinaries should be vigilant
in order that all usage to the contrary be eradicated.
[124.] A faculty is given in the Roman Missal for the
Priest concelebrants at Mass other than the principal concelebrant
(who should always put on a chasuble of the prescribed colour), for a
just reason such as a large number of concelebrants or a lack of
vestments, to omit “the chasuble, using the stole over the alb”.[214]
Where a need of this kind can be foreseen, however, provision should
be made for it insofar as possible. Out of necessity the concelebrants
other than the principal celebrant may even put on white chasubles.
For the rest, the norms of the liturgical books are to be observed.
[125.] The proper vestment of the Deacon is the
dalmatic, to be worn over an alb and stole. In order that the
beautiful tradition of the Church may be preserved, it is praiseworthy
to refrain from exercising the option of omitting the dalmatic.[215]
[126.] The abuse is reprobated whereby the sacred
ministers celebrate Holy Mass or other rites without sacred vestments
or with only a stole over the monastic cowl or the common habit of
religious or ordinary clothes, contrary to the prescriptions of the
liturgical books, even when there is only one minister participating.[216]
In order that such abuses be corrected as quickly as possible,
Ordinaries should take care that in all churches and oratories subject
to their jurisdiction there is present an adequate supply of
liturgical vestments made in accordance with the norms.
[127.] A special faculty is given in the liturgical
books for using sacred vestments that are festive or more noble on
more solemn occasions, even if they are not of the colour of the day.[217]
However, this faculty, which is specifically intended in reference to
vestments made many years ago, with a view to preserving the Church’s
patrimony, is improperly extended to innovations by which forms and
colours are adopted according to the inclination of private
individuals, with disregard for traditional practice, while the real
sense of this norm is lost to the detriment of the tradition. On the
occasion of a feastday, sacred vestments of a gold or silver colour
can be substituted as appropriate for others of various colours, but
not for purple or black.
[128.] Holy Mass and other liturgical celebrations,
which are acts of Christ and of the people of God hierarchically
constituted, are ordered in such a way that the sacred ministers and
the lay faithful manifestly take part in them each according to his
own condition. It is preferable therefore that “Priests who are
present at a Eucharistic Celebration, unless excused for a good
reason, should as a rule exercise the office proper to their Order and
thus take part as concelebrants, wearing the sacred vestments.
Otherwise, they wear their proper choir dress or a surplice over a
cassock.”[218] It is
not fitting, except in rare and exceptional cases and with reasonable
cause, for them to participate at Mass, as regards to externals, in
the manner of the lay faithful.
Chapter VI
THE RESERVATION
OF THE MOST HOLY EUCHARIST
AND EUCHARISTIC WORSHIP OUTSIDE MASS
1. The Reservation of the Most Holy
Eucharist
[129.] “The celebration of the Eucharist in the
Sacrifice of the Mass is truly the origin and end of the worship given
to the Eucharist outside the Mass. Furthermore the sacred species are
reserved after Mass principally so that the faithful who cannot be
present at Mass, above all the sick and those advanced in age, may be
united by sacramental Communion to Christ and his Sacrifice which is
offered in the Mass.”[219]
In addition, this reservation also permits the practice of adoring
this great Sacrament and offering it the worship due to God.
Accordingly, forms of adoration that are not only private but also
public and communitarian in nature, as established or approved by the
Church herself, must be greatly promoted.[220]
[130.] “According to the structure of each church
building and in accordance with legitimate local customs, the Most
Holy Sacrament is to be reserved in a tabernacle in a part of the
church that is noble, prominent, readily visible, and adorned in a
dignified manner” and furthermore “suitable for prayer” by reason of
the quietness of the location, the space available in front of the
tabernacle, and also the supply of benches or seats and kneelers.[221]
In addition, diligent attention should be paid to all the
prescriptions of the liturgical books and to the norm of law,[222]
especially as regards the avoidance of the danger of profanation.[223]
[131.] Apart from the prescriptions of canon 934 § 1,
it is forbidden to reserve the Blessed Sacrament in a place that is
not subject in a secure way to the authority of the diocesan Bishop,
or where there is a danger of profanation. Where such is the case, the
diocesan Bishop should immediately revoke any permission for
reservation of the Eucharist that may already have been granted.[224]
[132.] No one may carry the Most Holy Eucharist to his
or her home, or to any other place contrary to the norm of law. It
should also be borne in mind that removing or retaining the
consecrated species for a sacrilegious purpose or casting them away
are graviora delicta, the absolution of which is reserved to
the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.[225]
[133.] 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.
Furthermore the Rite for the administration of Communion to the sick,
as prescribed in the Roman Ritual, is always to be used.[226]
2. Certain Forms of Worship of the Most
Holy Eucharist Outside Mass
[134.] “The worship of the Eucharist outside
the Sacrifice of the Mass is a tribute of inestimable value in the
life of the Church. Such worship is closely linked to the celebration
of the Eucharistic Sacrifice.”[227]
Therefore both public and private devotion to the Most Holy Eucharist
even outside Mass should be vigorously promoted, for by means of it
the faithful give adoration to Christ, truly and really present,[228]
the “High Priest of the good things to come”[229]
and Redeemer of the whole world. “It is the responsibility of sacred
Pastors, even by the witness of their life, to support the practice of
Eucharistic worship and especially exposition of the Most Holy
Sacrament, as well as prayer of adoration before Christ present under
the eucharistic species.”[230]
[135.] The faithful “should not omit making visits
during the day to the Most Holy Sacrament, as a proof of gratitude, a
pledge of love, and a debt of the adoration due to Christ the Lord who
is present in it.”[231]
For the contemplation of Jesus present in the Most Holy Sacrament, as
a communion of desire, powerfully joins the faithful to Christ, as is
splendidly evident in the example of so many Saints.[232]
‘Unless there is a grave reason to the contrary, a church in which the
Most Holy Eucharist is reserved should be open to the faithful for at
least some hours each day, so that they can spend time in prayer
before the Most Holy Sacrament.”[233]
[136.] The Ordinary should diligently foster
Eucharistic adoration, whether brief or prolonged or almost
continuous, with the participation of the people. For in recent years
in so many places “adoration of the Most Holy Sacrament is also an
important daily practice and becomes an inexhaustible source of
holiness”, although there are also places “where there is evident
almost a total lack of regard for worship in the form of eucharistic
adoration.”[234]
[137.] Exposition of the Most Holy Eucharist must
always be carried out in accordance with the prescriptions of the
liturgical books.[235]
Before the Most Holy Sacrament either reserved or exposed, the praying
of the Rosary, which is admirable “in its simplicity and even its
profundity”, is not to be excluded either.[236]
Even so, especially if there is Exposition, the character of
this kind of prayer as a contemplation of the mystery of the life of
Christ the Redeemer and the Almighty Father’s design of salvation
should be emphasized, especially by making use of readings taken from
Sacred Scripture.[237]
[138.] Still, the Most Holy Sacrament, when exposed,
must never be left unattended even for the briefest space of time. It
should therefore be arranged that at least some of the faithful always
be present at fixed times, even if they take alternating turns.
[139.] Where the diocesan Bishop has sacred ministers
or others whom he can assign to this purpose, the faithful have a
right to visit the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist frequently for
adoration, and to take part in adoration before the Most Holy
Eucharist exposed at least at some time in the course of any given
year.
[140.] It is highly recommended that at least in the
cities and the larger towns the diocesan Bishop should designate a
church building for perpetual adoration; in it, however, Holy Mass
should be celebrated frequently, even daily if possible, while the
Exposition should rigorously be interrupted while Mass is being
celebrated.[238] It is
fitting that the host to be exposed for adoration should be
consecrated in the Mass immediately preceding the time of adoration,
and that it should be placed in the monstrance upon the altar after
Communion.[239]
[141.] The diocesan Bishop should acknowledge and
foster insofar as possible the right of the various groups of Christ’s
faithful to form guilds or associations for the carrying out of
adoration, even almost continuous adoration. Whenever such
associations assume an international character, it pertains to the
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
to erect them and to approve their statutes.[240]
3. Eucharistic Congresses and
Eucharistic Processions
[142.] “It is for the diocesan Bishop to establish
regulations about processions in order to provide for participation in
them and for their being carried out in a dignified way”[241]
and to promote adoration by the faithful.
[143.] “Wherever it is possible in the judgement of
the diocesan Bishop, a procession through the public streets should be
held, especially on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ as a
public witness of reverence for the Most Holy Sacrament”,[242]
for the “devout participation of the faithful in the eucharistic
procession on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ is a grace
from the Lord which yearly fills with joy those who take part in it”.[243]
[144.] Although this cannot be done in some places,
the tradition of holding eucharistic processions should not be allowed
to be lost. Instead, new ways should be sought of holding them in
today’s conditions: for example, at shrines, or in public gardens if
the civil authority agrees.
[145.] The pastoral value of Eucharistic Congresses
should be highly esteemed, and they “should be a genuine sign of faith
and charity”.[244] Let
them be diligently prepared and carried out in accordance with what
has been laid down,[245]
so that Christ’s faithful may have the occasion to worship the sacred
mysteries of the Body and Blood of the Son of God in a worthy manner,
and that they may continually experience within themselves the fruits
of the Redemption.[246]
Chapter VII
EXTRAORDINARY
FUNCTIONS
OF LAY FAITHFUL
[146.] There can be no substitute whatsoever for the
ministerial Priesthood. For if a Priest is lacking in the community,
then the community lacks the exercise and sacramental function of
Christ the Head and Shepherd, which belongs to the essence of its very
life.[247] For “the
only minister who can confect the sacrament of the Eucharist in
persona Christi is a validly ordained Priest”.[248]
[147.] When the Church’s needs require it, however, if
sacred ministers are lacking, lay members of Christ’s faithful may
supply for certain liturgical offices according to the norm of law.[249]
Such faithful are called and appointed to carry out certain functions,
whether of greater or lesser weight, sustained by the Lord’s grace.
Many of the lay Christian faithful have already contributed eagerly to
this service and still do so, especially in missionary areas where the
Church is still of small dimensions or is experiencing conditions of
persecution,[250] but
also in areas affected by a shortage of Priests and Deacons.
[148.] Particular importance is to be attached to the
training of catechists, who by means of great labours have given and
still give outstanding and altogether necessary help in the spreading
of the faith and of the Church.[251]
[149.] More recently, in some dioceses long since
evangelized, members of Christ’s lay faithful have been appointed as
“pastoral assistants”, and among them many have undoubtedly served the
good of the Church by providing assistance to the Bishop, Priests and
Deacons in the carrying out of their pastoral activity. Let care be
taken, however, lest the delineation of this function be assimilated
too closely to the form of pastoral ministry that belongs to clerics.
That is to say, attention should be paid to ensuring that “pastoral
assistants” do not take upon themselves what is proper to the ministry
of the sacred ministers.
[150.] The activity of a pastoral assistant should be
directed to facilitating the ministry of Priests and Deacons, to
ensuring that vocation | 
