| Question Title | Posted By | Question Date |
|---|---|---|
| Deacon Prayers vs Priest Prayers | Tom | Monday, August 20, 2007 |
Question: What is the difference between the way a Deacon prays and the Priest prays during Liturgy? I notice the Deacon prays all the Litanies and the priest says a lot of silent prayers. Are their petitions that different? |
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| Question Answered by Mr. Jacob Slavek
Dear Tom, During the Liturgy, the deacon prays in the same way as the priest and laity, that is, in union with not only the congregation present in his particular celebration, but also the entire universal church. If you are asking about what the deacon's specific purpose is during the Mass, there is section in the GIRM that describes his ministry. In summary, He assists the priest at the altar, he proclaims the Gospel, he may preach the homily, he gives instruction to the faithful (at the sign of peace, at the end of Mass etc), and he announces the intentions. He also is an ordinary minister of the Eucharist. Mr. Slavek Footer Notes: (a) A Eucharistic Minister is clergy (Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion). Laity are Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and should never be called Eucharistic Ministers. (b) There is no such Mass called the Novus Ordo. The Current Mass is the Roman Missal of 2000, or the Oridinary Form of the Mass. The Tridentine Mass is the Roman Missal of 1962, or the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. Please refrain from using the term, Novus Ordo. Thanks. (c) The titles of Acolyte and Lector belong exclusively to the Installed Offices of Acolyte and Lector, who are men (only) appointed by the Bishop. These roles performed by others are Altar Servers and Readers, respectively. |
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