| Question Title | Posted By | Question Date |
|---|---|---|
| Mass in Englis/Latin facing away | Linda | Monday, August 10, 2009 |
Question: Could you tell me if it is allowed for a priest to say Mass speaking English for the parts of the Mass that change but speaking in Latin for the parts that stay the same, like the Agnus Dei, etc...??? He also faces away from the people at times. The altar is in the middle of the sanctuary like it would look for the Mass said in English, but the priest stands on the other side so he is facing away from us. He uses that form of Mass that we hear every Sunday when they say it in English. This is not the form of the Mass that was in use pre-Vatican II. I hope I'm not confusing you :) I don't have a problem with this, actually like it and it seems more in line with what the Council Fathers envisioned but is it allowed to do?? I thought that each country's Conference of Bishops decided and U.S. Bishops decided that the Mass would be totally in English with the priest facing us. Am I wrong in thinking this?? |
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| Question Answered by Mr. Jacob Slavek
Dear Linda, Not only is it allowed, it is ENCOURAGED/highly recommended. Some could also argue that it's required. The Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus(holy holy holy), and Agnus Dei are parts of the "ordinary" of the mass since they don't change and are sung/recited at every mass. (with exceptions of course) The Vatican II document "Sacrosanctum Concilium" stated that the people should be able to sing the ordinary in Latin. (n. 54) In 1974 Pope Paul VI released a booklet containing the bare minimum of chants that the laity should know.. most of these chants were taken from what was the simplest Mass setting to learn and sing... the chants from the Mass of the Dead. There were also other easy to sing chants included, and together all these chants were considered "minimum repertoire". It also contains chants for the Mass other than the ordinary, such as chants for dialogue. Jubilate Deo was later expanded and re-released by the Congregation for Divine Worship in 1987. It was intended to be used at Masses said primarily in the vernacular, but so that at least the ordinary could be sung in Latin. Regarding the freestanding altar... I've never heard of one being used in the manner.. I can't immediately think of a problem with it, but it seems that if the altar is movable and freestanding with the priest able to walk around it, then the priest should face the people. Personally if it were me I'd try to move the altar so that it is up against the back of the sanctuary/tabernacle so that the priest would NOT be able to walk around it, and therefore would say the Mass not facing toward the people. Or better yet if at all possible try to invest in or construct a non-portable high altar. 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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