| Question Title | Posted By | Question Date |
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| Laypersons | Ann | Monday, August 31, 2009 |
Question: At our Parish's Religious Education training class, a lady demonstrated the prayer right before the Consecration of the Holy Mass, and she prayed over a loaf of bread and passed it around. Her gestures, demeanor, etc. were those of the Priests. Is this action appropriate? Thank you. |
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| Question Answered by Mr. Jacob Slavek
Dear Ann, No, they were not appropriate, at least in my opinion. If these people are to be giving religious instruction to children or anyone else, then they should already be attending "real" Mass regularly and thus would have no need at all for a layperson to demonstrate what the priest is doing. Currently, Canon Law prohibits the laity from actually saying Mass(n.907), the past edition has said more and has prohibited the laity mimicking the Mass. 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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