Wednesday Liturgy: Marian Masses in Lent and Advent
ROME, FEB. 26, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.
Q: The Masses for the weekdays (including Saturdays) of Lent and Advent are assigned Masses. Yet there are Masses in the Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the Lenten season and for the Advent season. When is it permitted to use the liturgies from this Collection of Masses during Lent and Advent? -- J.M., Washington, D.C.
A: As No. 21 of the Introduction to the Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary indicates, the collection is destined above all for use in Marian shrines.
These shrines frequently have permission from the Holy See to celebrate Masses of Our Lady on days that would otherwise not be permitted according to the norms of the General Roman Calendar, such as during Advent and Lent.
This concession is usually granted for all days except those indicated in Nos. 1-6 of the table of liturgical days found in most editions of the Roman Missal.
This faculty is usually reserved to priests on pilgrimage or for celebrations for groups of pilgrims and with the requirement to generally use the seasonal readings and not those of the Marian Lectionary (Introduction, No. 31).
For this reason the Masses assigned to Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter are usually not permitted in settings such as parishes, which do not enjoy any exemption from the rules of the General Calendar. The calendar forbids most votive Masses during these seasons.
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, No. 376, does say, however: "On obligatory memorials, on the weekdays of Advent up to and including December 16, of the Christmas Season from January 2, and of the Easter Season after the Octave of Easter, Masses for Various Needs, Masses for Various Circumstances, and Votive Masses are as such forbidden. If, however, required by some real need or pastoral advantage, according to the judgment of the rector of the church or the priest celebrant himself, a Mass corresponding to such a need or advantage may be used in a celebration with a congregation."
Thus, should such an authentic need for a Marian celebration arise during the above-mentioned times, the pastor could choose one of the corresponding Masses from either the Roman Missal or the collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
There are also exceptions which allow two of these formulas to be used outside of the assigned season during ordinary time. No. 28 of the Introduction says that the Christmas formula "Holy Mary of Nazareth (no 8)" may be used if a group of faithful desires to commemorate Mary's exemplary conduct at Nazareth. Likewise, the Lenten formula "Mary Virgin, Mother of Reconciliation (no 14)" may be used when Mass is celebrated in the context of seeking reconciliation and harmony.
Q: The Masses for the weekdays (including Saturdays) of Lent and Advent are assigned Masses. Yet there are Masses in the Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the Lenten season and for the Advent season. When is it permitted to use the liturgies from this Collection of Masses during Lent and Advent? -- J.M., Washington, D.C.
A: As No. 21 of the Introduction to the Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary indicates, the collection is destined above all for use in Marian shrines.
These shrines frequently have permission from the Holy See to celebrate Masses of Our Lady on days that would otherwise not be permitted according to the norms of the General Roman Calendar, such as during Advent and Lent.
This concession is usually granted for all days except those indicated in Nos. 1-6 of the table of liturgical days found in most editions of the Roman Missal.
This faculty is usually reserved to priests on pilgrimage or for celebrations for groups of pilgrims and with the requirement to generally use the seasonal readings and not those of the Marian Lectionary (Introduction, No. 31).
For this reason the Masses assigned to Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter are usually not permitted in settings such as parishes, which do not enjoy any exemption from the rules of the General Calendar. The calendar forbids most votive Masses during these seasons.
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, No. 376, does say, however: "On obligatory memorials, on the weekdays of Advent up to and including December 16, of the Christmas Season from January 2, and of the Easter Season after the Octave of Easter, Masses for Various Needs, Masses for Various Circumstances, and Votive Masses are as such forbidden. If, however, required by some real need or pastoral advantage, according to the judgment of the rector of the church or the priest celebrant himself, a Mass corresponding to such a need or advantage may be used in a celebration with a congregation."
Thus, should such an authentic need for a Marian celebration arise during the above-mentioned times, the pastor could choose one of the corresponding Masses from either the Roman Missal or the collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
There are also exceptions which allow two of these formulas to be used outside of the assigned season during ordinary time. No. 28 of the Introduction says that the Christmas formula "Holy Mary of Nazareth (no 8)" may be used if a group of faithful desires to commemorate Mary's exemplary conduct at Nazareth. Likewise, the Lenten formula "Mary Virgin, Mother of Reconciliation (no 14)" may be used when Mass is celebrated in the context of seeking reconciliation and harmony.
posted by Chipi Buenafe at
5:01 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home