Wednesday Liturgy: Eucharistic Prayers for Reconciliation
ROME, FEB. 23, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.
Q: I have a question about proper, or invariable, prefaces. During Lent, the Eucharistic Prayers for Reconciliation seem particularly appropriate. One popular liturgical planning guide even recommends using them. Sundays and weekdays of Lent, however, have proper prefaces. Are the two Eucharistic Prayers for Reconciliation therefore not allowed? -- D.H., Addison, Illinois
A: The rubric which precedes the Eucharistic Prayers for Reconciliation in the new Latin Missal states that while this preface is normally invariable, it may be substituted by another one, provided that it contains the theme of reconciliation and forgiveness. The rubric then suggests the Lenten prefaces as a suitable example for such substitutions.
Therefore, it is possible to adopt the Lenten prefaces when using these Eucharistic Prayers. Indeed, it is sometimes done by the Pope when he celebrates the traditional Ash Wednesday station Mass in the Basilica of St. Sabina on Rome's Aventine Hill.
The converse is also possible on most Lenten weekdays; that is, one may use the prayer of reconciliation with its proper preface during Lent. This option is not available on Sundays, which have specific prefaces, or during the fifth week of Lent and Holy Week where the prefaces of the Passion of the Lord are prescribed.
This possibility of substitution is not offered for the other Eucharistic Prayers with proper prefaces.
Eucharistic Prayer IV may never be separated from its preface, and so its use during Lent is limited to weekdays of the first four weeks. This Eucharistic Prayer may not be used whenever a "proper preface" is obligatory. Proper preface is usually interpreted as preface of the day and not of the season. Hence, the fourth anaphora can usually be used whenever the missal offers a choice of several seasonal prefaces, unless the rubric of the days logically excludes this possibility.
For example, the prayer may be used on Lenten weekdays 1-4 because any one of the Lenten seasonal prefaces may be used. On Sundays, however, either the preface is specific to the day or a Lenten preface is specifically mandated.
The Eucharistic Prayers for Masses for Various Needs are practically never used during Lent because their use is restricted to whenever one of these Masses is celebrated. Since such devotional Masses are excluded during the Lenten season, except for grave reasons and by mandate or consent of the bishop, the occasion to use them almost never arises.
Q: I have a question about proper, or invariable, prefaces. During Lent, the Eucharistic Prayers for Reconciliation seem particularly appropriate. One popular liturgical planning guide even recommends using them. Sundays and weekdays of Lent, however, have proper prefaces. Are the two Eucharistic Prayers for Reconciliation therefore not allowed? -- D.H., Addison, Illinois
A: The rubric which precedes the Eucharistic Prayers for Reconciliation in the new Latin Missal states that while this preface is normally invariable, it may be substituted by another one, provided that it contains the theme of reconciliation and forgiveness. The rubric then suggests the Lenten prefaces as a suitable example for such substitutions.
Therefore, it is possible to adopt the Lenten prefaces when using these Eucharistic Prayers. Indeed, it is sometimes done by the Pope when he celebrates the traditional Ash Wednesday station Mass in the Basilica of St. Sabina on Rome's Aventine Hill.
The converse is also possible on most Lenten weekdays; that is, one may use the prayer of reconciliation with its proper preface during Lent. This option is not available on Sundays, which have specific prefaces, or during the fifth week of Lent and Holy Week where the prefaces of the Passion of the Lord are prescribed.
This possibility of substitution is not offered for the other Eucharistic Prayers with proper prefaces.
Eucharistic Prayer IV may never be separated from its preface, and so its use during Lent is limited to weekdays of the first four weeks. This Eucharistic Prayer may not be used whenever a "proper preface" is obligatory. Proper preface is usually interpreted as preface of the day and not of the season. Hence, the fourth anaphora can usually be used whenever the missal offers a choice of several seasonal prefaces, unless the rubric of the days logically excludes this possibility.
For example, the prayer may be used on Lenten weekdays 1-4 because any one of the Lenten seasonal prefaces may be used. On Sundays, however, either the preface is specific to the day or a Lenten preface is specifically mandated.
The Eucharistic Prayers for Masses for Various Needs are practically never used during Lent because their use is restricted to whenever one of these Masses is celebrated. Since such devotional Masses are excluded during the Lenten season, except for grave reasons and by mandate or consent of the bishop, the occasion to use them almost never arises.
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