The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1960-09-23
AROUND


ly Communion be distributed
by another priest at the same
altar where Mass is actually
being celebrated, outside of
II = roper time for Commun-
ion"
his SHOULD HELP the
laity to receive Holy Commun-
ion more f~ruitfully, with
greater understanding that
Communion is the sacrificial
banquet. It will also help the
people to take part in the
solemn concluding prayers of
the Canon and the whole Com
munion rite beginning with
vur ratner - all things
uroed by the Holy See in the
1858 instruction on ~liturgical
participation.
To clarity the rite of Com
munion at Mass, the Confite-
or, Miscreatur, and Indulgen-
tam prayers will be omitted.
They are properly used only
when Communion is given
outside of Mass.
A FINAL CHANGE in the
rite of Mass was foreshadow-
ed in the 1855 Holy Week
restoration. At sung Masses
the celebrant will no longer
read the texts of the Epistle
and Gospel which are chanted
by the Subdeacon or deacon.
This eliminates a confusing
duplication. 1t also points out
more clearly the distinction
between the celebrant's role
at Mass - presiding over the
worshiping community - and
the role of deacon and sub
deacon, who read the Scrip
lures to the people.
In connection with the
Scripture lessons at Mass, the
new rubrics urge the preach
ing of a sermon, particularly
on Sundays and holydays. At
the same time, an abuse is
corrected. A second priest
may not preach while the cell
ebrant continues the Mass.
Earlier, the Sacred Congre-
cation of Rites made a SINH
lar pronouncement regarding
devotional exercises going on
during Mass or the public rec
itation of the Rosary, which
is to be said outside of Mass.
THE NEW CODE also states
that on all occasions during
the year when the invitation
to prayer ''Flectamus genua"
(Let us kneeI) is given, the
priest and people are to kneel
for a time in silent prayer be-
fore the "Leyate" (Arise) and
the recitation of the collect
by the priest. This extension
of the 1855 Holy Week chang
es primarily affects ember
Wednesdays and ember Satur-
days.
An immediate consequence
of the changed rubrics or reg
ulations is a great shortening
of the divine Office. The Of
flee is the public prayer of
Christ and the Church, recit-
ed at different times during
each day by clergy and Re-
ligious and by some lay -peo-
pie.
The shortening of the Of
flee was accomplished by re-
: ducing the number of lessons
to be recited (from the lives
of the saints and from the
sermons of the Fathers OF the
church, on all Sundays and
on most weekdays. This, with
other omissions and simplifi-
cations, serves to Tighten the
burden especially for priests
who are nowadays engaged
in heavy apostolic and pa
rochial duties.
YET THE PURPOSE is not
less prayer, but better prayer.
BY reducing the quantity OF
the Church's prayer, the Holy
See hopes to enhance its quail
ity. This is a vital point and
sums up the goal of the lltur-
gical renewal and reform:
greater holiness in the wor-
Shipping community, priests
and people alike.
In effect this means that
the divine Office should be
said or sung with unhurried
devotion, because it is briefer,
and with greater understand
ing, because it is simpler.
Compensate" for the short
ening, the Pope urged, by
greater diligence and deyo-
ton" With the same hope,
the new code urges that the
separate hours of the Office
be recited at the appropriate
times of the day "both for the
sanctification of the day and
for spiritual fruit" From
now on, only the hour OF Ma
tins may be recited on the
previous afternoon, and then
only if there is a just cause.
Anyone who has a casual
acquaintance with the missal
has been confronted with the
elaborate classification on
feasts and observances-dou
bles of the first and second
class, various kinds OF oc'
taves, major doubles, minor
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