What a Concelebrant Must Recite
And More on the Rite of Sprinkling
ROME, FEB. 27, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.
Q: I have recently been pondering what is necessary for valid concelebration on the part of the concelebrant. The rubrics clearly indicate that concelebrants are to recite the words extending from the epiclesis to the anamnesis, but would the omission of some component of this segment of the Eucharistic prayer compromise the offering of the sacrifice of the Mass on the part of that concelebrant? It would seem that the words of consecration are indispensable, but what of the surrounding material? -- R.H., Fulda, Minnesota
A: For a concelebrant's Mass to be valid the words of consecration recited in a low but audible voice is strictly necessary.
It is unnecessary for validity that the concelebrants recite any of the other parts of the Eucharistic prayer. But a worthy and licit celebration demands that special attention be given to those parts that should be recited by all, which thus have a certain degree of obligation.
Some parts of the Eucharistic prayer are appropriately recited alone by one concelebrant who says them with his hand extended. The principal celebrant, however, may decide to pray those parts himself for a good reason.
Nos. 216-236 of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal offer a detailed description of the words and gestures for each Eucharistic prayer. For reasons of space we quote only those numbers which refer to that which the concelebrants recite together:
"216. The Preface is sung or said by the principal priest celebrant alone; but the Sanctus is sung or recited by all the concelebrants, together with the congregation and the choir.
"217. After the Sanctus, the priest concelebrants continue the Eucharistic Prayer in the way described below. Unless otherwise indicated, only the principal celebrant makes the gestures.
"218. The parts spoken by all the concelebrants together and especially the words of consecration, which all are bound to say, are to be said in such a way that the concelebrants speak them in a very low voice and that the principal celebrant's voice be clearly heard. In this way the words can be better understood by the people.
"It is a praiseworthy practice for the parts that are to be said by all the concelebrants together and for which musical notation is provided in the Missal to be sung.
"Eucharistic Prayer I: That Is, The Roman Canon
"222. From the Quam oblationem (Bless and approve our offering) up to and including the Supplices (Almighty God, we pray that your angel), the principal celebrant alone makes the gestures, while all the concelebrants speak everything together, in this manner:
"a. The Quam oblationem (Bless and approve our offering) with hands extended toward the offerings;
"b. The Qui pridie (The day before he suffered) and the Simili modo (When supper was ended) with hands joined;
"c. While speaking the words of the Lord, each extends his right hand toward the bread and toward the chalice, if this seems appropriate; as the host and the chalice are shown, however, they look toward them and afterwards bow profoundly;
"d. The Unde et memores (Father, we celebrate the memory) and the Supra quae (Look with favor) with hands extended;
"e. From the Supplices (Almighty God, we pray that your angel) up to and including the words ex hac altaris participatione (as we receive from this altar), they bow with hands joined; then they stand upright and cross themselves at the words omni benedictione et gratia repleamur (let us be filled with every grace and blessing).
"224. At the words Nobis quoque peccatoribus (For ourselves, too) all the concelebrants strike their breast.
"Eucharistic Prayer II
"227. From the Haec ergo dona (Let your Spirit come upon) to the Et supplices (May all of us who share) inclusive, all the concelebrants speak all the following together:
"a. The Haec ergo dona (Let your Spirit come upon) with hands extended toward the offerings;
"b. The Qui cum passioni (Before he was given up to death) and the Simili modo (When supper was ended) with hands joined;
"c. While speaking the words of the Lord, each extends his right hand toward the bread and toward the chalice, if this seems appropriate; as the host and the chalice are shown, however, they look toward them and afterwards bow profoundly;
"d. The Memores igitur (In memory of his death) and the Et supplices (May all of us who share) with hands extended.
"Eucharistic Prayer III
"230. From the Supplices ergo te, Domine (And so, Father, we bring you these gifts) to the Respice, quaesumus (Look with favor) inclusive, all the concelebrants speak all the following together:
"a. The Supplices ergo te, Domine (And so, Father, we bring you these gifts) with hands extended toward the offerings;
"b. The Ipse enim in qua nocte tradebatur (On the night he was betrayed) and the Simili modo (When supper was ended) with hands joined;
"c. While speaking the words of the Lord, each extends his right hand toward the bread and toward the chalice, if this seems appropriate; as the host and the chalice are shown, however, they look at them and, afterwards, bow profoundly;
"d. The Memores igitur (Father, calling to mind) and the Respice, quaesumus (Look with favor) with hands outstretched.
"Eucharistic Prayer IV
"233. From the Quaesumus, igitur, Domine (Father, may this Holy Spirit) to the Respice, Domine (Lord, look upon the sacrifice) inclusive, all the concelebrants speak all the following together:
"a. The Quaesumus igitur, Domine (Father, may this Holy Spirit) with hands extended toward the offerings;
"b. The Ipse enim, cum hora venisset (He always loved those) and the Simili modo with hands joined;
"c. While speaking the words of the Lord, each extends his right hand toward the bread and toward the chalice, if this seems appropriate; as the host and the chalice are shown, however, they look toward them and afterwards bow profoundly;
"d. The Unde et nos (Father, we now celebrate) and the Respice, Domine (Lord, look upon this sacrifice) with hands outstretched.
"235. As to other Eucharistic Prayers approved by the Apostolic See, the norms established for each one are to be observed.
"236. The concluding doxology of the Eucharistic Prayer is spoken solely by the principal priest celebrant and, if this is desired, together with the other concelebrants, but not by the faithful."
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Follow-up: Rite of Sprinkling With Holy Water
After our comments on the rite of sprinkling (Feb. 13) a couple of readers suggested some possible exceptions.
One quoted the ceremonial of bishops: "79. ... At the door of the church the senior of the presbyters hands the bishop the sprinkler, unless the blessing and sprinkling of water is to replace the penitential rite. With head uncovered, the bishop sprinkles himself and those around him, then returns the sprinkler. ...
"111. If holy water is to be offered to the bishop as he enters the church, a senior clerical of the local Church offers it to him, presenting a sprinkler, with which the bishop sprinkles himself and those accompanying him. Then the bishop hands back the sprinkler.
"112. All this is omitted if the bishop enters the church already vested, as well as on Sunday whenever the blessing and sprinkling of water replace the penitential rite."
Our reader was concerned that "If the bishop did this, I think those who read your answer may believe he was incorrectly restoring the old rite."
I don't believe that there would be confusion. In fact the aspersion described here is simply a different rite of sprinkling holy water which already existed in the former rite for such occasions as the bishop's pastoral visit. It is thus a sign of veneration toward the bishop when he formally visits a church.
The ceremonial clearly states that this rite is only carried out if the bishop is vested in choir dress, not the formal liturgical cope used for the asperges. Likewise, he sprinkles only those accompanying him, without music, and does not pass through the church sprinkling the faithful.
Another correspondent described the continuation of the asperges ceremony in a Trappist monastery. This is quite probable as many religious orders, especially those with ancient roots, legitimately maintain particular customs and traditions.
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Readers may send questions to liturgy@zenit.org. Please put the word "Liturgy" in the subject field. The text should include your initials, your city and your state, province or country. Father McNamara can only answer a small selection of the great number of questions that arrive.
