TABLE OF CONTENTS

1) Pope Benedict's Motu Proprio on the Latin Mass

2) Apostolic Exhortation: "Sacramentum Caritas"

3) Purification of Vessels

4) Happy Are They Who Are Called to His Supper

5) Proposed Translation of the Ordinary Parts of the Mass

6) Low Gluten Hosts and Celiac Sprue Disease

7) New Information about Ministers of Care Training in the Archdiocese

8) What are the major Solemnities and Feasts celebrated 

during the Liturgical Year or the Year of Grace, 2008? 

Pope Benedict XVI's Motu Proprio on the Latin Mass

On Saturday, July 7, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI issued an Apostolic Letter Motu Proprio (“on his own initiative”) entitled Summorum Pontificium, on the use of the 1962 Liturgy of Pope Blessed John XXIII, the Liturgy prior to the new missal of Pope Paul VI in 1970. In the Motu Proprio Pope Benedict notes that the Roman Missal of Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II is the ordinary form of the Mass as it is to be celebrated in the Latin Rite and that the Roman Missal of 1962 published by Pope Blessed John XXIII is the extraordinary form of the Mass.

Although there is not yet an official English translation, the full text of the Motu Proprio and the accompanying letter to bishops of Pope Benedict XVI is printed in the Newsletter of the Bishops Committee on the Liturgy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. One can view the newsletter by visiting http://www.usccb.org/liturgy/bclnewsletterjune07.pdf. Note that this current BCL Newsletter also includes “Twenty Questions on the Apostolic Letter Summorum Pontificium” and “Nine Questions on the Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms of the Missale Romanum [the Roman Missal].”  We highly recommend that those who are interested in learning more about this Motu Proprio consult the BCL website.

Finally, note that the decree of the Motu Proprio allowing use of the 1962 Missal of Pope Blessed John XXIII does not take effect until September 14, 2007, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

At this time, any questions or concerns of people in the Archdiocese of Chicago can be directed to the Office for Divine Worship.

Apostolic Exhortation: "Sacramentum Caritas"

The Press Office of the Holy See has announced the presentation of the post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Sacramentum Caritatis" on the Eucharist, source and summit of the life and mission of the Church.

This Apostolic Exhortation should be read by all those involved in the celebration of the Eucharist, clergy and laity.  It not only contains a fine summary of contemporary Eucharistic Theology, but it also addresses many pastoral questions that come up regarding Eucharistic celebration. For a outline of the important topics covered in this Apostolic Exhortation, please click on Outline.

PROPOSED TRANSLATION OF THE ORDINARY PARTS OF THE MASS

On June 15, 2006 the USCCB approved the Order of Mass of the Third Edition of the Roman Missal. The text now goes to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments for approval, before obtaining the approval of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI.

What do we mean by the “Third Edition of the Roman Missal?”

The Roman Missal (or Sacramentary) is the book of presidential prayers which the priest uses at Mass. It contains all the prayers for every Mass that is celebrated during the liturgical year.

At the Second Vatican Council (1962 – 1965), the bishops of the Church called for a complete revision of the Church's Rites and Liturgies, especially the Eucharist. Among other things, the bishops called for the Liturgies to be translated into the vernacular – i.e., the language spoken by the people of any country or region. The reason for this was so that every Catholic might be able to participate in the Mass more actively, consciously and fully (see the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, #14).

Thus, the Mass was revised. The priest now faced the people, many more readings from the Bible were added to the Lectionary (the book which contains the scriptural readings proclaimed at Mass), and the translation of the Mass into English was begun. In 1969 the Roman Missal was issued containing the revised Mass (the “Novus Ordo”).

In 1975 a Second Edition of the Roman Missal was issued. It was more complete than the first edition and was revised to be in accord with documents and directives issued since the first edition appeared (e.g., the suppression of the subdeacon). The Second Edition contained some prayers that the first edition didn’t: the Eucharistic Prayers for Reconciliation, the Eucharistic Prayers for Children, the prayers to be used in the Dedication of a Church, and others.

In 1988, Pope John Paul II called for an evaluation of the prayers and texts contained in the Roman Missal and not long after (in 1991), work began on a Third Edition of the Roman Missal.

The Third Edition was completed in 2002 and it was promulgated by Pope John Paul II. Since that time work has been done to translate the Roman Missal into the various languages of the world. The first part of the Third Edition of the Roman Missal to be translated into English is the Order of Mass and that was the portion voted on by the Bishops in June.

The other parts of the Roman Missal are currently being translated into English for the bishops’ approval. It is estimated that the whole Missal will be completed in the next two or three years.

These other parts of the Missal which have yet to be translated include:

* The Prefaces to the Eucharistic Prayer;

* The Proper of Seasons and the Proper of Saints (all the opening prayers, prayers over the gifts and prayers after Communion);

* The Ritual Masses (the prayers and texts used when other Sacraments – e.g., Baptism or Marriage – are celebrated during Mass);

* The Commons (all the prayers used when celebrating a Mass in honor of a Martyr, e.g., Saint Stephen, or a Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or a Mass for the Dedication of a Church).

As noted, the only portion translated into English and approved by the United States Bishops, is the Order of Mass.

What do we mean by the Order of Mass?  Ordo is a Latin word referring to the “ordinary” or usual texts used by our priests and people in the celebration of the Eucharist.  Hence, the Order (“Ordo”) of Mass includes:

• All the prayers in the Introductory Rites, except for the opening prayer.

• The responses and the Creed, which are recited during the Liturgy of the Word.

• The prayers and responses recited during the Preparation Rite, except for the Prayer Over the Gifts.

• The texts of the Eucharistic Prayer, except for the Preface.

• The texts of the prayers found in the Rite of Holy Communion, including the Lamb of God, but excluding the Prayer After Communion.

• The texts found in the Concluding Rite of Mass.

Some of the proposed texts in the new translation (but yet to be approved by Rome) are :

In the Introductory Rite, there are three greetings by the priest, which are slightly different, following more closing the biblical text upon which they are based. (For example: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” See Rom 1:7) In addition, the response to the greeting of the priest or deacon has been retranslated more closely from the Latin: “And with your Spirit.” (See Gal 6:18)

The act of penitence during the Penitential Rite restores the gesture of striking the breast while saying “through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault.” 

The first line of the Gloria is slightly changed to follow exactly the wording of the Latin text: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will.” There are also some minor revisions in the text, usually a change in English word order to follow the logic of the Latin text.

The most notable change in the Liturgy of the Word concerns the wording of the Nicene Creed.  We have returned to a more accurate translation of various phrases in the Creed.  “Credo,” for example, is now translated “I believe”, not “we believe”.  In addition, the proposed translation includes this phrase, “I believe,” three times – “I believe in God…” “I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ…” “I believe in the Holy Spirit…”

The Apostles’ Creed will, on occasion, be able to be used at Mass in place of the Nicene Creed.

In the Preparation Rite, the two “Blessed are you” prayers over the bread and the wine have been re-translated slightly. For example, the first blessing prayer now reads: “Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for we have received from your generosity the bread we offer you, fruit of the earth and work of human hands: it will become for us the bread of life.”

The priest’s introduction to the prayer inviting people to join him in praying that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God is changed slightly: “Pray, brothers and sisters, that this sacrifice, mine and yours, may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.”

The beginning of the Holy Holy” has returned to “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of hosts” (see Isaiah 6:3), not “Lord God of power and might”.

In most of the changes of the Eucharistic Prayer there has been a major effort to bring out the biblical nuances, Patristic references, and the actual metaphors found in the Latin Text.  The result has been a translation that is more accurate, but is significantly different in word order and sometimes in the wording itself from the texts with which we are familiar.  It will take some time for priests and people to get used to the new wording.

The Memorial Acclamations have been retranslated more closely to the Latin, for example, “we proclaim your death, O Lord, and profess your resurrection until you come in glory.” 

In the Rite of Communion, the priest now has only one option to introduce the Our Father: “Taught by the Savior’s command and formed by the Word of God, we have the courage to say.” 

The “Deliver Us” prayer now translates all the words in the Latin text.  Hence, you will now find the adverb “graciously” added to the prayer: “graciously grant peace in our days”.  Rather than use the word “anxiety” we will now say: “may we be…safe from all distress”.   However, the basic flow of this prayer will be very similar to what we now have.

The wording of the conclusion to the Prayer for Peace is more accurately translated as: “and be pleased to grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will. Who live and reign for ever and ever.”

The priest holds up the host slightly above the chalice and says the “Ecce Agnus Dei” prayer, the ending of which has changed slightly to translate more completely the Latin Text: “Blessed are those called to the banquet of the Lamb.”

The response of the people is more literal to the Latin and highlights the biblical roots of the response: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed” (see Luke 7:6).

In the Concluding Rites of Mass, there is just one option for the dismissal: “Go forth, the Mass is ended.”  Our Bishops have requested that we retain the familiar dismissal.  “The Mass is ended. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.”  It remains to be seen if this request – as well as others not noted here – will be accepted.

What do we do in the meantime, as we await approval of these texts from Rome?

Do nothing different than what is already being done in the celebration of the Mass. The Office for Divine Worship, in conjunction with the Office for Catechesis and Liturgy Training Publications, will publish and list available resource materials (e.g., bulletin articles and other resources) in order to help prepare people for the changes.

It is important to remember that the list of changes spoken of above should not and cannot yet be used. They have not received the approval either of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments nor of the Holy Father.  Hence, we are not sure which of the US adaptations will become part of the text or whether some of the texts referred to above will be altered. 

The preceding list of changes was meant to prepare the leadership of the parish for what is going to happen once we receive approval from Rome to begin using these texts.  Our purpose in publishing the above is to provide you with the best and most complete information that we have at this point, so that you know what it is that our Bishops voted on at the last bi-annual meeting this June in Los Angeles.

 Low-gluten Bread and Celiac Disease

The Office for Divine Worship occasionally receives inquiries
regarding the use and availability of low-gluten bread which can
be used for the celebration and reception of the Eucharist by
people who may suffer from Celiac Sprue disease.

The requirements of the Canons of the Church call for bread
that is used in the celebration and reception of Holy Communion
to be made solely and specifically of wheat and water. While
gluten-free bread is not valid for Eucharist and thus cannot be
used for Holy Communion by a Roman Catholic (this includes
altar breads or hosts made of rice, potato or any other matter
that is gluten-free), low-gluten hosts can be used.

Catholics who struggle with Celiac Sprue Disease face a
particularly challenging situation in regard to their participation
in and reception of the Eucharist. Living with this physical
condition, they are not able to receive Holy Communion under
the form of the consecrated bread. Thus, for them to participate
in the Sacrament, they do so by taking only the Precious Blood.
While this does not diminish, in any way, the fullness of the
Sacrament – for the fullness of the Eucharist exists in both the
Body of Christ and the Blood of Christ under both forms of
consecrated bread and consecrated wine - it can raise certain
issues in terms of how a parish celebrates the Eucharist, and
in particular the Communion Rite.

First, it necessitates that a parish offer Holy Communion under
both species of bread and wine, so that one living with Celiac
Sprue may, in fact, participate in Holy Communion by taking
only the Precious Blood.

Secondly, for those who may have a severe sensitivity to gluten,
not only must they refrain from taking the consecrated bread, but
they must also take care that the consecrated bread has not
come in contact with the consecrated wine. This means that he
or she would not be able to take from the main chalice, into
which a small portion of the consecrated bread is dropped
during the Fraction Rite. In addition, if one who has Celiac Sprue
takes Holy Communion from a chalice in which the Body of Christ
has been intincted (when the Body of Christ is dipped into the
chalice), he or she may likewise become ill. (Remember that
self-intinction is prohibited in receiving Holy Communion. That
is, the person receiving Holy Communion is not allowed to take
the consecrated bread and dip it into the chalice.)

For those who would benefit from a low-gluten bread, the
Benedictine Sisters of Clyde, Missouri, provide altar breads
which are low-gluten and which are approved for use in the
celebration of the Eucharist. They can be reached at 31970
State Highway P, Clyde, MO 64432. Their phone number is
800-223-2772. 

The Revised General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM). 

Please click on the GIRM button for numerous resources available to assist parishes and institutions in the implementation of the new GIRM.

New Information about Ministers of Care Training in the Archdiocese

Please click on Ministers of Care Training.  There you will find a chart giving the
sponsoring organization, a contact person and phone number, the
speakers, the training location, and the cost of the programs.
There is also a summary of the six topics that need to be covered in a
formation program. Questions concerning the mandating of persons

who have completed a basic training program , their terms of service,

and the Rite for Commissioning Extraordinary Ministers of Holy

Communion are also answered. 

Si busca información sobre la formación y educación continua
para los ministros de la comunión a los enfermos se encuentra
debajo del botón Ministers of Care Training.

Anyone who desires to advertise their MOC Training program on our

Website, please contact  ODW by phone: 773-486-5153 or fax:

773-486-5158.