GIRM 332-334: Form, Blessings, Sacrarium

Three important topics, the first of which is the form of vessels:

332. As regards the form of the sacred vessels, it is for the artist to fashion them in a manner that is more particularly in keeping with the customs of each region, provided the individual vessels are suitable for their intended liturgical use and are clearly distinguishable from vessels intended for everyday use.

The one “tradition” I’ve noted in many places, but have never understood, is the practice of making a ciborium in the shape of a chalice rather than a paten, or plate.

Have your vessels been blessed?

333. As for the blessing of sacred vessels, the rites prescribed in the liturgical books should be followed.[Order of the Dedication of an Altar, Book of Blessings 1068-1084]

Have you provided for a real sacrarium?

334. The practice should be kept of building in the sacristy a sacrarium into which is poured the water from the washing of sacred vessels and linens
(cf. no. 280).

A note about sacrariums and new or renovated churches. In my previous parish, this location drained into the lowest elevation on the parish property. During Spring melt, or a particularly heavy rainfall, the water would just back up into the sink, rendering it unusable. At least until we disconnected the pipes, inserted a large bucket, and drained the bucket every other day. We could count on the bucket brigade at least a dozen times a year. Curious that when the church was expanded, one beancounter asked me why we were putting in a new sacristy at another location.

The liturgical books don’t tell you how to do it, but it might be useful to know a sacrarium is more about a sink on one end and a pipe in the ground on the other.

 

GIRM 327-331: Sacred Vessels

This portion is fairly similar to the 1975 GIRM. Many vessels for Communion are made of substances other than precious metals. My sense is that many Catholics perceive that other metals, glass, crystal, or ceramics avoid the appearance of being ostentacious. I’d say that judgment depends on the community, but a person would be hard pressed to prove it’s necessarily a sign of a lack of reverence.

327. Among the requisites for the celebration of Mass, the sacred vessels are held in special honor, and among these especially the chalice and paten, in which the bread and wine are offered and consecrated and from which they are consumed.

328. Sacred vessels should be made from precious metal. If they are made from metal that rusts or from a metal less precious than gold, they should generally be gilded on the inside.

329. In the Dioceses of the United States of America, sacred vessels may also be made from other solid materials which in the common estimation in each region are considered precious or noble, for example, ebony or other harder woods, provided that such materials are suitable for sacred use. In this case, preference is always to be given to materials that do not easily break or deteriorate. This applies to all vessels that are intended to hold the hosts, such as the paten, the ciborium, the pyx, the monstrance, and others of this kind.

330. As regards chalices and other vessels that are intended to serve as receptacles for the Blood of the Lord, they are to have a bowl of material that does not absorb liquids. The base, on the other hand, may be made of other solid and worthy materials.

331. For the Consecration of hosts, a large paten may fittingly be used, on which is placed the bread both for the Priest and the Deacon and also for the other ministers and for the faithful.

Thoughts?

 

GIRM 325-326: Sacred Furnishings In General

These two numbered sections make up Chapter VI, Part II (title above):

325. As in the case of the building of churches, so also regarding all sacred furnishings, the Church admits the manner of art of each individual region and accepts those adaptations that are in keeping with the culture and traditions of the individual nations, provided that all are suited to the purpose for which the sacred furnishings are intended.[Cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium 128]

Suitability is a subjective judgment. We’ll continue the discussion of inculturation in future posts on this Part. For now, it’s enough to say that the Church admits a wide range of furniture design, assuming the overall effort is harmonious with the aims of liturgy.

In this matter as well, that noble simplicity should be ensured which is the best accompaniment of genuine art.

326. In choosing materials for sacred furnishings, besides those which are traditional, others are admissible that, according to the mentality of our own age, are considered to be noble and are durable, and well suited for sacred use. In the Dioceses of the United States of America these materials may include wood, stone, or metal which are solid and appropriate to the purpose for which they are employed.

Wood is underrated as a noble substance.

Perhaps you readers have more to say on this. My biggest beef is with a lack of overall quality in the furnishings of churches. I’ve seen paper rendered more artistically than gold in some circumstances. You all?

 

GIRM 319-324: The Bread and Wine for Celebrating the Eucharist

With today’s post, we commence a long look at Chapter VI of the GIRM, “The Requisites for the  Celebration of Mass.” This chapter covers GIRM 319-351 and in addition to today’s topic, will address furnishings, vessels, vestments, and a few other things intended for church use.

But that’s getting ahead. Let’s focus today’s discussion on bread and wine:

319. Following the example of Christ, the Church has always used bread and wine with water to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.

320. The bread for celebrating the Eucharist must be made only from wheat, must be recently made, and, according to the ancient tradition of the Latin Church, must be unleavened.

And this is all that is needed. GIRM 321 also “requires”–not suggests–that bread used for the Eucharist “truly have” the appearance of food. I have to say I laugh with you at the occasional old story about sugar wafers being passed out as “children’s communion.” Poor idea, but it tells you that our current widespread practice of mass-produced machine punched circles of altar bread really do not suffice.

321. By reason of the sign, it is required that the material for the Eucharistic Celebration truly have the appearance of food. Therefore, it is desirable that the Eucharistic Bread, even though unleavened and made in the traditional form, be fashioned in such a way that the Priest at Mass with the people is truly able to break it into parts and distribute these to at least some of the faithful. However, small hosts are not at all excluded when the large number of those receiving Holy Communion or other pastoral reasons call for them. Moreover, the gesture of the fraction or breaking of bread, which was quite simply the term by which the Eucharist was known in apostolic times, will bring out more clearly the force and importance of the sign of the unity of all in the one bread, and of the sign of charity by the fact that the one bread is distributed among the brothers and sisters.

Thay said, I’m unwilling to die on altar bread hill. I just point out the tension between what the Church teaches, what it allows, and what we practice. But I will point out that another concession in GIRM 321 is that “some of the faithful” receive consecrated bread broken from a larger piece. It would seem to suggest that “all of the faithful” receiving broken bread would be a value. I don’t hesitate asking any or every priest I know why they don’t do this.

Natural wine:

322. The wine for the celebration of the Eucharist must be from the fruit of the vine (cf. Lk 22:18), natural, and unadulterated, that is, without admixture of extraneous substances.

Quality control:

323. Diligent care should be taken to ensure that the bread and wine intended for the Eucharist are kept in a perfect state of conservation: that is, that the wine does not turn to vinegar nor the bread spoil or become too hard to be broken easily.

Oops:

324. If after the Consecration or as he receives Communion, the Priest notices that not wine but only water was poured into the chalice, he pours the water into some container, pours wine with water into the chalice and consecrates it, saying the part of narrative relating to the Consecration of the chalice, without being obliged to consecrate the bread again.

These sections are largely unchanged from the 1975 edition of the GIRM. Questions or comments?

 

GIRM 318: Sacred Images

Images of the saints and such:

318. In the earthly Liturgy, the Church participates, by a foretaste, in that heavenly Liturgy which is celebrated in the holy city of Jerusalem, toward which she journeys as a pilgrim, and where Christ is seated at the right hand of God; and by venerating the memory of the Saints, she hopes one day to have some share and fellowship with them. [Sacrosanctum Concilium 8]

Touring an orthodox cathedral when I was in grad school, the rector described the purpose of surrounding the assembly with icons of the saints reinforced the sense that on earth they assisted us in spiritual ways, even in our earthbound worship of God.

Thus, in sacred buildings images of the Lord, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of the Saints, in accordance with most ancient tradition of the Church, should be displayed for veneration by the faithful[Cf. Rite of Dedication of a Church, chapter IV, no. 10; Book of Blessings 984-1031] and should be so arranged so as to lead the faithful toward the mysteries of faith celebrated there. Care should, therefore, be taken that their number not be increased indiscriminately, and moreover that they be arranged in proper order so as not to draw the attention of the faithful to themselves and away from the celebration itself.[Sacrosanctum Concilium 125] There should usually be only one image of any given Saint. Generally speaking, in the ornamentation and arrangement of a church, as far as images are concerned, provision should be made for the devotion of the entire community as well as for the beauty and dignity of the images.

What do you think of this principle of moderation? Of pointing to the Eucharist and sacraments? Need a number be attached to it? What of multiple depictions in different media: glass, statuary, and opaque image? Does anybody really monitor this?

 

GIRM 314-317: The Place for the Reservation of the Most Holy Eucharist

Four sections on reserving the Eucharist and seven footnotes. I’ll note up front here that compared to other Vatican documents, like the GDC that we’re looking at here, the GIRM, in comparison, is more lightly footnoted. Not today. Let’s read:

314. In accordance with the structure of each church and legitimate local customs, the Most Blessed Sacrament should be reserved in a tabernacle in a part of the church that is truly noble, prominent, conspicuous, worthily decorated, and suitable for prayer.[Cf. Eucharisticum Mysterium 54; cf. also Inter Oecumenici 95]

Does this mean a separate chapel? Does it mean one-stop spiritual shopping in the nave? The GIRM doesn’t say. Smaller churches can probably handle more easily having a nave suitable for both liturgy and prayer, in the sense I hope you catch. While prayer and liturgy are not mutually exclusive acts, and indeed, are ideally in harmony, I don’t think every church has been designed to incorporate both.

Big churches have challenges not only because of the needs which jostle one another for the big room. Those are the situations in which the cited document Eucharisticum Mysterium suggested a separate chapel for the reservation of the Eucharist. I can think of two others just as vital, if not more so. Regarding tabernacles in large naves, are designers prepared to offer an intimate and inviting space for prayer, and are pastors prepared to foot the bills to heat or cool them? Devoted spiritual people would pray if you set the tabernacle in a rainstorm, ice box, or sauna. And if a faith community is full of 100% spiritual people, then I don’t think there’s a problem.

Some practical concerns:

The tabernacle should usually be the only one, be irremovable, be made of solid and inviolable material that is not transparent, and be locked in such a way that the danger of profanation is prevented to the greatest extent possible.[Cf. Eucharisticum Mysterium 52; Inter Oecumenici 95; Nullo Umquam Tempore (1938) 4; HCWEOM 10-11; Canon Law 938 §3] Moreover, it is appropriate that before it is put into liturgical use, the tabernacle be blessed according to the rite described in the Roman Ritual.[Cf. Book of Blessings 919-929]

Has your tabernacle been blessed?

It is less appropriate to combine functions of consecration and adoration in the same place:

315. It is more appropriate as a sign that on an altar on which Mass is celebrated there not be a tabernacle in which the Most Holy Eucharist is reserved.[Cf. Eucharisticum Mysterium 55]

Consequently, it is preferable that the tabernacle be located, according to the judgment of the Diocesan Bishop:

a) either in the sanctuary, apart from the altar of celebration, in a appropriate form and place, not excluding its being positioned on an old altar no longer used for celebration (cf. no. 303);

b) or even in some chapel suitable for the private adoration and prayer of the faithful[Cf. Eucharisticum Mysterium 53; HCWEOM 9; Canon Law 938 §2; Dominicae Cenae 3] and organically connected to the church and readily noticeable by the Christian faithful.

Better than “private adoration” would be “a prayerful and appropriate intimacy.” “Readily noticeable” seems a concession. The convincing case has yet to be made that the mansion of the church can get by with one big happy solemn room.

316. In accordance with traditional custom, near the tabernacle a special lamp, fueled by oil or wax, should shine permanently to indicate the presence of Christ and honor it.[Cf. Canon Law 940; Eucharisticum Mysterium 57; HCWEOM 11]

Did you know that an oil lamp is acceptable? Hopefully not those oil lamps disguised as candles, however. I once visited a church in church the oil lamp had a noticeable flame.

317. In no way should any of the other things be forgotten which are prescribed by law concerning the reservation of the Most Holy Eucharist.[Cf. particularly in Nullo umquam tempore (1938); Canon Law 934-944]

Surely there must be commentary on this one.

 

GIRM 312-313: The Place for the Choir and the Musical Instruments

Where to place the choir and instruments?

312. The schola cantorum (choir) should be so positioned with respect to the arrangement of each church that its nature may be clearly evident, namely as part of the assembled community of the faithful undertaking a specific function. The positioning should also help the choir to exercise this function more easily and allow each choir member full sacramental participation in the Mass in a convenient manner.[Musicam Sacram 23]

Three important factors:

• Be part of the assembled community
• Able to function as ministers
• Allow for sacramental participation, conveniently

My own sense is that choir lofts work against numbers one and three. Not impossibly so, but a challenge that can’t be easily dismissed.

313. The organ and other lawfully approved musical instruments should be placed in a suitable place so that they can sustain the singing of both the choir and the people and be heard with ease by everybody if they are played alone. It is appropriate that before being put into liturgical use, the organ be blessed according to the rite described in the Roman Ritual.[Book of Blessings 1052-1067]

Is your organ blessed?

In Advent the use of the organ and other musical instruments should be marked by a moderation suited to the character of this time of year, without expressing in anticipation the full joy of the Nativity of the Lord.

And are you ready for Lent:

In Lent the playing of the organ and musical instruments is allowed only in order to support the singing. Exceptions, however, are Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent), Solemnities, and Feasts.

 

GIRM 311: The Places for the Faithful

Whats up in the nave? After multiple posts about altar,ambo, and chair, let’s find out. Participation, naturally, is the first consideration:

311. Places for the faithful should be arranged with appropriate care so that they are able to participate in the sacred celebrations, duly following them with their eyes and their attention. It is desirable that benches or seating usually should be provided for their use. However, the custom of reserving seats for private persons is to be reprobated.[Sacrosanctum Concilium 32] Moreover, benches or seating should be so arranged, especially in newly built churches, that the faithful can easily take up the bodily postures required for the different parts of the celebration and can have easy access for the reception of Holy Communion.

Care should be taken to ensure that the faithful be able not only to see the Priest, the Deacon, and the readers but also, with the aid of modern technical means, to hear them without difficulty.

I love when the reform2 crowd wrings its hands over participation, retranslating to fit the ideology when necessary. You don’t have to look very deep to get the notion of what the Church intends with the assembly’s participation at Mass. The senses help focus the attention, especially seeing and hearing. Bodily postures are important, as is the reception of the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Otherwise, great freedom is allowed in how the assembly is hosted in the nave.

 

GIRM 310: Chairs

The Priest Celebrant gets a chair suitable to the function of the priest’s presidency over the liturgical assembly:

310. The chair of the Priest Celebrant must signify his function of presiding over the gathering and of directing the prayer. Thus the more suitable place for the chair is facing the people at the head of the sanctuary, unless the design of the building or other features prevent this: as, for example, if on account of too great a distance, communication between the Priest and the congregation would be difficult, or if the tabernacle were to be positioned in the center behind the altar. In any case, any appearance of a throne is to be avoided.[Inter Oecumenici 92] It is appropriate that before being put into liturgical use, the chair be blessed according to the rite described in the Roman Ritual.[Book of Blessings 880-899]

No throne-like appearance. Hmm, a challenge in some places, perhaps in a few cathedrals.

Likewise, seats should be arranged in the sanctuary for concelebrating Priests as well as for Priests who are present at the celebration in choir dress but without concelebrating.

The seat for the Deacon should be placed near that of the celebrant. For the other ministers seats should be arranged so that they are clearly distinguishable from seats for the clergy and so that the ministers are easily able to carry out the function entrusted to them.[Inter Oecumenici 92]

Most liturgists prefer other ministers to be less distinct from the assembly. One challenge I’ve seen in many places are when chairs for altar servers would be used where concelebrating clergy would sit.

 

GIRM 309: The Ambo

One section on the ambo, but there’s a good bit here to which to attend:

309. The dignity of the Word of God requires that in the church there be a suitable place from which it may be proclaimed and toward which the attention of the faithful naturally turns during the Liturgy of the Word.[Inter Oecumenici 92]

It is appropriate that generally this place be a stationary ambo and not simply a movable lectern. The ambo must be located in keeping with the design of each church in such a way that the ordained ministers and readers may be clearly seen and heard by the faithful.

My parish’s ambo is a movable piece, though it takes two people to budge it awkwardly. The stand on which it sits is more easily moved across the floor, a concession to the possibilities of focusing the proclamation of the Word to either side of our antiphonally-seated assembly, as the situation might dictate.

From the ambo only the readings, the Responsorial Psalm, and the Easter Proclamation (Exsultet) are to be proclaimed; likewise it may be used for giving the Homily and for announcing the intentions of the Universal Prayer. The dignity of the ambo requires that only a minister of the word should stand at it.

Homily and general intercessions optional. Anybody have the intercessions announced from a place other than the ambo. I tend to lean toward that option myself.

It is appropriate that before being put into liturgical use a new ambo be blessed according to the rite described in the Roman Ritual.[Book of Blessings 900-918]

 

GIRM 306-308: Wrapping Up Altar Decor

No peripherals for altar decor; only what is needed:

306. For only what is required for the celebration of the Mass may be placed on the altar table: namely, from the beginning of the celebration until the proclamation of the Gospel, the Book of the Gospels; then from the Presentation of the Gifts until the purification of the vessels, the chalice with the paten, a ciborium, if necessary, and, finally, the corporal, the purificator, the pall, and the Missal.

In addition, arranged discreetly, there should be whatever may be needed to amplify the Priest’s voice.

One finds that discreet microphone less and less these days.

307. The candlesticks required for the different liturgical services for reasons of reverence or the festive character of the celebration (cf. no. 117) should be appropriately placed either on the altar or around it, according to the design of the altar and the sanctuary, so that the whole may be harmonious and the faithful may not be impeded from a clear view of what takes place at the altar or what is placed upon it.

Two would seem to be in keeping with the character of the Roman Rite most of the time. The guiding principles of harmonious design and giving the assembly a clear view are not always considered when indulging the modern fad for six candles.

308. Likewise, either on the altar or near it, there is to be a cross, with the figure of Christ crucified upon it, a cross clearly visible to the assembled people. It is desirable that such a cross should remain near the altar even outside of liturgical celebrations, so as to call to mind for the faithful the saving Passion of the Lord.

This would be another modern challenge. As an object of veneration, reverence, and reference, the cross probably should be a separate piece. In one college chapel I visited, I noted the cross was flat on the altar mensa. Facing the priest, of course.

My parish has one optimal design: a stand-alone piece used for veneration, placed for the view of all.

 

GIRM 305: Decorating the Altar

Let’s chat about how the altar can and should be decorated:

305. Moderation should be observed in the decoration of the altar.

During Advent the floral decoration of the altar should be marked by a moderation suited to the character of this time of year, without expressing in anticipation the full joy of the Nativity of the Lord. During Lent it is forbidden for the altar to be decorated with flowers. Exceptions, however, are Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent), Solemnities, and Feasts.

Keep in mind this prescription is for the altar, not for other areas of the church.

Floral decoration should always show moderation and be arranged around the altar rather than on the altar table.

It’s been years since I’ve seen flowers actually on an altar. Combine it with six candlesticks and you get a positively meal-like vibe with a strong aristocratic tilt.

 

GIRM 304: Altar Cloths

Let’s have a discussion on altar cloths:

304. Out of reverence for the celebration of the memorial of the Lord and for the banquet in which the Body and Blood of the Lord are offered, there should be, on an altar where this is celebrated, at least one cloth, white in color, whose shape, size, and decoration are in keeping with the altar’s structure. When, in the Dioceses of the United States of America, other cloths are used in addition to the altar cloth, then those cloths may be of other colors possessing Christian honorific or festive significance according to longstanding local usage, provided that the uppermost cloth covering the mensa (i.e., the altar cloth itself) is always white in color.

This regulation is pretty clear, and gives the leeway when you see other colors on the altar. Interesting that harmonization with liturgical coloration is not mentioned. It seems those who wrote this were less concerned with matching or complementary colors with the vested clergy.

 

GIRM 302-303: Relics and Multiple Altars

GIRM shoulders the issue of relics:

302. The practice of the deposition of relics of Saints, even those not Martyrs, under the altar to be dedicated is fittingly retained. However, care should be taken to ensure the authenticity of such relics.

My parish has relics in fitting displays, but the altar was not constructed for their deposition there. If relics were deposited there, we would not have them available for devotion.

As for the matter of multiplcation of altars …

303. In building new churches, it is preferable for a single altar to be erected, one that in the gathering of the faithful will signify the one Christ and the one Eucharist of the Church.

Side altars are not expressly forbidden. However, a display for devotion can have other carefully constructed aspects.

In already existing churches, however, when the old altar is so positioned that it makes the people’s participation difficult but cannot be moved without damage to artistic value, another fixed altar, skillfully made and properly dedicated, should be erected and the sacred rites celebrated on it alone. In order that the attention of the faithful not be distracted from the new altar, the old altar should not be decorated in any special way.

This is what happened in a lot of churches. Visibility is clearly considered part of the people’s participation. And when this is difficult (note: not impossible) a change is appropriate.

 

GIRM 300-301: Altars, Fixed and Movable

The altar should be dedicated in a formal rite. This is optional for a movable piece, but is likely a good idea.

300. An altar, whether fixed or movable, should be dedicated according to the rite prescribed in the Roman Pontifical; but it is permissible for a movable altar simply to be blessed.

Ordinarily, an altar will be of stone–not the crushed and refabricated variety. One parish I served had such an altar: marble veneer covering cinderblock.

301. In keeping with the Church’s traditional practice and with what the altar signifies, the table of a fixed altar should be of stone and indeed of natural stone. In the Dioceses of the United States of America, wood which is dignified, solid, and well-crafted may be used, provided that the altar is structurally immobile. As to the supports or base for supporting the table, these may be made of any material, provided it is dignified and solid.

In the US, wood is permissible for the mensa. My parish has such an altar–the base is also a nice complementary wood. I’ve also seen altars that incorporate both natural stone and wood.

A movable altar may be constructed of any noble and solid material suited to liturgical use, according to the traditions and usages of the different regions.

Thoughts on the make-up of altars?