Category Archives: Liturgy

Of Gluten and the Appearances of Bread

Posted on 15 September 2022 by catholicsensibility

I take for granted the prescription about unleavened wheat in the recipes for Eucharistic bread. In my parishes over the years, others are more guarded about their health. The best parish practice I experienced was to put the people of … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgy | 10 Comments

Not Lobbies

Posted on 29 August 2022 by catholicsensibility

DDWDS head Arthur Roche’s red hat day comment: But you know, you touch this area, and everyone starts screaming. That should tell us something straight away. What is this, that’s almost becoming hysterical? Because the Church has decreed at its … Continue reading →

Posted in Church News, Liturgy | 1 Comment

Chosen Race

Posted on 23 August 2022 by catholicsensibility

At a recent rehearsal, one of my singers commented on this lyric from one of our songs: For we who are a chosen race are holy, yet still seek … What is the message for an all-white choir to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music, Liturgy, Parish Life | 1 Comment

Lost Acclamations: The Old A

Posted on 15 August 2022 by catholicsensibility

The credal statement formerly known as Memorial Acclamation A has passed into Catholic history. It still seems to pop up here and there in Christendom. A blogger at a Lutheran Church in Iowa said this: Our confidence comes from knowing … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgy | 5 Comments

Matrimony Regulations

Posted on 9 August 2022 by catholicsensibility

Our parish was just in receipt of our archdiocese’s liturgical calendar for 2022-23, including regulations on celebrating the Rite of Matrimony. Some commentary after each of their notes … Matrimony within Mass on Saturday should be celebrated prior to the … Continue reading →

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Vulnerability

Posted on 8 August 2022 by catholicsensibility

I was alerted to Richard Clark’s piece on Corpus Christi Watershed on “Continuity and Vulnerability …” It might not be the most popular bit published there. The author does make the suggestion that liturgical rites have a continuity from 1570 … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music, Liturgy, The Blogosphere | 8 Comments

Lectionary Differences

Posted on 4 August 2022 by catholicsensibility

I wonder about the choices for the psalm last weekend in many Catholic churches. I chose to use the antiphon that ordinarily matches Psalm 90, rather than “If today …” I found this page on Felix Just’s website that details … Continue reading →

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GCSPD Conclusion

Posted on 28 June 2022 by catholicsensibility

Wrapping up Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities, let’s leave the last word to the bishops: These guidelines are presented to all who are involved in liturgical, pastoral, and catechetical ministry. All persons with disabilities … Continue reading →

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GCSPD 36-40: Holy Orders

Posted on 27 June 2022 by catholicsensibility

Looks like I got these last two sacraments out of order. Imagine that. I rate Holy Orders as second to Marriage anyway, so … We should complete the sacramental picture as it has been handed to us from the Guidelines … Continue reading →

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GCSPD 41-46: Matrimony

Posted on 26 June 2022 by catholicsensibility

We continue our examination of Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities and we look at Matrimony. Paragraph 41 reminds us of the aim of this sacrament: sanctification of the spouses and the formation of their … Continue reading →

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GCSPD 32-35: Anointing of the Sick

Posted on 21 June 2022 by catholicsensibility

The Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities remind us that “disability does not necessarily indicate an illness,” so the conditions for anointing are the same as for any other Catholic (GCSPD 34), that is, serious … Continue reading →

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GCSPD 27-31: Reconciliation

Posted on 17 June 2022 by catholicsensibility

Next up in our examination of Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities is a look at Reconciliation. After a basic two-sentence definition (GCSPD 27), the bishops look at some particular circumstances. They remind us that … Continue reading →

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GCSPD 24-26: Eucharist, Some Specific Cases

Posted on 13 June 2022 by catholicsensibility

We continue our examination of the Eucharist in the US bishops’ Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities, turning to three serious human difficulties: feeding tubes (paragraph 24), gluten intolerance (25), and dementia (26). First case, … Continue reading →

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GCSPD 21-23: Eucharist

Posted on 11 June 2022 by catholicsensibility

We continue our examination of Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities, specifically in paragraphs 21 through 26 which detail Church policy of participating in the Eucharist. In this post, we’ll look at general principles involved, … Continue reading →

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GCSPD 15-20: Confirmation

Posted on 6 June 2022 by catholicsensibility

The bishops devote six paragraphs of their Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities, to Confirmation. Why confirm, one might ask, especially if the diocese and parish have delayed this sacrament to adolescence? The Rite itself … Continue reading →

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