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BeProf
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| First Name: | Ed | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Independent Fundamental Baptist - Atheism - Christian & Missionary Alliance |
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Posted: Thu Mar 6th, 2008 08:51 pm |
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I've been reading on the Catholic view of the various Holy Orders and I noticed that Deacons in the Catholic Church have a unique privilege in that, if a Deacon is present at the Mass, only the Deacon may proclaim the Gospel... the Priest, the Bishop, not even (if I understand it correctly) the Pope may deny them this privilege.
I understand how this works in parishes that have deacons "on staff" (or whatever you call it), but how does this work in parishes that don't have a deacon when a deacon is visiting. I mean... say I'm a Deacon and I'm just driving through town and I happen to stop by the church just in time to go to Mass. Do I hurry up to the Priest before Mass starts and say, "Hey... I'm a Deacon!" or do I just keep quiet?
If a Deacon is present and doesn't proclaim the gospel, does this make the Mass invalid, illicit, or none of the above.
Just curious...
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Dave Armstrong
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Posted: Thu Mar 6th, 2008 09:30 pm |
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I can't say for sure without looking it up, but I would suspect this is not the case. It seems to me that there were times that deacons were present at my parish and didn't always read the Gospel (and we observe the rubrics very closely). I can say with more certainty that it is highly unlikely that even if something was awry in the readings that the Mass would be invalid.
Where did you read this?
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tedjenczewski
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Posted: Thu Mar 6th, 2008 10:56 pm |
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| In my parish the deacons always read the psalms and OT passages, but the priest always proclaims/reads the gospel
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CajunRick
Network Helper
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Posted: Fri Mar 7th, 2008 02:26 am |
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BeProf wrote: I've been reading on the Catholic view of the various Holy Orders and I noticed that Deacons in the Catholic Church have a unique privilege in that, if a Deacon is present at the Mass, only the Deacon may proclaim the Gospel... the Priest, the Bishop, not even (if I understand it correctly) the Pope may deny them this privilege.
It's not a matter of "privilege" but of proper function.
It is the deacon's role to proclaim the gospel, assist the bishop at the altar, prepare the cup, minister the cup, and proclaim the sign of peace. If he is prevented from exercising his ministry, the liturgical celebration is less complete than it could be with his participation.
However, priests and bishops have also been ordained to the ministry of deacon, and it is through their diaconate that they proclaim the gospel. Ordinarily each minister fills his highest function, so a bishop will function as bishop, a priest as priest, and a deacon as deacon, but it is not a requirement of Canon Law or anything like that. And under proper circumstances, they may certainly be denied that function. For example, if the bishop has a particular reason that he wants to read the gospel, he will do it since he has also been ordained to the ministry of deacon. If more than one deacon is present, they can't all read the gospel.
Priests and deacons must have permission to exercise their ministries publicly in a diocese. If a deacon or priest is on vacation in another diocese, he may not exercise his ministry publicly unless he has made advance arrangements and obtained permission from the ordinary (bishop in charge) of the diocese. He can't show up and claim to be a deacon; he must present credentials and be granted faculties to perform his ministry publicly. This does not apply to private celebrations, such as a mass for a group traveling together. Of course, such permissions are routinely given and are often presumed in the case of a family wedding or funeral, etc. The rules are a little different for a bishop who, as a successor to the apostles, has faculties everywhere, but courtesy indicates that he request and receive permission in another bishop's diocese.
And a bishop, priest, or deacon is never forced to exercise his ministry during personal times, such as when he is on vacation. A priest may say a private mass while on vacation or he may attend mass at the local parish church. A deacon can attend mass as part of the congregation and not exercise his ministry at all. He is always a deacon, but he need not always function as one.
From the General Instructions of the Roman Missal (GIRM) (emphasis added):
The Duties and Ministries in the Mass 91. The Eucharistic celebration is an action of Christ and the Church, namely, the holy people united and ordered under the Bishop. It therefore pertains to the whole Body of the Church, manifests it, and has its effect upon it. It also affects the individual members of the Church in different ways, according to their different orders, offices, and actual participation. In this way, the Christian people, "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people," expresses its cohesion and its hierarchical ordering. All, therefore, whether they are ordained ministers or lay Christian faithful, in fulfilling their office or their duty should carry out solely but completely that which pertains to them.
I. The Duties of Those in Holy Order 92. Every legitimate celebration of the Eucharist is directed by the Bishop, either in person or through priests who are his helpers.
Whenever the Bishop is present at a Mass where the people are gathered, it is most fitting that he himself celebrate the Eucharist and associate priests with himself as concelebrants in the sacred action. This is done not to add external solemnity to the rite but to express in a clearer light the mystery of the Church, "the sacrament of unity."
Even if the Bishop does not celebrate the Eucharist but has assigned someone else to do this, it is appropriate that he should preside over the Liturgy of the Word, wearing the pectoral cross, stole, and cope over an alb, and that he give the blessing at the end of Mass.
93. A priest also, who possesses within the Church the power of Holy Orders to offer sacrifice in the person of Christ, stands for this reason at the head of the faithful people gathered together here and now, presides over their prayer, proclaims the message of salvation to them, associates the people with himself in the offering of sacrifice through Christ in the Holy Spirit to God the Father, gives his brothers and sisters the Bread of eternal life, and partakes of it with them. When he celebrates the Eucharist, therefore, he must serve God and the people with dignity and humility, and by his bearing and by the way he says the divine words he must convey to the faithful the living presence of Christ.
94. After the priest, the deacon, in virtue of the sacred ordination he has received, holds first place among those who minister in the Eucharistic Celebration. For the sacred Order of the diaconate has been held in high honor in the Church even from the time of the Apostles. At Mass the deacon has his own part in proclaiming the Gospel, in preaching God's word from time to time, in announcing the intentions of the Prayer of the Faithful, in ministering to the priest, in preparing the altar and serving the celebration of the Sacrifice, in distributing the Eucharist to the faithful, especially under the species of wine, and sometimes in giving directions regarding the people's gestures and posture.
The sections which follow talk about the proper role of the instituted ministries (acolyte and lector) and the laity.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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BeProf
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Posted: Fri Mar 7th, 2008 04:49 pm |
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Excellent... that cleared it up for me nicely.
I had forgotten that Bishops and Priests are ordained as Deacons first.
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