Last year, Fr. Z featured
this
question from a reader of his blog:
There is a big debate happening among some of us
concerning the vesture for the Liturgy of the Passion on Good Friday. On one
side the camp, there is the argument that ALL priests in attendance should vest
in chasuble, as if for Mass. I am in the camp that argues that there is no need
for that, since there is precisely NO Mass. Hence, the “celebrant” only needs
to vest while the others can be as in choro. I see that the Liturgy at the
Vatican uses this model; while the liturgy at Westminster Cathedral preferred
the former…. What say you?
Fr. Z’s
answer was concise:
It isn’t Mass. There can’t be concelebrants
in the same sense. There seems to be no reason for anyone other than the
sacred ministers immediately concerned with the ceremonies to be in sacred
vestments.
Let all others be in choir dress.
Concelebration in the Roman Rite is limited to Mass. On Good
Friday, there is no Mass – only a Liturgy of the Word, a Liturgy of the
Veneration of the Holy Cross, and a quasi-Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified
Gifts...but no Mass per se: the
bread and wine is not transubstantiated
into the Body and Blood of Christ (indeed, there is neither wine nor Precious
Blood); it happened the night before at the Holy Thursday Mass.
Bishops
and priests can also take their cue from St
Peter's Basilica in the Vatican:
despite the presence of numerous deacons, priests, monsignori, abbots, bishops,
archbishops, cardinals - ONLY ONE is
vested in sacred vestments: the Holy Father himself, as well as his deacons.
Doesn’t it make sense to follow the Holy Father’s example – even if “this isn’t
Rome”?
Fortunately,
some places do get this right. Others - like the Archdiocese of
Chicago - get the principle correct, but flub the application:
"The
liturgy for Good Friday makes no provision for any form of concelebration,
since it is not Mass. Assisting ministers, however, including priests, may be
vested." Right: it’s not Mass. Why, then, would other priests present at
the celebration be vested as if for Mass?
The
ignorance of attending clergy who attempt to "concelebrate" at a Good
Friday Liturgy of the Lord's Passion is glaringly on display when they vest
as if for Mass: alb and (at least) stole, if not also chasuble...in
addition to the bishop or priest who is "presiding" at the day's
Liturgy.
One priest
I know admonishes his brother priests in this manner:
No, Father: if you're going to be in attendance at
all (which, incidentally, is a good thing), the only appropriate attire is what the Church calls "proper choir
dress": cassock/soutane and surplice (use of biretta is optional). If you
don't have these requisites of priestly attire because you can't afford them
(?), or are too lazy to acquire them, or you disdain wearing the proper vesture
of a Roman Catholic cleric, then you have no place in the sacred Liturgy -
either in the sanctuary, in the choir/chancel, or in the nave. If you're not
willing to dress appropriately - according to the mind of the Church - in the
vesture of a member of the clergy, then why did you accept ordination at all? -
to do only those things you felt like doing?
Indeed,
a priest, at his ordination, promises to celebrate the liturgies of the Church
according to the Church’s tradition, not his own whim. Note this passage from the Rite of Ordination
of Priests:
124
After the homily, the elect alone rise and stand before the Bishop, who
questions all of them together in these words:
Dear sons, before you enter the Order of the
Priesthood, you must declare before the people your intention to undertake this
office....
Bishop:
Do you resolve to celebrate faithfully and
reverently, in accord with the Church’s tradition, the mysteries of Christ,
especially the sacrifice of the Eucharist and the sacrament of Reconciliation,
for the glory of God and the sanctification of the Christian people?
Elect:
I do.
This cradle Catholic keeps learning. Thank you Dr. Jay
ReplyDeleteBill