Thursday, August 4, 2011

A Campus Ministry Coordinator Limits the Use of Incense in the Mass

A newly assigned Campus Ministry Coordinator in a City of Western Visayas limits the use of Incense in the Mass, because she said

"Ahaw Capping ma insenso gd?"
in english,"It is only a Capping Ceremony why use incense?"

Capping and Candle lighting Ceremony is a Special Event to a certain School of Nursing that gives authority for a Student to duty at his/her clinical area and to practice their learned Nursing Skills from the RLE and the lecture Days.
Some Catholic Schools are having a Mass before the said event in order to give thanks and ask for guidance form the Heavnly Father

She said another "Usually gina use ang incense ya kung solenmity kg feast days indi ordinary Mass"
in English: "Usually incense is being used only during solemnity and feast days not ordinary Mass"

>OOOPPPPSSS!!! *^&*@*
Who on earth does she think she is? Is she a member of the clergy?
Quite foolish for a layperson to regulate their own liturgy without consultation in the liturgical sources or a person more knowlegdable in this field.
STUPID feeler!!!  feel niya pari siya. Ano babae na Pari? HAHAHA

Here it is,

When we use of incense during the Eucharistic Celebration???
Special Thanks to Bro. Dave Ceasar Dela Cruz, CCS
a filipino liturgist for his help.
And this is what he said significantly:
"GIRM is very clear on how and when to use incense. So to make it more short, in any Mass whether solemn or ordinary incense may be used. But, to show progress of a celebration's solemnity, we use incense in a solemn Mass, e.g. Solemnities and Feasts of the Lord, solemnities and feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of a Saint (especially those who have a special place in the life of a community), Sundays (especially Easter Season)."

GIRM Stated that:


Incensation

276. Thurification or incensation is an expression of reverence and of prayer, as is signified in Sacred Scripture (cf. Ps 141 [140]:2, Rev 8:3).

Incense may be used if desired in any form of Mass:


  1. During the Entrance procession;
  2. At the beginning of Mass, to incense the cross and the altar; 
  3. At the Gospel procession and the proclamation of the Gospel itself;
  4. After the bread and the chalice have been placed upon the altar, to incense the offerings, the cross, and the altar, as well as the priest and the people; 
  5. At the showing of the host and the chalice after the consecration.
277. The priest, having put incense into the thurible, blesses it with the sign of the Cross, without saying anything.

Before and after an incensation, a profound bow is made to the person or object that is incensed, except for the incensation of the altar and the offerings for the Sacrifice of the Mass.

The following are incensed with three swings of the thurible: the Most Blessed Sacrament, a relic of the Holy Cross and images of the Lord exposed for public veneration, the offerings for the sacrifice of the Mass, the altar cross, the Book of the Gospels, the Paschal Candle, the priest, and the people.

The following are incensed with two swings of the thurible: relics and images of the Saints exposed for public veneration. This should be done, however, only at the beginning of the celebration, after the incensation of the altar.

The altar is incensed with single swings of the thurible in this way:


  1. If the altar is freestanding with respect to the wall, the priest incenses walking around it;
  2. If the altar is not freestanding, the priest incenses it while walking first to the righthand side, then to the left.
The cross, if situated on or near the altar, is incensed by the priest before he incenses the altar; otherwise, he incenses it when he passes in front of it.

The priest incenses the offerings with three swings of the thurible or by making the sign of the cross over the offerings with the thurible, then going on to incense the cross and the altar.


Why is she against written in the GIRM? Could that be a liturgical abuse?
Regulating your own liturgy without consulting any liturgical books or GIRM is an abuse.
Here it is!


II. Regulating the Liturgy


Who has the authority to regulate the liturgy?


The regulation of the sacred liturgy depends solely on the authority of the Church, which rests specifically with the Apostolic See and, according to the norms of law, with the bishop (SC 22 §1).


Christ’s faithful have the right that ecclesiastical authority should fully and efficaciously regulate the sacred liturgy lest it should ever seem to be “anyone’s private property, whether of the celebrant or of the community in which the mysteries are celebrated” (14, 18, cf. EE 52).
May the bishop regulate the liturgy any way he wants? In particular, may he remove options that are in the Church’s liturgical books by forbidding priests or laypeople to exercise them?


It pertains to the diocesan bishop . . . “within the limits of his competence, to set forth liturgical norms in his diocese, by which all are bound.” Still, the bishop must take care not to allow the removal of that liberty foreseen by the norms of the liturgical books so that the celebration may be adapted in an intelligent manner to the Church building, or to the group of the faithful who are present, or to particular pastoral circumstances (21; cf. CIC 838 §4).

source

Why would she make her own liturgy?!

Tell you what according to the Canon Law no one has authority to add or change the liturgy!!! NO ONE!!!

Religious Eduction Teacher kapa naman ma hiya ka sa sarili mo...
Yung hamster mong kasama pakainin mo nalang...

Monday, July 18, 2011

Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

These photos were taken during the Pontifical mass at Our lady of  Mt. Carmel Chaplaincy, Riverside Medical Center, Bacolod City, Negros Occ. Last July 16, 2011

Bishop Vicente M. Navarra D.D. Bishop of Bacolod as the Main Celebrant
It was raining during that time, but thank God the rain stopped.
The space is not adequate for a large crowd but the important thing is the faithful came to pray and worship God.


During the Gospel
at the Lectern Fr. Salvador Barcelona, Dean of Studies Sacred Heart Seminary 


Thurifer Incensing the congregation


Thurifer, Boat Bearers and the Candle Bearers

Incensation of the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary by the Bishop together with the Co-celebrants









OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL PRAY FOR US!

P.S. the one who acted as the Master of Ceremonies was the former Chancellor Secretary of the Diocese

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Different Styles in Serving the Roman Rite Mass Part 2

On my first part I've posted about the formations of Entrance processions. But now We will post about the Gospel Acclamation. During solemn high Mass obviously incense is used.
As an altar server or Acolyte this is our responsibility to prepare these things.


Photo courtesy of New liturgical movement.org

So here are the formations...

1st stop the Archdiocese of Cebu.

Photo courtesy from:Militum Xpisti


You may wonder why in their Metropolitan Cathedral during high mass they use Banner with the Icons that represents the 4 Gospel writers Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Some of the critics may say, "How come they use banners, It should be candles". For this critic I would say It is the choice of their liturgist and it is stated in the 1st pages of the lectionary where instructions are given. Candles or anything that represents reverence can be used accompanied with a minister with incense. Well I would say the use of banners can be very unique.


Next Archdiocese of Manila

One of the famous so called 4 candle formation can be found.
In my own interpretation 4 candles can represent the 4 gospels. But what's very interesting is that on how they execute the "style".

video courtesy of youtube.com
 Another Archdiocese.

Archdiocese of Jaro..

It is where the 1st time saw another formation. I thought in mind that what they are doing are quite erroneous which some of the acolytes will say "Mali yan" or "The candle should be the one to lead!".

In my opinion that could be their chosen formation maybe they can be comfortable with it. here's their linear formation.

Boat Bearer  Candle Bearer  Candle Bearer  Thurifer



As of now I got no updates on them :-)


Next 
the Diocese of Bacolod

Another diocese that you can't see the boat bearer during the gospel reading. How come?. I think he should be there since he is part of the team. Well I don't know about about those acolytes that loves that formation but in our institution still under the said diocese the boat bearer is still visible during the gospel reading together with the thurifer. 
Take a look on the archdiocese of Manila, Cebu and Jaro or even in Rome The boat bearer is still at the gospel reading.
Some would say it's wrong or it is the priest's preference but it is our chosen formation. 


    
formations which is used by the majority

Candle Bearer      Boat Bearer  Thurifer    Candle Bearer


if there's a deacon


Candle Bearer   Boat Bearer  Deacon  Thurifer   Candle Bearer

but sometime parishes the team of the thurifer may go first to the lectern then followed by the deacon.




 ****

Gospel reading is one of the sacred parts of the Mass. Since the Gospel is not just a story about Christ but it contains the teachings of God that must be done in our hearts and show them through our actions.




         





Different Styles in Serving the Roman Rite Mass Part 1

You may wonder why I post this topic. But to add some info usually serving the Altar as an Acolytes has preferred styles. The so called "styles" is adding some sense of solemnity to the Holy Mass. Like using 4 acolytes/servers as candlebearers during mass instead of the traditional 2 candlebearers. Since Candle Sticks add solemnity and it symbolizes Christ as the light of the world.

REMEMBER: "STYLES" ARE SOMETIMES UNDER THE PREFERENCE OF THE PARISH PRIEST, DIOCESAN LITURGIST OR THE INSTITUTION THAT HOLDS THE MINISTY.


This first Part is the ENTRANCE PORCESSION
Bells are used to give attention to the congregation. But some parishes/ diocese the use of bell is optional during the entrance and the gloria.
During the entrance procession they put some solemnities when they walk
take a look at this:
 courtesy of youtube.com



Have you noticed something in the video? An MC or an acolyte goes first and behind him are the Thurifer and
Boat bearer. Well that could be a choice of the Archdiocese of Manila.
Here are some other issues. In most of the parishes especially in the Cathedral of the Diocese of Bacolod, Negros Occidental the Thurifer alone goes first  no matter what and the boat bearer is at the very back of the acolytes. Since the reason is "Hindi na siya kailangan sa ngayon" in english "He is not needed for now".
Here's an example of one of their formations.


                           Thurifer

                          Cross bearer
Candle Bearer                          Candle Bearer
                                                    
         Acolytes                                  Acolytes

         Boat Bearer                         Acolytes

                                Lector

                     Main Celebrant/ PRIEST





Another video will show you that the thurifer may carry incense boat the the same time.
courtesy of youtube


But there are some acolytes would ask what is really the exact formation.As written in the Gen. Instruction of the Roman Missal the Thurifer with a lighted censer goes first. But in my point of view the Thurifer and the Boat bearer goes together during the entrance procession since they can't exist without each other. But during the Papal Mass the MC for the acolytes goes first  but behind him is the Boat Bearer
                                                                        
Here's one of the example preferred by the majority.
(the use 4-7 candle bearers are optional depending on the number of servers and size of the sanctuary.) 

            MC(optional)
           Boat Bearer      Thurifer

                         Cross Bearer
Candle Bearer                     Candle Bearer
                                                  
Acolytes                              Acolytes


Acolytes                             Acolytes
   
                            Lector
    MC/ Acolyte                 MC/ Acolyte


               Priest/ Main Celebrant


Other questions:


"Why in our parish there are 2 thurifers? It should be 1"
my answer. It depends upon the parish priest, if he wants 2 thurifers during the entrance and the consecration. But just remember as long as there's no conflict between the task there would be no problem. 


"How come in our Parish church the priest is not using incense?"
my answer:
The use of incense is optional in any form of Holy Mass




Photo Courtesy of MMHC.com

                                          




























Papal Mass 7 Acolytes carrying 7 candles...