However, the altar railing itself with its bronze/brass gates (two in the center and once each in the middle of the side chapels) has not arrived in Macon. It is in Atlanta receivng the final touches. I am not sure why these weren't ready, but I pray that these will be installed by the end of the month.
Our next EF High Mass is Sunday, October 5th (Respect Life Sunday/World Communion Sunday) and I will bless the new railing at that Mass or prior to the Mass (not sure how to do this in an EF Mass, so I might have to be creative unless someone suggests what is the norm for such a thing).
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11 comments:
Wherein someone at PrayWhine commits suicide...
Where OR where has my little dog gone...?
"O" is the word you were looking for.
Father, I came into the church earlier and realised just how beautiful the new marble looks! I think the earlier decision to remove the rail was a happy accident, because the new rail looks less "on top of" the sanctuary.
My suggestion would be to do the blessing before the Mass....I'd even suggest let the Bishop come do the blessing :D.
I like Joe's idea.
Can hardly wait!!!
Sheila
Gosh...this whole thing is just leaving me breathless with excitement and anticipation.
I wonder if Cardinal Dolan would come down and bless it....
Fr AJM
The blessing you require is the last of the non-reserved blessings in the Rituale Romanum, which is used for those things which do not have a special blessing of their own. Rails are 'cancelli' in Latin (masculine plural) and the accusative is 'cancellos'. The formula is as follows:
V. Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini.
R. Qui fecit caelum et terram.
V. Dominus vobiscum.
R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
Oremus.
Deus, cujus verbo sanctificantur omnia, bene+dictionem tuam effunde super cancellos istos: et praesta, ut quisquis eis secundum legem et voluntatem tuam cum gratiarum actione usus fuerit, per invocationem sanctissimi nominis tui, corporis sanitatem et animae tutelam, te auctore, percipiat. Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
R. Amen.
The rails are then sprinkled with holy water.
My translation of the prayer - 'God, by whose word all things are sanctified, pour out Thy blessing on these rails; and grant that whoever uses them with thanksgiving and according to Thy law and will, may, through the invocation of Thy most holy Name, obtain health and protection of body and soul from Thee who made them. Through Christ Our Lord.'
I hope you find this useful.
Has the fund raising drive for the rood screen started yet?
Yes have the Bishop do the blessing so he will understand the importance of the Communion rail and have them reinstalled in all of his churches. Also ask him to sit in choro.
thank you John, is that a "prelude" before the Mass or after the homily?
It wouldn't be inserted into the Mass (this is not EF practice). The best time would be before Mass, vested in a cope. It being Sunday there will probably an Asperges and so process in as normal, but instead of entering the sanctuary, pause outside the rail with the MC who carries the holy water (I assume this is a Missa Cantata and not a Missa Solemnis). The gates are then closed. Do the blessing and sprinkling facing the altar (not the people). The gates are opened again and you can enter the sanctuary and begin the Asperges in the normal way.
You could do it after Mass in which case sing Benedicamus Domino instead of Ite Missa Est, omit the blessing and last Gospel (changing into a cope), leave the sanctuary in the usual order but the procession halts and turns back to face the altar while the rails are blessed.
However, since the rails are to be used for Communion at that Mass, it is perhaps appropriate for the blessing to precede the Mass.
This is my understanding of the rubrics as printed in my 1961 Liber Usualis which incorporates the 1960 changes. I am open to challenge, however.
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