I can remember being “aghast”, “aghast” I tell you, when Pope Francis visited a Jesuit church in Rome, maybe The Jesu, and as pope concelebrated the Mass simply by placing a plain stole over his papal cassock.
First, popes should always be the main celebrant at Mass and not a concelebrant. This is true also for bishops who should not be a concelebrant with a priest as celebrant. In both cases, it is possible for the pope or a bishop to “preside” at the Mass not wearing Mass vestments but rather choir dress. In this case, the pope or bishop participates in the Mass as any lay person would but with a place of honor in the sanctuary. They also receive Holy Communion as a lay person would.
I might be wrong here, but when a pope or bishop presides at Mass where he is not the celebrant, choir dress is worn which would exclude the cope.
In recent years due to Pope Francis being mostly confined to a wheelchair, His Holiness was not the main celebrant for the Mass.
But he seems to have arbitrarily revised the manner of a “presiding” bishop by creating a hybrid form of celebrating the Papal Mass, making it appear that he was the primary celebrant but also a concelebrant.
Wearing not choir dress, but rather a cope, Pope Francis began the Mass with all the Introductory Rites to include the Collect, preached the homily and concluded the Mass with the Post Communion Prayer and Final Blessing.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist, though, had some other bishop or cardinal as the main celebrant. In a cope, though, Pope Francis concelebrated as a priest would. In other words, His Holiness was not presiding at that point but acting as a concelebrant.
There are other examples of his arbitrary liturgical innovations and eccentricities.
God willing, for papal Masses, with Pope Leo XVI, a canonist and rubricist, an arbitrary pontificate in all things to include the liturgy is at an end!
5 comments:
He was the pope...as supreme ruler, he could do ANYthing to include violating his own rules, regs and canon law amendments....
his only limitation of power in holy acts was in others balking at carrying them out, such as when he ordered Burke and Mueller to be executed by firing squad, where his screams of, "What do you mean that I cannot have them shot!? I am the POPE!! Just ask Mark Thomas!!!", could be reportedly heard even down in the Sanctae Marta cafeteria.
While Francis was the supreme pontiff, ultimate arbiter regarding sacred liturgy, he should have set a good example by adhering to norms.
In the East, I've seen priests (both Byzantine and Orthodox) equally challenged yet properly vested for liturgy. As we don't compromise, it seems odd that the chief protector of form would. His prerogative, I suppose.
So I would have to look back at my “ceremonial of bishops,” but if my memory is correct, there are two things you’re talking about here.
The first is mass in the presence of a greater prelate. In that case the prelate wears choir dress and puts on a stole to receive communion. They have little other role, though I think they may give the blessing at the end if they desire.
The second is when a bishop or greater prelate presides, but is not the celebrant. In this case, they will say the majority of prayers, but not celebrate at the altar. In this case, alb, stole, and cope (miter and staff too) are the typical vestments.
So I would have to look back at my “ceremonial of bishops,” but if my memory is correct, there are two things you’re talking about here.
The first is mass in the presence of a greater prelate. In that case the prelate wears choir dress and puts on a stole to receive communion. They have little other role, though I think they may give the blessing at the end if they desire.
The second is when a bishop or greater prelate presides, but is not the celebrant. In this case, they will say the majority of prayers, but not celebrate at the altar. In this case, alb, stole, and cope (miter and staff too) are the typical vestments.
Indeed, it would seem the first amongst equals is without equal...as if a bishop not named the pope did what the pope did, it is likely he'd be sacked. Here's hoping the new pontiff if he does decide to change liturgical law, does so through proper channels.
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