ROME, 9 JAN. 2007 (ZENIT)
Answered by Father Edward McNamara,
professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.
Q: Are there possibilities for the celebrant to share more insights
about what is taking place at different stages of the Mass, to
facilitate better participation from the congregation? I pose this
question because most times I observe that people seem to "go through
the motions" during the Mass and many don't seem to "be connected" with
what's happening during the different parts of the Eucharistic
A: This point is covered by the General Instruction of the Roman Missal
(GIRM), No. 31:
"It is also up to the priest, in the exercise of his office of presiding
over the gathered assembly, to offer certain explanations that are
foreseen in the rite itself. Where it is indicated in the rubrics, the
celebrant is permitted to adapt them somewhat in order that they respond
to the understanding of those participating. However, he should always
take care to keep to the sense of the text given in the Missal and to
express them succinctly. The presiding priest is also to direct the word
of God and to impart the final blessing. In addition, he may give the
faithful a very brief introduction to the Mass of the day (after the
initial Greeting and before the Act of Penitence), to the Liturgy of the
Word (before the readings), and to the Eucharistic Prayer (before the
Preface), though never during the Eucharistic Prayer itself; he may also
make concluding comments to the entire sacred action before the
The GIRM thus suggests four moments when brief explanations or comments
may be profitably inserted: at the beginning, before the readings,
before the preface, and before the dismissal.
Ideally, explanations of the Mass would be best imparted through
programs for the continual Christian formation of adults. But this is
not feasible in most cases as relatively few Catholics have both the
commitment and the time to avail of these programs.
Some priests, realizing that many of the rites and prayers were lost on
the faithful, have sought to remedy the situation with brief
explanations carried out on a cyclical basis.
For example, a priest who habitually celebrates Mass at the same time
for basically the same congregation announces that besides his usual
homily (perhaps shaving it by a couple of minutes), he will dedicate a
few minutes each week to explain one or two particular points of the
Following this he uses one of the suggested moments to explain the
meaning of the rite and the spiritual fruits that the Church desires us
to harvest through active participation in its celebration and a deeper
understanding of the exercise of the royal or common priesthood of the
Some longer rites and prayers may be explained piecemeal. For example,
before the preface the priest could invite the people to be attentive to
the different moments of the Eucharistic Prayer (preface, transitions,
epiclesis, consecration, anamnesis, intercessions, etc.) and then
explain one of these parts each week. A fairly complete explanation of
the Mass can be given over two or three months, allowing for
interruptions such as feasts and the celebration of sacraments during
Once completed, another cycle can be preached every few years as deemed
Although these explanations must necessarily be brief, several priests
who have applied this method have commented that most parishioners
responded positively and affirmed that it has helped them to understand
and live the Mass in a deeper way. ZE07010928
* * *
Follow-up: Explaining the Mass [1-23-2007]
After our reflections on explaining the Mass within Mass (Jan. 9) some
readers asked if the homily could be used to explain some aspects.
While it is generally recommended that the homily be based on the
readings, this is not an absolute rule. The homily may also occasionally
focus on one of the liturgical prayers, such as the collect, from the
feast or occasion being celebrated. Or it may even be used to explain
other elements of doctrine, liturgical theology, and the meaning of the
parts of the Mass.
If this can be integrated with the readings of the day, all the better.
But this is not always possible. At the same time I would be hesitant to
depart from the readings on a regular basis as this could weaken the
faithful's understanding of the importance of God's Word within the
overall structure of the celebration.
I personally prefer using the commentaries for such explanations. They
are usually closer to the actual moment in which the rite being
explained is to be carried out, and this is generally more effective.
Helping the faithful gain a deeper understanding of the Mass is a
pastoral necessity. Decisions as to the best means (commentaries or
homilies) to achieve that goal are also pastoral and may differ from
place to place.
Several readers asked if there are any recommended resources to help
people understand what is going on at Mass and the meaning of the
Although I do not know any source capable of answering all possible
if there were, my task would be a lot easier
I can recommend a couple of fairly recent books that would help both the
inquiring layman and the priest in search of concise explanations.
Father Jeremy Driscoll's "What Happens at Mass" and Scott Hahn's "The
Lamb's Supper" are both excellent and accessible introductions to the
Mass that complement each other very well.
Another interesting, albeit more technical, source is Father Jovian
Lang's "Dictionary of the Liturgy," which offers concise definitions and
illustrations on a wide range of liturgical topics. ZE07012326