Fifth in a series of articles on the celebration of the Mass by Fr Garfield Rochard, member, Liturgical Commission, Archdiocese of Port of Spain and consultant, Antilles Liturgical Commission

[Reference documents: The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) and The Ceremonial for Bishops.]

One recognises that a “worship culture” in parishes  - I mean a style of worship peculiar to each parish - has been fashioned over the years. Some styles are quite inspiring, but others – the less said about them, the better.

The late Archbishop Pantin recalled an incident when he was awaiting the altar server to incense him and it was long in coming. The parish priest, himself the architect of the server’s ‘rite’, came up to His Grace and whispered: “He will incense you after you bow to him.”

Another bishop may well have proceeded without the incensing.
This story is given to drive home the point that we have enough instructions and rubrics to follow and parishes must not invent a selection of their own as well. Altar servers are a breed that can easily fall into the situation where personal piety is launched with
parochial fanfare.

The purpose of this article is to present what the GIRM has as the required practice, and what is expected in the archdiocese. Our intention is not to multiply regulations but to observe what is laid down for us by the Holy See, and at the same time to ensure it is done with reverence and in reverence. We desire rites to be effective and not confused with meaningless gestures and movement. Reverential uniformity and not regimentation is to be the guide.

Let us now consider some practical points:
THE PROCESSIONAL CROSS AND THE CANDLES:
Altar servers carry the Processional Cross and two candles; the candles are to be lighted.

This Processional Cross has to have a corpus or image of the crucified Christ. The Good Friday Antiphon reminds us: “Behold the wood of the Cross on which hung the Saviour of the world”. So then, the Processional Cross is, in reality, a processional CRUCIFIX.

In addition, the two candlesticks must have candles which are lighted. The light reminds us of the risen Christ. If the candles are out, they are DEAD symbolism. Light them and make sure to have a device to shade the flame, where wind is a strong competitor.

The Processional Cross and Candles are used for the following three of the five possible processions which can take place during the celebration of Mass:
1. Entrance Procession while the Opening Hymn is sung.
2. Procession with the Gifts to the altar
3. Recessional at the end of the celebration.
These three processions are led by Christ on the Cross leading the faithful.

With regard to the two other processions, the presence of Christ is there under different symbolism:

• In the Gospel Procession and the Word of God in the Gospel, we have the presence of Christ. Christ present in his Word. We do not have here a clash of symbols. The Sacred Scriptures tell us of the presence of Christ in this ritual of Gospel. The altar servers holding two lighted candles stand alongside the lectern.
• The other procession is the Communion procession. Here the presence of Jesus is in the Eucharistic Bread: The Body of Christ. Neither the processional cross nor lighted candles are needed at Communion.
•  

CANDLES:
Candles must always be lit. The candles in the candlesticks must be lit. The symbolism must be alive – “Christ is the Light of the world.”
It is important to note that the lights accompanying the Cross have their origin on Good Friday with the Veneration of the Cross.

The lights alongside the lectern for the proclamation of the Gospel take their cue from the Paschal Candle, the Light of the Risen Christ illuminating the Gospel Word.  [Note that the cross is never brought to the lectern for the Gospel. Christ is present in his Word.]

The altar has a display of lit candles. Usually on weekdays, two candles will suffice. On Sundays, which has the status of a feast, four candles are the norm, and on Solemnities, six candles are used.

Let us remind ourselves of where the light of the altar candles comes from: Remember at the Easter Vigil, the altar servers take the light from the Paschal Candle at the end of the last reading of the Old Testament. The light of the New Testament is about to shine and at that moment the whole church and the bells cry out in song: Gloria.

GENUFLECTIONS:
Altar servers make two genuflections - at the beginning and the end of Mass, if the Blessed Sacrament is reserved within the sanctuary. This is the norm. Those who carry the processional cross and candlesticks do not genuflect with these particular items in their hands.

They place them at their station and then genuflect with the others who by this time have arrived at the sanctuary. Otherwise, the altar servers carrying the processional cross and the candles make their reverence to the Blessed Sacrament with a bow of the head only.

REVERENCES WHEN CROSSING SANCTUARY:
Altar servers crossing the sanctuary are reminded that they bow to the altar during the celebration. The altar is the focal point of the sanctuary and is the table on which the sacrifice of the Mass is offered.

Remember the celebrant has shown reverence to the altar by kissing it at the beginning. The kissing after the final blessing brings closure to the celebration.

WHEN TO CROSS THE SANCTUARY:
The times for movement are specific:

• The Entrance and Opening procession
• The Gospel Acclamation
• The Collection and procession with the gifts
• At the beginning of the “Our Father” 
• The Communion procession
  If you have forgotten something or are not where you should be, do not dart across the sanctuary like an arrow, but go to your proper place with as unobtrusive movement as possible, lest you become a distraction.

INCENSING AT THE CELEBRATION:
There are specific times for incensing during the celebration:
 1. At the Opening Rites at the Entrance Procession – incensing of the altar by the celebrant.
2. At the end of the Second Reading, when, in order to incense the Gospel, the thurible is brought to the celebrant to coincide with the Gospel Acclamation. Then the Gospel Book is incensed at the beginning of the proclamation.
3. At the Presentation of the Gifts: after being presented by the celebrant at the altar, the gifts are incensed and the altar is incensed. Then the celebrant, ministers and the faithful are all incensed in that order.
4. At the Eucharistic Prayer.

Here we have a little problem. After the Order of the Mass was mandated in the Missal of Pope Pius V in 1572, the Consecration, within the Institution Narrative of the Eucharistic Prayer, began to be treated as a time for Eucharistic Adoration. Incense proclaimed the presence of the Lord, and the ringing of the bell drew everybody’s attention to this solemn moment.

One has to recognise that the bell became prominent to do the following:
1. Tell the people that the consecration was taking place. (Remember, the priest spoke in Latin).
The same was done when the priest was blessing with the monstrance.The altar server incensed the elevated Host and the elevated Chalice separately, as the altar server incenses the Blessed Sacrament when blessing the people. Incense was used to honour the Blessed Sacrament before the Benediction.

However the Eucharistic Prayer must be taken as a whole Prayer of Thanksgiving with different parts. In the Eucharistic Prayer at the Consecration the sacred species are lifted individually.
It may be useful here to look at the elevations of the individual species from the Presentation of the Gifts to the Eucharistic Prayer.

Let us take a look at the elevations:
AT THE GIFTS:
1. Bread is lifted somewhat as it is presented at the altar and offered to God.
2. The cup of wine is similarly lifted and presented and offered.
AT THE CONSECRATION:
The Body of Christ elevated. The Cup of salvation is elevated. Each separately
AT THE DOXOLOGY:
However for the doxology at the final part of the Eucharistic Prayer, the celebrant, here invites the entire congregation to join him in giving praise, honour and glory to the Father.

The people are united with Christ through the Spirit. Here the Eucharistic species are lifted together and are solemnly acclaimed by the people with the “Great Amen”.

The entire congregation gives ascent and affirmation to this moment of glory, praise, honour and thanksgiving to God the Father.

ALTAR SERVERS AND THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER:
Altar servers incense the individual Eucharistic species, and walk off from the sanctuary in the middle of the Eucharistic Prayer, which is the highest point of the entire celebration.

This does not speak of respect and reverence, or of understanding the nature of the Prayer itself. The entire Prayer has three singing moments: The Hosanna is the start. The Memorial Acclamation after the consecration, and the Doxology which brings the people in again to be united with this Great Prayer.

In the Bishop’s ceremonial book and the GIRM there is no mention of what to do. Nothing is said about incensing and the Eucharistic Prayer. This is an area for the local diocesan authority on worship to offer guidelines.

What is proposed here is, if we have to incense the Eucharistic Species, not only do we incense individually at the consecration, but the joint Eucharistic Species should be incensed as well at the Great Amen.

To continue to do what is being done indicates there is lack of understanding about the Eucharistic Prayer and why we incense at all.

However, walking out in the middle of the Prayer by the altar servers does not speak well of reverence and respect. Furthermore, the altar servers are in the middle of the sanctuary and in front of the altar, in sight of all, most conspicuous.

The recommendation here is for them to remain in the sanctuary during the Eucharistic Prayer, and incense the Sacred Species at the Consecration and at the Doxology.