Redemptionis Sacramentum. 

Continuing the Liturgical Reform of the Second Vatican Council

             The new Instruction, Redemptionis Sacramentum, (foreshadowed by Pope John-Paul in his encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia last year), is in marked contrast to the pre-publication opinions which seemed to indicate a radical change from the liturgical reform of the Vatican Council: it was rumoured that women would be excluded from ministries, that liturgical dance would be prohibited, that communion under both kinds would be withdrawn. However we were presented with a document on the 23^rd of April by the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments that clearly names the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church as a Liturgy built on text and context of the Vatican Council.

             The text of the Roman liturgy is well established. We do not have to rewrite the texts each time we celebrate the Liturgy – we have a very rich tradition of liturgies that have been handed on to us, and have been reformed at the request of the Vatican Council. “The liturgical words and rites are a faithful expression, matured over the centuries, of the understanding of Christ” (5) Secondly, these liturgical texts need to be situated in the context of the community which has gathered: “for promoting and elucidating active participation,… ample flexibility is given for appropriate creativity” (39) – this does not mean “a misguided sense of creativity and adaptation” (30).

             While affirming the basic principles of the liturgical reform, namely that “the common priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial or hierarchical Priesthood” both partake in the one Priesthood of Christ (36) and therefore the “celebration of the Mass, (is) the action of Christ and of the Church” (36), the document does provide helpful pointers to the differences “in essence and not only in degree” between these two (36). In particular the section on “The Extraordinary Functions of the Lay Faithful” (146-168) is to be read in the light of these principles.

             In general, the document focuses upon “certain matters to be observed or to be avoided regarding the Most Holy Eucharist”. It contrasts merely external observation of norms, which “would be obviously contrary to the nature of the Sacred Liturgy” and external actions which are to be “illumined by faith and charity” (5).

 A.        Among those that should be observed, the following are included:

            §         “it is the Christian people’s right to have the Eucharist celebrated for them on Sunday” (162)

§         if this is not possible, “then it is the Christian people’s right that the diocesan Bishop should provide as far as he is able for some celebration to be held on Sundays” (164).

§         “‘so that even by means of the signs Communion may stand out more clearly as a participation in the Sacrifice being celebrated’, it is preferable that the faithful be able to receive hosts consecrated in the same Mass” (89).

§         “so that the fullness of the sign may be made more clearly evident to the faithful in the course of the eucharistic banquet, lay members of Christ’s faithful, too, are admitted to Communion under both kinds” (100).

§         “By reason of the sign, it is appropriate that at least some parts of the Eucharistic Bread coming from the fraction should be distributed to at least some of the faithful in Communion” (49).

 B.        Among those that are to be avoided are:

§         “It is not licit to separate (the Liturgy of the Word) from (the Liturgy of the Eucharist) and celebrate them at different times and places. Nor it is licit to carry out the individual parts of Holy Mass at different times of the same day” (60).

§         “First Communion should always be administered by a Priest and never outside the celebration of Mass” (87).

§         “in some places there has existed an abuse by which the Priest breaks the host at the time of the consecration in the Holy Mass. This abuse is contrary to the tradition of the Church” (55).

§         “The Communicant must not be permitted to intinct the host himself in the chalice, nor to receive the intincted host in the hand” (104).

§         “The practice is reprobated whereby either unconsecrated hosts or other edible or inedible things are distributed during the celebration of Holy Mass or beforehand after the manner of Communion” (96).

§         “The diocesan Bishop…. must not easily grant permission for such celebrations (in which Holy Communion is distributed) to be held on weekdays” (166).

From an examination of the listed elements needing to be avoided, it is clear that “‘there is a pressing need for the biblical and liturgical formation of the people of God, both pastors and faithful’ so that the Church’s faith and discipline concerning the sacred Liturgy may be accurately presented and understood” (170).

             The Document restates the Church’s expectation and hope that there will be Eucharistic Worship outside of Mass (cf. 129-145). Such an important devotion in the life of any Eucharistic community finds its origin and purpose in “the celebration of the Eucharist in the Sacrifice of the Mass” (129). Thus “it is most fitting that the host to be exposed for adoration should be consecrated in the Mass immediately preceding the time of adoration” (140). The expectation that the tabernacle be “‘suitable for prayer’ by reason of the quietness of the location, the space available in front of the tabernacle, and the supply of benches or seats and kneelers” should aid the diocesan Bishop in his implementation of N. 315 of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal.

            Finally “it is fitting, however, insofar as possible, that (any) report or complaint be submitted first to the diocesan Bishop. This is naturally to be done in truth and charity” (184).

             Thus this Instruction contributes to the supervisory role of the Holy See in implementing the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council. It provides a helpful re-statement of the principles underlying that reform and a contemporary evaluation of any “shadows” that may be emerging. As the Holy Father reminded us last year, “the Church draws her life from the Eucharist” (Ecclesia de Eucharistia n.1).

 David Orr osb.

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