Part 2 — LITURGICAL QUESTIONS.

(From M. Bouix's "Revue des Sciences Ecclesiastiques".)

1. Should the altar-charts be placed on the altar except at the time of Mass?

2. Should the preacher wear his beretta while preaching?

3. Should the little bell be rung at the moment when Benediction is given with the Blessed Sacrament?

4. Should the thurifer incense the Blessed Sacrament whilst Benediction is being given?

1. It is usual in certain churches not only to leave the altar-charts permanently on the altar, but also to place them on it as an ornament during vespers and other functions, and even to furnish with them altars at which Mass is not said. Now, it is quite certain that whatever specially belongs to the Mass should not be on the altar except during the Holy Sacrifice. The Rubric of the Missal prescribes that the altar-charts should be prepared before Mass, and does not suppose that they remain permanently on the altar. Except at Mass time, and even during the celebration of the divine office, the altar ought to remain covered. In the Caeremoniale Episcop., l. 2, c. 1, n. 13, we read that the acolytes should uncover the altar before the incensation at the Magnificat. "Interim duo acolyti procedunt ad altare, elevantes hinc inde anteriorem partem superioris tobalae, seu veli super altare positi, illamque conduplicant usque ad medium". Nothing is more opposed to the spirit of liturgical rules than objects for which there is no use. Altar-charts are not a decoration, but are made to serve a purpose; therefore they should be displayed when they are wanted. Care should also be taken that they be legible, and not, as sometimes happens, rather pictures than anything else.

2. The Rubric of the Caeremon. Episcop. is clear on this point: "Mox surgit, et capite coöperto incipit sermonem."—(l. 1, c. 22, n. 3). According to the Rubric of the Missal, the preacher uncovers his head as often as he pronounces the holy names of Jesus and Mary, or of the saint whose feast is being celebrated. In order not to do this too often, he should avoid a too frequent mention of their names. "Si SS. nominum Jesu uel Mariæ fiat mentio", says Lohner (Instr. Pract., t. 1., p. 50), "caput discoöperire debet (concionator); si tamen saepe sint repetenda, utatur potius nomine Christi, Redemptoris, Dominæ nostrae, Cœli Reginæ, aut similibus".

We may remark, however, that this regulation of the Rubric is an exception to the general rule. The general rule is, that ecclesiastics in church or choir are never covered except when seated, unless those who, paramentis induti, move from place to place without passing before the clergy. A priest who goes from the sacristy to the choir, or to any other part of the church, if he do not wear at least the stole, should not wear his beretta. Much less should he wear the beretta if he be not in choir habit.

3. No author speaks of this usage. There appears, therefore, no reason why it should be introduced. We would not venture to say that it ought to be suppressed. However, it appears more becoming to reserve for Mass the use of the small bell, and to ring during Benediction the large bells of the church, as is the custom in Rome.

4. During Benediction the thurifer may incense the Blessed Sacrament on his knees, as at High Mass; but it is better to omit such incensation. The first of these assertions rests upon various decrees of the Sacred Congregation of Rites; the second upon authority, especially that of Gardellini.

1st Decree.—"Cum non una sit auctorum sententia, nec eadem Ecclesiae praxis quoad incensationem SS. Sacramenti dum populo cum ipso impertitur benedictio, R. P. Fr. Paschalis a Platea Branculi sacerdos ordinis minorum ... S. R. C. sequentia dubia enodanda proposuit, nimirum: 1. Num utraque auctorum sententia, videlicet eorum qui affirmant et eorum qui denegant talem thurificationem adhibendam tuto teneri possit? 2.... 3. Quatenus respondeatur in sensu denegantium, an usus, sive consuetudo incensandi, ubi viget, sit de medio tollendus? Respons. Servetur Rituale Romanum"—(Dec. 11 Sept., 1847, No. 5105, q. 1, d. 3).

2nd Decree.—"Utrum conveniens sit, quod cæremoniarius vel thuriferarius incenset SS. Eucharistiæ Sacramentum cum populo benedictio impertitur, uti fit in elevatione SS. Sacramenti in Missa solemni? Respons. Non praescribi" (Decret. 11 Sept., 1847, No. 5111, q. 9).

The Rubric of the Ritual referred to in the first decree does not speak of this incensation. In the second the usage appears to be tolerated, but is not prescribed.

Gardellini, § xxxi., No. 23, thus speaks:

"Heic loci altera se offert quæstio, num scilicet thuriferarius, dum sacerdos benedicit populum debeat, incensare Sacramentum? Silentium, quod tenent Caeremoniale, Rituale, Instructio clementina, et auctores fere omnes, qui caeteroquin nihil omiserunt de iis, quae in sacra hac actione servanda sunt, plane suadet hanc incensationem esse omittendam. Nihilominus Cavalerius ... et Tetamus, qui eum sequitur ... innixi quodam decreto ... existimant faciendam esse, vel saltem in arbitrio relinqui. Videtur tamen magis congruere contrariam sententiam consentaneam silentio Caeremonialis, Ritualis, et Instructionis. Cur enim in his, licet enumerentur ritus et caeremoniae ommnes servandae, de hac una ne verbum quidem fit? Non alia est ratio, nisi quia locum habere nequit. Si quaeris: cur? Dicam: quia dignior id est sacerdos, jam Sacramentum thurificavit, nec inferior debet postea thurificationem iterare. Dum benedicitur populus supplet vices incensi bonus adorationis odor. Nec me commovent assertum decretum et Missalis rubrica. Nam ad illud quod attinet, jam supra notavi decretum illud non reperiri in regestis S. R. C. ac penitus ignorari a qua congregatione vel cujus auctoritate datum fuerit; et forte nihil aliud est, nisi privatum responsum ad consultationem factam alicui Rubricarum perito, qui potius variam ecclesiarum consuetudinem attendens, quam rationum vim, respondit: Servari posse alterutram. Quod vero spectat rubricam Missalis, longe diversa militat ratio. Ideo enim rubrica praescribit in Missa solemni: Thuriferarius genuflexus in cornu epistolae ter incensat Hostiam, cum elevatur, et similiter calicem, posito incenso in thuribulo absque benedictione, tum quia unica haec est incensatio, quae ad Sacramentum adolendum fit in Missa, solemni, tum quia alius non est thuriferario dignior, qui eo fungatur munere; nam sacerdos celebrat, diaconus ei assistit, subdiaconus impeditus est patena, cæremoniarius invigilat ut quisque suo fungatur officio. Id adeo verum est, ut in Missa defunctorum cum dignior thuriferario subdiaconus non sit impeditus, Sacramentum incensat jubente rubrica: Subdiaconus non tenet patenam post celebrantem, sed tempore elevationis Sacramenti in cornu epistolae illud incensat. Contra vero cum benedicendus est populus cum Sacramento, curnam iteranda erit thurificatio per acolythum, si jam ab omnium in ea actione ministrantium dignissimo, celebrante scilicet, peracta fuerat? Si has rationes parvi fieri oportere existimas, haud contemnendum censeas librorum ritualium silentium, qui certe hanc thurificationem demandassent, quemadmodum jusserunt fieri ad hymni cantum ante orationem. Haec dixi, ne quid magis congruum mihi videtur, praeterirem: caeterum absit ut velim turbas movere, ac damnare consuetudinem, quae licet minus conveniat, ritus tamen substantiam non laedit. Cum autem eadem consuetudo in bene multis ecclesiis obtineat, difficillimum esset eamdem penitus eliminare".