WHY DO WE…??

     This time, I’d like to try to answer some questions that people have about our liturgical worship. If you have other questions, I’d be glad for you to tell me; perhaps they would trigger another piece like this.

     “Why do you put those covers on the chalices at Mass?” They are called “palls,” and they are pockets of white linen with pieces of either plastic or cardboard inserted to keep them stiff. Their primary goal is to prevent flying insects from falling into the Precious Blood (perhaps you have sometimes seen me waving over the chalices anyway—the critters are attracted to the smell of what they regard as nectar). If by chance (and this happened a few weeks ago) some small insect falls into the chalice, I have no choice but to drink it myself (I surely can’t pass along, or ask a minister to pass along, a chalice with something swimming in it!). Palls reduce the possibility of my needing to do this.

“Why do you wash your hands after the Preparation of Gifts?” This is a great question because it begs the difference between the “old” and the current liturgical forms of the Mass. Though the custom comes from ancient practice that hand-washing signifies something sacred about to happen, the prayers that accompany this action are instructive. In the “Tridentine” Mass the words came from Psalm 26: “I wash my hands in innocence…” The prayer is rather self-congratulatory and clericalistic, it seems to me. The current formula also is from a Psalm (51): “Lord, wash away my iniquities and cleanse me from my sins.” It’s far more humble and, frankly, more realistic about who we are.

“What is it that the ushers or gift-bearers whisper to you when they bring up the gifts?” Actually, what they are telling me is the number of people at Mass. Why do I care? It’s because the Church’s liturgy requires that at least some people receive the Eucharist from what is consecrated at that Mass. For me, I want that to mean “most people.” But if that’s the case I have to know how many people are in attendance, and I also need to know how much Holy Communion is also reserved in the tabernacle, so I know how many hosts I need in my paten most properly to accommodate everyone.

“Why do we do two different versions of the Creed on Sundays?” The standard version is what is commonly called the “Nicene Creed” (from the Council of Nicaea in 325; actually, what we say is the version modified by the Council of Constantinople in 361). But sometimes (for example, Lent and Easter) we use what is usually called the “Apostles’ Creed.” It is a narrative form of the old baptismal creed of the Roman church, and in its q&a format we still use it to this day when baptizing. Because of this, it’s especially appropriate to use this form during Lent and Easter when we celebrate the preparation of our RCIA catechumens and candidates for their welcome into the Church at the Easter Vigil, and we continue that remembrance all during Easter season (up until Pentecost).

These are only a few questions. Please do ask me more; I’ll be glad to do my best to answer them.
                                                                                                                                                    -Fr. David