ASK FATHER: Really long Elevation, Consecration – POLL
From a reader…
QUAERITUR:
We have a new priest in our parish (not the pastor). He’s done a few Sunday masses so far.
He’s got a few quirks, the most noticeable of which are during the consecrations of the bread & wine — elevating the host for about 2 minutes, then kneeling before the altar for another 1-2 minutes, elevating the chalice for the same, kneeling after that for the same. It totals about 6-8 minutes added on to the consecration.
Is this simply unusual, or against protocol?
Of course, it’s always better to have a priest be extra reverent than not reverent enough. Still, this weekend I finally looked up while he was doing it and kids were antsy, a lot of teenagers were just looking around the church, etc. His extra devotion was so long that it was hard not to be distracted.
That’s certainly unusual. I would say that it is, in a public Mass with a congregation, perhaps a little self-indulgent. Private Mass is one thing, but Mass with lots of people is another. I have no doubt that Father is deeply pious, but this sort of liturgical could refocus attention to Himself, which is contrary to the essence of the moment.
The length of time I elevate the Host is, of course, ideal. If asked, your parish priest will say the same about the length he chooses.
One of the things I have been trying to is to break the altar boys of is long rings (i.e., this isn’t a fire alarm) or a specific pattern that takes no account of what the priest is doing for the elevation (i.e., altar boys don’t get to decide how long the elevation lasts). They are to make crisp, brief rings, paying attention to what the priest is doing.
Keeping in mind that Mass is not the time for sustained adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, as if Mass were Exposition, and keeping in mind that part of the genius of the Roman Rite is the deprivation of our senses of sight and hearing during certain moments, and keeping in mind that bells are secondary to the Blessed Sacrament, how long do you think the priest should extend the elevation?
Please give your best answer and then use the combox. We had this poll once before, but it is worth posting again, anew. Anyone can vote, but you have to be registered and approved to leave a comment.
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