CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP
AND THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SACRAMENT
INSTRUCTION

Redemptionis Sacramentum

On certain matters to be observed or to be avoided
regarding the Most Holy Eucharist

Chapter II

THE PARTICIPATION OF THE LAY CHRISTIAN FAITHFUL
IN THE EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION

1. Active and Conscious Participation

[36.] The celebration of the Mass, as the action of Christ and of the Church, is the center of the whole Christian life for the universal as well as the particular Church, and also for the individual faithful,[87] who are involved “in differing ways according to the diversity of orders, ministries, and active participation.[88] In this way the Christian people, “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy people, a people God has made his own”,[89] manifests its coherent and hierarchical ordering”.[90] “For the common priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial or hierarchical Priesthood, though they differ in essence and not only in degree, are ordered to one another, for both partake, each in its own way, of the one Priesthood of Christ”.[91]

[37.] All of Christ’s faithful, freed from their sins and incorporated into the Church through Baptism, are deputed by means of a sacramental character for the worship of the Christian religion,[92] so that by virtue of their royal priesthood,[93] persevering in prayer and praising God,[94] they may offer themselves as a living and holy sacrifice pleasing to God and attested to others by their works,[95] giving witness to Christ throughout the earth and providing an answer to those who ask concerning their hope of eternal life that is in them.[96] Thus the participation of the lay faithful too in the Eucharist and in the other celebrations of the Church’s rites cannot be equated with mere presence, and still less with a passive one, but is rather to be regarded as a true exercise of faith and of the baptismal dignity.

[38.] The constant teaching of the Church on the nature of the Eucharist not only as a meal, but also and pre-eminently as a Sacrifice, is therefore rightly understood to be one of the principal keys to the full participation of all the faithful in so great a Sacrament.[97] For when “stripped of its sacrificial meaning, the mystery is understood as if its meaning and importance were simply that of a fraternal banquet”.[98]

[39.] For promoting and elucidating active participation, the recent renewal of the liturgical books according to the mind of the Council fostered acclamations of the people, responses, psalmody, antiphons, and canticles, as well as actions or movements and gestures, and called for sacred silence to be maintained at the proper times, while providing rubrics for the parts of the faithful as well.[99] In addition, ample flexibility is given for appropriate creativity aimed at allowing each celebration to be adapted to the needs of the participants, to their comprehension, their interior preparation and their gifts, according to the established liturgical norms. In the songs, the melodies, the choice of prayers and readings, the giving of the homily, the preparation of the prayer of the faithful, the occasional explanatory remarks, and the decoration of the Church building according to the various seasons, there is ample possibility for introducing into each celebration a certain variety by which the riches of the liturgical tradition will also be more clearly evident, and so, in keeping with pastoral requirements, the celebration will be carefully imbued with those particular features that will foster the recollection of the participants. Still, it should be remembered that the power of the liturgical celebrations does not consist in frequently altering the rites, but in probing more deeply the word of God and the mystery being celebrated.[100]

[40.] Nevertheless, from the fact that the liturgical celebration obviously entails activity, it does not follow that everyone must necessarily have something concrete to do beyond the actions and gestures, as if a certain specific liturgical ministry must necessarily be given to the individuals to be carried out by them. Instead, catechetical instruction should strive diligently to correct those widespread superficial notions and practices often seen in recent years in this regard, and ever to instill anew in all of Christ’s faithful that sense of deep wonder before the greatness of the mystery of faith that is the Eucharist, in whose celebration the Church is forever passing from what is obsolete into newness of life: “in novitatem a vetustate”.[101] For in the celebration of the Eucharist, as in the whole Christian life which draws its power from it and leads toward it, the Church, after the manner of Saint Thomas the Apostle, prostrates herself in adoration before the Lord who was crucified, suffered and died, was buried and arose, and perpetually exclaims to him who is clothed in the fullness of his divine splendor: “My Lord and my God!”[102]

[41.] For encouraging, promoting and nourishing this interior understanding of liturgical participation, the continuous and widespread celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours, the use of the sacramentals and exercises of Christian popular piety are extremely helpful. These latter exercises – which “while not belonging to the Liturgy in the strict sense, possess nonetheless a particular importance and dignity” – are to be regarded as having a certain connection with the liturgical context, especially when they have been lauded and attested by the Magisterium itself,[103] as is the case especially of the Marian Rosary.[104] Furthermore, since these practices of piety lead the Christian people both to the reception of the sacraments – especially the Eucharist – and “to meditation on the mysteries of our Redemption and the imitation of the excellent heavenly examples of the Saints, they are therefore not without salutary effects for our participation in liturgical worship ”.[105]

[42.] It must be acknowledged that the Church has not come together by human volition; rather, she has been called together by God in the Holy Spirit, and she responds through faith to his free calling (thus the word ekklesia is related to klesis, or “calling”).[106] Nor is the Eucharistic Sacrifice to be considered a “concelebration”, in the univocal sense, of the Priest along with the people who are present.[107] On the contrary, the Eucharist celebrated by the Priests “is a gift which radically transcends the power of the community. . . . The community that gathers for the celebration of the Eucharist absolutely requires an ordained Priest, who presides over it so that it may truly be a Eucharistic convocation. On the other hand, the community is by itself incapable of providing an ordained minister”.[108] There is pressing need of a concerted will to avoid all ambiguity in this matter and to remedy the difficulties of recent years. Accordingly, terms such as “celebrating community” or “celebrating assembly” (in other languages “asamblea celebrante”, “assemblée célébrante”, assemblea celebrante”) and similar terms should not be used injudiciously.

2. The Ministries of the Lay Christian Faithful in the Celebration of Holy Mass

[43.] For the good of the community and of the whole Church of God, some of the lay faithful according to tradition have rightly and laudably exercised ministries in the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy.[109] It is appropriate that a number of persons distribute among themselves and exercise various ministries or different parts of the same ministry.[110]

[44.] Apart from the duly instituted ministries of acolyte and lector,[111] the most important of these ministries are those of acolyte[112] and lector[113] by temporary deputation. In addition to these are the other functions that are described in the Roman Missal,[114] as well as the functions of preparing the hosts, washing the liturgical linens, and the like. All, “whether ordained ministers or lay faithful, in exercising their own office or ministry should do exclusively and fully that which pertains to them”.[115] In the liturgical celebration itself as well as in its preparation, they should do what is necessary so that the Church’s Liturgy will be carried out worthily and appropriately.

[45.] To be avoided is the danger of obscuring the complementary relationship between the action of clerics and that of laypersons, in such a way that the ministry of laypersons undergoes what might be called a certain “clericalization”, while the sacred ministers inappropriately assume those things that are proper to the life and activity of the lay faithful.[116]

[46.] The lay Christian faithful called to give assistance at liturgical celebrations should be well instructed and must be those whose Christian life, morals and fidelity to the Church’s Magisterium recommend them. It is fitting that such a one should have received a liturgical formation in accordance with his or her age, condition, state of life, and religious culture.[117] No one should be selected whose designation could cause consternation for the faithful.[118]

[47.] It is altogether laudable to maintain the noble custom by which boys or youths, customarily termed servers, provide service of the altar after the manner of acolytes, and receive catechesis regarding their function in accordance with their power of comprehension.[119] Nor should it be forgotten that a great number of sacred ministers over the course of the centuries have come from among boys such as these.[120] Associations for them, including also the participation and assistance of their parents, should be established or promoted, and in such a way greater pastoral care will be provided for the ministers. Whenever such associations are international in nature, it pertains to the competence of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments to establish them or to approve and revise their statutes.[121] Girls or women may also be admitted to this service of the altar, at the discretion of the diocesan Bishop and in observance of the established norms.[122]

Notes

[87] Cf. ibidem, n. 41; Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen gentium, n. 11; Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests, Presbyterorum ordinis, nn. 2,5,6; Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops, Christus Dominus, n. 30, Decree on Ecumenism, Unitatis redintegratio, 21 November 1964, n. 15; S. Congregation of Rites, Instruction Eucharisticum mysterium, nn. 3e, 6: AAS 59 (1967) pp. 542, 544-545; Missale Romanum, Institutio Generalis, n. 16.

[88] Cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 26; Missale Romanum, Institutio Generalis, n. 91.

[89] 1 Pet 2,9; cf. 2,4-5.

[90] Missale Romanum, Institutio Generalis, n. 91; cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 41.

[91] Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen gentium, n. 10.

[92] Cf. St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, III, q. 63, a. 2.

[93] Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen gentium, n. 10; cf. Pope John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia, n. 28: AAS 95 (2003) p. 452.

[94] Cf. Acts 2,42-47.

[95] Cf. Rom 12,1.

[96] Cf. 1 Pet 3,15; 2,4-10.

[97] Cf. Pope John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia, nn. 12-18: AAS 95 (2003) p. 441-445; Letter Dominicae Cenae, 24 February 1980, n. 9: AAS 72 (1980) pp. 129-133.

[98] Pope John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia, n. 10: AAS 95 (2003) p. 439.

[99] Cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, nn. 30-31.

[100] Cf. S. Congregation for Divine Worship, Instruction Liturgicae instaurationes, n. 1: AAS 62 (1970) p. 695.

[101] Cf. Missale Romanum, Feria secunda post Dominica V in Quadragesima, Collecta, p. 258.

[102] Cf. Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio ineunte, 6 January 2001, n. 21: AAS 93 (2001) p. 280; cf. Jn 20,28.

[103] Cf. Pope Pius XII, Encyclical Letter Mediator Dei: AAS 39 (1947) p. 586; cf. also Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen gentium, n. 67; Pope Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Marialis cultus, 11 February 1974, n. 24: AAS 66 (1974) pp. 113-168, here p. 134; Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Direttorio su pietà popolare e Liturgia, 17 December 2001.

[104] Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 16 October 2002: AAS 95 (2003) pp. 5-36.

[105] Cf. Pope Pius XII, Encyclical Letter Mediator Dei: AAS 39 (1947) p. 586-587.

[106] Cf. Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instruction, Varietates legitimae, n. 22: AAS 87 (1995) p. 297.

[107] Cf. Pope Pius XII, Encyclical Letter, Mediator Dei: AAS 39 (1947) p. 553.

[108] Pope John Paul II, Encyclical Letter, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, n. 29: AAS 95 (2003) p. 453; cf. Fourth Lateran Ecumenical Council, 11-30 November 1215, Chapter I: DS 802; Ecumenical Council of Trent, Session XXIII, 15 July 1563, Doctrine and Canons on Sacred Order, Chapter 4: DS 1767-1770; Pope Pius XII, Encyclical Letter, Mediator Dei: AAS 39 (1947) p. 553.

[109] Cf. Code of Canon Law, can. 230 § 2; cf. also the Missale Romanum, Institutio Generalis, n. 97.

[110] Cf. Missale Romanum, General Instruction, n. 109.

[111] Cf. Pope Paul VI, Apostolic Letter (Motu Proprio) Ministeria quaedam, 15 August 1972, nn. VI-XII; Pontificale Romanum ex decreto sacrosancti oecumenici Concilii Vaticani II instauratum, auctoritate Pauli Pp. VI promulgatum, De institutione lectorum et acolythorum, de admissione inter candidatos ad diaconatum et presbyteratum, de sacro caelibatu amplectendo, editio typica, 3 December 1972, Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis, 1973, p. 10: AAS 64 (1972) pp. 529-534, here pp. 532-533; Code of Canon Law, can. 230 §1; Missale Romanum, Institutio Generalis, nn. 98-99, 187-193.

[112] Cf. Missale Romanum, Institutio Generalis, nn. 187-190, 193; Code of Canon Law, can. 230 §2-3.

[113] Cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 24; S. Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, Instruction, Inaestimabile donum, nn. 2 and 18: AAS 72 (1980) pp. 334, 338; Missale Romanum, Institutio Generalis, nn. 101, 194-198; Code of Canon Law, can 230 §2-3.

[114] Cf. Missale Romanum, Institutio Generalis, nn. 100-107.

[115] Ibidem, n. 91; cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 28.

[116] Cf. Pope John Paul II, Allocution to the Conference of Bishops of the Antilles, 7 May 2002, n. 2: AAS 94 (2002) pp. 575-577; Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Christifideles laici, 30 December 1988, n. 23: AAS 81 (1989) pp. 393-521, here pp. 429-431; Congregation for the Clergy et al., Instruction, Ecclesiae de mysterio, 15 August 1997, Theological Principles, n. 4: AAS 89 (1997) pp. 860-861.

[117] Cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 19.

[118] S. Congregation for Divine Worship, Instruction, Immensae caritatis, 29 January 1973: AAS 65 (1973) p. 266.

[119] Cf. S. Congregation of Rites, Instruction, De Musica sacra, 3 September 1958, n. 93c: AAS 50 (1958) p. 656.

[120] Cf. Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, Response to dubium, 11 July 1992: AAS 86 (1994) pp. 541-542; Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Letter to the Presidents of Conferences of Bishops on the liturgical service of laypersons, 15 March 1994: Notitiae 30 (1994) pp. 333-335, 347-348.

[121] Cf. Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Constitution, Pastor Bonus, art. 65: AAS 80 (1988) p. 877.

[122] Cf. Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, Response to dubium, 11 July 1992: AAS 86 (1994) pp. 541-542; Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Letter to the Presidents of the Conferences of Bishops concerning the liturgical service of laypersons, 15 March 1994: Notitiae 30 (1994) pp. 333-335, 347-348; Letter to a Bishop, 27 July 2001: Notitiae 38 (2002) 46-54.

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