Meaning and Implementation of the new General Instruction of the Roman Missal Discussed

New General Instruction of the Roman Missal Discussed

From the Diocesan Office of Worship

On Holy Thursday, 2000, Pope John Paul II approved the revised Institutio Generalis Missalis Romani, popularly known as the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM). As we begin to look toward the implementation of this important document, the Office for the Continuing Education of the Clergy and the Office of Worship combined efforts to bring in an expert to address a gathering of priests and pastoral ministers from around the area.

On August 6, 2001 Fr. John Huels came to our diocese to speak on the topic of the Revised General Instruction of the Roman Missal. Fr. Huels came to us very well credentialed. He is a canon lawyer from Ottawa, Canada — holding a Doctorate in Canon Law from the Catholic University of America in Washington, and a Master of Arts in Theology and Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. He is an expert in liturgical law and the author of numerous publications.

...changes introduced by the revised GIRM are relatively minor and that none of them will come into effect in our diocese until there is an approved English translation of the Roman Missal and its General Instruction

As with all important documents, many questions have been raised concerning the meaning and implementation of the new GIRM. Fr. Huels led a discussion of the revised GIRM, highlighting any changes and answering questions. Included in this article are a few of the points that he made concerning the implementation of the revised GIRM and its impact on current liturgical practice.

Most importantly, Fr. Huels informed us that:

even though the revised GIRM has been approved by Rome, it does not officially go into effect until the Roman Missal (better known as the Sacramentary) is published in Latin (which has not yet occurred at the time of this writing).
The Local bishop can then choose whether to begin implementing any of the changes in the diocese at that time or whether the diocese will wait until there is an approved English translation. (Our bishop has made the decision to wait to begin implementation until the Missal is available in English.)
The Roman Missal is expected to be published in Latin soon, but as of yet there is no firm publication date.
Until the Roman Missal becomes effective, we continue to remain under the jurisdiction of the current 1975 edition of the Missal and no changes will occur in our celebration of the Eucharistic liturgy.

Fr. Huels stated that the changes that are found in the new GIRM are minor and are provided in response to issues and questions that have been raised since the last reworking of the Instruction. The Instruction seeks to add clarification to the way we worship and emphasis to certain aspects of liturgy. For example, the new Instruction places emphasis on the importance of music during the liturgy and especially the mass parts, ". . . every care should be taken that singing by the ministers and the people is not absent in celebrations that occur on Sundays and holy days of obligation." The new Instruction also emphasizes the use of the profound bow during the celebration of the liturgy, such as during the Creed at the words by the power of the Holy Spirit . . . he became man, as well as for showing reverence to the altar when the ministers enter. The importance of silence is also highlighted in the revised Instruction, listing those times during the liturgy when it should occur and why.

Exemptions will be requested for United States

The Bishops of the United States will be requesting indults or exemptions from certain aspects of the new Instruction. Fr. Huels reminded everyone that the Roman Missal is primarily written with the Church of Rome and Mass at St. Peter’s in mind. In Rome, especially at St. Peter’s the norm is that there are a large number of priests and deacons to celebrate each mass and therefore fewer lay liturgical ministers are present. In comparison to Rome for most Catholic communities in the United States the norm is only one priest and a large number of lay ministers. With this in mind it is easy to see why the Instruction calls for the priest and or deacon to perform several functions that here in the United States the priest would perform along with various lay ministers. For example, the Instruction calls for the priest with the help of the deacon to receive the gifts at the preparation of gifts and place them on the altar, and that the priest will consume any left over consecrated wine. These two examples give a hint of the differences in the way that the liturgy is celebrated due to ministers that are available. For this reason the bishops of the United States will ask for some indults so that we can carry out the wisdom of the law in our own circumstances.

Also among the changes introduced by the revised GIRM are the statements that the Book of Gospels may be carried in procession, but not the Lectionary and that the processional cross should have a figure of the Christ crucified on it. The revised GIRM also states that Sacred vessels are to be made from a noble metal, whereas the current edition of the GIRM state that they are to be made from a noble material. (There is a possibility that the bishops may make adaptations so that other noble material may be used.)

These are some of the issues that Fr. John Huels addressed. It is probably most important to remember that most changes introduced by the revised GIRM are relatively minor and that none of them will come into effect in our diocese until there is an approved English translation of the Roman Missal and its General Instruction (a date which would be impossible to predict).

If you have any questions concerning the Instruction or this article, please feel free to call Fr. Larry McBride, Director of the Office of Worship for the Diocese at St. Francis de Sales Church, Paducah, at (270) 442-1923.