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Liturgical Question Box: Answers to Common Questions About the Modern Liturgy
Liturgical Question Answers to Common Questions about the Modern Liturgy.. by Peter J. Elliot Product Identifiers ISBN-100898706777 ISBN-139780898706772 Key Details AuthorPetter J. Elliott Number Of Pages192 pages FormatPaperback Publication Date1998-03-01 LanguageEnglish Ignatius Press Publication Year1998
189 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1998
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24 people want to read
About the author
Peter J. Elliott
14 books9 followersPeter John Elliott was an Australian bishop of the Catholic Church who served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Melbourne from 2007 to 2018. He was also an author, writing a number of published works that predominantly concern the celebration of Catholic liturgy.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 21, 2024
A LITURGICAL EXPERT ANSWERS QUESTIONS ABOUT PRACTICALLY EVERY ASPECT OF LITURGY
Msgr. Peter Elliott "has worked in the Vatican for over ten years. HIs area of expertise is the liturgical life of the Church. He is now the Episcopal Vicar of Religious Education in Melbourne, Australia. He is the author of the best-selling 'Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite.'
He wrote in the Preface to this 1998 book, "Most of the questions included in this book were first raised in the 'Liturgical Question Box' ... The questions and replies given ... have been expanded, adapted and supplemented with new material... this more popular question-and-answer volume provides the opportunity to explain in greater detail and in a more relaxed style themes contained in [his book]... the scope of this book has been widened to include sacramental questions and various pastoral problems related directly to the celebration of the liturgy and sacraments." (Pg. 11)
He adds in the Introduction, "Some questions raised here deal more with basic mistakes than with abuses... Often these mistakes are due to a lack of good formation in the immediate postconciliar era, when we must admit that there was much uncertainty about liturgical details in the Roman Rite." (Pg. 16)
He states, "At the Reformation, the more extreme Protestants rejected the chasuble because they understood its sacrificial meaning. It was the priestly garment of the Mass as distinct from the pastor's gown or vicar's surplice worn at a memorial Lord's Supper... in the mid-nineteenth century, some Anglicans began to reintroduce the chasuble. Some of these high-church clergymen even went to prison for wearing it. They knew what it means, even if a few of our priests today seem to have forgotten. The chasuble is THE eucharistic vestment par excellence, reserved for those ordained into the sacrificing priesthood of Jesus Christ. It signifies the charity with which He clothes our weakness at the altar, when indeed we do act 'in persona Christi.'" (Pg. 47)
He says, "let us never use the trivial terms 'altar girls' or 'altar boys.' The term 'servers' is the correct description of the ministries set out in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal... while it is clear that the bishop can permit female altar servers, he cannot oblige any priest to have female altar servers in his parish. One would hope that the bishop would not want to give such an authoritarian impression to his clergy on an optional matter, which is, moreover, only a liturgical concession. Male servers remain the universal norm." (Pg. 59)
He points out, "in 1994, in the Instruction on Inculturation and the Roman Liturgy... we find that dancing may be incorporated into the liturgy where dance is an inherent part of the culture of the people and is 'not simply a performance.' This activity may even be promoted in places where dancing has a religious meaning compatible with Christianity. This cultural context accounts for the positive approach various episcopal conferences have taken to the question." (Pg. 69)
He explains, "At Mass, the proclamation of the Gospel belongs first to the deacon, if he is assisting, then to the priest celebrant, when there is no deacon present... A lay person may not read the Gospel at Mass, but laity may act as lectors and read the other reading(s) and lead the responsorial psalm. Laity may also read the intentions of the General Intercessions... where necessary, lay readers may take part in the reading of the Passion on Palm Sunday and Good Friday." (Pg. 78)
This is a very thorough, well-referenced source for information about many “details” of the Roman liturgy, that will be very helpful for someone looking for such information.
Msgr. Peter Elliott "has worked in the Vatican for over ten years. HIs area of expertise is the liturgical life of the Church. He is now the Episcopal Vicar of Religious Education in Melbourne, Australia. He is the author of the best-selling 'Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite.'
He wrote in the Preface to this 1998 book, "Most of the questions included in this book were first raised in the 'Liturgical Question Box' ... The questions and replies given ... have been expanded, adapted and supplemented with new material... this more popular question-and-answer volume provides the opportunity to explain in greater detail and in a more relaxed style themes contained in [his book]... the scope of this book has been widened to include sacramental questions and various pastoral problems related directly to the celebration of the liturgy and sacraments." (Pg. 11)
He adds in the Introduction, "Some questions raised here deal more with basic mistakes than with abuses... Often these mistakes are due to a lack of good formation in the immediate postconciliar era, when we must admit that there was much uncertainty about liturgical details in the Roman Rite." (Pg. 16)
He states, "At the Reformation, the more extreme Protestants rejected the chasuble because they understood its sacrificial meaning. It was the priestly garment of the Mass as distinct from the pastor's gown or vicar's surplice worn at a memorial Lord's Supper... in the mid-nineteenth century, some Anglicans began to reintroduce the chasuble. Some of these high-church clergymen even went to prison for wearing it. They knew what it means, even if a few of our priests today seem to have forgotten. The chasuble is THE eucharistic vestment par excellence, reserved for those ordained into the sacrificing priesthood of Jesus Christ. It signifies the charity with which He clothes our weakness at the altar, when indeed we do act 'in persona Christi.'" (Pg. 47)
He says, "let us never use the trivial terms 'altar girls' or 'altar boys.' The term 'servers' is the correct description of the ministries set out in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal... while it is clear that the bishop can permit female altar servers, he cannot oblige any priest to have female altar servers in his parish. One would hope that the bishop would not want to give such an authoritarian impression to his clergy on an optional matter, which is, moreover, only a liturgical concession. Male servers remain the universal norm." (Pg. 59)
He points out, "in 1994, in the Instruction on Inculturation and the Roman Liturgy... we find that dancing may be incorporated into the liturgy where dance is an inherent part of the culture of the people and is 'not simply a performance.' This activity may even be promoted in places where dancing has a religious meaning compatible with Christianity. This cultural context accounts for the positive approach various episcopal conferences have taken to the question." (Pg. 69)
He explains, "At Mass, the proclamation of the Gospel belongs first to the deacon, if he is assisting, then to the priest celebrant, when there is no deacon present... A lay person may not read the Gospel at Mass, but laity may act as lectors and read the other reading(s) and lead the responsorial psalm. Laity may also read the intentions of the General Intercessions... where necessary, lay readers may take part in the reading of the Passion on Palm Sunday and Good Friday." (Pg. 78)
This is a very thorough, well-referenced source for information about many “details” of the Roman liturgy, that will be very helpful for someone looking for such information.
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December 26, 2009Listed by Patrick Madrid in the Reading Plan of Search and Rescue in Phase 2 (Intermediate).
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews