| Question Title | Posted By | Question Date |
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| Posture for | Paul | Sunday, December 16, 2007 |
Question: At the beginning of the Latin high mass on Sundays at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Cherokee Village, Arkansas, is the "Asperges Me." The mass is provided by the FSSP. Some people stand throughout. Others stand or kneel as the priest and/or altar boys stand or kneel. At times the priest may stand and the altar boys kneel. So what is the correct posture for the congregation? |
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| Question Answered by Mr. Jacob Slavek
Dear Paul, In the Traditional Latin Mass, the Asperges actually takes place before the Mass, rather than at the "beginning". None of the missals that I consulted indicated a specific posture for this prayer. I would say that the correct posture is to stand, out of respect for the priest. For those not familiar with the term "asperges": it is the sprinkling of holy water, as is done at Easter in the current rite. Mr. Slavek Footer Notes: (a) A Eucharistic Minister is clergy (Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion). Laity are Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and should never be called Eucharistic Ministers. (b) There is no such Mass called the Novus Ordo. The Current Mass is the Roman Missal of 2000, or the Oridinary Form of the Mass. The Tridentine Mass is the Roman Missal of 1962, or the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. Please refrain from using the term, Novus Ordo. Thanks. (c) The titles of Acolyte and Lector belong exclusively to the Installed Offices of Acolyte and Lector, who are men (only) appointed by the Bishop. These roles performed by others are Altar Servers and Readers, respectively. |
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