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Question Title Posted By Question Date
about novenas and Holy Mass john Friday, February 1, 2008

Question:

in the parish where i attend the novena to our MOther of Perpetual help, the priest, after saying all the novena prayers with the people, will just proceed to the Collect of the Mass. is this all right or is it illicit?

thanks in advance

Question Answered by Mr. Jacob Slavek

Dear John,

Private devotional prayers, even when said publicly, should not be "combined" with the Liturgy like this.

They should be said before or after Mass, even though they could immediately precede or follow Mass.  There must be a clear break between the two, so that the Mass may be celebrated strictly as provided in the Missal, such as beginning with the sign of the cross or hymn, etc, or with the Mass concluding with the dismissal.

Also, just so that there is no confusion, the Liturgy of the Hours, which is also liturgical prayer, may be combined with the Mass.  When this happens, usually on weekdays, the collect of the Mass is started after the psalmody of Morning/Daytime/Evening Prayer (GILH, n. 94-96)

Thanks for writing,

Mr. Slavek

PS I hate to post a negative answer because I really think that it's wonderful that novenas are being celebrating publicly with the priest and people... but really it must be separated from the Mass.
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.