Hello all, I need some positive and compassionate criticism. I had some liturgical training in the seminary a few years ago. But its been a few years since I left. I was helping out at a mass with a visiting Archbishop and I may have done something wrong. I dont know what I was thinking, just that I was really confused.

I was in charge of incense. Everything was going well up untill offertory. The deacon was preparing the altar. Then the archbishop came and I handed him the incense. As he went around the altar incensing I was waiting to the side. As he came around I stepped up and his seceratary, a msgr, handed me the incense. This is when I goofed.

First I froze (i should have just turned around and left). For some reason I remembered, back in seminary, incensing the priest and the people. So thats what I did. I incensed the archbishop. Then I freaked. I turned around and went back to my seat. I was told later that the deacon was supposed to do that, and then incense the other priests and people (but then why would the msgr hand ME, and not the deacon who was standing right there, the incense? perhaps he just wanted me to leave and go on with the mass without all the incense?)

I apologized to the msgr later on for the mix up and he told me not to worry about it.

anyway, how bad was that? was it just me being unprepared and untrained or do you think the archbishop may have interpreted that as something worse? insubordination or dissent or something?

anyway, what do you guys thing?

Sam

-- Sam (Sam@help.com), September 19, 2004

Answers

sam,

as you were told, don't worry about it, it was a minor error, and in places where a deacon is unavailable, the altar server DOES incense the bishop and/or priest and people. ultimately what this amounted to was a slight mix up in the order of the mass which was unintentional and therefore easily dismissed. the only thing i would recommend would be to be more prepared next time.

-- paul h (dontSendMeMail@notAnAddress.com), September 19, 2004.

Good advice paul h.

-- Andy S ("ask3332004@yahoo.com"), September 19, 2004.

Thanks paul. I appreciate it. I understand now that I could've been a little more informed and prepared. I'll learn from it.

Also, I'm glad that now I can remember clearly and rightly that i DID incense the priest and that its ok for a server to do that if there is nobody else.

Very cool.

Sam

-- Sam (sam@help.com), September 19, 2004.

Sam, please read carefully this passage from Acts and you'll see that Liturgy is not such a closed and military-like thing that a minor detail, in your case, can be considered a "disaster"

Acts 20:7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.

Acts 20:8 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together.

Acts 20:9 And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead.

Acts 20:10 But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, "Do not be troubled, for his life is in him."

Acts 20:11 When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left.

Acts 20:12 They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted.

Paul in this case interrupted the Liturgical act by going down and bringing Eutychus back to life.

A friend of mine once told me that he was present at a Confirmation ceremony when a stray dog suddenly entered the church and it went right up to the altar. When the dog approached the officiating Prelate the Bishop held his crosier firm in his hand and gave the dog a quick wham. With this the dog gave a loud bark and took to the door in a swift run. All this caused the whole community to have a good laugh. Once the calm was restored the ceremony went on as if nothing had happened.

With these and other examples I could give you it is easily understood that what happened to you was in no way a "liturgical dissaster". Maybe tha majority of the community didnīt even notice your mistake.

Enrique

-- Enrique Ortiz (eaortiz@yahoo.com), September 20, 2004.

Humor is one of God's many gifts.

-- JJ (nospam@nospam.com), September 20, 2004.