Question on the Elevation of the Eucharist
September 27, 2003
Q: I have a question that I cannot seem to find a straight answer to. Our parish priest does not elevate the host above the paten or the chalice when he says the consecration. Instead he lifts up the entire paten and the chalice. I miss the opportunity to venerate our Eucharistic lord. Is this optional? I would greatly appreciate your response. Thank you, In Christ, Nancy
A: No, it is not an option. However, the time and place for the elevation is at the Communion Rite of the priest. “The priest prepares himself by a prayer, said quietly, that he may fruitfully receive Christ’s Body and Blood. The faithful do the same, praying silently. The priest next shows the faithful the Eucharistic Bread, holding it above the paten or above the chalice (my emphasis), and invites them to the banquet of Christ. Along with the faithful, he then makes an act of humility using the prescribed words taken from the Gospels.”1 “The liturgical books approved b y competent authority are to be faithfully observed in the celebration of the sacraments; therefore no one on personal authority may add, remove or change anything in them (my emphasis).”2
This question was submitted to the organization Save Our Church and answered at their request by Ronald Smith.
1 General Instruction of the Roman Missal, (April 2003), U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC., Paragraph 84, P. 43
2 Code of Canon Law, (1983), Canon Law Society of America, Washington, DC., Canon 846.1, P. 321
Back to the top
| |
Send this link to a friend
