Gospel reader

[oopsorganist]

I think we once had a discussion around this... today the HT of our RC primary read the Gospel? Is this OK?
Having tots struggle with the other readings was painful but I was a bit gob smacked when the HT read the Gospel. Then Ms Grumpy was inspired to sing and rousing rendition of Soul of My Saviour after the Communion Hymn. It all goes a bit wierd at our church sometimes.

[musicus]

Is this OK?

It's too late now!
I think this comes under "It is better to ask forgiveness than to seek permission" - a maxim I often invoke in my day job.

[oopsorganist]

Funny thing was, PP asked the congregation, remembering that the kiddlies were there in force, to raise their hands if they wanted to be apriest..................... and the HT did not raise his hand. (No one raised their hands but there was a some tittering. Wierd.

I'm just suddenly wondering if the man is actually Catholic.

How would I bring this up I wonder? Perhaps I'll just cross my fingers and hope it does not happen again.

[presbyter]

How would I bring this up I wonder?

You could point him to this:

http://www.adoremus.org/DMC-73.html#anchor4432598

I'm still recovering from the fish that arrived with the gifts at the Offertory procession - I thought the children were going to bring up a tin of sardines or a dead haddock - mercifully they were card and the children had some understanding that the Lord had netted them.

[presbyter]

Having had a message about the ambiguity of par 47 of the DOMWC - I think it means an ordained minister reads Jesus - and children can take other parts - narrator, other characters - as in Holy Week. See the Directory itself for conditions.

[Southern Comfort]

De facto, non-ordained ministers proclaim the Gospel at Liturgy of the Word with Children in loads of parishes every Sunday....

[festivaltrumpet]

Having had a message about the ambiguity of par 47 of the DOMWC -

The Directory however is referring to Masses at which children form the majority of the congregation. It does not apply to the parish Sunday celebration at which children, even a large number, are present. I believe the directory explicitly states this.

De facto, non-ordained ministers proclaim the Gospel at Liturgy of the Word with Children in loads of parishes every Sunday....

They do so in parallel with the ordained minister who will also be proclaiming the Gospel. One cannot use this fact to justify substitution of the proclaimer, which is the issue here.

[keitha]

The Directory is pretty clear on this. Chapter II uses the expression "Masses with children in which only a few adults participate", and it is this chapter which was being considered by Presbyter. Chapter I deals with the situation where most of the participants are adult - where the gospel may only be read by an ordained minister, but the children may have what is sometimes called a 'childrens' liturgy' separately - as set out in that chapter. I strongly suspect that the situation facing Oops was that which is described in Chapter I and not Chapter II.

[FrGareth]

I strongly suspect that the situation facing Oops was that which is described in Chapter I and not Chapter II.

Para 19 of the directory allows any ONE (but only one) of the Chapter I concessions to be used in a Chapter II Mass - with the Bishop's permission!

But I know of no provision for a non-ordained person to read the Gospel at any kind of children's Mass - it seems inappropriate except in the kind of circumstances which might impede a priest from proclaiming the Gospel adequately in any language (illness, non-English speaker).

FrGareth

[Mithras]

Pastoral and practical circumstances must determine this. We had an international Mass a couple of years ago when the readings, psalm and gospel and other prayers were proclaimed in a variety of languages. I read the Gospel in Spanish (I was at seminary there for a while), thus mixing ministries (ie with a hurried ndash down from the organ loft!) with the idea that the celebrant would follow me reading it in English. Time was pressing Ithere is another Mass after the sung Parish Mass) so he went straight to the homily.

It seemed to work.

M