Serious discrepancies in USCCB’s derogations from the GIRM concerning EMHCs.

From a reader about a curious discrepancy on the site of the USCCB about the General Instruction/Institution of the Roman Missal.

On the USCCB site for the new edition of the GIRM [2011] (HERE) there is a link to Derogations on the bottom of the page, which thus makes it seem current. Here’s the paragraphs from that page:

“While the preponderance of these norms are derived from the Institutio Generalis Missalis Romani, editio typica tertia, they depart from the practice of the Roman Missal in a limited number of instances in regard to extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. Such ministers are permitted, when pastoral need dictates, to assist with the distribution of the consecrated species to ancillary vessels, to consume what remains of the Precious Blood after the distribution of Holy Communion and to purify sacred vessels. In the view of the Committee on the Liturgy, [There’s a clue.  It is now the Committee on Divine Worship.] this is in keeping with pastoral need and practice of the dioceses of the United States of America. [But not any more.]
Upon approval of these norms by two-thirds of the Latin members of the NCCB [There’s another clue that this is out of date.] they would be submitted to the Holy See for confirmation. The Committee on the Liturgy proposes them for consideration by the NCCB as particular law for the dioceses of the United States of America.” [Something seems amiss.]

My correspondent continues:

The reference to the NCCB, instead of the USCCB, makes it unclear whether or not this is current. The reference to the ”Roman Missal” instead of ‘Sacramentary’ makes it seem current. Do you think this is actually going to be proposed again, or is it perhaps something old posted on a new page to make it look like it is still an open issue, or neither?

Gosh.  That is way above my pay grade.  It strikes me that someone was drifting when the webpages were updated.  But I suspect that someone in the USCCB’s liturgy office will straighten this all out soon.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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11 Comments

  1. acardnal says:

    Something is definitely odd with the posting of the derogation. I have a copy of a document from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the
    Sacraments (Prot. no. 468/05/L), promulgated on 12 October 2006 by the Prefect Cardinal Arinze, to the president of the USCCB Bp. Wm. Skylstad which specifically denies his indult request and states that within the USA, only the ordained clergy and instituted acolytes (seminarian) may purify the sacred vessels at Mass.

  2. sacerdosinaeternum says:

    I wouldn’t count on it, Fr! Remember who’s now in charge: +Aymond & Fr Hilgartner! Yikes!

  3. gambletrainman says:

    Do you suppose the old “norm” was purposely put in so that the “liberals” can point to it and say “It says right here that it’s ok”?

  4. The Derogations, along with the “Implementaiton” (sic) and “Formation Materials” are relative to the 2001 “study edition” of the GIRM; from the web page:

    The Secretariat of Divine Worship has made various materials available for formation on the study edition of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (2001).

    You may feel free to download and reproduce these materials in any form which you find meets the needs of your diocese or parish, provided that the materials are not sold in any form. If you reproduce any of the materials as they are, include the citation: “2002, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

    If you have altered the materials, please include the citation: “Based upon Roman Missal Formational Materials provided by the Secretariat for the Liturgy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2002.”

  5. kittenchan says:

    It seems awfully similar to the tactic used by the USCCB page on the Holy Thursday Mandatum – namely using an old document (in that case, from February 1987) to claim a certain way of doing things, and then EXPLICITLY and completely ignoring anything from the Holy See that subsequently contradicts it. So I am not surprised. Sigh.

  6. James Joseph says:

    Creepy. This sort reminds me of two somewhat related facts of life.

    Sometimes people have disregard for people who know better than them.

    Sometimes when you lend someone a pack of cigarettes they don’t return the favour to buy you a beer.

  7. Mitchell NY says:

    Makes one wonder if the people in charge and inside the Church really can and want to follow the Magesterium and “mens” of the Church. And we are suppose to just trust and put our Faith in what they say and do. How confusing things have been since circa 1965. How are lay people supposed to decipher what is allowed, and not allowed, law and not law, and what the right things to do and follow are???

  8. jhayes says:

    The last sentence of 283 in the 2011 GIRM says:

    In all that pertains to Communion under both kinds, the Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion under Both Kinds in the Dioceses of the United States of America are to be followed (particularly nos. 27-54).

    The Foreword to the GIRM says:

    Also included in this edition are two other valuable documents: The Universal Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Roman Calendar and the Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion under Both Kinds for the Dioceses of the United States of America, both of which also appear in front matter of the Roman Missal, Third Edition. Together with the GIRM these documents provide a comprehensive overview and instruction for the celebration of the Mass.

    Can anyone check if the copy of the Norms bound in the new edition is the same as the 2001 version here?

    http://old.usccb.org/romanmissal/girm-norms-en.shtml

    That’s the only one I have found on the USCCB website.

  9. John V says:

    There actually appears to be a lot of material on the web site that is either outdated, or currently in force but soon-to-be outdated, and except for the copyrights there’s no help in identifying which is which. As Jeffrey Pinyan noted, everything on that page below the heading “Downloadable and Reproducible Materials” is from 2001. The language at the various links is taken word-for-word from the January-February 2001 Newsletter of what was then the Committee on the Liturgy. Anyone who’s been paying attention knows that the request to extend the indult allowing Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion to purify the sacred vessels was denied. In fact it was reported in the October 2006 Newsletter of that same Committee. Whoever is responsible for the content of the Committee on Divine Liturgy web site is doing a grave disservice and sowing the seeds of confusion.

  10. MarkJ says:

    Yet another reason to pray that the “Ordinary Form” of the Mass becomes extinct… and soon. Too many issues. Like the Titanic, the water just keeps pouring in through the gaping holes, and there are not enough pumps to keep the ship afloat. The Holy Father has provided us with a lifeboat in the Traditional Mass… I suggest we use it.

  11. dans0622 says:

    The page in question was not found when I attempted to navigate there a minute ago. So, Fr. Z was right and we can chill out.

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