From a reader:
For some reason unbeknownst to me I am intrigued by the maniple. My understanding is that when the maniple comes off, the Mass is suspended, hence the reason for permitting the reading of announcements just prior to the sermon. Without it the Mass is invalid.
So now in the OF Mass during which wearing a maniple is permitted, but not required, thus very rarely ever worn (I myself have never seen it, only read about it on here), is the Mass automatically suspended on its own right after the Gospel when the priest starts saying the homily and/or doing whatever else he likes to do during that time?
Now, assuming it doesn’t, if a priest chooses to wear a maniple during the OF and removes it before the homily, would this suspend the Mass, or in the OF is the wearing of a maniple merely a completely symbolic gesture having zero effect on the Mass?
I usually like/take questions with one clear point, but I’ll deal with several here.
1. When the maniple comes off, Mass is suspended.
Not quite. In some schools of thought concerning the older form of Mass the sermon was not considered part of Mass. The priest wears the maniple only during Mass. Thus he removed it for the sermon. The maniple comes off because Mass is supended, not the other way around.
2. Without it the Mass is invalid.
No. Absolutely wrong. A TLM would certainly be valid. However, the maniple is a prescribed vestment for the TLM. The priest must wear one if there is one. Of course, the priest is not bound to the impossible. If there is no maniple and not even a stoll can be adapted, then Mass goes ahead and that’s the way it is.
3. The maniple is permitted in the Ordinary Form.
Yes, it is. The maniple is permitted as an option but not obligatory in the Ordinary Form. The maniple is obligatory in the Extraordinary Form and is not an option. There is some confusion about this point. Some say that if in the GIRM the maniple is not mentioned, it cannot, must not be used. I reject those claims with a dismissive wave of my hand and pursed lips. Wrong, simply wrong and very wrong. Wrong wrong wrong.
Let maniples abound! Let maniples multiply! Let maniples be used by all priests of the Latin Church always and everywhere in both forms of the Roman Rite!
I wonder if the New Evangelization can take place without the maniple.
Think about this.
- For there to be a New Evangelization, we must have a revitalization of our Catholic identity.
- For there to be a revitalization of our Catholic identity, we must reclaim our liturgical heritage.
- For us to reclaim our liturgical heritage, we need the fruits and influences of the older, Extraordinary Form.
- For the Extraordinary Form to be helpful, if must be celebrated in more and more places.
- For the celebration of the Extraordinary Form to take place in more and more places, we need more maniples.
- Maniples are a quibus sine non, necessary for a successful promotion of the New Evangelization!
As I boldly proclaimed here some years ago, Fathers….
Tie One On!
The New Evangelization depends on you!
And don’t forget this.
From a reader:
I will leave this to the readers to help with.
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