Liturgical changes 'few'

By RAMON GONZALEZ
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

"I think many of the things mentioned in the document really are not relevant here," the archbishop said June 1. "Maybe there are a few places, a few things where we need to change some of our practices but I don't think it's going to be a great deal of change."

He noted the document deals with the whole world and many of its directives are "just reminders of important things" that Catholics should be aware of.

"For example, (it says) that people should be properly trained, that the priest should celebrate Mass every day and that we should emphasize the Liturgy of the Hours and the rosary - things of that nature. "And so many parts of the document simply refer to very obvious things. They simply encourage people to remember things that should be done."

No real surprises

"I don't think it will have a great deal of effect (in the way we celebrate Mass in the archdiocese)," the archbishop said, although he admitted "there will be a few things that we have to check." But he said there is nothing unusual about it because "from time to time the Church checks to be sure that we are doing things the right way."

Collins discussed the document at the recent Assembly of Priests in Jasper and has written a memo asking the priests of the archdiocese "to look at the document to be sure that there is nothing that we are doing that would not be the proper way."

"They simply encourage people to remember things that should be done." - Archbishop Thomas Collins

His memo to the priests contains a summary of the new instruction and will be published in the upcoming issue of Inter Nos, an in-house archdiocesan newsletter. In it, he asks Catholics to read the whole document and throws in a few "little" suggestions for change.

Changes will occur at several points but "I don't think most people will probably even notice they happened," he said.

Practices that may need correcting include the preparation of the chalices, which Collins noted has sometimes been done immediately prior to Communion. "Now this will be done a few minutes earlier," he told the WCR.

That's because one provision in the new instruction recommends "the pouring of the Blood of Christ after the Consecration from one vessel to another is to be completely avoided."

"So what I've asked (the priests) to do is that we pour the wine into the chalices at the offertory and no later in the Mass."

The Vatican document also recommends not using vessels made from glass, clay or other materials that break easily. "So what I've asked is that in due time that we, if that's the situation, should just get (vessels) that fit the instruction, that are in accord with it," Collins said.

Unleaven bread

"That's what most places already do, but if some places have used other types (of bread) we are just asking that they use bread without any additives," he said.

Collins said the instruction should be read hand in hand with Pope John Paul's 2003 encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia, which gives a spiritual foundation for the celebration of the Eucharist.

The instruction, he said, is a practical means to ensure that "the way we celebrate the Eucharist in practice is in harmony with what should really be done."

"As I said, I think that many of the things they mention (in the instruction) don't really apply here," the archbishop continued.

"Some of them apply everywhere and are just simply encouragements to celebrate the Eucharist properly. I think it is always good for us to just check from time to time, every few years, to be sure that we are doing things the right way."

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