"Teaching" Masses

A reader writes:

Help Jimmy! In this Sunday’s bulletin was a splashy announcement, "At next Saturday’s 11:30 am Mass Fr.——- will be conducting a teaching Mass, stopping throughout to explain the history and significance of each part." Is this allowed? Where do I find data or info to back up a complaint letter that is soon to be written by moi. When will this maddness end!!

Probably not by this weekend.

Let’s take this piece by piece:

First, there is no such thing as a "teaching Mass" in the Church’s liturgical books. The category does not exist.

Second, it would be perfectly legitimate to do something that is not a Mass but otherwise looks like one for teaching the significance of the various parts of the Mass. This would be like having a stage-play of a Mass with detailed commentary. Such things should not, however, be advertised as Masses, and it does not appear that this is what is going to happen in your parish.

Third, the Church’s liturgical law does provide a role for the priest to make certain explanatory comments about the Mass, but they may or may not be as extensive as what is being envisioned in your parish’s case. Here is what the current General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) says about the priest’s commenting role:

31. It is also up to the priest, in the exercise of his office of presiding over the gathered assembly, to offer certain explanations that are foreseen in the rite itself. Where it is indicated in the rubrics, the celebrant is permitted to adapt them [i.e., the explanations] somewhat in order that they respond to the understanding of those participating. However, he should always take care to keep to the sense of the text given in the Missal and to express them succinctly. The presiding priest is also to direct the word of God and to impart the final blessing. In addition, he may give the faithful a very brief introduction to the Mass of the day (after the initial Greeting and before the Act of Penitence), to the Liturgy of the Word (before the readings), and to the Eucharistic Prayer (before the Preface), though never during the Eucharistic Prayer itself; he may also make concluding comments to the entire sacred action before the dismissal [GIRM 31].

If Fr.——- (Thanks for the dashes! Saves me having to put them in!) confines himself to these things, he’s home free. If he does more than this, he starts to exceed wha the law provides.

Author: Jimmy Akin

Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."

14 thoughts on “"Teaching" Masses”

  1. We’ve had “explanatory Masses” in our parish several times before. In fact, I think we do it once a year — because of the explanations, they last about 15 to 20 minutes longer than usual. I didn’t know that wasn’t allowed. In any case, given the poor state of catechesis over the past few decades, probably most Catholics could benefit from some kind of demonstration of the Mass with explanations of why the priest says and does what he says and does.

  2. I agree. This sounds like a neat idea, as long as it’s done in a way obeys the law.

  3. i’m sorry, but as a convert, i find it incredibly, well, wrong. what kind of person attends mass and not understand every single aspect of it, at least have a rudimentary grasp of the thing?

  5. The practice of “explaining” things was encouraged by the Fathers of Trent, so that the Laity would not be completely loss by the continued use of Latin:

    “Though the mass contains much instruction for the faithful, it has, nevertheless, not been deemed advisable by the Fathers that it should be celebrated everywhere in the vernacular tongue…that the sheep may not suffer hunger, or the little ones ask for bread and there is none to break it unto them, the holy council commands pastors and all who have the cura animarum that they, either themselves or through others, explain frequently during the celebration of the mass some of the things read during the mass, and that among other things they explain some mystery of this most holy sacrifice, especially on Sundays and festival days.” (Session 22, Chapter VIII)

  7. I agree with Found. This teaching can always be done during a homily. Several years ago I attended a parish where the priest did explain each part of the mass during a 5 or 6 week series of homilies. I can’t think of anything more disruptive to prayer or reverence than a priest stopping before each part of the Mass and saying what he is going to do or has done. E.g., after the consecration “I have just turned the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ — TA DA!”

  8. I saw this done pretty well once at a Cursillo. Being in a smaller “captive” group and a small chapel helped.

    Essentially, the Priest gave an explanation of the Liturgy of the Word before Mass began. Including drawing some diagrams of the parts of the Liturgy and such. In addition to speaking to the Scriptures, the homily included a teaching about the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Then he gave a “bringing it all together” teaching after the Mass was completed. During the Mass there were some succinct comments that I believe fit well in the GIRM. All and all, it was beneficial.

  9. Dear Jimmy,

    I believe that the (implicit) foundation of the “teaching” Mass is SC 38: Provisions shall also be made, when revising the liturgical books, for legitimate variations and adaptations to different groups, regions, and peoples, especially in mission lands, provided that the substantial unity of the Roman rite is preserved; and this should be borne in mind when drawing up the rites and devising rubrics.

    This is also the basis for the Directory for Masses with Children (1973).

    Since the Vatican II Council, numerous American priests and bishops have used the “teaching” Mass as a method of catechesis. It is more common with children and at schools, but has also been used with adults. Of course, it has also at times been used to “teach” ideas of questionable value.

    Try a google search on “bishop” and “teaching mass”

  10. This sounds like the teaching Mass that’s being held at St. Gertrude in Cincinnati this Saturday at 11:30AM. I can assure Jimmy’s readers that it’s quite possibly the most orthodox parish in our archdiocese.

  12. I’ve been to two Masses where I wished the priest would have offered a little tiny bit of “help” to the congregation. One was a Catholic funeral Mass, and over 50% of those in attendance were not Catholic. At the time we were faithful, recent converts. It was uncomfortable because people didn’t even know when to stand, sit or kneel. We got flustered and didn’t kneel at one point because no one else did, but later corrected that (we felt on the spot because my family, all non-Catholics, were there sitting with us and we almost felt like we were performing). The second time was a Marriage Encounter weekend, at which several (many?) of the couples were in mixed marriages. It would have been helpful to have at least a little guidance from the Priest, perhaps not throughout the Mass but before, explaining the what and why of the Mass.

  13. In the new GIRM, section 105 provides:

    105. The following also exercise a liturgical function:

    (b) The commentator, who provides the faithful, when appropriate, with brief explanations and commentaries with the purpose of introducing them to the celebration and preparing them to understand it better. The commentator’s remarks must be meticulously prepared and clear though brief. In performing this function the commentator satnds in an appropriate place facing the faithful, but not at the ambo.

    In the “explanatory masses” in which I have participated, over a four or five week cycle of Masses, the commentator 1) introduces and explains the Introductory Rite; 2) on the next Sunday introduces and explains the Liturgy of the Word; 3) on the third Sunday does the same for the Preparation of the Altar (usually while the collection is being taken); 4) then on the 4th Sunday comments on the Eucharistic Prayer before it begins; 5) offers a comment on Sunday 5 on the Communion Rite before the Our Father. Because this stretches out over several weeks, Mass is not extended by more than a few minutes. The commentary is read, without ad libs, from a well prepared text. It is more restrained, more pertinent, and less opinionated than the “voice over” commentaries that are provided on television for papal Masses.

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