Worship News | December 2018

Advent 2018

As we begin our Advent journey this year we have many reminders of people around the world who are being forced to become refugees like Mary and Joseph.

It was on the whim of a ruler that Mary and Joseph traveled even as she was in the last months of her pregnancy. Similarly, it is on the whim of those who have the power and will to cause suffering and death that the refugees of today travel from Africa, Central America, Syria etc.….over 25.4 million of them. They are mothers and fathers with children of all ages, young people who do not see any future for themselves in their native country. And just like Mary and Joseph they are being told….There is no room….You are not welcome…Here in the U.S., a country of immigrants and refugees, we are building a wall to keep these desperate people out. The people of the Southwest are doing all in their power to help these refugees. What can we do?

Pope Francis has said that the “only reasonable response is solidarity and mercy.”

Francis also said that even though God promises freedom to all the oppressed, “he needs us to fulfill his promise.”

“He needs our eyes to see the needs of our brothers and sisters. He needs our hands to offer them help. He needs our voice to protest the injustices….including the silence of common sense and the silence which justifies injustice because “it’s always been done this way.”

First, we need to pray for these immigrants … refugees. The USCCB has supplied this prayer and list of intentions.

Then we need to examine our consciences…what would our attitude be toward refugees if they were to walk through our neighborhood?

The dioceses of the Southwest U.S. are doing all in their power to bring some care and solace to these refugees. They have need for supplies and volunteers. Some contacts are:

Pilgrim House at the San Juan Shrine
La Posada Providencia, an emergency shelter for immigrants ,
Annunciation House at refugees@annunciationhouse.org

News from Vatican

Help the Community to sing, don’t replace its voice
In the last days of November some 7,000 musicians and singers participated in the 3^rd International Meeting of Choirs at the Vatican. On Saturday, the last day of the event, Pope Francis expressed his appreciation and gave this instruction:

“Your music and song are truly an instrument of evangelization to the extent that you bear witness to the depth of the Word of God, which touches people’s hearts, and to the extent that you assist in the celebration of the Sacraments, in particular the Holy Eucharist, allowing us to perceive the beauty of Paradise.”

Pope Francis then cautioned them:

“You are the musical animators of the whole congregation. Don’t take its place, depriving the people of God of the chance to sing with you and bear witness to the Church’s communal prayer.”

He then invited them:

Be sure to “ give space to more popular forms of religious expression….Feasts of patron saints, processions, dances and the religious songs our peoples…” all of which are an action of the Holy Spirit at the heart of the Church.

News from USCCB

Obtaining Low Gluten Hosts
In the dioceses of the United States, there are four approved distributors of low-gluten hosts and two of mustum known to the Secretariat of Divine Worship. (Any additional low-gluten host and/or mustum distributors are strongly encouraged to contact the Secretariat so that an up-to-date listing may be maintained.) Click here for information

Misal Romano
The mandatory implementation date for the Misal Romano was the First Sunday of Advent, December 2, 2018. Starting with this Sunday no other edition from any other Spanish speaking conference may be used in this country.

The FDLC has published a new resource in Spanish and English, Nuestro Sacrificio De Alabanza: Una Colección de recursos para la formación litúrgica / Our Sacrifice of Praise: A Collection of Resources for Liturgical Formation. It contains Bulletin Inserts, Homily Helps, Adult Education Sessions, etc. and gives the purchaser permission to make copies of everything for use in the parish. Please visit the website for more information and to place an order.

USCCB advances the cause for canonization of Sr. Thea Bowman
SrTheaBowman

At their November meeting the bishops of the United States voted to advance the process for the becoming a saint of Sr. Thea Bowman. She was the first black sister in her all white community, Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. During the 1980’s she shared her spirituality with audiences all over the United States, including with the USCCB at their meeting in 1989 and she had all the bishops singing with her. She explained to them what it meant to be African-American and Catholic and spoke to them as a sister having a “heart to heart” conversation with her brothers. Her whole life proclaimed a firm belief in God’s real presence in her life and invited others to encounter the presence of God in their lives.

Bishops approve “Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love, A Pastoral Letter against Racism
The bishops approved this pastoral letter with a vote of 241 to 3 with 1 abstention. “This pastoral letter asks us to recall that we are all brothers and sisters, all equally made in the image of God. Because we all bear the image of God, racism is above all a moral and theological problem that manifests institutionally and systematically. Only a deep individual conversion of heart will compel change and reform in our institutions and society.” Click here to read the full letter. (from USCCB News, 11/15/2018)

For Pastors and Worship Commissions

Next to the yearly celebration of the paschal mystery, the Church holds most sacred the commemoration of Christ’s birth and first manifestations. This is the purpose of the Christmas season.

The attached directives are found in the Bishops’ Ceremonial, the Ordo, the Book of Blessings, and the GIRM.

Notes and Reflections
Attached are some reflections to help you do evaluation after the Christmas season.

You are part of the family
The Archdiocese has launched a major effort to invite thousands of people to Mass for Christmas. Social media email, and other channels will be used to extend this invitation. A new website that will make it easy for the person to find the Mass times of all the parishes in the Archdiocese for the celebration of Christmas. All of us in the Archdiocese are encouraged to use the media and message … You are part of the family…to reach out and invite those we know who may just need that message. Click here for more information.

Faculty for a priest/pastor to confirm
We often receive questions about when a priest may confirm. Attached here are the faculties that may be exercised within the territorial limits of the Province of Detroit as applicable

RCIA

Rite of Election 2018

The schedule for the Rite of Election in 2019 is as follows:

Saturday, March 9	11:00 a.m.	Bishop Cepeda (bilingual)
	2:00 p.m.	Bishop Fisher
	5:00 p.m.	Bishop Battersby
Sunday, March 10	2:00 p.m.	Archbishop Vigneron (bilingual)

All coordinators of the RCIA have received a letter with more information and a form to register the catechumens and candidates in their parish process who have been discerned as fully prepared to be initiated at the Easter Vigil. Remember, there is no teaching during Lent. It is the time of spiritual preparation for initiation.

Sponsors Give Testimony According the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, before the Rite of Election is celebrated:

“…the catechumens are expected to have undergone a conversion in mind and in action and to have developed a sufficient acquaintance with Christian teaching as well as a spirit of faith and charity. With deliberate will and an enlightened faith they must have the intention to receive the sacraments of the Church….”#119.

At the Rite itself the Archbishop will ask the sponsors present to give testimony to the fact that the catechumens standing before him are truly ready to take on the Catholic life in its fullness. I would urge sponsors to consider this testimony the same way they would consider the testimony they would give to a judge at a court…. “…to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth…” This testimony is serious business.

Why does the RCIA Take So Long?
This question reflects the prevailing culture which seeks instant gratification and as Archbishop Vigneron says in the Pastoral Letter, Unleash the Gospel: “…viewing the Church…as simply a human institution, and the Catholic faith as merely a lifestyle enhancer…”

My question back to them is: Why does it take so long for someone to become a doctor? Or a football player? We don’t give a doctor the tools for healing until he/she is ready…has enough knowledge and hands on experience to be trusted with the awesome task of that profession…he has the life of others in his hands. Neither would we put someone into a professional football game until he is ready and equipped to help his team win! So too, we take time with those seeking initiation providing all the opportunities and help they need for faith and conversion to become a solid part of their lives…so solid that they are willing to face life with all of its ups and downs for the rest of their life.

Q & A

1. This year, December 8 falls on a Saturday. Does attendance at the 4:00 p.m. Mass on December 8, the holy day of obligation, fulfill the Sunday obligation?

December 8, 2018 is a Holy Day of Obligation.Parishes should schedule Masses so that the faithful may fulfill their obligation.Therefore, a parish may schedule an anticipatory Mass for the Feast on Friday December 7 after 4 PM and Masses on Saturday Morning (for example 8, 10 and 12 noon.)

Weddings which may take place on Saturday (for example at noon or 2 pm) the following rubric is in order:

The Ritual Mass for Matrimony may not be used…the Mass prayers and readings of the day must be used without change. For Masses celebrated after 4 PM on Saturday December 8, the readings of the day must be used without change.For Masses celebrated after 4 PM on Saturday December 8, the readings of the Second Sunday Advent must be used.In order to fulfill both obligations of Sunday and the feast a person must attend two separate liturgies (one on Friday or Saturday AM and one on Saturday PM or Sunday AM)Answered by Msgr. Kasza.

2. What does the Church require for the baptism of an adopted child?

The Archdiocesan policy is:

The baptism should occur after the adoption is completed
The parents should present the parish with a copy of the adoption papers
After the adoption is completed the adopted parents have all of the rights and responsibilities of natural parents
Baptism may be scheduled as soon as the adoption is complete
When recording the baptism the following information should be recorded:
- Name of the adopted child
- Names of the adoptive parents
- Date and place of birth
- Godparents
- Place and date of baptism
- Name of the minister of baptism

Do not record the names of the birth parents. In the notation section write “adopted”. Any certificate you issue for this person will not make mention of the fact of the adoption.

3. Who can be a sponsor and/or godparent?
Sponsors and Godparents must:

be Catholic
be fully initiated, has been baptized, confirmed and received Communion
be 16 or older (although there may be exceptions to this rule at the discretion of the bishop)
must be living a life consistent with their own baptismal vows.

A Catholic who does not practice the faith by regularly attending Mass or who is in an invalid marriage disqualifies himself from being a sponsor or godparent. Moreover, if a person is Catholic but antagonistic to the faith, i.e. has the attitude "I am a Catholic but...," and would not be a good example and witness to the faith also disqualifies himself. If a person is not striving to fulfill his own obligations of baptism and confirmation, he will not fulfill the responsibilities of helping another to do so.

People sometimes object to the requirements for a godparent. In order to understand the Church's position, several points must be kept in mind. Baptism is not a private act. It is a public, official liturgy of the Church and welcomes someone into the Catholic Church. Therefore, the Church has the duty and obligation to require reasonable criteria for being a godparent. The godparent is to assist the newly initiated person in living a Catholic life. In order to do so, the godparent needs to provide good example of living that life. A person who is not Catholic, or who is not living in a way consistent with the faith, obviously cannot provide the example that is part of the task of being a godparent. The role of the godparent is a role of service done in the name of the Church, and the person who is a godparent should be capable of performing that service.

Resources

Click here to download the updated list of Valid Baptisms.
Radically Mission-Oriented Christmas….Christmas Outreach Resources for your parish
The following resources are available at the AOD Print Shop
- Prayer to Unleash the Gospel
- Prayer for the Canonization of Blessed Solanus Casey
- Baptism Certificate
- Full Communion Certificate
- RCIA Pre-Catechumenate Questionnaire
- Nicene Creed Prayer Card
- The Lord’s Prayer Card
- Handbook for Lectors….English and Spanish
- Handbook for EHMC’s…English and Spanish
- Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
- Guide for Preparation of Confirmation …English & Spanish
- Communion of Sick, Prayer card for the sick person
- Lay Person’s Manual: Communion of Sick
- Via Lucis: Stations of the Resurrection
To access the Print Shop website:
- Go to www.aod.org
- At the top of the page, click on Printing (in the black box)
- Click on Order Products (in the blue box)
- Click on the Christian Worship item in the list of offices