Priest Changing Words

[DiscerningCatholic]

The priest at St. J's - which is usually very traditional (except for the TLM thing...Fr. B. hasn't done that...yet) - for the past 2 weeks has really been irritating me. I'm not sure if he's a new priest to St. J's or if he's a visiting priest or what. But he adds things to the liturgy and completely changes parts of it. HABITUALLY. For instance, at the Sign of Peace, he said, "Now with a smile on our faces, let us grant one another the peace of Christ." And after the Gospel, he said, "Brothers and sisters, this is the good news of our salvation." It threw me off and it threw everyone else off; nobody knew what to say after the Gospel, since they weren't accustomed to hearing that kind of thing. He also added/changed a lot of things into the liturgy of the Eucharist as well as in the final blessing. Is this wrong or just irritating? Both? Neither?

[cappie]

APOSTOLIC LETTER

SACRAM LITURGIAM

ISSUED MOTU PROPRIO

 

January 25, 1964

 

XI. Finally we wish to emphasize that—beyond what we in this apostolic letter on liturgical matters have either changed or have ordered carried out at the established time—regulation of the liturgy comes solely within the authority of the Church: that is, of this Apostolic See and, in accordance with the law, of the bishop. Consequently, absolutely no one else, not even a priest, can on his own initiative add or subtract or change anything in liturgical matters (CONSTITUTION, Article 22, paragraphs 1 and 3).

We ordain that all we have established with this motu proprio should remain valid, and in force, everything to the contrary notwithstanding.

Given in Rome, at St. Peter's, January 25, 1964, the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle, in the first year of our Pontificate.

PAUL VI

 

 Canon Law: "Pastors of souls and other members of the Christian faithful, according to their respective ecclesiastical function, have the duty to take care that those who seek the sacraments are prepared to receive them by proper evangelization and catechetical instruction, attentive to the norms issued by competent authority" (can. 843 §2).

 

Thus, all are still required to observe the norm according to which: "In celebrating the sacraments the liturgical books approved by competent authority are to be observed faithfully; accordingly, no one is to add, omit or alter anything in them on one's own authority" (can. 846 §1).

 

The law is pretty clear. But these things irritating though they are :angry: do not invalidate the Mass.