Eucharistic Prayers

[Fides_et_Ratio]

I started a topic in the Catholic Apologetics section about Eucharistic Prayers, as I recently attended a daily Mass where the priest (obviously) made-up the Eucharistic Prayer. When I asked him about it after Mass, he told me that "there are 15 or 16 different ones". It has always been my understanding that there are only 4 Eucharistic Prayers. In fact, I just spent practically the last 6 months arguing with my spiritual director and a few other priests about the Mass/Liturgy.

It came to my attention today that there are (possibly) 10 Eucharistic Prayers, the 4 that I know of and then 6 other ones for "special" Masses. Is this really true? Is there a general rule for when these 6 other Eucharistic Prayers may be implemented? Do you know any history about these other 6? As I'm not so sure I can agree with this... it was hard enough for me to accept using anything other than the Roman Canon, but now there are supposedly even MORE Eucharistic Prayers?

Any light you could shed on this matter would be greatly appreciated and helpful.

Thank you.

[cappie]

There are the four Eucharistic prayers in the usual place in the Roman Missal. These have been used since the promulgation of the Roman Missal in 1973. Some time later the 4 Eucharistic Prayers for Masses with children were approved in 1975 along with the 2 Eucharistic Prayers for Masses for Reconciliation. There have also been Eucharistic Prayers for Various Needs and Occasions approved, I think, about 6 years ago ( I am not sure of the exact date as at the moment I don't have access to the relevant books)

Eucharistic Prayer IV, Eucharistic Prayers for Masses with Children, Masses for Reconciliation and for Various Needs and Occasions must always be used with their own prefaces. They cannot be used, therefore on days that require a proper preface. These Eucharistic prayers can, however, be used with their own preface on ordinary weekdays and the weekdays of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter. Eucharistic Prayer II may be used with other prefaces.

It must also be noted the Eucharistic Prayers for Masses with Children can only be used during Children's Masses not on Sundays or when there are only a few children present.