Pope urges liturgical experts to avoid ‘unnecessary pomp’ in Mass
By Justin McLellan, CNS – Liturgical leaders in the church must serve as humble guides to prayer rather than be strictly focused on the application of rules,...
Liturgy
The Church Year and Advent
The Church Year Religious times and seasons – The church year has deep roots in the primitive human impulse to mark certain times with sacral significance and...
Why is the Crucifixion Narrative Read on Palm Sunday Also?
Why do we read the Passion of the Lord at the Palm Sunday Mass? I can understand the reason for reading it on Good Friday but Palm...
Why We Celebrate Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday, the sixth and last Sunday in Lent, marks the start of Holy Week and remembers Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem in the final days before...
What are the Rules On Genuflecting?
Question: The lack of solemn genuflection when entering the church is bothering me. Folk don’t know to double genuflect (that is, to go down on both knees)...
Pope clarifies rules limiting celebration of pre-Vatican II Mass
By Cindy Wooden, CNS – Diocesan bishops must have Vatican authorisation to allow the celebration of the pre-Vatican II Mass in a parish church, to establish a...
Preserve Our Catholic Tradition
From Lynette Peterson, Cape Town – Many Catholics attend Mass once a week in expectation of being fully instructed. Canon 834:1 states: “Through the liturgy, a complete...
Are eulogies allowed at Catholic funerals?
Question: I’m confused. My parish priest says that there may be no eulogies at a funeral Mass, but I’ve been to funerals in Catholic churches where a...
Long homilies are ‘a disaster’, keep it under 10 minutes, pope says
By Justin McLellan, CNS – Lengthy, abstract homilies are “a disaster,” so preaching should be limited to 10 minutes, Pope Francis said. Speaking off the cuff to...
What Mass Stipends are Allowed?
Question: My question is about stipends paid for a Mass to be celebrated for a private, personal intention or for a general intention. My understanding is that...
