The Concluding Rites - Part 8
Part eight of a series I am writing for inclusion in the weekly bulletin of St Francis of Assisi Parish, Dungog Gresford
At the end of Part 7 the Assembly who had come together to worship God and to be nourished by Word and Sacrament have been dismissed, sent out, to go back to doing good works in the name of God.
It might surprise a few people then that the last element mentioned in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) is
the kissing of the altar by the [Presider] and the Deacon, followed by a profound bow to the altar by the [Presider], the Deacon, and the other ministers. (n.90d)
Which might seem to leave the various ministers standing in front of the altar, but if you read on in the GIRM – to n.169 – then we find out that after doing all of the above, the Presider “withdraws with them”. This instruction is repeated in the Order of Mass n.145.
The language used is interesting. Unlike at the beginning of Mass, when the Presider enters the gathering together with the other ministers, accompanied by some form of music, at the end he and they ‘withdraw’. There is no mention of musical accompaniment, and the language implies a simpler action.
Even the Ceremonial of Bishops, a ritual book that contains the more elaborate liturgical directions for liturgies presided over by a bishop, maintains the distinction between what happens at the beginning of Mass and what happens at the end of Mass (after the dismissal).
What do we make of this?
In most parishes in Australia – and other places to be sure – the ‘withdrawal’ of the liturgical ministers has taken on a level of solemnity that perhaps was never meant to be present in the post-conciliar liturgy.
There is music, often grand in order to ‘send people off well’, and the procession tends to be as solemn as the entrance procession. Yet nothing of all of that is mentioned in the instructions for how Mass is to be celebrated.
The requirement is, simply, to withdraw.
I am not suggesting, however, that we should do anything to change the current practice. I have to confess to liking nothing more than a stirring hymn to which to leave a church. And this is particularly the case during those more solemn moments in the life of the Church – such as the Annual Chrism Mass – where liturgical solemnity has been part of the entire experience.
I am saying, though, that we need to recognise that such a practice is, strictly speaking, not required by the liturgical document that outlines how we celebrate the most important celebration in the Church’s life, and from which other celebrations take a lead.
It might also mean that, occasionally at least, a simple withdrawal should be considered as an option for the of Mass. Those times of the liturgical year – the Seasons of Lent and Advent spring to mind – which lend themselves to a pared back liturgical experience might be considered as being appropriate for such a practice.
Whatever the case, at the end of the dismissal, the Presider and his liturgical ministers ‘withdraw’ in an appropriate manner, while the gathered Assembly begins to disperse back to doing good works.
And that brings us to the end of other exploration of the Concluding Rites of Mass. Next week, in Part 9, we will briefly summarise our exploration before this series comes to an end.
To be continued…