Skipping the first reading at Mass

[GilWright]

The coordinator of the Children's Liturgy for the Family Mass (tomorrow) advises that Fr [DELETED] would like the readers to skip the first reading.

The alleged discussion (with Parish Priest present) included the phrase "I'm old enough to decide for myself, so skip the first reading".

This could be because the reading is hard? Or perhaps because it shows God haggling?

Position: Fr is in charge of the Mass - what he says goes.
Contra-posiiton: The readings are part of the Liturgy for a reason and Fr is defying the church.

Any takers?

[GilWright]

The GIRM states:
315. On Sundays, on weekdays of Advent, the Christmas season, Lent, and the Easter season, on feasts, and on obligatory memorials:
a. if Mass is celebrated with a congregation, the priest should follow the calendar of the church where he is celebrating;
b. if Mass is celebrated without a congregation, the priest may choose either the calendar of the church or his own calendar.


The congregation will be present so the rule is to follow the calendar.

Further on in 316 is says:

If he celebrates with a congregation, the priest should first consider the spiritual good of the faithful and avoid imposing his own personal preferences. In particular, he should not omit the readings assigned for each day in the weekday lectionary too frequently or without sufficient reason, since the Church desires that a richer portion of God's word be provided for the people.[94]

This seems to be specifically about skipping some of he readings at a weekday Mass - not Sunday Mass - but I would assume the Sunday Mass has a higher standard anyway.

Now we get onto 318:

318. Sundays and holydays have three readings, that is, from the Old Testament, from the writings of an apostle, and from a Gospel. Thus God's own teaching brings the Christian people to a knowledge of the continuity of the work of salvation.
Accordingly, it is expected that there will be three readings, but for pastoral reasons and by decree of the conference of bishops the use of only two readings is allowed in some places. In such a case, the choice between the first two readings should be based on the norms in the Lectionary and on the intention to lead the people to a deeper knowledge of Scripture; there should never be any thought of choosing a text because it is shorter or easier.

Has the Australian Council of Bishops allowed the two reading option? I have no idea where to check that.

[GilWright]

Ahhhh. I was quoting from "The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, Fourth Edition, 27 March 1975".

Just checked the more recent "The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, Interim Text for Australia, May 2007" (Approved by CDW for use until the new Edition of the English Missal).

The key passage:

357. Three readings, that is, from a Prophet, an Apostle and a Gospel, are assigned to Sundays and Solemnities. By these readings, the Christian people are brought to know the continuity of the work of salvation according to the wonderful divine plan. These readings are to be followed strictly. During the season of Easter...

In #358 there is discussion about the priest choosing alternate readings but this section applies to weekday masses only.
#359 talks about special readings, #360 about shorter and longer forms of the reading and #361 is about when there is a choice of readings.

Back in the discussion about the sequence of the Mass - #128 through to #138 cover the Liturgy of the Word (Priest, No Deacon, Congregation Present) and it is clear that the first reading is always used but sometimes not the second reading (there are some conditions were there are only two readings - e.g. some saint days).

[DavidObeid]

Like the saying goes Gil, "Say the black, do the red."

An informative series of posts!

[Charbel Labban]

Yeah, good information!