Sign of peace at Mass: Vatican says it stays put, but urges education (more details)

cns ^ | August 1, 2014 | Cindy Wooden

[NYer]

Congregants exchange the sign of peace at a Mass in February before a charity motorcycle ride led by Miami Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski to benefit a Catholic Charities' center for alcohol and drug rehabilitation. (CNS/Tom Tracy)

By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The sign of peace at Mass has not always led to serenity among liturgists or within the congregations gathered each Sunday in Catholic churches around the world.

After nine years of study and consultation, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments has told Latin-rite bishops around the world that the sign of peace will stay where it is in the Mass.

However, the congregation said, "if it is foreseen that it will not take place properly," it can be omitted. But when it is used, it must be done with dignity and awareness that it is not a liturgical form of "good morning," but a witness to the Christian belief that true peace is a gift of Christ's death and resurrection.

The text of the congregation's "circular letter" on "the ritual expression of the gift of peace at Mass," was approved by Pope Francis and posted in Spanish on the website of the Spanish bishops' conference. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, confirmed its authenticity Aug. 1.

Catholic News Service obtained a copy of the letter in English.

In 2005, members of the Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist adopted a formal proposition questioning whether the sign of peace might be better placed elsewhere in the Mass, for example at the end of the prayer of the faithful and before the offering of the gifts.

Cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera, current prefect of the congregation, and Archbishop Arthur Roche, the congregation's current secretary, said Pope Benedict XVI had asked the congregation to study the matter and, after doing so, in 2008 it asked bishops' conferences around the world whether to keep the sign of peace where it is or move it to another moment "with a view to improving the understanding and carrying out of this gesture."

"After further reflection," the letter said, "it was considered appropriate to retain the rite of peace in its traditional place in the Roman liturgy and not to introduce structural changes in the Roman Missal."

But that does not exclude the need for new or renewed efforts to explain the importance of the sign of peace so that the faithful understand it and participate in it correctly, the congregation's letter said.

It asked bishops to study whether it might be time to find "more appropriate gestures" to replace a sign of peace using "familiar and profane gestures of greeting."

And, it said, they should do everything possible to end "abuses" such as:

-- "The introduction of a 'song for peace,' which is nonexistent in the Roman rite."

-- "The movement of the faithful from their places to exchange the sign of peace amongst themselves."

-- "The departure of the priest from the altar in order to give the sign of peace to some of the faithful."

-- People using the sign of peace at Christmas, Easter, baptisms, weddings, ordinations and funerals to offer holiday greetings, congratulations or condolences.

"Christ is our peace, the divine peace, announced by the prophets and by the angels, and which he brought to the world by means of his paschal mystery," the letter said. "This peace of the risen Lord is invoked, preached and spread in the celebration (of Mass), even by means of a human gesture lifted up to the realm of the sacred."

In some Catholic liturgical traditions, it said, the exchange of peace occurs before the offering in response to Jesus' exhortation in Matthew 5:23-24: "If you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift."

But in the Latin rite, the letter said, the exchange of peace comes after the consecration because it refers to "the 'paschal kiss' of the risen Christ present on the altar." It comes just before the breaking of the bread during which "the Lamb of God is implored to gives us his peace."

[Bigg Red]

I hate it, hate hate it, hate it. It brings me no peace. It is disruptive and phony. If we must greet one another with peace, it should be done at the beginning of Mass.

[Bigg Red]

Make that 3 of us.

[CdMGuy]

For this Catholic, I find it so misplaced. If we are going to have the so called sign of peace, then why not at the very beginning of the Mass. Where it is now, it is quite disruptive to the liturgy. All of a sudden, we stop at just about the most sacred parts of the Mass. Then we are supposed to pick up again, almost as if nothing had happened when we should have been paying attention to the priest who is about to commence the celebration of the Holy Eucharist distribution.

Oh, and by the way, doesn’t anyone in this Vatican have something more important to be emphasizing every hour of every day, that being the slaughter of thousands of Christians in the Middle East and Africa by Muslim fanatics.

[cloudmountain]

I like to use that time to threaten my kids with death and dismemberment.

You are a GOOD mother!

[steve86]

it was considered appropriate to retain the rite of peace in its traditional place in the Roman liturgy

This is where the priest offers the deacon (if any) the Sign of Peace, and that's it. Anything else/more is bogus and an error.

[Tax-chick]

I have the point, the snap, the hiss, the throat-cutting gesture, the mock gunshot ... as I stand there in front of God and everyone leading the choir.

[cloudmountain]

Since we go to Mass to hear the Word of God and MOST importantly to receive the BODY, BLOOD, SOUL and DIVINITY of our Lord, Jesus Christ, anything else is "chump change" and not worth or worthy getting one's shorts all bunched up.

WHO CARES about the sign of peace?
The BODY, BLOOD, SOUL and DIVINITY of our Lord, Jesus Christ, is what is crucial!

PRIORITIES!

[cloudmountain]

I have the point, the snap, the hiss, the throat-cutting gesture, the mock gunshot ... as I stand there in front of God and everyone leading the choir.

HAHAHA! I gotcha!
I would be MEZMERIZED by your antics.

I can tell that you LOVE it.

[Tax-chick]

In our “multipurpose parochial facility,” not a canonical church, the side where the choir is located gets the families who need a quick exit when one or more of their children stages a disaster. All the parents are in sympathy!

Sometimes everyone just throws up their hands and hopes Father is lost in contemplation (or dozing). When you’ve got 4, 6, 8 children all perpetrating a catastrophe, sometimes you just have to suffer.

Our previous pastor was nearly deaf; that helped.

[Legatus]

WHO CARES about the sign of peace?

It's part of the lex orandi/lex credendi thing. How we worship God (or don't as the case may be) is important. I can barely remember the sign of peace it's been so long since I attended a New Mass but I do remember it being very jarring and disorienting.

[steve86]

anything else is "chump change"

So no issue of liturgical compliance has any importance whatsoever? Each priest and parish is free to experiment, innovate, 'progress'? Why not just serve the Hosts in a drive-though? You're protestant not Catholic.

[steve86]

If anyone looking like that approached me at a Mass I would assume it was a black mass and run the other direction.

[Tax-chick]

I would say, “Peace be with you, sir. Cool jacket!”

[steve86]

I would say something nice to you no matter how you were dressed.

[Tax-chick]

That’s good, because I buy clothes at The Salvation Army.

[Tax-chick]

But seriously, if I had weird piercings, tattoos, and a hair color not found in nature, like Jamie-my-Hairdresser, I hope you’d still smile and say, “Peace of Christ.”

[Legatus]

Cool jacket!”

Which is exactly why the entire rite should be eliminated, I don't have a horse in the novus ordo race anymore but I think the idea that you're suddenly focused on the man's jacket is proof that the situation has gotten completely out of hand.

[Tax-chick]

I think it’s a way of making a person feel welcome, as an individual, in our parish, just as I would say, “Your daughters look adorable today!” to one of the mothers.

But whatever ... until someone with the ultimate authority says we all have to be the same, we don’t all have to be the same.

[steve86]

I wouldn't be at the New Mass.

But I realize people go through phases and sometimes unusual dress or accoutrements may be part of that. I do not assume that individual is a bad person, but sometimes questionable for parenting (like a relative you've heard about).

[steve86]

That’s good, because I buy clothes at The Salvation Army.

60-80% of mine from one thrift store or another, or in the closet since the 80s.