Liturgy in Collegeville: From the Archives – Part XXII

(cf. Pray Tell: Worship, Wit & Wisdom Blog, Oct 6, 2014. https://praytellblog.com/index.php/2014/10/06/liturgy-in-collegeville-from-the-archives-part-xxii/)

Pray Tell is running a series on the liturgical history of Collegeville. The sub-series “From the Archives” reprints some of the Liturgy Committee meeting minutes from 1963 to 1969. This sub-series is a behind-the-scenes look at liturgy in Collegeville during and immediately after the Second Vatican Council.

The next record from the Liturgy Committee:

Minutes of the Liturgy Committee

July 22, 1964

Present were Fathers John, Daniel, Godfrey, Michael, Aelred, Wenceslaus.

The topic of the discussion was concelebration. The following recommendations were made by the committee:

Vesting should take place during Terce, and if possible the concelebrants should wear the same type of vestments.

The lessons should be read by lectors so that concelebration would not work to the detriment of the participation of the rest of the assembly. During the Canon the prayers from the Hanc igitur till the “Supplices” (and including the latter) are to be recited together. At the Hanc igitur each concelebrant would extend his right hand with the palm of his hand facing down, the position of the laying on of hands; at the words of consecration the gesture of pointing would be used by the concelebrants, that is, the palm of the right hand extended up and sideways.

For the communion of the 20 concelebrants six large hosts would be needed. Father Abbot should share one half of his with others. One of the remaining hosts should be broken into three parts, with the four others to be broken into four parts. After the concelebrants receive their hosts from the altar, the chief concelebrant says, “Domine, non sum dignus…” aloud, with the concelebrants praying it silently. Each of the concelebrants would receive the precious blood from the common chalice.

The concelebrants should only bow for the blessing. This position should probably be extended to all in Solemn Vows.