Topic: Triduum
Source of this posting: Moderator response to emailed question
Date originally posted: March 3, 2002
Moderator who originally posted this source: P. Leach
Question: I have 2 questions. 1. Can anyone other than the Priest perform the foot washing on Holy Thursday? Also, aren't men supposed to be the only ones who get their feet washed? 2.Good Friday Services....there's no consecration so would it be ok if a Sister gave the homily? I am very concerned that this is still improper even if it wasn't a Mass. Thanks in advance! LaRae
Answer:
Dear LaRae,
All of your questions relate to the Liturgy of the Sacred Triduum. And given the wording, particularly of your second question, I would venture to say that you are not terribly familiar with the Church's teaching about the nature of this most holy of all Liturgies. So, let me make a few preparatory comments about the Triduum.
The Triduum -- or "three days" -- is, in fact, ONE Liturgy.
The Triduum begins with the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday. The Triduum continues when the community re-assembles on Good Friday for the Celebration of the Lord's Passion. The Triduum reaches it's climax at the Great Vigil on Holy Saturday night. And the Triduum includes the Mass(es) on Easter Day. All of these 'parts' make up the 'whole' of the Triduum.
Looking carefully at the structure of each of it's components will make the one-ness of the Triduum Liturgy exceptionally clear. The Sign of the Cross with which our Catholic Liturgy always begins is made only at the beginning of the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday. At the conclusion of the Mass of the Lord's Supper there is no Final Blessing; rather, following the Prayer after Communion, we have the Transfer of the Holy Eucharist to the specially prepared Altar of Repose. The Celebration of the Lord's Passion on Good Friday neither begins with the Sign of the Cross nor concludes with the Final Blessing. And the Great Easter Vigil does not begin with the Sign of the Cross, but it does conclude with the Final Blessing and the invitation to go forth singing the Alleluia. (The Easter Sunday Masses also end with the Final Blessing and Alleluia.)
The point, then, is that when we are praying, participating in, and/or thinking about the Church's actions on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday, we need to recognize that the it is the whole of the Triduum that must be taken into account. Isolating any one aspect of the Triduum -- which, according to Saint Thomas, we probably need to do in order to 'get our minds around' the question -- necessarily truncates the Church's vision of the wholeness of the Triduum Liturgy.
With regard, then, to your questions about the Foot Washing which may be part of the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper, I will quote the rubrics that are found in the Sacramentary:
"Depending on partoral circumstances, the washing of feet follows the homily.
"The men who have been chosen are led by the ministers to chairs prepared in a suitable place. Then the priest (removing his chasuble if necessary) goes to each man. With the help of the ministers, he pours water over each one's feet and dries them.
"Meanwhile some of the following antiphons or other appropriate songs are sung." (p.136, Sacramentary, Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, 1985)
Since I do not know the particular circumstance about which you ask, I can only comment VERY GENERALLY that the rubric cited above indicates that the Foot Washing is normally done by the priest, presumably who presides at the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday. The priest, clearly, can be assisted by such ministers as he deems appropriate. Certainly in the parish in which I have the privilege of serving, I always do the foot washing -- it's a good sign to ME that I must be willing to get down on my knees in front of all the people and wash the stinky, smelly feet of other Christians.
And with regard to your other question about whether only "men" are to have their feet washed: The rubric quoted above clearly translates the Latin word as "men."
My sense is that most pastors look to their own Bishop, who is the Chief Liturgist in his Diocese, for an example. If the diocesan Bishop only washes the feet of males, then I imagine that local pastors might do the same. If the diocesan Bishop washes the feet of males and females, I would guess that local pastors might follow the example of the Successor to the Apostles who presides in charity over their own Diocese.
With regard to your third question (which you called "#2.") about preaching at the Good Friday Celebration of the Lord's Passion, I would make the following comments.
You are quite right that there is no consecration at the Celebration of the Lord's Passion on Good Friday -- impressive that you noticed that! Unfortunately many good folks miss that fact. But, the fact that there is no consecration really makes no difference. You will recall from what I said above that the Good Friday Celebration of the Lord's Passion is one of the central and constituitive elements of the Triduum Liturgy. As such the Celebration of the Lord's Passion is very much Liturgy. So, the exception to which you advert really does not apply.
Since the Celebration of the Lord's Passion is Liturgy, I would presume that preaching in that context would be guided by the following Canon from the Code of Canon Law:
"Can. 767 §1 The most important form of preaching is the homily, which is part of the liturgy, and is reserved to a priest or deacon. In the course of the liturgical year, the mysteries of faith and the rules of Christian living are to be expounded in the homily from the sacred text."
Canon Law, like any text, should probably be understood in its context. Canon 767.1, quoted above, is found under the heading: "THE MINISTRY OF THE DIVINE WORD." I will quote some other relevant canons below:
"Can. 756 §1 The office of preaching the Gospel to the whole Church has been committed principally to the Roman Pontiff and to the College of Bishops."
"Can. 757 It belongs to priests, as cooperators of the Bishops, to proclaim the Gospel of God. For the people entrusted to their care, this task rests especially on parish priests, and on other priests entrusted with the care of souls. Deacons also are to serve the people of God in the ministry of the word, in union with the Bishop and his presbyterium."
"Can. 758 By reason of their consecration to God, members of institutes of consecrated life bear particular witness to the Gospel, and so are fittingly called upon by the Bishop to help in proclaiming the Gospel."
"Can. 759 The lay members of Christ's faithful, by reason of their baptism and confirmation, are witnesses to the good news of the Gospel, by their words and by the example of their Christian life. They can also be called upon to cooperate with Bishops and priests in the exercise of the ministry of the word."
"Can. 760 The mystery of Christ is to be faithfully and fully presented in the ministry of the word, which must be founded upon sacred Scripture, Tradition, liturgy and the Magisterium and life of the Church."
"Can. 766 The laity may be allowed to preach in a church or oratory if in certain circumstances it is necessary, or in particular cases it would be advantageous, according to the provisions of the Episcopal Conference and without prejudice to can. 767 §1."
This last citation, Canon 766, seems to leave open the possibility of legitimately allowing a non-ordained person to preach within approved limits.
The primary question that I would suggest for you to focus on is suggested by Canon 768, #1 and #2:
"Can. 768 §1 Those who announce the word of God to Christ's faithful are first and foremost to set out those things which it is necessary to believe and to practice for the glory of God and the salvation of all.
"§2 They are also to explain to the faithful the teaching of the Magisterium of the Church concerning the dignity and freedom of the human person; the unity, stability and duties of the family; people's social obligations and the ordering of temporal affairs according to the plan established by God."
Whoever preaches at the Celebration of the Lord's Passion on Good Friday -- or any time the community of faith assembles for Liturgy -- is charged with a truly awesome responsibility, as Canon 768 puts it: "...to announce the word of God" Did the preacher on Good Friday "set out those things which it is necessary to believe and to practice for the glory of God and the salvation of all"? Did the words you heard on Good Friday explain "the teaching of the Magisterium concerning the dignity and freedom of the human person"? Was the preacher on Good Friday concerned to talk about the "the unity, stability and duties of the family"? Were you challenged by the preacher on Good Friday to think and pray about your "social obligations"? Did the preaching at the Good Friday service cause you think seriously about the right "ordering of temporal affairs according to the plan established by God"?
And in the words of Canon 767, did the preacher on Good Friday expound some aspect of "the mysteries of faith and the rules of Christian living"?
If even one of those profoundly significant challenges which Canon Law poses was addressed by the preacher whom you heard on Good Friday, I would think you have much about which to be "very concerned" -- to use your own words. When I think about how far I personally fall short of the high ideals expressed here in Canon Law, I simply don't have the time or the energy to be concerned about much else.
The 'spirit' of the Church's Law about preaching seems -- to me, though I am not a trained Canonist; I am just a campus minister -- to be aimed at calling Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, who are the usual proclaimers of the Word in Liturgy, to be more attuned to the Spirit of God at work in the Liturgy. Canon Law with its marvelous strength and simultaneous elasticity seems to recognize that while the ordained should normally be the ones charged with this overwhelmingly great responsibility, situations may arise in which the ordained might need a little help.
Finally, I guess I would just congratulate you, LaRae, on finding time in the busy-ness of life to be present for the first two parts of the Sacred Triduum! I wish more people would have the good fortune of being part of this most holy of days!
Blessings,
Father Phillip