MODERN LITURGY ANSWERS THE 101 MOST-ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT LITURGY Nick Wagner Paper, regularly $19.95 144 pages, 5½" × 8½" ISBN 0-89390-369-8 View Table of Contents Quantity:

Everyone has questions about liturgy — from the basic (“What’s a missal?”) to the practical (“Where should the presider preach from?”) Now you can get answers to those questions and more from the editor of Ministry & Liturgy magazine. You’ll learn the historical and theological background of current liturgical practices — and you’ll get practical solutions to vexing pastoral problems. Use this important reference book for your planning — or just to provide a quick authoritative answer to someone’s insistent question (“Why can’t we write our own creed?”)

There are four titles in the ML Answers series:
ML Answers the 101 Most-Asked Questions About Liturgy;
The Liturgical Music Answer Book;
The Catechumenate Answer Book;
The Catholic Wedding Answer Book.
You can order sets of all four of the titles in this series at the special set price of $64, by clicking on the button below.

 Reviews

 “Nick Wagner has provided busy pastoral liturgists with a great deal of pertinent information. Having this book on their shelves will make the task of these liturgies much easier. It provides succint and clear responses to many practical questions about the liturgy, questions both obvious and not so obvious. It calls for a volume two.”
— Jake Empereur, SJ, founding editor of Modern Liturgy

 “Nick Wagner has prepared a useful tool for introducing Catholics to some liturgical basics. The question-and-answer format is helpful since the 101 questions posed are the ones most frequently asked and are answered here in a brief, understandable style. This book will be useful for introducing those who are interested in getting involved with the parish liturgy committee or worship planning. This book might also be useful for parish council members who need a broad overview of Catholic liturgy.”
— Ron Lewinski, former director of the Chicago Office of Divine Worship, and pastor of St. Mary’s Church, Mundeline, Ill.

 “This is a ‘gold star’ work! I found it readable, understandable and very informative. Historical, theological and pastoral comments are contained in the responses to these important liturgical questions. This book is a ‘must have’ for priests, deacons, liturgy committees, catechists, parents and anyone entrusted with the religious formation of the parish community.”
— Lois Paha, OP, Worship Office Director, Diocese of Austin, Texas

 “This book is a must for every liturgy commission member, parish musician or anyone who enjoys learning more about liturgy. These are questions we are asked time and time again. It will be wonderful to refer people right to these excellent, concise answers. I can’t wait to have mine handy!”
— John Romeri, director of music, St. Louis Cathedral

 About the Author

 Nick Wagner has authored two previous books on liturgy and the sacraments, and served as editor of Ministry & Liturgy (ML) magazine from 1993 through 2001. He is a frequent lecturer, workshop leader and trainer in all areas of liturgical ministry. He forms lectors as ministers of the Word through ML’s annual Liturgical Arts Adventure. He has trained hundreds of lectors in his previous work as both a parish and a diocesan liturgist. He holds an advanced degree in liturgical studies from St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn.

Table of Contents

 Preface

 Groundwork Questions

 1. What is liturgy?

 2. How does ritual work?

 3. If ritual is a system or pattern of symbols, how then do symbols work?

 4. What is the paschal mystery?

 5. What is liturgical theology?

 6. What is liturgical catechesis?

 7. What is the liturgical movement?

 8. What is the connection between liturgy and justice?

 Liturgical Documents

 9. What is a missal?

 10. How is a sacramentary different from a missal?

 11. What is a lectionary?

 12. What is the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM)?

 13. Are there other liturgical books I should know about?

 Eucharist

 14. How should the priest greet the assembly on Sunday?

 15. What are the Introductory Rites?

 16. How long has the Gloria been part of the Mass?

 17. Our parish usually doesn’t do the responsorial psalm listed in the missalette. Is it okay to change the psalm?

 18. If the psalm of the day is so important, wouldn’t it be better to recite the chosen psalm instead of singing a different one?

 19. Our pastor wants to get rid of the missalettes so people will look at the lector during the readings. But the lectors read so poorly we can’t understand the words without a printed copy. Why can’t we keep the missalettes?

 20. What are some ways we can make our lectors better proclaimers?

 21. How did special children’s liturgies of the Word get started?

 22. Where should homilists preach from?

 23. Can women or other non-ordained people preach at Mass?

 24. Why won’t our pastor let the liturgy committee write a new Creed for Mass?

 25. When did the Creed become a part of the liturgy?

 26. What is the connection between the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist?

 27. How should we handle second collections?

 28. When are we supposed to kneel during the Mass?

 29. Why does the priest mix water with the wine before the eucharistic prayer?

 30. Why does the priest wash his hands before the eucharistic prayer?

 31. Shouldn’t the communion ministers wash their hands also?

 32. Why do some parishes hold hands during the Our Father and others do not?

 33. Why do we shake hands with each other at the sign of peace when we have already done so at the beginning of Mass? It seems redundant.

 34. What is the fraction rite and why is it important?

 35. What is meant by “real bread” for Eucharist?

 36. Why are churches taking out the tabernacle?

 37. Why is it that some parishes do not give communion from the tabernacle at Mass anymore?

 38. Why should we receive communion from the cup?

 39. Should the presider receive communion first or last? What about the communion ministers?

 40. How should we handle the announcements after Mass?

 41. When should we use incense?

 42. Is it okay to use pre-recorded music when we do not have musicians?

 43. What parts of the Mass do we have to sing?

 44. Is it all right to applaud for the musicians at the end of Mass when they do an especially good job?

 45. What happens on Sundays when no priest is available?

 46. What is the difference between Eucharist and communion?

 47. In what way is the Eucharist a sacrifice?

 48. In what way is the Eucharist a meal?

 49. In what way is the Eucharist a story?

 50. Explain exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.

 51. Why don’t liturgies seem very creative anymore?

 52. Why aren’t people doing plays and dramas as much in the liturgy anymore?

 53. What’s the deal with Latin Masses? Are they okay or not?

 54. Is it better to provide Masses in different languages for various ethnic groups or to have bilingual and trilingual Masses?

 55. Should there ever be a children’s Mass or a youth Mass on Sunday?

 56. How are school Masses supposed to flow from and lead to the Sunday liturgy?

 57. What role can children play in the liturgy?

 58. Our school wants to use “On Eagle’s Wings” as an entrance song for the eighth-grade graduation Mass. Isn’t that actually a funeral hymn?

 59. What are Mass stipends?

 Ministers

 60. What is the role of the assembly in the liturgy?

 61. What is the role of the commentator in the liturgy?

 62. Is it all right to have more than one cantor at Mass?

 63. Can a cantor ever sing a solo? What about the choir? Do they ever sing alone?

 64. We want to change the name of our ushers to “hospitality ministers,” but they are resisting the idea. Any suggestions?

 65. Can blessings be given only by a priest?

 Art and Environment

 66. Where should the altar and ambo be placed in relation to each other?

 67. How should the altar and ambo relate to the assembly?

 68. Why do vestments cost so much?

 69. How do I know if a symbol is high quality?

 70. What defines good quality communionware?

 71. What are the liturgical colors, and where do they come from?

 Seasons

 72. What is the liturgical year?

 73. What is the liturgical color for Advent?

 74. Should the candle on the Third Sunday of Advent be pink?

 75. Is Advent supposed to be a joyful season?

 76. What are the O Antiphons?

 77. What is the best way to handle the children’s Christmas Eve liturgy?

 78. Where does the tradition of wearing ashes on Ash Wednesday come from?

 79. Why don’t we give up meat on Fridays anymore?

 80. What is the Triduum?

 81. If Lent ends with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, why are the purple banners left up until the Easter Vigil?

 82. If Lent ends with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, the days of Lent do not add up to forty. Why not?

 83. How should the foot washing be done on Holy Thursday?

 84. What is a paschal fast?

 85. Why must the Easter Vigil begin after dark?

 86. When is the best time to learn the music for the Triduum?

 Sacraments

 87. What is the right age for children to be confirmed?

 88. If confirmation and Eucharist are both initiation sacraments, why not celebrate them together with baptism at infancy?

 89. Why do we have to have infant baptisms during Sunday Mass?

 90. Why do we need to do full-immersion baptisms?

 91. Is it okay to celebrate confirmation in Lent?

 92. Is it okay to celebrate infant baptisms during Lent?

 93. Why isn’t penance ever talked about when people discuss the initiation sacraments?

 94. Should candidates for full communion be part of the scrutinies?

 95. What is general absolution, and when can it be used?

 96. A friend of mine wanted to process down the aisle for her wedding but the priest wouldn’t let her. Why not?

 97. Why can’t there be a “eulogy” at a Catholic funeral?

98. Does that mean nothing can be said about the person for whom the funeral is being celebrated?

 99. When does the vigil for the deceased happen? Is it the same as a wake?

 100. What about the third major rite, the burial?

 101. What are the last rites?

 Call for Questions

 Annotated Bibliography

 Index