Non solum: Terminology for What the Ordained Minister Does at Eucharist

The clunky title of this week’s Non solum is because anything shorter would have pre-empted the discussion by answering the question. Which is this: does the priest say Mass, or preside at Mass, or celebrate Mass, or offer Mass? Or as some media have been known to put it, “give Mass”?

I gather that some reporters write “offer Mass” not necessarily because they ascribe to a full Tridentine notion of the Mass as propitiatory sacrifice, but they sorta think he’s putting on a stage presentation.

What term do you think is best for the church bulletin, for education and formation programs, for media style books? Why do you think so?

Anthony Ruff, OSB

Fr. Anthony Ruff, OSB, is a monk of St. John's Abbey. He teaches liturgy, liturgical music, and Gregorian chant at St. John's University School of Theology-Seminary. He is widely published and frequently presents across the country on liturgy and music. He is the author of Sacred Music and Liturgical Reform: Treasures and Transformations, and of Responsorial Psalms for Weekday Mass: Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter. He does priestly ministry at the neighboring community of Benedictine sisters in St. Joseph.

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Comments

20 responses to “Non solum: Terminology for What the Ordained Minister Does at Eucharist”

  1. Martin Browne OSB

    In the Irish language, the verb used suggests that the priest ‘reads’ Mass…..

    Reply
    1. Fergus Ryan

      @Martin Browne OSB – comment #1:
      I heard in the last couple of years that the expression “an t-Aifreann a chanadh” (“to sing the Mass”) was also used in Connacht (West of Ireland) to describe a priest celebrating Mass whether it was spoken or “in cantu”.

      Reply
  2. Reyanna Rice

    Preside I think is the post Vatican II notion although celebrate is up there. Preside has the implications he is not in this alone, while he might be celebrating by himself….with about as much celebration as celebrating his birthday by himself.

    Reply
  3. Rev. Ronald C Chochol

    I prefer “Fr xx xxx will preside at our community celebration of the Eucharist at 7 AM this coming Sunday.”
    OR
    Community Celebrations of the Eucharist
    Sun 8 AM — Fr xx XXX presiding, Deacon xxx XXXX preaching
    Sun 10 AM — Fr x XX presiding and preaching

    Why? Because the really important issue is not what the priest “does” but what Christ is doing in and through the community by the power of the Spirit. Priests have been “saying Mass” for too, too long. WE (all baptized Christians) are a priestly community celebrating the Liturgy of the Eucharist together.

    Reply
  4. Francesco Poggesi

    Before this post I never really thought about it. I use “say Mass” personally, but the pre-Mass announcements say “Our Presider this morning is Fr. X.” If there is a second priest it will continue, “with Fr. Y concelebrating.” It might go on to say that the Mass is “offered for the repose of the soul of Z.”

    I guess priests and bishops celebrate Mass. Of the priests and bishops celebrating one presides and the remainder (if any) concelebrate.

    I think the term to use would depend on what education and formation you are doing. There is a lot going on at Mass, and it seems that trying to distill it down to a single term might not work.

    Reply
  5. Hal Weidner

    This business of remembering the dead at a Sunday Mass is in my opinion just a sneaky and profitable way to have a Requiem on Sunday. In one diocese I know Sunday Mass intentions for the dead cost more than the daily Mass.

    Reply
  6. Ed Nash

    I think the priest who is the recognized leader of the worship is the presider and he presides because you can only have one presider. He also celebrates Mass but then so do a bunch of other people too.

    I agree with #2 and #3 and not with a local high school websight that said the priest will perform Mass.

    Reply
  7. Jack Feehily

    I detest the still common term of “saying” Mass. Praying, offering, or celebrating are all better terms. Presiding is OK, but the priest is not just presiding. The media prefers performs or gives because they don’t know any better.

    Reply
  8. Brendan Kelleher SVD

    Since quoting the full texts would probably take me well over the character limit, let me just note that in the USCCB’s, “Introduction to the Order of the Mass” on page 6 begins a section entitled “Priest Celebrant”. The opening words are: ” In the celebration of the Eucharist, Christ is present in the person of the presiding priest.” Then on page 11, begins section 16 – “Gathered Assembly”, which opens with the following two lines: “Christ is always present in the Church, particularly in her liturgical celebrations. In the celebration of Mass, Christ is truly present in the assembly he gathers to himself….”
    In more recent times I have taken to pointing up the theological shift that occurred with Vatican II as being possibly summed up in the opening rubrics for the Order of the Mass. In the Missale Romanum (Pius V) they are: “Sacerdos paratus cum ingreditur ad Altare…..” In sharp contrast the rubrics in the current Roman Missal (Paul VI) read: “Populo congregato, sacerdos cum ministris ad altare accedit…” For our next liturgy workshop here in the Diocese of Nagoya (Japan) we have chosen the words “Populo Congregato” as the theme and title. We intend to revisit and explore the diversity and necessity of lay liturgical ministry that the Eucharist may be celebrated in accordance with the spirit of the Conciliar renewal of the liturgy.

    Reply
  9. Pádraig McCarthy

    The ordained priest exercises a ministry; therefore the priest serves the celebrating community as presider. However we specify the ministry, it is always service: service in the gathering community, in breaking the Word, in breaking the Bread, and in going forth on mission.
    It is not, of course, without its pitfalls.
    The Pope is the servant of the servants of God.
    Bishops are the servants of the servant of the servants of God.
    Priests are the servants of the servants of the servant of the servants of God.
    The people are a people with a servant problem!

    Reply
  10. Brian Duffy

    I’ve often heard Orthodox priests state that they were going to serve the liturgy, or that they had served the liturgy.

    Quite a lovely expression!

    Alas, there is a problem in that to serve mass has a different meaning in the west.

    Reply
  11. Pádraig McCarthy

    The Greek word “leitourgos” means a public servant.
    The word “leitourgia” is a public service.
    Perhaps the a reason why “Mass-server” in the west, as Brian Duffy #10 says, has referred to children or adults who serve in another role at the altar, is that in the more recent history of Western liturgy, up to and also after Vatican II, the part played by the ordained priest has tended to be seen a dominating part, without clear vision of Jesus: The greatest among you must be the one who serves.

    Reply
  12. Bill Scott

    I like “offer” and “preside.” One TV station here says that Fr.X will “give” Mass – I dislike that expression. You “give” a speech, or sermon, not Mass. I’ve also heard “serve” used to describe what the Priest does, but that sounds like something a waiter or altar boy, pardon, altar “server” does.

    Reply
  13. Matthew J. Meloche

    Then there’s the question of what to call what the musician does… I hear many organist friends say they have to “go play Mass,” which sounds rather silly to anyone other than organists. I prefer “execute sacred music” – but the word EXECUTE makes some folks uneasy. As does PERFORM.

    Reply
  14. Scott Pluff

    On a related note, I’m never quite sure what my title should be. I was hired as a Pastoral Associate, which can mean everything and nothing at the same time. We changed it to Director of Liturgy and Music to be more clear, though many unchurched people and even regulars don’t understand what that means. I like the evangelical term Worship Leader, (distinct from Pastor) since that incorporates both music and liturgy and everything else that I coordinate inside that big building next door (church… sanctuary… house of worship…)

    Reply
  15. Aaron Sanders

    Though most frequently called simply sacerdos within the Missal, the priest “doing” the Mass is specified further, when necessary, as some form of celebrant “si celebrans est espiscopus,” “celebrans principalis,” etc. Also, though this is rare, the celebrant does not always preside at Mass – “preside” is our term for what a bishop does at Mass (specifically over the liturgy of the Word) when he is NOT celebrating/offering the Sacrifice.

    Reply
  16. Jeremy Helmes

    I loathe the expression “saying Mass”…if you’re simply “saying” Mass, you’re doing it wrong. Hopefully, you’re praying it…no matter your ecclesial role. Plus a good bit of it should be “sung” in most cases. And the presiding priest doesn’t “say” all of it…there’s at least a server (in most cases), and ideally a deacon, lector, cantor, choir, and an assembly of people! Continuing to unthinkingly use “saying” to describe the presiding priest’s role at Mass is highly problematic.

    I prefer “presiding priest/bishop” or “principal celebrant” since I work in a large parish where we regularly have concelebration. I also advocate for the notion of a community which celebrates.

    I acknowledge that merely “presiding” lacks a sacerdotal overtone, but I think it’s well-established that our priests have a duly cultic role.

    Reply
  17. John Mann

    The priest offers, celebrates, says, or sometimes reinvents Mass. The altarservers serve Mass. The choir sings Mass. The organist plays Mass and so does the Anglican. The congregation attends or hears Mass. The liturgical warrior blogs Mass.

    Reply
    1. Rita Ferrone

      @John Mann – comment #17:
      The Anglican PLAYS Mass? What do you mean?

      Reply
  18. John Mann

    That was offensive to our Anglican brethren so I won’t elaborate.

    Reply

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