Conclusion of Exposition without Benediction
  • SrEleanor
    Posts: 26
    Until recently our community usually had a priest present on Sunday evenings to preside at Benediction at the end of the period of Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Unfortunately that is no longer the case, so we do not usually have Benediction. We would like to have a simple ritual to bring the period of prayer to a conclusion before/during the reposition of the B.S. in the tabernacle. Does such a ritual already exist? (Yes, I can devise something, but if I don't need to reinvent the wheel...)
    Thanks for any tips.
    SrEleanor
  • GerardH
    Posts: 411
    You would need to check the Roman Ritual: Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass, but from memory of when I was in this situation before:

    In the absence of a priest or deacon, an acolyte, extraordinary minister or religious may expose and repose the Blessed Sacrament. For reposition, the usual ritual is observed as at Benediction except that the blessing is omitted. So:

    • Tantum ergo
    • Versicle and response Panem de caelo
    • Collect
    • Divine praises
    • Reposition with Adoremus or other psalm/hymn
  • GerardH
    Posts: 411
    Tangentially, in my experience most seem to forget or not realise that for exposition in a monstrance, 4-6 candles and incense must be used. For simpler exposition, the Eucharist is exposed in the ciborium, with only 2 candles and optional incense.

    This would seem to indicate that incense should be used even in the absence of a priest (for exposition in the monstrance), in which case the unordained "presider" would incense the Blessed Sacrament during the Tantum ergo (and between Collect and Divine Praises?).

    Others may have different interpretations. I don't have a copy of HCWEOM, so I could be wrong entirely
    Thanked by 1BruceL
  • monasteryliturgistmonasteryliturgist
    Posts: 279
    The superior of the Community would go to the kneeler as the community sings the tantum ergo then directly go into the Divine Praises or Litanies

    Then the Superior says: Blessed be Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the altar,
    All respond: Both now and forever.

    Then the reposition hymn

    (nota bene- incense and more than two candles are not required even in exposition with a monstrance depending on circumstances)

    Sister Marie
    Thanked by 1CharlesW
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,704
    The rules for Exposition have been gradually reduced, are there any rules left?

    I notice this decline coincides with the decrease in reverence to the Most Blessed Sacrament.
  • monasteryliturgistmonasteryliturgist
    Posts: 279
    Yes there actually does exist an ordo
    Thanked by 1CharlesW
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,372
    I seem to recall that Exposition, and Benediction, were in my youth before the Council officially classed as Devotions and not as Liturgy. But that with later decrees they are now classed as Liturgy, and the rubrics thus have now the force of liturgical law. But I may be misremembering, and I cannot begin to imagine how this might affect traditional communities.
    [ADDED] https://www.liturgyoffice.org.uk/Resources/HCW/Exposition-Rite.pdf
  • CatherineS
    Posts: 690
    @GerardH - that's been my experience when at a convent chapel with no priest present. (Such things are also then not usually public per se, but more just for the religious community that lives there, so I don't know if that impacts how things must/should be done.)
  • henry
    Posts: 241
    The custom here is to recite the Divine Praises while the Blessed Sacrament is being reposed instead of while It's still on the altar. This seems strange to me, but I'm told it's the correct way to do it. Does anyone have proof to the contrary?
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,704
    https://archive.org/details/ManualOfPrayers1953/page/n263/mode/2up
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