The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has recently granted permission that during the year following the Beatification of John Paul II (that is until 1 May 2012) it will be possible to celebrate a Holy Mass of Thanksgiving in his honor. In an extremely rare decision as regards the reformed Liturgy, the Congregation has opted to grant to each ordinary the ability to permit one such Mass of Thanksgiving to be observed on any Sunday allowed by the Table of Liturgical Days.
Given that Advent, Christmas, Lent & Easter are privileged seasons, such a celebration should be observed in Ordinary Time. [The Bishop] has requested that parishes consider celebrating this Mass of Thanksgiving in honor of Blessed John Paul II on Sunday, October 16, 2011, which will be the 33rd anniversary of his election to the Papacy.
For the Mass, besides singing the Gloria, as would occur on any Sunday in Ordinary Time, a proper Collect has been composed. The Preface (Pastors) and the Antiphons are to be taken from the Common of Pastors: For a Pope. The First Reading, the Responsorial Psalm, and the Gospel MAY be taken from the Common of Pastors, but do not have to be. Note that if this option is exercised the Second Reading for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (1 Thessalonians 1:1-5b) remains the same. Selection of the Readings from the Common of Pastors is OPTIONAL and the normal Readings of the 29th Sunday of the year may also be used.
The Proper Collect and other euchological (prayer text) recommendations, options for Mass Lessons, and the hagiographical Reading of Blessed John Paul II for the Office of Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours may all be downloaded from the website of the Office of Divine Worship here.
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