Vatican says Mass norms must be followed exactly to ensure reverence

Published: 2004-04-23

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The norms for celebrating Mass must be followed exactly to ensure reverence for the Eucharist and to preserve the unity of the Catholic Church, said a new Vatican document. "In some places the perpetration of liturgical abuses has become almost habitual, a fact which obviously cannot be allowed and must cease," said the document, "Redemptionis Sacramentum" ("The Sacrament of Redemption"), written by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments. The instruction, approved by Pope John Paul II and released at an April 23 Vatican press conference, particularly cited as abuses the use of eucharistic prayers not approved by the church, changing approved prayer texts, and allowing lay people to carry out functions reserved to a priest or deacon. The document said that while it was "laudable" to encourage boys and young men to be altar servers girls and women could be altar servers if the local bishop permitted the practice.

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