BACK TO THE NORM:
Scripture: “So Christ Himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip His people for works of service, so that the Body of Christ may be built up.” – Ephesians 4:11-12
Redemptionis Sacramentum: “In addition to the ordinary ministers there is the formally instituted acolyte, who by virtue of his institution is an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion even outside the celebration of Mass. If, moreover, reasons of real necessity prompt it, another lay member of Christ’s faithful may also be delegated by the diocesan Bishop in accordance with the norm of the law, for one occasion or for a specified time, and an appropriate formula of blessing may be used for the occasion.” – Para. #155
Brothers and sisters, you may have noticed recently some minor changes during the mass; minimal, but changes none-the-less. These so-called changes are actually the norm regarding the Eucharist, and had been formalized in the document, Redemptionis Sacramentum under the direction of Pope St. John Paul II; it was issued on March 25, 2004 by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacrament (On certain matters to be observed or to be avoided regarding the Most Holy Eucharist).
The Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Liturgical Commission has recommended, and approved by the Presbyteral Council and the Archbishop, that certain worship practices throughout the Archdiocese be returned to the norm. Now, right away I can hear the heavy sighs, the rolling of eyes, the frustration of some of us, but as I said this past weekend, I don’t make the rules, but I do follow them…
The norms were put in place in order that we – the people of God – are always aware of the sacredness and the dignity of Jesus Christ our Lord; which of course includes His Presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. We, as a people, will naturally, over time especially when the practice becomes routine, forget the “why” of what we are doing. Yes, this happens to priests as well. That is why during the priest’s ordination, the bishop charges him with, “Know what you are doing, imitate the mystery you celebrate, model your life on the mystery of the Lord’s Cross.”
Brothers and sisters, I believe that not only the priest, but all those who serve at the Lord’s Altar should remember these words. As Christians, we are all called to serve the Lord with everything we are, and in serving Him, we are called to serve each other in the same manner, the same reverence, the same sacredness. In addition, there is an article in the Catholic Review that explains in more detail some of the changes for the norm. In part:
“Bishops, priests and deacons are ordinary ministers of Communion. Since 1973, the Church has allowed appropriate lay people to be delegated with that ministry, which is considered “extraordinary. It has long been universal practice that extraordinary ministers of holy Communion must be mandated by the local bishop for a specific place and for a specific time period. In practice, however, many ministers have received training once and then continued indefinitely, or served in more than one parish.”
The article in the Catholic Review appeared in the online version that was sent out Tuesday, September 29, 2026.
Over the next couple of months, I will be speaking about these changes at our masses at all of our worship sites. And yes, I am sure there will be push-back from some because none of us like change – especially when we are comfortable with practices that have been in place for many years. Brothers and sisters, as we grow in our faith, may we get to that point where our prayer is, “Only Thee, Lord; never me.”
“Know that we must serve not the times, but God.”
-St. Athanasius the Great