Necessity of Corporals
Date: January 14, 2023
Author: Fr. Edward McNamara, LC
Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and sacramental theology and director of the Sacerdos Institute at the Pontifical Regina Apostolorum university.
Question: I have been under the assumption that sacred vessels are to be placed on the corporal and not simply on the altar linen. I could not find this explicitly stated in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. Is it custom? Am I misinformed? Also, in the private recitation of the Divine Office, is reciting the hymn required or is it recommended? -- V.S., Mobile, Alabama
Answer: Although the two questions are unrelated, they can be answered together.
First, the GIRM does indicate that the sacred vessels be placed upon a corporal albeit not as an explicit directive such as: “sacred vessels are always placed on the corporal” but through the description of the relative rites. To wit:
“73. At the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist the gifts which will become Christ’s Body and Blood are brought to the altar. First of all, the altar or Lord’s table, which is the center of the whole Liturgy of the Eucharist, is made ready when on it are placed the corporal, purificator, Missal, and chalice (unless this last is prepared at the credence table).” (see also 190, 306)
“139. When the Universal Prayer is over, all sit, and the Offertory Chant begins (cf. no. 74). An acolyte or other lay minister places the corporal, the purificator, the chalice, the pall, and the Missal on the altar.”
“141. The Priest accepts the paten with the bread at the altar, holds it slightly raised above the altar with both hands and says quietly, Benedictus es, Domine (Blessed are you, Lord God). Then he places the paten with the bread on the corporal.
“142. After this, as the minister presents the cruets, the Priest stands at the side of the altar and pours wine and a little water into the chalice, saying quietly, Per huius aquae (By the mystery of this water). He returns to the middle of the altar and with both hands raises the chalice a little, and says quietly, Benedictus es, Domine (Blessed are you, Lord God). Then he places the chalice on the corporal and, if appropriate, covers it with a pall.”
“151. After the Consecration when the Priest has said, The mystery of faith,the people pronounce the acclamation, using one of the prescribed formulas. At the end of the Eucharistic Prayer, the Priest takes the paten with the host and the chalice and elevates them both while pronouncing alone the doxology Through him. At the end the people acclaim, Amen. After this, the Priest places the paten and the chalice on the corporal.”
“163. When the distribution of Communion is over, the Priest himself immediately and completely consumes at the altar any consecrated wine that happens to remain; as for any consecrated hosts that are left, he either consumes them at the altar or carries them to the place designated for the reservation of the Eucharist. Upon returning to the altar, the Priest collects the fragments, should any remain, and he stands at the altar or at the credence table and purifies the paten or ciborium over the chalice, and after this purifies the chalice, saying quietly the formula Quod ore sumpsimus, Domine (What has passed our lips), and dries the chalice with a purificator. If the vessels are purified at the altar, they are carried to the credence table by a minister. Nevertheless, it is also permitted to leave vessels needing to be purified, especially if there are several, on a corporal, suitably covered, either on the altar or on the credence table, and to purify them immediately after Mass, after the Dismissal of the people (See also 183).
“248. The Communion of the concelebrants may also be arranged in such a way that each communicates from the Body of the Lord at the altar and, immediately afterwards, from the Blood of the Lord. In this case the principal celebrant receives Communion under both kinds in the usual way (cf. no. 158), observing, however, the rite chosen in each particular instance for Communion from the chalice; and the other concelebrants should do the same. After the principal celebrant’s Communion, the chalice is placed at the side of the altar on another corporal. The concelebrants approach the middle of the altar one by one, genuflect, and communicate from the Body of the Lord; then they move to the side of the altar and partake of the Blood of the Lord, following the rite chosen for Communion from the chalice, as has been remarked above. The Communion of the Deacon and the purification of the chalice take place as described above.
“249. If the concelebrants’ Communion is by intinction, the principal celebrant partakes of the Body and Blood of the Lord in the usual way, but making sure that enough of the precious Blood remains in the chalice for the Communion of the concelebrants. Then the Deacon, or one of the concelebrants, arranges the chalice together with the paten containing particles of the host, if appropriate, either in the center of the altar or at the side on another corporal. The concelebrants approach the altar one by one, genuflect, and take a particle, intinct it partly into the chalice, and, holding a purificator under their mouth, consume the intincted particle. They then return to their places as at the beginning of Mass ....”
“297. The celebration of the Eucharist in a sacred place is to take place on an altar; however, outside a sacred place, it may take place on a suitable table, always with the use of a cloth, a corporal, a cross, and candles.”
Adding all these references together, especially considering that it even contemplates more than one corporal for concelebrations and a corporal on the credence table for purification, I believe it is clear that the GIRM leaves little leeway for alternative interpretations.
If, as is common today, several chalices and ciboria are used for Mass, then either a large corporal or several corporals should be used. I would say that if several corporals are required, it would be a legitimate option to extend them on the altar before Mass begins so as to avoid unduly extending the presentation of gifts.
I once observed at the Vatican, although not at a papal Mass, the use of a very large corporal which covered almost the entire altar table and which was placed before the celebration began. This was because there were numerous chalices and ciboria upon the altar for the communion of almost 2,000 priests.
A possible exception is indicated in No. 27 of the guidelines published by the Congregation for Divine Worship for very large concelebrations.
This text, which is not officially published in English, says that in principle the gifts are placed upon the altar but, if this is not possible, some non-concelebrating priests, deacons, or instituted acolytes may carry the ciboria in their hands and, before the presentation of gifts, may stand near the altar without being an obstacle for the concelebrants or impede the faithful’s seeing the altar.
The practice at major papal celebrations, when concelebrants number in the thousands, is to also allow concelebrating priests to hold chalices as well as ciboria during the Eucharistic Prayer. This is not common but would be allowed at the Chrism Mass and events like papal funerals.
With respect to the hymns of the Liturgy of the Hours the General Instruction to the Divine Office says the following:
“The Structure of the Celebration
“33. In a special way the Liturgy of the Hours combines those elements which are found in other Christian celebrations. It is arranged as follows: the opening hymn; psalmody; a shorter or longer reading of sacred scriptures; prayers. […]
“X The Hymns and other Non-Biblical Songs
“173. Hymns have a place in the Office from very early times, a position they continue to retain. Not only does their lyrical nature make them especially suited to the praise of God, but they constitute a popular part, since nearly always they point more immediately than the other parts of the Office to the individual characteristics of the Hours or of each feast. They help to move the people taking part and draw them into the celebration. Their literary beauty often increases their effectiveness. In the Office, the hymns are the principal poetic part composed by the Church. […]
“177. New hymns can be given melodies of the same rhythm and meter as the traditional ones.
“178. With regard to celebrations in the vernacular, Episcopal Conferences may adapt the Latin hymns to the nature of their own language. They may also introduce new compositions, provided they suit the spirit of the Hour, season or feast; one should constantly beware of permitting those popular songs which are of no artistic value and completely unworthy of the liturgy. […]
“246. Provided that the general arrangement of each Hour is maintained and that the rules which follow are observed, texts other than those found in the Office of the day may be chosen on particular occasions.
“247 In the Office of Sundays, solemnities, feasts of the Lord which are in the General Calendar, on ferial days of Lent and Holy Week, during the octaves of Easter and Christmas, and on the ferial days between 17 and 24 December inclusive, it is never permitted to change the texts which are proper or appropriated to the celebration. These include the antiphons, hymns, readings, responsories, concluding prayers, and, very often, the psalms. In place of the Sunday psalms of the current week, the Sunday psalms of another week may be substituted if desired. Especially in the Office with the people, other psalms may be chosen so as gradually to bring the people to a deeper understanding of the psalter.”
Therefore, while the norms allow the proper authorities to substitute the prescribed hymns for other hymns, there is practically nothing above that would suggest that the hymn may be omitted.
It is true that No. 42, referring to the hymn of lauds and vespers, says: “A suitable hymn is then said. The hymn should be composed so as to express the particular characteristic of each Hour or feast. It makes an easy and pleasant opening to the prayer, especially in celebrations with the people.”
Perhaps, some might interpret this “especially in celebrations with the people” as possibly meaning that in private celebration it is not prayed, but this would not be coherent with the rest of the Instruction. It is more likely to be related to the strong recommendation, given in No. 280, to sing the hymn in community celebrations.
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