Use of the Papal Ferula

May 24, 2026

Question: At a recent ordination our archbishop, instead of using the ordinary crosier, used the papal ferula. We are used to seeing the bishop’s staff, which is curved or bent at the top in the style of a shepherd's crook. This time, however, he used the pope's staff, which is a rod with a knob on top, surmounted by a crucifix. One priest told me that the pope can give a permission to a bishop to use the papal ferula. Is this true? What are the circumstances in which the pope can grant such a permission? If the bishop has bought this papal ferula himself in Rome, is that really possible? — F.K., Ndola, Zambia

Incense Boat in a Procession

May 16, 2026

Question: I am responsible for etiquette-related work in my parish. Where should I hold the incense boat during the entrance ceremony of a large Mass? According to Article 120 of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, the first in procession should be the one with the burning censer, followed by those carrying cross candles and other personnel. There was no mention of where the incense boat should be located; I have seen various methods in my area. In some parishes, the acolytes holding the incense boat are placed behind the cross and candles, in front of the priests. The order of their procession entering the church is the censer, the cross candle, and then the incense boat. Most parishes in our area do this, but I have researched and watched the Pope's Mass. When the Pope presides over the Mass, the acolytes holding incense boats are placed side by side with those holding the thurible. Therefore, we also followed this practice, but encountered suspicion from other priests in the diocese, who believe that this practice is wrong and should have the incense boats at the back of the procession, behind the cross and candles. Which approach is correct? — D., Zhejiang, China

Cloths on Altars

May 9, 2026

Question: In India, it is not uncommon to see altars fully covered with sarees or other colored cloths as part of decoration. At times, these coverings also include captions, images or thematic elements related to the liturgical season or a particular feast. Are there liturgical norms or directives governing the covering and decoration of the altar? Is the use of an antependium alone envisaged by the Church, or is it permissible to cover the entire altar with cloths corresponding to the liturgical color of the season or feast? Additionally, it is sometimes observed that the liturgical color of the day is coordinated with the tabernacle veil. Is there any guidance or regulation regarding such practices? What would be a theologically and liturgically sound approach to these forms of altar decoration? — G.C., Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Wrapped Low-Gluten Hosts

May 3, 2026

Question: At our cathedral, low-gluten hosts are left in the individual plastic wrap in which they come. They are consecrated in this way. They are distributed in this way. My question is: What official sources would refute such a practice? — C.S., New York State

On Blessings

April 25, 2026

Question: Upon reading your older article on the use of the older Book of Blessings, I noticed the defense of using it depends on Summorum Pontificum. However, with this being abrogated by Traditionis Custodis, are clergy and laity in the U.S. now bound to the use of the Book of Blessings provided by the U.S. bishops’ conference? Specifically, I foresaw using the old blessing of salt and water (and the mixing of the two) for families, etc. Would this be allowed now? — K.K., Austin, Texas

Kissing the Altar

April 19, 2026

Question: I greatly appreciate your article on the Roles of Instituted Acolyte as Mass. I was instituted as acolyte recently and have begun serving daily Mass at our local parish. One question has come up that I am having trouble with: Should an acolyte kiss the altar along with the priest at the beginning and end of Mass? — T.K., Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania

Prayers Over the People

March 29, 2026

Question: During Lent the presider at Mass has the option of saying, after the Postcommunion prayer, a Prayer over the People. I have seen presiders go directly from the Postcommunion Prayer to the Prayer over the People, as though they were two paragraphs of the same prayer, and then say the simple form of the final blessing. In my reading of the rubrics, however, the Prayer over the People is part of the final blessing, and the blessing should be the longer form, not the usual one. Therefore, the proper sequence seems to be the following: 1) Postcommunion Prayer; 2) Announcements (if any); 3) “The Lord be with you …”; 4) “Bow your heads and pray for God’s blessing”; 5) Prayer over the People; 6) Longer form of final blessing, which includes “now, and remain with you forever”; 7) Dismissal. Unfortunately, the Roman Missal does not provide a single place with a full script for this scenario, leaving us unsure of what exactly to do. — D.J., Buffalo, New York

Adoration on Holy Thursday

March 22, 2026

Question: Is it permitted to hold the Eucharistic adoration after the Mass of Holy Thursday in a monstrance? I have always learned and been told it is only permitted to have adoration in the ciborium on that evening. I see a lot of parishes where they do it in the monstrance, which for me is quite awkward regarding the nature and the gravity of the Holy Week. Can you please give me the right rubric? — M.S., Grimbergen, Belgium

Veiling the Cross

March 15, 2026

Question: My question regards the use of veiling crosses and images after the Fifth Sunday of Lent. If we were to practice this in our seminary, then, during daily Mass after this date, should we also place a cross with the image of Christ Crucified on or near the altar? — T.L., Vietnam

Hand Gestures of Concelebrants

March 8, 2026

Question: What is the proper hand gesture for concelebrants during the consecration? Many concelebrating priests make a distinction between the gesture for the epiclesis (extending hands over the offering) and the gesture for the consecration (extending the right hand toward the bread/wine). With the sole difference of two hands versus one hand, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal [GIRM] uses the same language for both. Are we to infer that both for the epiclesis and the consecration, concelebrants should extend their hand over the offering? — J.V., Cheshire, Connecticut