Women and Girls as Altar Servers

November 23, 2025

Question: A recently baptized friend does not understand why some churches reserve the service of the altar to boys. She would be in favor of also having girls at the service of the altar. Thank you for an explanation. — V.D., Bordeaux, France

When to Set Out the Vessels for Mass

November 16, 2025

Question: I have often wondered what is permitted and what is the best practice when it comes to setting out the vessels for Mass. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) No. 139 indicates that no items are on the altar before the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist but are then brought there by an acolyte or other lay minister. However, later, in the section “Mass at Which Only One Minister Participates,” it indicates that the necessary vessels may be prepared on either the credence table or “the righthand side of the altar” (GIRM 255). Would it be permissible, and if so, advisable, to set up the chalice and “necessary vessels” on the altar when there are no servers at Mass, even if there may be people forming a congregation in the pews? Also, what might be understood by the term “necessary vessels”? Would this include not only the chalice, paten and cruets but also the finger bowl and towel as well, and even a communion plate for the people? I have seen priests do a variety of different things. Many people also think it looks beautiful for a nicely veiled chalice to be on the altar from the beginning of Mass. — J.D., Wagga Wagga, Australia

Adoration When There Is No Tabernacle

November 8, 2025

Question: I have a question regarding the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in places without a tabernacle. For example, a youth camp or any Catholic event held at an outdoor facility for several days. We would like to have adoration after Mass, using a host consecrated in that Mass, but there is no suitable place to bring a tabernacle. May the minister (a priest or deacon) in this case consume the host after the adoration in order that the adoration may occur and prevent any disrespect to the Blessed Sacrament? 

Handling the Lectionary and Missal

November 2, 2025

Question: I was ordained in 1964, still under the old Latin rite. Among the liturgical movements I learned at that time was: 1) to close the lectionary after the reading of the Gospel so that the back of the book remained visible, signifying the conclusion of the readings, and 2) the same procedure for the missal at the end of Mass, closing the book so that the front is face down and the back remains visible. Has there been any change concerning those positions? — C.M., Rome

Kneeling at the Consecration and for Communion

October 26, 2025

Question: I am a new Catholic baptized in late 2024 and am an American living in Japan. I feel a longing to give all praise to Our Lord and Savior. I like to kneel during the consecration at Mass and like to receive the Eucharist on the tongue. I have run into a dilemma recently. We do not have a lot of options for churches here in Japan. I can go to a convent for Mass and kneel as much as I like but not receive Communion on the tongue — only in the hand. Alternatively, I can go to a church that allows Communion on the tongue, but the pastor confronted me and said that I am not allowed to kneel during consecration. I am not sure what I should do. — C.H., Japan

Prayer of Exorcism at Baptisms

October 19, 2025

Question: I have a question regarding the celebration of the sacrament of baptism. Can we omit the Prayer for Exorcism and Anointing before Baptism during the celebration? In my previous parish, I always included this part when administrating this sacrament. However, at my newly assigned parish, the parish priest told me that this can be omitted, and he instructed me to do so. Could you please give me some theological explanation and pastoral advice in this regard? — H.N., Melbourne, Australia

Genuflections Toward the Tabernacle

October 12, 2025

Question: I am coordinator of our parish choir. Our parish priest told us that when communion ends at Mass and they take the ciborium to the tabernacle to reserve it, we should not accompany the ciborium with our eyes and then genuflect as the minister does when he returns the Eucharist in the tabernacle. Is that so? — C.M., Buenos Aires, Argentina

A Bishop’s Authority Over the Liturgy

October 4, 2025

Question: I was wondering what is the extent of the bishop's authority regarding the liturgy? For example, could he forbid the distribution of Communion under both species? Could he forbid celebrating Mass ad orientem? Can he forbid the Novus Ordo from being celebrated in Latin? — M.L., Missouri, USA

Bows Toward Priests

September 28, 2025

Question: If the priest is standing in front of the altar, and in his ordinary movements one of the altar servers or ministers passes behind him, should he bow to him? If the priest is not seated in the chair, and in his ordinary movements one of the servants passes in front of the chair, should he bow toward the empty chair? When the priest says the final blessing at Mass, should we make the sign of the cross? When a lector goes up to the presbytery to proclaim a reading of the Mass he bows to the priest; should he bow again to come down when he finishes reading? — G.O., Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Incensing Deacons

September 20, 2025

Question: I studied pastoral theology at the Catholic University of Paris. In a Eucharistic celebration, can one incense the deacon or deacons? In the absence of a priest, can a deacon remove the Blessed Sacrament exposed? — P.D., Cap-Haïtien, Haiti