SOME REMINDERS FOR DEACONS

From The Order of Mass (OM) and The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM)

A. Say the Black and Do the Red

Here is a gentle reminder from Redemptionis Sacramentum #59 about the need to use the words given in the Ritual and not make them up.

"The reprobated practice by which Priests, Deacons or the faithful here and there alter or vary at will the texts of the Sacred Liturgy that they are charged to pronounce, must cease. For in doing thus, they render the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy unstable, and not infrequently distort the authentic meaning of the Liturgy."

CORRECT	COMMON ERRORS
GOSPEL
Before the Gospel "Your blessing, Father" (OM 14). Reading the Gospel ". . . At the ambo the Deacon greets the people, with hands joined, saying, The Lord be with you" (GIRM 175). After the Gospel "Through the words of the Gospel may our sins be wiped away" (OM 16).	Before the Gospel "May I have your blessing Father." Reading the Gospel Saying "The Lord be with you" with hands extended.
PRESENTATION OF GIFTS
"By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share in our humanity" (OM 24)
SIGN OF PEACE
With hands joined, he faces the people and says, "Let us offer each other the sign of peace" (GIRM 181, OM 128).	Let us offer one another the sign of peace Brothers and sisters . . . (blah, blah, blah), let us . . . (yada, yada, yada). Hands extended.
DISMISSAL
After the Priest’s blessing, the Deacon, with hands joined and facing the people, dismisses the people, saying (GIRM 186, OM 144). 1. Go forth, the Mass is ended. 2. Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord. 3. Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life. 4. Go in peace.	Hands extended 1. The Mass is ended, go in peace 2. Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord by your life. 3. Go and glorify the Lord by your life. 4. Go in peace, the Mass is ended.

B. Uses of the Trinitarian Formula in the Liturgy

Say the Trinitarian formula as given in the ritual, especially as it is used differently in different liturgical contexts.  When you leave out  or add the preposition (of/to), the conjunction (and), the article (the), you are probably making some heretical statements about the doctrine on the Trinity, doctrine over which much blood and ink was spilled.

	SIGN OF THE CROSS/ BAPTISM	BLESSING	DOXOLOGY
Case	Genetive Case	Nominative Case	Dative Case
English	In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.	May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.	Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
Latin	In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.	Benedicat vos omnipotens Deus, Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus.	Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.

C. Communion for celebrating and Concelebrating Priests

Redemptionis Sacramentum #98 reminds us that concelebrants (and principal celebrant) must always receive communion under both species, and from the hosts/wine consecrated at that Mass, as such reception is required for the completion of the sacrifice that they offer.  The deacon who often distributes communion to the priests must be aware of this.

"The Communion of Priest concelebrants should proceed according to the norms prescribed in the liturgical books, always using hosts consecrated at the same Mass and always with Communion under both kinds being received by all of the concelebrants. It is to be noted that if the Priest or Deacon hands the sacred host or chalice to the concelebrants, he says nothing; that is to say, he does not pronounce the words “The Body of Christ” or “The Blood of Christ”."