Liturgy: Feast of the Holy Family

(I write brief tracts once every couple months for my parish's bulletin, for a section called "Spiritual Food". This one is running this weekend, for the Feast of the Holy Family.)

The Sunday during the Octave of Christmas – between Christmas and New Year's – is the Feast of the Holy Family. This feast day celebrates the Christ-child, his Blessed Mother, and her most chaste spouse.

The Holy Family is the ideal family, expressing true love and devotion to one another, but Scripture shows us that even they had hardships to endure, including an escape to Egypt, and Mary and Joseph leaving Jesus behind in Jerusalem. The model the Holy Family offers us is one that prays together, listens to one another, cares for one another, is patient with one another, and is attentive to God's will.

The readings for this day remind us of the values a family should strive for: honor, obedience, forgiveness, and love. Celebrate today with the Lord and his Holy Family, but celebrate it at home with your family as well, and grow together in holiness.

Tradition: A wonderful Christmas gift

My mother gave me her 1961 St. Joseph's Daily Missal for Christmas! It's even got "of blessed Joseph her spouse and" written in the margin of page 675. It's beautiful, and it will come in handy in the future, I'm sure. Thanks, mom.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! Gloria excelsis Deo, et in terra pax homnibus bonæ voluntatis! There will be some blogger silence from me for the next few days, so that I can hear the angels singing.

In the New Year, you can expect the following...

• A comparison of Eucharistic Prayer II with its ancestor, the anaphora found in the Apostolic Traditions of Hippolytus
  
• A series on the Order of the Mass (including use of Latin, ad orientem, etc.)
  
• A series on the Psalms (classifications, summaries, cross-references, etc.)
  
• More Excerpti
  
• More podcasts!
  
• Continued development of the post on the dynamic understanding of the Eucharist before Vatican II
• A growing list of completed Magisterial documents
• A series on the Instructions for the Right Application of the Constitution on the Liturgy
  

Advent: "O Antiphons"

(This post has been updated. See below.)

A few months ago, my parish's bulletin began including a section called "Spiritual Food", which is a short couple of paragraphs on a particular liturgical or devotional topic. For instance, I've written about the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary (in our parish, our diocese, and our Catholic faith), the Feast of Corpus Christi, and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. We're approaching Advent, and so the group of us who writes these tidbits were parceling out the next set of topics.

One listed was simply: "O Antiphons". I had no idea what that meant. I Googled it. Now I am enlightened:

The importance of “O Antiphons” is twofold: Each one highlights a title for the Messiah: O Sapientia (O Wisdom), O Adonai (O Lord), O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse), O Clavis David (O Key of David), O Oriens (O Rising Sun), O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations), and O Emmanuel. Also, each one refers to the prophecy of Isaiah of the coming of the Messiah.

[Source: CatholicEducation.org]

The "O" Antiphons are the verses for the ancient hymn O Come, O Come Emmanuel. The first letter of the Messianic titles: Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia — spell out Latin words ERO CRAS, meaning, "Tomorrow, I will come."

The antiphons are part of the evening prayer of the Divine Office, the antiphon before and after the Magnificat. They are also the alleluia verse before the Gospel at Mass.

[Source: CatholicCulture.org]

Update: Here is a smattering of O Antiphon blog posts from other bloggers:

• O Antiphons of Advent (Dominican Friars)
  
• O Sapientia (New Liturgical Movement)
• O Antiphons (New Liturgical Movement)
• Dec 17 (Crossed the Tiber) (WDTPRS)
• Dec 18 (Crossed the Tiber) (WDTPRS)
• Dec 19 (Crossed the Tiber) (WDTPRS)
  
• Dec 20 (Crossed the Tiber) (WDTPRS)
• Dec 21 (Crossed the Tiber) (WDTPRS)
• Dec 22 (Crossed the Tiber) (WDTPRS)
• Dec 23 (Crossed the Tiber) (WDTPRS)
  

Podcast: Chanting the Solemn Blessing (TCR-001)

[The chant at the opening and closing of this podcast is Sanctus VIII (Missa de Angelis) from the CD O Lux Beatissima (A Treasury of Gregorian Chant), by Cantores in Ecclesia. I bought it via iTunes.]

"Chanting the Solemn Blessing" (7:28)

This is my first podcast, so I'm sorry if the audio quality isn't great. I don't have a sophisticated setup here... I have a dinky little microphone, a piece of software called Sound Forge Audio Studio 8.0 (which I'm sure I'm not using to its utmost potential), and I'm really a beginner at this.

In this inaugural podcast, I will be chanting (probably an octave lower than normal) the Solemn Blessing for Christmas in both tones provided for in the Sacramentary, Appendix III - Music for the Order of Mass (pages 1045-1048). The Sacramentary provides the models for the Solemn Blessing, although it is not always clear which texts are one phrase, two phrases, or three phrases. I will be treating the Solemn Blessing for Christmas as being made up of three texts: the first two have two phrases, and the last one has three phrases.

The character ÿ is supposed to be a y with a grave accent (`) over it, but I can't seem to find that character code. A syllable with a grave accent (`) over it means the tone drops; a syllable with an acute accent (´) over it means the tone rises. Those syllables are also in bold. Syllables in italics are held longer.

The text I use is the Solemn Blessing for Christmas, found on page 570 of the Sacramentary. Tone A's dominant note is a C.

Tone A

[2 phrases]
When he came to us as man,
the Son of God scattered the darkness of this world,
and filled this holy night (day) with his glóry.
May the God of infinite goodness
scatter the darkness of sin
and brighten your hearts with hòliness. (Amen)

[2 phrases]
God sent his angels to shepherds
to herald the great joy of our Savior's bírth.
May he fill you with joy
and make you heralds of his gòspel. (Amen)

[3 phrases]
When the Word became man,
earth was joined tò héaven.
May he give you his peace and good wíll,
and fellowship with all the heavenly hòst. (Amen)

May almightÿ Gòd bléss you,
the Father ànd thè Són, and the Holy Spìrit. (Amen)

As the audio shows, "Spirit" has three notes -- the first syllable has two notes (C-A), and the second syllable has one note (A) -- which is why I have the first syllable underlined.

Tone B is a little more complicated, because the final three words of a text have modulation on them. Tone B's dominant note is a A.

Tone B

[2 phrases]
When he came to us as man,
the Son of God scattered the darkness of this world,
and filled this holy night (day) with his glóry.
May the God of infinite goodness
scatter the darkness of sin
and brighten your hèarts wíth hòliness. (Amen)

[2 phrases]
God sent his angels to shepherds
to herald the great joy of our Savior's bírth.
May he fill you with joy
and make you heralds òf hís gòspel. (Amen)

[3 phrases]
When the Word became man,
earth was joined to hèaven.
May he give you his peace and good wíll,
and fellowship with all thè héavenly hòst. (Amen)

May almíghty God blèss you,
the Fáther and the Són, ànd the Hòlý Spìrit. (Amen)

The first syllable of "Spirit" has two notes again, thus the underlining.

You'll notice that Tone A is simpler than Tone B, both for the priest and the congregation. Regardless of which tone you (as the priest) decide to use, you should certainly make sure your congregation knows how to respond. You could have your cantor prepare them before the opening hymn, for instance.

I look forward to your comments, suggestions, or questions. Remember, I'm not a priest, I'm not a professionally trained liturgist, I'm just a layman in the Church with a growing interest in chant and solemn celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Benedicite!

News: Rowan Williams (Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury) on the Nativity according to St. Matthew

From an article in the Telegraph:

Dr Rowan Williams has claimed there was little evidence that the Magi even existed and there was certainly nothing to prove there were three of them or that they were kings.

He said the only reference to the wise men from the East was in Matthew's gospel and the details were very vague. [So anything mentioned in the Bible once -- or anything vague -- can be discounted?]

Dr Williams said: "Matthew's gospel says they are astrologers, wise men, priests from somewhere outside the Roman Empire, that's all we're really told. It works quite well as legend."

And, while he does believe in the Virgin birth, he questions Matthew's use of the Isaiah 7:14 prophecy:

Simon Mayo: Christopher Hitchens and many others make the point that isn't the translation for young woman rather than virgin? Does it have to be seen as virgin; might it be a mistranslation?

Archbishop of Canterbury: It is... well, what's happening there one of the gospels quotes a prophecy that a virgin will conceive a child. Now the original Hebrew doesn't have the word virgin, [but we don't have the original Hebrew, the oldest translation we have is the Septuagint; extant Hebrew manuscripts are later in date] it's just a young woman, but that's the prophecy that's quoted from the Old Testament in support of the story which is, in any case, about a birth without a human father, so it's not that it rests on mistranslation; St Matthew's gone to his Greek version of the bible and said "Oh, 'virgin'; sounds like the story I know," and put it in. [If that's not inspiration, I don't know what is!]

Oh well. Anyone else in the Anglican Church considering returning to Rome?

Excerpti: The Eucharist, Part II: What is the matter of the Eucharist?

This is the second installment of Excerpti (extracts); the series is currently focused on the Eucharist, the Most Blessed Sacrament. This is Part II: What is the matter of the Eucharist? (Not "What is the matter with the Eucharist?")

Summary
Regardless of leaven in the bread (see below), the bread must contain wheat gluten; the wine must contain alcohol. Low-gluten bread and mustum are allowed under specific circumstances. (cf. Norms for the Use of Low-Gluten Bread and Mustum; The Use of Mustum and Low-Gluten Hosts at Mass)

In the Western tradition:

• Unleavened wheat bread. (Cf. CIC, can. 924 §§1, 2)
• Natural grape wine mixed with water. (Cf. CIC, can. 924 §§1, 3)

In the Eastern tradition:

• Leavened wheat bread (except in the Armenian and Maronite rites, where it is unleavened). (Cf. CCEO, can. 706)
• Natural grape wine mixed with water. (Cf. CCEO, can. 706)

The wine is mixed with water during the Offertory in the Western rites; the wine is mixed with the water during the Proskomedia in the Eastern rites.

Western Canon Law
"The most holy Sacrifice of the Eucharist must be celebrated in bread, and in wine to which a small quantity of water is to be added." (CIC, can. 924 §1)

"The bread must be wheaten only, and recently made, so that there is no danger of corruption." (CIC, can. 924 §2)

"The wine must be natural, made from grapes of the vine, and not corrupt." (CIC, can. 924 §3)

Eastern Canon Law
"In the Divine Liturgy the sacred gifts which are offered are bread made of wheat alone and recently made so that there is no danger of corruption and natural wine of the grape and not corrupt." (CCEO, can. 706)

Other Documents
"The bread for Eucharistic celebration is bread of wheat and, in keeping with the age-old custom of the Latin Church, unleavened." (Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship, 1970 - Liturgicae Instaurationes, n. 5)

"Faithful to Christ's example, the Church has constantly used bread and wine mixed with water to celebrate the Lord's Supper. The bread for the celebration of the Eucharist, in accordance with the tradition of the whole Church, must be made solely of wheat, and, in accordance with the tradition proper to the Latin Church, it must be unleavened. By reason of the sign, the matter of the Eucharistic celebration 'should appear as actual food.' This is to be understood as linked to the consistency of the bread, and not to its form, which remains the traditional one. No other ingredients are to be added to the wheaten flour and water. The preparation of the bread requires attentive care to ensure that the product does not detract from the dignity due to the Eucharistic bread, can be broken in a dignified way, does not give rise to excessive fragments, and does not offend the sensibilities of the faithful when they eat it. The wine for the Eucharistic celebration must be of 'the fruit of the vine' (Lk. 22:18) and be natural and genuine, that is to say not mixed with other substances. {Cf. Liturgicae Instaurationes, n. 5}" (Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, 1980 - Inaestimabile Donum, n. 8)

"Special hosts quibus glutinum ablatum est" -- that is, "whose gluten is removed" -- "are invalid matter for the celebration of the eucharist." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1994 - Norms for the Use of Low-Gluten Bread and Mustum, I.B.1)

"Low-gluten hosts are valid matter, provided that they contain the amount of gluten sufficient to obtain the confection of bread, that there is no addition of foreign materials and that the procedure for making such hosts is not such as to alter the nature of the substance of the bread." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1994 - Norms for the Use of Low-Gluten Bread and Mustum, I.B.2)

"Nevertheless, the permission to use mustum can be granted by ordinaries to priests affected by alcoholism or other conditions which prevent the ingestion of even the smallest quantity of alcohol, after presentation of a medical certificate." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1994 - Norms for the Use of Low-Gluten Bread and Mustum, II.B)

"By mustum is understood fresh juice from grapes or juice preserved by suspending its fermentation (by means of freezing or other methods which do not alter its nature)." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1994 - Norms for the Use of Low-Gluten Bread and Mustum, II.C)

"Following the example of Christ, the Church has always used bread and wine with water to celebrate the Lord’s Supper." (GIRM, n. 319)

"The bread for celebrating the Eucharist must be made only from wheat, must be recently baked, and, according to the ancient tradition of the Latin Church, must be unleavened." (GIRM, n. 320)

"The wine for the eucharistic celebration must be from the fruit of the grapevine (cf. Lk 22:18), natural, and unadulterated, that is, without admixture of extraneous substances." (GIRM, n. 322)

"Diligent care should be taken to ensure that the bread and wine intended for the Eucharist are kept in a perfect state of conservation: that is, that the wine does not turn to vinegar nor the bread spoil or become too hard to be broken easily." (GIRM, n. 323)

"Hosts that are completely gluten-free are invalid matter for the celebration of the Eucharist." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 2003 - Prot. 89/78-174 98, A.1)

"Low-gluten hosts (partially gluten-free) are valid matter, provided they contain a sufficient amount of gluten to obtain the confection of bread without the addition of foreign materials and without the use of procedures that would alter the nature of bread." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 2003 - Prot. 89/78-174 98, A.2)

"Mustum, which is grape juice that is either fresh or preserved by methods that suspend its fermentation without altering its nature (for example, freezing), is valid matter for the celebration of the Eucharist." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 2003 - Prot. 89/78-174 98, A.3)

"The Ordinary is competent to give permission for an individual priest or layperson to use low-gluten hosts or mustum for the celebration of the Eucharist. Permission can be granted habitually, for as long as the situation continues which occasioned the granting of permission." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 2003 - Prot. 89/78-174 98, C.1)

"The bread used in the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharistic Sacrifice must be unleavened, purely of wheat, and recently made so that there is no danger of decomposition. {Cf. CIC, can. 924 §2; GIRM, n. 320} It follows therefore that bread made from another substance, even if it is grain, or if it is mixed with another substance different from wheat to such an extent that it would not commonly be considered wheat bread, does not constitute valid matter for confecting the Sacrifice and the Eucharistic Sacrament. It is a grave abuse to introduce other substances, such as fruit or sugar or honey, into the bread for confecting the Eucharist. Hosts should obviously be made by those who are not only distinguished by their integrity, but also skilled in making them and furnished with suitable tools." (Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 2004 - Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 48)

"The wine that is used in the most sacred celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice must be natural, from the fruit of the grape, pure and incorrupt, not mixed with other substances. {Cf. CIC, can. 924 §§1, 3; GIRM, n. 322} During the celebration itself, a small quantity of water is to be mixed with it. Great care should be taken so that the wine intended for the celebration of the Eucharist is well conserved and has not soured. {Cf. GIRM, n. 323} It is altogether forbidden to use wine of doubtful authenticity or provenance, for the Church requires certainty regarding the conditions necessary for the validity of the sacraments. Nor are other drinks of any kind to be admitted for any reason, as they do not constitute valid matter." (Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 2004 - Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 50)

Liturgy: The Traditional Ordinary Form

I am going to start a series on how I believe the current Ordinary Form of the Mass could (and should) be celebrated in a way that reinforces and emphasizes the centuries-old traditions of the Roman Rite. I will deal with issues such as Latin, chant, and the orientation of the priest; I will consider the coming new English translation of the Sacramentary; I will examine the various "readings" (i.e. options) of the Mass. I will work through the liturgy in order. I will give my opinions, but also support my preferences with sources such as Church documents and books on the liturgy.

I've been reading a couple books about the liturgy (and its post-conciliar reform):

• The Spirit of the Liturgy (Romano Guardini)
• The Spirit of the Liturgy (Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger)
• Reform of the Reform? (Fr. Thomas Kocik)
• The Reform of the Roman Liturgy (Msgr. Klaus Gamber)

I am feeling the gravitational pull (as Fr. Z calls it) of the Extraordinary Form, and of Latin in general. When I pray Lauds and Vespers, I say some of it in Latin (although I have not yet taken the effort to pray the Benedicat nor the Magnificat in Latin yet); when I pray Compline, I say it entirely in Latin. I've downloaded or purchased a lot of Latin hymns and chants, and I listen to them quite often. I have developed a particular piety of posture and disposition at Mass. I eagerly await the new English translation of the Order of Mass. I am also leaning towards the "reform of the reform" mentality... or, at the very least, adherence to a more traditional celebration of the Ordinary Form (with Latin, Gregorian Chant, ad orientem, etc.).

This series probably won't start until 2008... at the very least, I want to get another part of the Excerpti on the Most Blessed Sacrament out before I start this series.

Bible Study: 4th Sunday of Advent, Year A

Matthew 1:18-24
"Pariet autem filium, et vocabis nomen eius Iesum:
ipse enim salvum faciet populum suum a peccatis eorum."
Download this study [MS Word, 47 k, 4pp]

News: Papal visit goes online

Visit USPapalVisit.org for information on Pope Benedict XVI's upcoming trip to the United States in April. Hopefully I can get a seat at Yankee Stadium for the Mass he'll say there. I wonder if the ordinary parts of the Mass will be in Latin, as endorsed by Sacramentum Caritatis, n. 62:

I am thinking here particularly of celebrations at international gatherings, which nowadays are held with greater frequency. The most should be made of these occasions. In order to express more clearly the unity and universality of the Church, I wish to endorse the proposal made by the Synod of Bishops, in harmony with the directives of the Second Vatican Council, {Cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium, nn. 36, 54} that, with the exception of the readings, the homily and the prayer of the faithful, it is fitting that such liturgies be celebrated in Latin.

Bible Study: 3rd Sunday of Advent, Year A

Matthew 11:2-11
Tu es qui venturus es, an alium exspectamus?
Download this study [MS Word, 47 k, 4pp]

Dissent: Call to Action

I've made two posts about homilies given at Holy Family Parish in Inverness, Illinois, by the parish's pastor, Fr. Patrick J. Brennan. It turns out Fr. Brennan is a popular speaker for the dissenting group "Call to Action" (see this article, footnote 25). Here are titles of two presentations he has given: From "The Last Priest in America" to the Priesthood of the Faithful and Tradition and McChurch: Baby Busters and Generation X-ers.

I feel very sorry for the parishioners of Holy Family because they are being led by a man who disdains the very Church that ordained him, and his homilies are often peppered with dissent, misinformation, and sometimes even blatant heresy. Please pray for them, pray for Fr. Brennan, and pray for His Eminence Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., the Archbishop of the Chicago Archdiocese.

Excerpti: The Eucharist, Part I: Who is the minister of the Eucharist?

This is the first part in a new topic in the Excerpti series. I am now focusing on the Most Blessed Sacrament, the Eucharist: what is necessary for a valid and licit Eucharist. Every Sacrament has four components: minister, matter, form, and intent. The document that will get the most coverage in this series is Redemptionis Sacramentum from the CCDDS in 2004 which deals with "certain matters to be observed or to be avoided regarding the Most Holy Eucharist".

First, however, a bit of terminology. By valid, I mean that which leads to the Sacrament actually being confected. By licit, I mean that which leads to the Sacrament being confected lawfully. We are also dealing with confecting the Sacrament of the Eucharist, not with the ministering and reception of Holy Communion by the faithful -- I will leave that for another time. This means that I will be using the phrase "minister of the Eucharist", and this is not to be confused with "extraordinary minister of Holy Communion".

Here I will treat the minister of the Eucharist.

Summary
Only a priest (or bishop) has the ability to confect a valid and licit Eucharist.

• The only valid "minister of the Eucharist" is a validly ordained priest, end of story. (Bishops are already priests.) (CIC, can. 900 §1; CCEO, can. 699 §1)
• If any other person attempts to confect the Eucharist, they are committing a grave abuse, and the Eucharist is invalid (i.e. it is not confected). (Mysterium Ecclesiae, n. 6; Ecclesiae de mysterio, art. 7 §2)
• The Eucharist is confected validly but illicitly (i.e. unlawfully) by a priest who does so without the permission of the bishop. (Lumen Gentium, n. 26)

Western Canon Law
"The only minister who, in the person of Christ, can bring into being the sacrament of the Eucharist, is a validly ordained priest." (CIC, can. 900 §1)

"Any priest who is not debarred by canon law may lawfully celebrate the Eucharist, provided the provisions of the following canons are observed." (CIC, can. 900 §2)

Eastern Canon Law
"Only bishops and presbyters have the power of celebrating the Divine Liturgy." (CCEO, can. 699 §1)

Other Documents
"And the sacred Scriptures show, and the tradition of the Catholic Church has always taught, that this priesthood was instituted by the same Lord our Saviour, and that to the apostles, and their successors in the priesthood, was the power delivered of consecrating, offering, and administering His Body and Blood, as also of forgiving and of retaining sins." (Council of Trent, 1563 - Session XXIII, Chapter I)

"The ministerial priest, by the sacred power he enjoys, teaches and rules the priestly people; acting in the person of Christ, he makes present the Eucharistic sacrifice, and offers it to God in the name of all the people." (Second Vatican Council, 1964 - Lumen Gentium, n. 10)

"Every legitimate celebration of the Eucharist is regulated by the bishop, to whom is committed the office of offering the worship of Christian religion to the Divine Majesty and of administering it in accordance with the Lord's commandments and the Church's laws, as further defined by his particular judgment for his diocese." (Second Vatican Council, 1964 - Lumen Gentium, n. 26)

"[O]nly the priest can act in the person of Christ and preside over and perform the sacrificial banquet in which the People of God are united with the oblation of Christ. ... [T]he faithful who have not received priestly ordination and who take upon themselves the office of performing the Eucharist attempt to do so not only in a completely illicit way but also invalidly. Such an abuse, wherever it may occur, must clearly be eliminated by the pastors of the Church." (Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1973 - Mysterium Ecclesiae, n. 6)

"The Catholic Church has never felt that priestly or episcopal ordination can be validly conferred on women." (Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1976 - Inter Insigniores, n. 1)

"Although all the faithful indeed share in the one and same priesthood of Christ and participate in the offering of the Eucharist, it is only the ministerial priest who, in virtue of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, can confect the Eucharistic sacrifice in persona Christi and offer it in the name of all Christian people. {Cf. Lumen Gentium, n. 10}" (SCDF, 1983 - Sacerdotium Ministeriale, I.1)

"Since it is of the very nature of the Church that the power to consecrate the Eucharist is imparted only to the bishops and priests who are constituted its ministers by the reception of Holy Orders, the Church holds that the Eucharistic mystery cannot be celebrated in any community except by an ordained priest, as expressly taught by the Fourth Lateran Council." (SCDF, 1983 - Sacerdotium Ministeriale, III.4)

"The liturgy [shows] that every celebration of the Eucharist is performed in union not only with the proper Bishop, but also with the Pope, with the episcopal order, with all the clergy, and with the entire people. Every valid celebration of the Eucharist expresses this universal communion with Peter and with the whole Church, or objectively calls for it, as in the case of the Christian Churches separated from Rome." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1992 - Communionis Notio, n. 14)

"In eucharistic celebrations deacons and non-ordained members of the faithful may not pronounce prayers — e.g. especially the eucharistic prayer, with its concluding doxology — or any other parts of the liturgy reserved to the celebrant priest. Neither may deacons or non-ordained members of the faithful use gestures or actions which are proper to the same priest celebrant. It is a grave abuse for any member of the non-ordained faithful to 'quasi preside' at the Mass while leaving only that minimal participation to the priest which is necessary to secure validity." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1997 - Ecclesiae de mysterio, art. 7 §2)

"[I]t is the ordained priest who, 'acting in the person of Christ, brings about the Eucharistic Sacrifice and offers it to God in the name of all the people'. {Lumen Gentium, n. 10}" (Pope John Paul II, 2003 - Ecclesia de Eucharistia, n. 28)

"The ministry of priests who have received the sacrament of Holy Orders, in the economy of salvation chosen by Christ, makes clear that the Eucharist which they celebrate is a gift which radically transcends the power of the assembly and is in any event essential for validly linking the Eucharistic consecration to the sacrifice of the Cross and to the Last Supper. The assembly gathered together for the celebration of the Eucharist, if it is to be a truly Eucharistic assembly, absolutely requires the presence of an ordained priest as its president. ... It is the Bishop who, through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, makes a new presbyter by conferring upon him the power to consecrate the Eucharist. Consequently, 'the Eucharistic mystery cannot be celebrated in any community except by an ordained priest, as the Fourth Lateran Council expressly taught'. {Sacerdotium Ministeriale, III.4}" (Pope John Paul II, 2003 - Ecclesia de Eucharistia, n. 29)

"[T]he denial of one or more truths of the faith regarding these sacraments [of Eucharist, Penance, and Anointing of the Sick] and, among these, the truth regarding the need of the ministerial priesthood for their validity, renders the person asking improperly disposed to legitimately receiving them." (Pope John Paul II, 2003 - Ecclesia de Eucharistia, n. 46)

"There can be no substitute whatsoever for the ministerial Priesthood. For if a Priest is lacking in the community, then the community lacks the exercise and sacramental function of Christ the Head and Shepherd, which belongs to the essence of its very life. For 'the only minister who can confect the sacrament of the Eucharist in persona Christi is a validly ordained Priest'. {Cf. CIC, can. 900 §1}" (Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 2004 - Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 146)

"As has already been recalled, 'the only minister who can confect the Sacrament of the Eucharist in persona Christi is a validly ordained Priest'. {Cf. CIC, can. 900 §1} Hence the name 'minister of the Eucharist' belongs properly to the Priest alone." (Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 2004 - Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 154)

"The eucharistic Sacrifice absolutely requires a ministerial priesthood. The encyclical reminds us that the common priesthood [of the baptized] is not sufficient for the eucharistic celebration." (Congregation for the Clergy, 2003 - The Eucharist and the Priest (commentary on Ecclesia de Eucharistia), heading "The Eucharist and Ministerial Priesthood")

"The Church teaches that priestly ordination is the indispensable condition for the valid celebration of the Eucharist. {Cf. Sacerdotium Ministeriale}" (Pope Benedict XVI, 2007 - Sacramentum Caritatis, n. 23)

EWTN: Threshold of Hope Q&A on Latin!

I'm watching Threshold of Hope this morning on my computer (via EWTN's live video feed). After a commercial break, Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J., fielded a question from another priest in the audience about Latin in the Mass. Fr. Pacwa answered by explaining how the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy did not eliminate Latin, how Latin has "pride of place", how he believes the Ordinary parts of Mass (the Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, etc.) should be in Latin... then he talked about a parish that was having a lot of trouble financially, that had been having Spanish Masses and English Masses, that then decided to celebrate the Ordinary Form of the Mass in Latin, and it turned the parish around entirely.

Excerpti: Next subject?

I think I've treated the homily thoroughly enough; unless someone has another question about it, I'd like to focus on a new subject. I'm open to suggestions.

The Homily
I. Who can say the homily?
II. When should there be a homily?
III. What is the purpose of the homily?

EWTN: The Journey Home

My friends Russ and Deborah Rentler ("Tiber Jumper" and "Prodigal Daughter") are on "The Journey Home" on EWTN tonight at 8:00 PM (EST). It's on right now! If you don't get EWTN, you can watch a live video feed from their website. The show is also rebroadcast again later in the week.

Excerpti: The Homily, Part III: What is the purpose of the homily?

This is the third installment in the current Excerpti (extracts) series on the homily. This is Part III: What is the purpose of the homily?

Summary
First, here are two dynamite quotes:

• "The best catechesis on the Eucharist is the Eucharist itself well celebrated." (Synod of Bishops, XI Ordinary General Assembly, Propositiones, n. 19)
• "Given the importance of the word of God, the quality of homilies needs to be improved." (Pope Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis, n. 46)

There seems to be a common misconception that all the homily is, is an explanation of the Scripture that was read and an application of it to our lives. (Of course, there's an equally common misconception that a homily is where off-topic jokes are told and valuable football-watching time is wasted.) A homily is more than that. In addition to exposition on Scripture, the homily teaches the faithful about the truths and mysteries of the faith, about proper Christian behavior, and about the liturgy itself.

• The homily teaches and illustrates the truths and mysteries of the faith as well as the norms for Christian living, touching upon the whole of Christian teaching. (Cf. CIC, can. 386 §1, 528 §1, can. 767 §1; CCEO, can. 614 §1)
• The homily provides liturgical catechesis. (Cf. GIRM, n. 13)
• The homily explains the texts heard in the liturgy. (Cf. GIRM, nn. 29, 55, 65)
  
• The homily is based on Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium. (Cf. Divino Afflante Spiritu, n. 50; GIRM, n. 65; Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 67)
• The homily should be relevant to the liturgical celebration of the day or season. (Cf. GIRM, n. 65)
• The quality of homilies must improve: they must not be generic or abstract, they must not dwell solely on the profane and political, and they must not use pseudo-religious material as sources. (Cf. Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 67; Sacramentum Caritatis, n. 46)
  

Western Canon Law
"The diocesan Bishop is bound to teach and illustrate to the faithful the truths of faith which are to be believed and applied to behavior. ... He is also to ensure ... that the whole of Christian teaching is transmitted to all." (CIC, can. 386 §1)

"The parish priest ... is therefore to see to it that the lay members of Christ's faithful are instructed in the truths of faith, especially by means of the homily on Sundays and holydays of obligation and by catechetical formation." (CIC, can. 528 §1)

"In the course of the liturgical year, the mysteries of faith and the rules of Christian living are to be expounded in the homily from the sacred text." (CIC, can. 767 §1)

Eastern Canon Law
"The homily, in which during the course of the liturgical year the mysteries of faith and the norms of Christian living are expounded from Sacred Scripture, is strongly recommended as part of the liturgy itself." (CCEO, can. 614 §1)

Other Documents
"[T]he holy Synod charges pastors, and all who have the cure of souls, that they frequently, during the celebration of mass, expound either by themselves, or others, some portion of those things which are read at mass, and that, amongst the rest, they explain some mystery of this most holy sacrifice, especially on the Lord's days and festivals." (Council of Trent, 1562 - Session XXII, Chapter VIII)

"Let priests therefore ... assiduously distribute the heavenly treasures of the divine word by sermons, homilies and exhortations; let them confirm the Christian doctrine by sentences from the Sacred Books and illustrate it by outstanding examples from sacred history and in particular from the Gospel of Christ Our Lord; and - avoiding with the greatest care those purely arbitrary and far-fetched adaptations, which are not a use, but rather an abuse of the divine word - let them set forth all this with such eloquence, lucidity and clearness that the faithful may not only be moved and inflamed to reform their lives, but may also conceive in their hearts the greatest veneration for the Sacred Scripture." (Pope Pius XII, 1943 - Divino Afflante Spiritu, n. 50)

"... the homily or sermon in which the official head of the congregation recalls and explains the practical bearing of the commandments of the divine Master and the chief events of His life, combining instruction with appropriate exhortation and illustration of the benefit of all his listeners." (Pope Pius XII, 1947 - Mediator Dei, n. 21)

"For it is from scripture that lessons are read and explained in the homily[.]" (Second Vatican Council, 1963 - Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 24)

"By means of the homily the mysteries of the faith and the guiding principles of the Christian life are expounded from the sacred text, during the course of the liturgical year[.]" (Second Vatican Council, 1963 - Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 52)

"Within the cycle of a year, moreover, [Holy Mother Church] unfolds the whole mystery of Christ, from the incarnation and birth until the ascension, the day of Pentecost, and the expectation of blessed hope and of the coming of the Lord. Recalling thus the mysteries of redemption, the Church opens to the faithful the riches of her Lord's powers and merits, so that these are in some way made present for all time, and the faithful are enabled to lay hold upon them and become filled with saving grace." (Second Vatican Council, 1963 - Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 102)

"A homily on the sacred text means an explanation, pertinent to the mystery celebrated and the special needs of the listeners, of some point in either the readings from sacred Scripture or in another text from the Ordinary or Proper of the day's Mass." (Sacred Congregation of Rites, 1964 - Inter Oecumenici, n. 54)

"Because the homily is part of the liturgy for the day, any syllabus proposed for preaching within the Mass during certain periods must keep intact the intimate connection with at least the principal seasons and feasts of the liturgical year, {Cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium, nn. 102-104} that is, with the mystery of redemption." (Sacred Congregation of Rites, 1964 - Inter Oecumenici, n. 55)

Regarding the celebration of marriage outside of Mass: "After the reading of the epistle and gospel from the Missa pro sponsis, there shall be a sermon or homily based on the sacred text. {Cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 52}" (Sacred Congregation of Rites, 1964 - Inter Oecumenici, n. 74/a)

"The people have the right to be nourished by the word of God proclaimed and explained. Accordingly priests are to give a homily whenever it is prescribed or seems advisable[.]" (Sacred Congregation of Rites, 1967 - Eucharisticum Mysterium, n. 20)

"The homily has as its purpose to explain to the faithful the word of God just proclaimed and to adapt it to the mentality of the times. The priest, therefore, is the homilist; the congregation is to refrain from comments, attempts at dialogue, or anything similar." (Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship, 1970 - Liturgicae Instaurationes, n. 2/a)

"[T]he homily ... explains the Word of God proclaimed in the liturgical assembly for the faithful there present, in a manner suited to their capacity and way of life, and relative to the circumstances of the celebration." (?, ???? - Eucharistiae Participationem, n. 15)

"The homily explaining the word of God should be given great prominence in all Masses with children." (Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship, 1973 - Directorium de missis cum pueris, n. 48)

"This remark is even more valid for the catechesis given in the setting of the liturgy, especially at the Eucharistic assembly. Respecting the specific nature and proper cadence of this setting, the homily takes up again the journey of faith put forward by catechesis, and brings it to its natural fulfillment. At the same time it encourages the Lord's disciples to begin anew each day their spiritual journey in truth, adoration and thanksgiving. Accordingly, one can say that catechetical teaching too finds its source and its fulfillment in the Eucharist, within the whole circle of the liturgical year. Preaching, centered upon the Bible texts, must then in its own way make it possible to familiarize the faithful with the whole of the mysteries of the faith and with the norms of Christian living. Much attention must be given to the homily: it should be neither too long nor too short; it should always be carefully prepared, rich in substance and adapted to the hearers, and reserved to ordained ministers." (Pope John Paul II, 1979 - Catechesi Tradendae, n. 48)

"The reading of Scripture cannot be replaced by the reading of other texts, however much they may be endowed with undoubted religious and moral values. ... Indeed the homily is supremely suitable for the use of such texts, provided that their content corresponds to the required conditions, since it is one of the tasks that belong to the nature of the homily to show the points of convergence between revealed divine wisdom and noble human thought seeking the truth by various paths." (Pope John Paul II, 1979 - Dominicae Cenae, n. 10)

"The purpose of the homily is to explain to the faithful the Word of God proclaimed in the readings, and to apply its message to the present." (Sacred Congregation for Sacraments and Divine Worship, 1980 - Inaestimabile Donum, n. 3)

"Christ is present in his word as proclaimed in the assembly and which, commented upon in the homily, is to be listened to in faith and assimilated in prayer." (Pope John Paul II, 1988 - Vicesimus quintus annus, n. 7)

"In the Catholic Eucharistic Liturgy, the homily which forms part of the liturgy itself is reserved to the priest or deacon, since it is the presentation of the mysteries of faith and the norms of Christian living in accordance with Catholic teaching and tradition. {Cf. CIC, can. 767 and CCEO, can. 614 §4}" (Directory on Ecumenism, n. 134)

"The homily, being an eminent form of preaching, qua per anni liturgici cursum ex textu sacro fidei mysteria et normae vitae christianae exponuntia, {Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 52; cf. CIC, can. 767, §1} also forms part of the liturgy." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1997 - Ecclesiae de Mysterio, art. 3 §1)

"Indeed, since the use of the vernacular in the Sacred Liturgy may certainly be considered an important means for presenting more clearly the catechesis regarding the mystery that is inherent in the celebration itself, the Second Vatican Council also ordered that certain prescriptions of the Council of Trent that had not been followed everywhere be brought to fruition, such as the homily..." (GIRM, n. 13)

"Although in the readings from Sacred Scripture God’s word is addressed to all people of every era and is understandable to them, nevertheless, a fuller understanding and a greater effectiveness of the word is fostered by a living commentary on the word, that is, the homily, as part of the liturgical action. {Cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 52}" (GIRM, n. 29)

"[I]n the readings, as explained by the homily, God speaks to his people, opening up to them the mystery of redemption and salvation and offering them spiritual nourishment; and Christ himself is present in the midst of the faithful through his word." (GIRM, n. 55)

"The homily is ... necessary for the nurturing of the Christian life. It should be an exposition of some aspect of the readings from Sacred Scripture or of another text from the Ordinary or from the Proper of the Mass of the day and should take into account both the mystery being celebrated and the particular needs of the listeners. {Inter Oecumenici, n. 54}" (GIRM, n. 65)

"Particular care is to be taken so that the homily is firmly based upon the mysteries of salvation, expounding the mysteries of the Faith and the norms of Christian life from the biblical readings and liturgical texts throughout the course of the liturgical year and providing commentary on the texts of the Ordinary or the Proper of the Mass, or of some other rite of the Church. {Cf. Council of Trent, Session XXII, Chapter VIII; GIRM, n. 65} It is clear that all interpretations of Sacred Scripture are to be referred back to Christ Himself as the one upon whom the entire economy of salvation hinges, though this should be done in light of the specific context of the liturgical celebration. In the homily to be given, care is to be taken so that the light of Christ may shine upon life's events. Even so, this is to be done so as not to obscure the true and unadulterated word of God: for instance, treating only of politics or profane subjects, or drawing upon notions derived from contemporary pseudo-religious currents as a source." (Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 2004 - Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 67)

"The Council Fathers also urged the celebrant to treat the homily as part of the liturgy, aimed at explaining the word of God and drawing out its meaning for the Christian life. {Cf. Sacrosanctum Consilium, 52}" (Pope John Paul II, 2004 - Mane Nobiscum Domine, n. 13)

"The best catechesis on the Eucharist is the Eucharist itself well celebrated. Because of this ordained ministers are asked to consider the celebration as their main duty. In particular, they must prepare the homily with care, basing themselves on an appropriate knowledge of Sacred Scripture. The homily should put the Word of God, proclaimed in the celebration, in profound relationship with the sacramental celebration {cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 52} and with the life of the community, so that the Word of God is the foundation and life of the Church and is transformed in food by prayer and daily life. The homily molded by the teachings of the Fathers of the Church is a true mystagogy, that is, a true initiation to the mysteries celebrated and lived. In addition, the possibility was suggested of taking recourse – stemming from the triennial lectionary – to 'thematic' homilies that, in the course of the liturgical year, could address the great topics of the Christian faith: the Creed, the Our Father, the parts of the Mass, the Ten Commandments and other arguments. These thematic homilies should correspond to what has again been authoritatively proposed by the Magisterium of the Church in the four 'pillars' of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and in the recent Compendium. With this objective, the elaboration of pastoral material was proposed, based on the triennial lectionary, which puts the proclamation of the Scriptures in relationship with the doctrines of the faith that spring from the same." (Synod of Bishops, XI Ordinary General Assembly, 2005 - Propositiones, n. 19)

"Given the importance of the word of God, the quality of homilies needs to be improved. The homily is ... meant to foster a deeper understanding of the word of God, so that it can bear fruit in the lives of the faithful. Hence ordained ministers must 'prepare the homily carefully, based on an adequate knowledge of Sacred Scripture' {Propositio 19}. Generic and abstract homilies should be avoided. In particular, I ask these ministers to preach in such a way that the homily closely relates the proclamation of the word of God to the sacramental celebration {Cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 52} and the life of the community, so that the word of God truly becomes the Church's vital nourishment and support. The catechetical and paraenetic aim of the homily should not be forgotten. During the course of the liturgical year it is appropriate to offer the faithful, prudently and on the basis of the three-year lectionary, 'thematic' homilies treating the great themes of the Christian faith, on the basis of what has been authoritatively proposed by the Magisterium in the four 'pillars' of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the recent Compendium, namely: the profession of faith, the celebration of the Christian mystery, life in Christ and Christian prayer. {Cf. Propositio 19}" (Pope Benedict XVI, 2007 - Sacramentum Caritatis, n. 46)

Excerpti: The Homily, Part II: When should there be a homily?

This is the second post in the Excerpti (extracts) series on the homily. This is Part II: When should there be a homily?

Summary
Apart from Canon Law, the main sources here are Sacramentum Concilium and Inter oecumenici.

• A homily is to be given on every Sunday and every holyday of obligation, and only a grave reason can justify its omission. This includes masses with children where they have their own Liturgy of the Word. (Cf. CIC, can. 528 §1, 767 §2; CCEO, can. 614 §2; Directorium de missis cum pueris, n. 17)
• A homily is strongly recommended during the week, especially during Advent and Lent, on a feast day or occasion of grief, and whenever there are a sufficient number of people present. (Cf. CIC, can. 767 §3)
• Every celebration of marriage must include a homily, even if the marriage is celebrated outside of Mass. (Cf. Inter Oecumenici, nn. 70, 74/a)
• Celebrations of baptism, penance, and funerals are fitting occasions for a homily as well. (Cf. Catechesi Tradendae, n. 48)
  

Western Canon Law
"The parish priest ... is therefore to see to it that the lay members of Christ's faithful are instructed in the truths of faith, especially by means of the homily on Sundays and holydays of obligation and by catechetical formation." (CIC, can. 528 §1)

"At all Masses on Sundays and holydays of obligation, celebrated with a congregation, there is to be a homily and, except for a grave reason, this may not be omitted." (CIC, can. 767 §2)

"It is strongly recommended that, if a sufficient number of people are present, there be a homily at weekday Masses also, especially during Advent and Lent, or on a feast day or an occasion of grief." (CIC, can. 767 §3)

Eastern Canon Law
"The homily ... is strongly recommended as part of the liturgy itself." (CCEO, can. 614 §1)

"Parish priests and rectors of churches have the obligation to take care that a homily is given at least during the Divine Liturgy on Sundays and feast days and that it is only omitted for a grave reason." (CCEO, can. 614 §2)

Other Documents
"[T]he holy Synod charges pastors, and all who have the cure of souls, that they frequently, during the celebration of mass, expound either by themselves, or others, some portion of those things which are read at mass, and that, amongst the rest, they explain some mystery of this most holy sacrifice, especially on the Lord's days and festivals." (Council of Trent, 1562 - Session XXII, Chapter VIII)

"Let priests therefore ... assiduously" -- that is, unceasingly -- "distribute the heavenly treasures of the divine word by sermons, homilies and exhortations[.]" (Pope Pius XII, 1943 - Divino Afflante Spiritu, n. 50)

"[T]he homily, therefore, is to be highly esteemed as part of the liturgy itself; in fact, at those Masses which are celebrated with the assistance of the people on Sundays and feasts of obligation, it should not be omitted except for a serious reason." (Second Vatican Council, 1963 - Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 52)

"There shall be a homily on Sundays and holydays of obligation at all Masses celebrated with a congregation, including conventual, sung, or pontifical Masses. On days other than Sundays and holydays a homily is recommended, especially on some of the weekdays of Advent and Lent or on other occasions when the faithful come to church in large numbers." (Sacred Congregation of Rites, 1964 - Inter Oecumenici, n. 53)

"Unless there is some good, excusing reason, marriage shall be celebrated within Mass, after the gospel and homily. The homily is never to be omitted." (Sacred Congregation of Rites, 1964 - Inter Oecumenici, n. 70)

Regarding the celebration of marriage outside of Mass: "After the reading of the epistle and gospel from the Missa pro sponsis, there shall be a sermon or homily based on the sacred text. {Cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 52}" (Sacred Congregation of Rites, 1964 - Inter Oecumenici, n. 74/a)

"[P]riests are to give a homily whenever it is prescribed or seems advisable[.]" (Sacred Congregation of Rites, 1967 - Eucharisticum Mysterium, n. 20)

"On the Saturday evening, the Mass is to be celebrated as assigned in the calendar for Sunday and the homily ... [is] not to be omitted. (Sacred Congregation of Rites, 1967 - Eucharisticum Mysterium, n. 28)

"Sometimes ... it will be appropriate to celebrate the liturgy of the word, including a homily, with the children in a separate, but not too distant, room." (Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship, 1973 - Directorium de missis cum pueris, n. 17)

"The homily explaining the word of God should be given great prominence in all Masses with children." (Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship, 1973 - Directorium de missis cum pueris, n. 48)

"The homily should have its place not only in every Sunday and feast-day Eucharist, but also in the celebration of baptisms, penitential liturgies, marriages and funerals. This is one of the benefits of the liturgical renewal." (Pope John Paul II, 1979 - Catechesi Tradendae, n. 48)

Hear that? Homilies on a regular basis and even more frequently than that are "one of the benefits of the liturgical renewal". So don't skip the homily!

"There is to be a homily on Sundays and holy days of obligation at all Masses that are celebrated with the participation of a congregation; it may not be omitted without a serious reason. It is recommended on other days, especially on the weekdays of Advent, Lent, and the Easter Season, as well as on other festive days and occasions when the people come to church in greater numbers. {Cf. Inter Oecumenici, no. 53}" (GIRM, n. 66)

Excerpti: The Homily, Part I: Who can say the homily?

This is the first installment of a series I call Excerpti (extracts). Now that I have a collection of over 60 Church documents in digital form, I can search them easily, which means, if I want to know what they say about a particular term or concept, I can get that information (and its context) rather quickly. Most of the documents I cite are available in digital from on the Vox Ecclesiae page.

So this series will be a look at particular topics and what these documents say about them. I will provide the documents' excerpts in a chronological order (so that references to older documents refer to excerpts I've already provided), with the exception of Canon Law -- the Codex iuris canonici (CIC) for the Western Church, the Codex canonum ecclesiarum orientalium (CCEO) for the Eastern Churches -- which is presented first. Each excerpt is followed by its citation -- the author and year of publication, then the name of the document and the relevant section. I will start with a summary of what is to follow -- a bullet-point list of the conclusions arrived at.

For my first topic, I have chosen the homily. This is Part I: Who can say the homily?

Summary
The three primary sources for information on the minister of the homily are Canon Law, Ecclesiae de Mysterio, and Redemptionis Sacramentum. Ecclesia de Mysterio is referred to the most by the excerpts below; its subtitle is "On certain questions regarding the collaboration of the non-ordained faithful in the sacred ministry of the Priest".

• At the Eucharistic celebration of the Mass, the only people who can give a homily are a bishop, priest, or deacon, period. (Cf. CIC, can. 763-765, 767 §1)
• Those who have lost their clerical state or abandoned their sacred ministry may not give a homily. (Cf. Ecclesiae de Mysterio, art. 3 §5)
• No non-ordained member of the faithful can give a homily at a Mass, not even seminarians and theology students. (Cf. Ecclesiae de Mysterio, art. 3 §1)
• At a "Children's Liturgy", while a layperson can "speak to the children after the Gospel", this does not take the place of the homily, which must be given by an ordained minister. (Cf. Directorium de missis cum pueris, n. 24)
• A "dialogue homily" is envisioned only for Masses with Children. (Cf. Ecclesiae de Mysterio, art. 3 §3)
• In some circumstances, a layperson may preach in a church or oratory, but this requires express permission from the local ordinary; a priest or deacon can not give permission. Still, this preaching can not be a homily during a Mass. (Cf. CIC, can. 766; Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 161)
• As regards preaching by laypeople, this is neither their right (as of a bishop) nor their faculty (as of a priest or deacon), but an exceptional permission. (Cf. CIC, can. 764-765; Ecclesiae de Mysterio, art. 2 §3)
• The permission given to laypeople to preach in particular situations is not to be regarded as "an ordinary occurrence nor as an authentic promotion of the laity". (Cf. Ecclesiae de Mysterio, art. 2 §4)
• It is preferable that testimonies from laypeople happen outside of the Mass; if they must happen during the Mass, then they are to be given after the Prayer after Communion. (Cf. Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 74)

Two important sources not quoted below deserve mention. First is the Pontificial Commission for Legislative Text's authentic interpretation of can. 767 §1 which is that the "Diocesan bishop cannot dispense from the prescription that the homily is reserved to priests or deacons." (AAS, v. 79 (1987), p. 1249) In other words, a bishop cannot grant an indult to a layman to preach the homily. The second is the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' norm on can. 766:

Preaching the Word of God is among the principal duties of those who have received the sacrament of orders (can. 762-764). The lay faithful can be called to cooperate in the exercise of the Ministry of the Word (can. 759). In accord with canon 766 the National Conference of Catholic Bishops hereby decrees that the lay faithful may be permitted to exercise this ministry in churches and oratories, with due regard for the following provisions:

If necessity requires it in certain circumstances or it seems useful in particular cases, the diocesan bishop can admit lay faithful to preach, to offer spiritual conferences or give instructions in churches, oratories or other sacred places within his diocese, when he judges it to be to the spiritual advantage of the faithful.

In order to assist the diocesan bishop in making an appropriate pastoral decision (Interdicasterial Instruction, Ecclesiae de Mysterio, Article 2 §3), the following circumstances and cases are illustrative: the absence or shortage of clergy, particular language requirements, or the demonstrated expertise or experience of the lay faithful concerned.

The lay faithful who are to be admitted to preach in a church or oratory must be orthodox in faith, and well-qualified, both by the witness of their lives as Christians and by a preparation for preaching appropriate to the circumstances.

The diocesan bishop will determine the appropriate situations in accord with canon 772 §1. In providing for preaching by the lay faithful the diocesan bishop may never dispense from the norm which reserves the homily to the sacred ministers (can. 767 §1; cf. Pontifical Commission for the Authentic Interpretation of the Code of Canon Law, 26 May 1987, in AAS 79 [1987], 1249). Preaching by the lay faithful may not take place within the Celebration of the Eucharist at the moment reserved for the homily.

Both are laws: the first (the Pontificial Commission's ruling) has universal force; the second (the USCCB's norm) has force within the US episcopal conference. (Thanks to Cameron from the Catholic Answers Forum for recommending these two sources. Cameron is a married deacon in the Catholic Church, and a canon lawyer!)

Western Canon Law
"Bishops have the right to preach the word of God everywhere, including in churches and oratories of religious institutes of pontifical right, unless the local bishop has expressly forbidden it in particular cases." (CIC, can. 763)

"Without prejudice to the prescript of can. 765, presbyters and deacons possess the faculty of preaching everywhere; this faculty is to be exercised with at least the presumed consent of the rector of the church, unless the competent ordinary has restricted or taken away the faculty or particular law requires express permission." (CIC, can. 764)

"Preaching to religious in their churches or oratories requires the permission of the superior competent according to the norm of the constitutions." (CIC, can. 765)

"Lay persons can be permitted to preach in a church or oratory, if necessity requires it in certain circumstances or it seems advantageous in particular cases, according to the prescripts of the conference of bishops and without prejudice to can. 767, §1." (CIC, can. 766)

"The most important form of preaching is the homily, which is part of the liturgy, and is reserved to a priest or deacon." (CIC, can. 767 §1)

Canon 766 says that lay persons can preach in a church, but canon 767 §1 explains that the homily, which is the "most important form of preaching" is the duty of a priest or deacon (or a bishop), that is, a man who has received Catholic ordination. Therefore, the permission for lay people to preach is restricted: they cannot give homilies. The "without prejudice to" part of can. 766 means that can. 766 "is non-operative when it comes to the matter specified in can. 767 §1" (Jimmy Akin). Thus, there are situations when a lay person can preach in a Church, but it can never be as or in place of a homily; they can preach at retreats, missions, etc.

Eastern Canon Law
"A pastor cannot habitually hand over to another his obligation of preaching to the people committed to his pastoral care except for a just reason approved by the local hierarch." (CCEO, can. 614 §3)

"The homily is reserved to a priest or, according to norm of particular law, also to a deacon." (CCEO, can. 614 §4)

Other Documents
"Let priests therefore ... assiduously distribute the heavenly treasures of the divine word by sermons, homilies and exhortations[.]" (Pope Pius XII, 1943 - Divino Afflante Spiritu, n. 50)

"... the homily or sermon in which the official head of the congregation recalls and explains..." (Pope Pius XII, 1947 - Mediator Dei, n. 21)

"This is the object not only of readings, homilies and other sermons given by priests..." (Pope Pius XII, 1947 - Mediator Dei, n. 101)

"Accordingly priests are to give a homily whenever it is prescribed or seems advisable[.]" (Sacred Congregation of Rites, 1967 - Eucharisticum Mysterium, n. 20)

"The priest, therefore, is the homilist[.]" (Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship, 1970 - Liturgicae Instaurationes, n. 2/a)

"With the consent of the pastor or rector of the church, one of the adults may speak to the children after the gospel, especially if the priest finds it difficult to adapt himself to the mentality of children." (Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship, 1973 - Directorium de missis cum pueris, n. 24)

The Latin for "may speak to the children after the gospel" is "post Evangelium verba ad pueros dirigat": literally, "direct words to the children after the Gospel". This is not the homily, and as such, must not take the place of the homily. The Latin would have used "homilia" to denote the giving of a homily, by a non-ordained adult, to the children. In other words, the children are not to be deprived of a homily, which can only lawfully be given to them by an ordained minister. (cf. What Have We Done to Our Children?, Adoremus Bulletin, Vol. IX, No. 10)

"Sometimes the homily intended for children should become a dialogue with them, unless it is preferred that they should listen in silence." (Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship, 1973 - Directorium de missis cum pueris, n. 48)

"Much attention must be given to the homily: it should be ... reserved to ordained ministers." (Pope John Paul II, 1979 - Catechesi Tradendae, n. 48)

"But these encouraging and positive aspects cannot suppress concern at the varied and frequent abuses being reported from different parts of the Catholic world: the confusion of roles, especially regarding the priestly ministry and the role of the laity (indiscriminate shared recitation of the Eucharistic Prayer, homilies given by lay people, lay people distributing Communion while the priests refrain from doing so)..." (Sacred Congregation for Sacraments and Divine Worship, 1980 - Inaestimabile Donum, Foreword)

"Accordingly the homily is to be given by the priest or the deacon. {Cf. Liturgicae Instaurationes, n. 2/a}" (Sacred Congregation for Sacraments and Divine Worship, 1980 - Inaestimabile Donum, n. 3)

"In the Catholic Eucharistic Liturgy, the homily which forms part of the liturgy itself is reserved to the priest or deacon, since it is the presentation of the mysteries of faith and the norms of Christian living in accordance with Catholic teaching and tradition. {Cf. CIC, can. 767 and CCEO, can. 614 §4}" (Directory on Ecumenism, n. 134)

"Canon 766 of the Codex Iuris Canonici establishes the conditions under which competent authority may admit the non-ordained faithful to preach in ecclesia vel oratorio. The use of the expression admitti possunt makes clear that in no instance is this a right such as that which is specific and proper to the Bishop {Cf. CIC, can. 763} or a faculty such as enjoyed by priests and deacons. {Cf. CIC, can. 764} The terms in which these conditions are expressed - 'If in certain circumstances it is necessary..., ...if in particular cases it would be useful...' in canon 766 - make clear the exceptional nature of such cases as well as the fact that such must always be done iuxta Episcoporum conferentiae praescripta. (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1997 - Ecclesiae de Mysterio, art. 2 §3)

"In some areas, circumstances can arise in which a shortage of sacred ministers and permanent, objectively verifiable, situations of need or advantage exist that would recommend the admission of the non-ordained faithful to preaching. Preaching in churches or oratories by the non-ordained faithful can be permitted only as a supply for sacred ministers or for those particular reasons foreseen by the universal law of the Church or by Conferences of Bishops. It cannot, however, be regarded as an ordinary occurrence nor as an authentic promotion of the laity." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1997 - Ecclesiae de Mysterio, art. 2 §4)

"The homily, therefore, during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, must be reserved to the sacred minister, Priest or Deacon {Cf. Catechesi tradendae, n. 48; [GIRM (1970), nn. 41, 42, 165;] Liturgicae instaurationes n. 2a; Inaestimabile donum, n. 3} to the exclusion of the non-ordained faithful, even if these should have responsibilities as "pastoral assistants" or catechists in whatever type of community or group. ... For the same reason, the practice, on some occasions, of entrusting the preaching of the homily to seminarians or theology students who are not clerics is not permitted." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1997 - Ecclesiae de Mysterio, art. 3 §1)

"A form of instruction designed to promote a greater understanding of the liturgy, including personal testimonies, or the celebration of eucharistic liturgies on special occasions (e.g. day of the Seminary, day of the sick etc.) is lawful, of in harmony with liturgical norms, should such be considered objectively opportune as a means of explicating the regular homily preached by the celebrant priest. Nonetheless, these testimonies or explanations may not be such so as to assume a character which could be confused with the homily." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1997 - Ecclesiae de Mysterio, art. 3 §2)

"As an expositional aide and providing it does not delegate the duty of preaching to others, the celebrant minister may make prudent use of 'dialogue' in the homily, in accord with the liturgical norms. {Cf. Directorium de missis cum pueris, n. 48}" (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1997 - Ecclesiae de Mysterio, art. 3 §3)

Note that the reference is to the Directory for Masses with Children: that is when dialogue homilies may be used.

"Homilies in non-eucharistic liturgies may be preached by the non-ordained faithful only when expressly permitted by law and when its prescriptions for doing so are observed." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1997 - Ecclesiae de Mysterio, art. 3 §4)

"In no instance may the homily be entrusted to priests or deacons who have lost the clerical state or who have abandoned the sacred ministry." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1997 - Ecclesiae de Mysterio, art. 3 §5)

"The Homily should ordinarily be given by the priest celebrant himself. He may entrust it to a concelebrating priest or occasionally, according to circumstances, to the deacon, but never to a lay person. {Cf. CIC, can. 767 §1; Ecclesiae de mysterio, art. 3} In particular cases and for a just cause, the homily may even be given by a Bishop or a priest who is present at the celebration but cannot concelebrate." (GIRM, n. 66)

"The homily ... 'should ordinarily be given by the Priest celebrant himself. He may entrust it to a concelebrating Priest or occasionally, according to circumstances, to a Deacon, but never to a layperson. {Cf. GIRM, n. 66; cf. CIC, 767 §1; Ecclesiae de mysterio, art. 3 §1} In particular cases and for a just cause, the homily may even be given by a Bishop or a Priest who is present at the celebration but cannot concelebrate'. {GIRM, n. 66; cf. CIC, can 767 §1}" (Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 2004 - Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 64)

"It should be borne in mind that any previous norm that may have admitted non-ordained faithful to give the homily during the Eucharistic celebration is to be considered abrogated by the norm of canon 767 §1. {Cf. Ecclesiae de mysterio, art. 3 §1} This practice is reprobated, so that it cannot be permitted to attain the force of custom." (Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 2004 - Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 65)

"The prohibition of the admission of laypersons to preach within the Mass applies also to seminarians, students of theological disciplines, and those who have assumed the function of those known as 'pastoral assistants'; nor is there to be any exception for any other kind of layperson, or group, or community, or association. {Cf. Ecclesiae de mysterio, art. 3 §1}" (Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 2004 - Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 66)

"If the need arises for the gathered faithful to be given instruction or testimony by a layperson in a Church concerning the Christian life, it is altogether preferable that this be done outside Mass. Nevertheless, for serious reasons it is permissible that this type of instruction or testimony be given after the Priest has proclaimed the Prayer after Communion. This should not become a regular practice, however. Furthermore, these instructions and testimony should not be of such a nature that they could be confused with the homily, {Cf. Ecclesiae de mysterio, art. 3 §2} nor is it permissible to dispense with the homily on their account." (Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 2004 - Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 74)

"[T]he homily ... is reserved to the Priest or Deacon during Mass. As regards other forms of preaching, if necessity demands it in particular circumstances, or if usefulness suggests it in special cases, lay members of Christ’s faithful may be allowed to preach in a church or in an oratory outside Mass in accordance with the norm of law. {Cf. CIC, can. 766} This may be done only on account of a scarcity of sacred ministers in certain places, in order to meet the need, and it may not be transformed from an exceptional measure into an ordinary practice, nor may it be understood as an authentic form of the advancement of the laity. {Cf. Ecclesiae de mysterio, art. 2 §§3-4} All must remember besides that the faculty for giving such permission belongs to the local Ordinary, and this as regards individual instances; this permission is not the competence of anyone else, even if they are Priests or Deacons." (Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 2004 - Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 161)

"[O]rdained ministers are asked to consider the celebration as their main duty. In particular, they must prepare the homily with care, basing themselves on an appropriate knowledge of Sacred Scripture." (Synod of Bishops, XI Ordinary General Assembly, 2005 - Propositiones, n. 19)

"[O]rdained ministers must 'prepare the homily carefully, based on an adequate knowledge of Sacred Scripture'. {Propositio 19} ... In particular, I ask these ministers to preach in such a way..." (Pope Benedict XVI, 2007 - Sacramentum Caritatis, n. 46)