Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Timothy, Richard and Rembert, our bishops

From the Inbox,
Are priests in Milwaukee supposed to pray for Weakland during the Eucharistic prayers at mass? If you know.

Was at a parish last weekend that prayed for "Timothy, Richard and Rembert, our bishops" and thought is was a bit off...


That is, should the Eucharistic Prayer mention our retired Archbishop Rembert Weakland by name. Not from what I can see.

The General Instruction for the Roman Missal [pdf] 149 [p. 46 of 131] says,

The diocesan Bishop or anyone equivalent to him in law must be mentioned by means of this formula: una cum famulo tuo Papa nostro N. et Episcopo (or Vicario, Prelato, Praefecto, Abbate) (together with your servant N., our Pope, and N., our Bishop [or Vicar, Prelate, Prefect, Abbot]).

It is permitted to mention Coadjutor and Auxiliary Bishops in the Eucharistic Prayer, ... . When several are to be named, this is done with the collective formula et Episcopo nostro N. eiusque Episcopis adiutoribus (N., our Bishop and his assistant Bishops).


It appears that, as a retired Archbishop, he would either not be mentioned or, if he is considered to serve as an auxiliary, he and Bishop Sklba would be referred to collectively, not by name. Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University, addressed a related situation and reached the same conclusion.
It does not seem that the bishop emeritus (that is, retired) is usually mentioned unless he conserves the government of the diocese until a successor is named.

Saying "Timothy, Richard and Rembert, our bishops" without distinction goes further, making it sound like the archdiocese is headed by a committee.

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous8:02 PM

    I saw a priest filling in at St. Jude's a few weeks ago (didn't catch his name) who only prayed for Rembert, no mention of Timothy.

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