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SCAP rite prepares assembly for priestless Sundays

By Deacon Rick Miech
Special to The Catholic Virginian

In late August 2007, the diocesan offices of Worship and of Pastoral Ministry Leadership Formation collaborated to respond to an urgent need for people to be trained in the revised ritual called Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest.

The illness of a pastor who shepherds more than one parish made this request urgent, as did the fact that the rite, first approved for use in the United States in 1988, had recently been extensively revised.

Since the previous version of the rite (2004) was to be discontinued, Bishop Francis X. Di Lorenzo indicated that anyone who would lead this celebration would need the appropriate training according to the revised (2007) version of the rite.

The foreword of the document, written by Bishop Donald Trautman, then Chair of the Bishops Committee on the Liturgy, says:

“Dioceses that use Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest should provide diocese-wide catechesis on the nature of these celebrations and the necessity of fostering and praying for vocations to the priesthood, asking God to give us the grace to work for that day when no community will be denied the Sunday celebration of the Holy Eucharist” (p. 13).

Since that initial “emergency” training event, pastors and pastoral coordinators were invited to join with parish leadership in a process to discern at least two individuals (men and women) from each parish to be trained in the proper celebration of the rite.

In practice, many parishes have discerned the need to have more trained presiders. Workshops were repeated in locations around the diocese for deacons and laypersons, identified through this discernment, guided by diocesan qualifications.

The workshop began with an experience of a Sunday Celebration in the Absence of a Priest, after which participants discussed their experience of the rite. There were many details — where to sit (a chair other than the presider’s), what to wear (an alb may be worn) and different prayer options.

One participant seemed to sum up the feelings of most, “Not being prepared for what to expect of this training, I enjoyed the unannounced presentation of the rite at the beginning, then analyzing it afterwards to point out differences between the rite and Mass.”

Since those who preside at this rite are delegated by the bishop to preach (deacons preach a homily, lay persons preach a reflection), the workshop addresses the process of preparing a reflection.

Participants should develop comfort with group scripture study, sharing, and preparation for preaching based on a document of the U.S. bishops, “Fulfilled in Your Hearing,” an instruction on preaching.

Again, echoing the sentiments of most participants, one attendee stated, “The homiletic practicum was very helpful — I was mainly here as a music minister thinking I would never fill any other role, but for the first time, I see that maybe I could preside.”

Participants are sent from the workshop with their first task of catechizing their communities. Everyone — but most especially parishioners — should be made aware that this rite could be presented in their parish. They need to hear about it, understand it and be prepared if it is needed.

Parishes are urged to post Mass times for neighboring parishes in the church and in the bulletin, since the first option is to let people know where they can go to celebrate Eucharist in another parish.

Preference for determining who will preside is given to the deacon of a parish, assuming there is one. In the absence of a deacon, a trained lay leader of prayer may preside.

Options for celebration, which are found in the rite itself, include Morning or Evening Prayer or the Celebration of the Liturgy of the Word. Each option may include the distribution of Holy Communion. The various options for the rite and other considerations are addressed in the training.

The Church has always emphasized Christ’s presence in the consecrated bread and wine. The Church’s teaching is also that Christ is present in the gathered assembly and in the proclamation and preaching of the word. SCAP acknowledges Christ present in word and community.

The SCAP workshop is part of the larger course in the diocese’s Pastoral Ministry Leadership Formation program. Workshop participants are encouraged to enroll in the course when it is available in the fall. Completion of the course examines more closely the options of Morning and Evening Prayer, as well as Funeral Vigils and Committals, and includes a practicum with a videotaping requirement.

The USCCB developed and approved this ritual which has already been used in emergency situations in the diocese. It is not the Mass which is clearly evident.

That raises the question — always proposed in the training session — of Sunday obligation. According to Canon 1248.2 and the accompanying commentary of the Code of Canon Law, “the obligation [to attend Mass] morally ceases to bind when it is impossible to fill.”

The absence of a priest would create that impossibility. The canon recommends participation in a “liturgy of the word... according to the prescripts of the diocesan bishop...”

To date, almost 250 people from 77 locations have participated in the training. Communities which have hosted the workshops include Middlesex County, Onley, Blacksburg, Abingdon, Smithfield, Dinwiddie, Richmond, and Lynchburg.

Diocesan policy, criteria for use, an outline of the rite and other useful information and resources regarding the use of Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest, or SCAP, are available at the Diocesan Office of Worship website (www.richmonddiocese.org/worship). You may also contact the Office of Worship (ccombierdonovan@richmonddiocese.org) or (rmiech@richmonddiocese.org) directly with questions or for more information.

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