Words of Consecration QUESTION from Teresa February 15, 2001 Please help me with the following question.
In our bible study the deacon said that in times of peril the words of consecration don't have to be said in their entirety. I would like to know if this is true. Are there, indeed, circumstances where the priest can alter these words? If possible, please give me references so I can bring the information to the next bible study.
Thank you.
Teresa
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, O.L.S.M. on March 12, 2001 Dear Mrs. Teresa:
The actual words of consecration, apart from all other text, is very short and only takes a few seconds to say. Thus even if the rest of the Eucharistic prayer is omitted during some extreme emergency, I can't see how any situation would warrant altering the words of consecration itself.
A quick look at the GIRM I find no reference to such a thing.
What you need to do is to ask the deacon to prove his statement, to provide an OFFICIAL Church document that provides for what he is saying. If you are not sure if what he comes up with is an OFFICIAL Church document, write me back. There are books that give all sorts of abhorations to liturgy. Just because it is in a book with an official sounding title, does not mean it is an OFFICIAL source.
The general rule is the no one, even a priest, can change or altar the words of the liturgy on their own authority.
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