Over the years, the Southern Nebraska Register has received a number of questions for “Ask the Register” that are valid questions, but do not necessarily require long explanations; or they have been previously explained in detail. Therefore, I present to you a new (or perhaps one time only) feature: “Ask the Register: Lightning Round.”
Q. Does a wedding Mass after 4 p.m. on a Saturday fulfill one’s Sunday Obligation?
A. Yes, c. 1248 §1 states “A person who assists at a Mass celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the feast day itself or in the evening of the preceding day satisfies the obligation of participating in the Mass.” It just says “a” Mass, so any Mass after 4 p.m. (when evening starts in the Church) fulfills one’s obligation.
Q. Why do we not use the Alleluia during Lent? Doesn’t God want us to always be joyful?
A. We “bury” the Alleluia for Lent as a sign that it is a penitential season. We shouldn’t be mopey and miserable during Lent, but we should strive to enter into the season by denying ourselves even good things so as to discipline the senses. This is reflected in the liturgy by not singing the Alleluia or the Gloria.
Q. Why is there a candle added to the altar when the bishop celebrates Mass?
A. The General Instruction for the Roman Missal states that especially for Sunday Mass, four or six candles should be on the altar, but when the bishop celebrates Mass, there should be seven candles.
The seventh candle likely is intended to invoke the image of the seven lampstands from Revelation 4:5. It is also likely tied to the idea that seven represents “completeness/fullness” and the bishop is the fullness of the priesthood. When the bishop celebrates Mass with the people, priests, and deacons, it represents the completeness of the Church.
Q. Why do priests wear cassocks?
A. Going all the way back to 572, local councils in the West established that priests were to wear garments that extended below the knee. This seems to have gradually become more normative throughout the centuries, along with formal injunctions against wearing clothing that was extravagant. Black, being a very plain color, logically then became more and more common. Proto-cassocks were probably introduced at least by 1342, as greater emphasis was being placed on clerics distinguishing themselves from the laity by their dress. Pope Urban VIII in 1624 standardized the cassock for clergy.
In 1884, the Third Council of Baltimore called for the cassock to be worn for liturgical functions, but allowed for less formal clerical attire that was still distinctive from the clothing worn by the laity; so long as it was black and they still wore the Roman collar. Clerical attire is now governed by Episcopal Conferences (so the USCCB for America) which established that: “Outside liturgical functions, a black suit and Roman collar are the usual attire for priests. The use of the cassock is at the discretion of the cleric.”
Some priests choose to wear a cassock because of its long tradition. Others choose to wear it because it is more convenient to throw on when you are in a hurry, or they find it more comfortable than a clerical shirt.
Q. How old was Jesus when he was baptized?
A. Luke 3:23 says He was about 30 years old when He began his public ministry, which starts with His baptism. So He was probably about 30 years old.
Q. Why do people kiss the bishop or the pope’s ring?
A. It is a sign of reverence and respect that goes back to the courtly tradition of kissing the ring (the symbol of authority) of your superior. By kissing the ring of a bishop or pope, a person shows obedience to and love for the office of bishop, whether it be a diocesan bishop or the Bishop of Rome. It is analogous to the mentality in the military — saluting the rank, not the man It has generally lost favor in the U.S. but remains more common in other countries.
No one should ever feel obligated to kiss the ring of a bishop. But if someone is moved to do so, it is certainly in line with the customs of the Church.
Q. Can a non-Catholic have a Catholic funeral?
A. Yes. CIC c. 1183 §3 “In the prudent judgment of the local ordinary, ecclesiastical funerals can be granted to baptized persons who are enrolled in a non-Catholic Church or ecclesial community unless their intention is evidently to the contrary and provided that their own minister is not available.”
This question was answered by Father Caleb La Rue, chancellor of the Diocese of Lincoln. Write to Ask the Register using our online form, or write to 3700 Sheridan Blvd., Suite 10, Lincoln NE 68506-6100. All questions are subject to editing. Editors decide which questions to publish. Personal questions cannot be answered. People with such questions are urged to take them to their nearest Catholic priest.
