TO THE EDITOR:
The last edition of the Rhode Island Catholic left me disappointed in its confusing misuse of liturgical terminology. The article in question was entitled “Celebrating the healing Mass,” and was described as "part two of a three-part series on special liturgical celebrations offered in the Diocese of Providence."
Article 2 of the disciplinary norms established in the “Instruction on Prayers for Healing," which was issued by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith in 2000, states: “Prayers for healing are considered to be liturgical if they are part of the liturgical books approved by the Church's competent authority; otherwise, they are non-liturgical.” Therefore, being “slain in the spirit” is a non-liturgical prayer and cannot be considered part of any "special liturgical celebration” since there is no “Rite of Slaying” or any mention of being “slain in the spirit” in any liturgical book approved by the Roman Catholic Church.
Furthermore, Article 7 of the instruction, which was drafted by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and approved by Pope John Paul II, states: “...prayers for healing – whether liturgical or non-liturgical – must not be introduced into the celebration of the Holy Mass, the sacraments, or the Liturgy of the Hours.” This categorically forbids "slayings in the spirit" from being practiced during Mass, and therefore precludes there from being such a thing as a “healing Mass” as the RI Catholic described it in the headline. Article 7 does allow for the celebration of the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick within Mass – this is clearly established by the Church as a Catholic liturgical celebration. Although Masses that include Anointing are sometimes referred to as “healing Masses,” it should be noted that the term “healing Mass” is not found in any liturgical book approved for use in the universal Church.
In light of Article 5, section 1, which states, “Non-liturgical prayers for healing are distinct from liturgical celebrations as gatherings for prayer or for reading of the word of God...”, the proper way of referring to what the RI Catholic called “healing Masses” is “prayer gatherings.” This distinction is not trivial: section 2 states, “Confusion between such free non-liturgical prayer meetings and liturgical celebrations properly so-called is to be carefully avoided.”
The instruction is a profound reminder of the reality that the sacraments are perfectly efficacious in and of themselves. We Catholics believe that every Mass is a “healing Mass” since we receive the divine Healer Himself, who is Christ the Lord.
Perhaps we should leave it to the Congregation for Divine Worship to establish “healing Masses” or “slayings in the spirit” as Catholic liturgical celebrations. Until then, they should not be labeled as such, particularly by an official Catholic publication.
Rev. Jared Costanza
Pastor, St. Elizabeth Church, Bristol
