The Missa Chrismatis: A Liturgical Theology

401 Pages·2012·1.92 MB·English

THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA

The Missa Chrismatis:
A Liturgical Theology

A DISSERTATION

Submitted to the Faculty of the
School of Theology and Religious Studies
Of The Catholic University of America
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree
Doctor of Sacred Theology
©
Copyright
All rights reserved
By
Seth Nater Arwo-Doqu

Washington, DC
2013
The Missa Chrismatis:
A Liturgical Theology

Seth Nater Arwo-Doqu, S.T.D.
Director: Kevin W. Irwin, S.T.D.

The Missa Chrismatis (“Chrism Mass”), the annual ritual Mass that celebrates the
blessing of the sacramental oils ordinarily held on Holy Thursday morning, was
revised in accordance with the decrees of Vatican II and promulgated by the authority
of Pope Paul VI and inserted in the newly promulgated Missale Romanum in 1970.
Also revised, in tandem with the Missa Chrismatis, is the Ordo Benedicendi Oleum
Catechumenorum et Infirmorum et Conficiendi Chrisma (Ordo), and promulgated
editio typica on December 3, 1970. Based upon the scholarly consensus of liturgical
theologians that liturgical events are acts of theology, this study seeks to delineate the
liturgical theology of the Missa Chrismatis by applying the method of liturgical
theology proposed by Kevin Irwin in Context and Text. A critical study of the prayers,
both ancient and new, for the consecration of Chrism and the blessing of the oils of the
sick and of catechumens reveals rich theological data. In general it can be said that the
fundamental theological principle of the Missa Chrismatis is initiatory and
consecratory.
The study delves into the history of the chrismal liturgy from its earliest
foundations as a Mass in the Gelasianum Vetus, including the chrismal consecration
and blessing of the oils during the missa in cena domini, recorded in the Hadrianum,
Ordines Romani, and Pontificales Romani of the Middle Ages, through the reforms of
1955-56, 1965 and, finally, 1970. The entire liturgy is analyzed, with special focus on
the euchology of the current Ordo. In this ritual order, one finds substantial material
that has been retained from the ancient documents, with revisions of their terminology
and expansions of their scope that go beyond mere preservation of older forms.
Among the main theological emphases found in the revised rite includes the
communal celebration of the bishop with representatives from the whole diocese (not
just that of ordained presbyters). The theology of the texts emphasize in turn the
process of entering the Church (oil of catechumens), the theology of suffering as
redeemed in Christ (oil of the sick) and the theology of baptism and confirmation that
impart the Holy Spirit, grounding the Christian into the paschal mystery of Christ,
sharing in his royal and prophetic priesthood (the chrism).
This dissertation by Seth N. Arwo-Doqu fulfills the dissertation requirement for the
doctoral degree in liturgical studies/sacramental theology approved by Kevin W.
Irwin, S.T.D., as Director, and by Dominic E. Serra, S.L.D., and Michael G. Witczak,
S.L.D., as Readers.

_________________________________
Kevin W. Irwin, S.T.D. Director

_________________________________
Dominic E. Serra, S.L.D. Reader

_________________________________
Michael G. Witczak, S.L.D. Reader

ii
To the loving memory
of
Christiana Maa Nɔwεyo Doku
and
Nɔmo Kwao Doku

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CONTENTS

List of Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii

Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi

General Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Chapter One:

Historical Overview of the Chrismal Liturgy from Medieval Times
to the Present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

I. The Medieval Sacramentaries and Ordines Romani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

1. The Old Gelasian Sacramentary (GeV) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

i. Brief History of the GeV. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
ii. The Text of the Chrismal Liturgy in the GeV . . . . . . . . . . .30

2. The Gregorian Sacramentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

i. Brief History of the Gregorian Sacramentary . . . . . . . . . . .47
ii. The Text of the Chrismal Liturgy in the GrH . . . . . . . . . . .51

3. The Frankish Gelasian or 8th-Century Gelasian Sacramentary . . . .57

i. Brief History of the Frankish Gelasian Sacramentaries. . . .57
ii. The Text of the Chrismal Liturgy in the GeG . . . . . . . . . . .59

4. The Ordines Romani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

i. Ordo Romanus XXIII. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
ii. Ordo Romanus XXIV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
iii. Ordo Romanus XXX B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

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II. The Roman Pontificals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

1. Short History of the Roman Pontificals of the Middle Ages . . . . .80

i. Pontificale Romano-Germanicum (PRG – 10th Century) . . 80
ii. Pontificale Romanum of the 12th Century (PRxii) . . . . . . . .83
iii. Pontificale Romanum of the Curia (PRC – 13th Century) . . 84
iv. Pontificale Guillaume Durandi (PGD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
v. The Editio Princeps of the Roman Pontifical of 1485 . . . . .87
vi. Pontificale Romanum Tridentini (PR-1595) . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

2. The Text of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper in the Pontificals. . . . . 91

i. Introductory Rites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
ii. Opening Oration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
iii. Liturgy of the Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
iv. The Secret . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
v. The Eucharistic Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95

3. Blessing of the Oils and Consecration of the Chrism . . . . . . . . . . . 97

i. The Oil of the Sick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
ii. Consecration of the Chrism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
iii. Blessing of the Oil of Catechumens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114

III. The Twentieth Century Reforms Prior to Vatican II . . . . . . . . . . . . .120

1. The Liturgical Reforms of Pope Pius XII – 1955-1956 . . . . . . . .120

2. The Text of the 1955-56 Chrismal Liturgy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

3. Pontificale Romanum 1962 and Pontificale Romanum 1595. . . .137

IV. The Post Vatican II Liturgical Reforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141

1. History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

2. The Text of the Proposed Chrism Mass (VOHS-1965). . . . . . . . .146

3. The Text of the New Rite (The 1970 Ordo) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

i. The Praenotanda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151
ii. The Structure of the Liturgy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162
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Chapter Two:

Comparative Evaluation of the Current Chrism Mass of 1970 and the
Pre-Vatican II Chrism Mass Present in the 1962 Missale Romanum . . . . . . 173

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173

I. Evaluation of Parallel Euchological Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175

1. The Entrance Antiphon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .175

2. The Collect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181

3. The Offertory Antiphon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .187

4. The Prayer over the Offerings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189

5. The Eucharistic Preface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191

6. The Communion Verse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205

7. The Prayer after Communion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206

II. The Liturgy of the Word. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

1. The 1962 Missal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210

2. The 1970 Missal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219

III. O Redemptor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230

IV. Renewal of Commitment to Priestly Service – 1970 Rite . . . . . . . 238

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246

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Chapter Three:

The Liturgical Theology of the 1970 Chrismal Liturgy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253

Definition of Liturgical Theology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255

A. The Blessing Prayers of the 1970 Ordo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264

I. The Oil of the Sick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
II. The Oil of Catechumens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
III. The Sacred Chrism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297

B. Theological Themes of the 1970 Ordo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323

I. Theology of the 1970 Chrismal Liturgy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
II. Theology Drawn From the 1970 Ordo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352

General Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .353

Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366

Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369

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ABBREVIATIONS

AAS - Acta apostolicae sedis. Commentarium officiale, typis polyglottis
vaticanis 1909 sqq.

AT - The Apostolic Tradition.

CCC - The Catechism of the Catholic Church.

CCL - Corpus Christianorum Series Latina

CO - Corpus Orationum

DM - De missa chrismatis, 1965.

DOL - Documents on the Liturgy 1963-1979.

DR - De ritu benedicendi oleum catechumenorum et infirmorum, et
conficiendi chrisma, 1965.

DS - H. Denzinger and A. Schönmetzer, Enchiridion symbolorum,
definitionum et declarationum de rebus fidei et morum.

EDIL - Enchiridion documentorum instaurationis liturgicae. 3 vols.

EL - Ephemerides liturgicae, Rome 1887 sqq.

GeG - Sacramentarium gellonense.

GeV - Sacramentarium gelasianum vetus.

GIRM - General Instruction of the Roman Missal.

GrH - The Hadrianum [Gregorian Sacramentary].

GrP - The Paduense [Gregorian Sacramentary].

HBS - Henry Bradshaw Society. A British-based learned society founded in
1890 for the editing of Rare Liturgical Texts.

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