Questions about liturgy: The Doxology, Penitential Rite and More
Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy, answers five frequently asked questions on liturgical practice. He confirms that a concelebrating priest may hold the chalice during the doxology when a deacon is absent, citing the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. He explains that deaconial functions can be delegated to concelebrants or laypeople when needed. He also discusses the omission of the penitential rite in the ritual Mass of Mari.
4 months ago
The article answers five frequently asked liturgical questions, drawing on the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, the Ceremonial of Bishops, and the history of the post‑Conciliar rite of marriage. It clarifies the role of concelebrating priests when a deacon is absent, explains why the penitential rite is omitted in a marriage Mass, describes the proper orientation of an altar cross, outlines the reason the embolism is left out after the nuptial blessing, and details why a priest joins his hands at the Gospel greeting. 1
When a deacon is not present, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM 208) assigns the deacon’s functions, including the elevation of the chalice at the doxology, to one of the concelebrating priests. If no other ministers are available, the task may also be entrusted to suitable laypeople, but the default is a concelebrant. 1
The penitential rite is omitted whenever the Mass is joined to another rite that already provides spiritual preparation, such as the marriage ceremony. The rubrics indicate this omission for Masses combined with other liturgical actions, but it is not meant to be a permanent exclusion from the ordinary celebration of Mass. 1
When no permanent crucifix is present in the sanctuary and an altar cross is used, the figure on the cross is intended to face the altar—that is, toward the celebrant—rather than the congregation. 1
In the revised rite of marriage (post‑1969), the Our Father is celebrated as a communal prayer followed directly by the embolism. Because the nuptial blessing now occupies the position that previously followed the Our Father, the embolism was omitted to avoid a dissonant separation between the Lord’s Prayer and its traditional concluding prayer. 1
The Ceremonial of Bishops (No. 74) specifies that the deacon (or, in his absence, the priest) makes the greeting “The Lord be with you” with hands joined, not opened and closed. Opening and closing the hands is a presidential gesture reserved for the celebrant’s liturgical actions; the Gospel greeting is not presidential, so the priest follows the deacon’s posture. 1
Examine delegation of deaconial functions in Catholic liturgy
In Catholic liturgy, the “delegation” of a deacon’s functions is not a free rearrangement of roles, but a rubrical and ecclesial allocation of ministries: (1) the Church defines what belongs to the ordained deacon and (2) then, when needed, assigns how those roles are carried out by other clerics or by instituted/non-ordained ministers. The principle is that the deacon’s liturgical ministry exists as an ordered service to the Eucharistic celebration and the people’s participation—not as personal initiative.
The International Theological Commission describes diaconal ministry in terms of a “plurality of functions” (often discussed as a triple diakonia: word, liturgy, charity), with diakonia of the liturgy understood as intrinsic and organic assistance to priestly ministry.
Within the Roman Rite Mass, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) presents the deacon’s ministry as having distinct parts. In the presence of a deacon, the deacon is to exercise his ministry with sacred vestments and performs items such as:
This “proper parts” framing implies two limits relevant to delegation:
The GIRM also describes concrete coordination in Mass with a deacon—for example, the deacon prepares the altar and sacred vessels and also receives the people’s gifts, while being assisted by an acolyte; incense also has a structured division of roles.
When a deacon is present, the liturgy already anticipates teamwork. Delegation here is mostly task-sharing among appointed ministers rather than “handing over” the deacon’s own ministry. For instance:
In other words, “delegation” is not mainly about transferring the deacon’s office to laypeople. Rather, it is about properly distributing subordinate liturgical tasks to other ministers so that the deacon can execute his proper ministry without interruption.
This is the clearest “delegation” scenario in the sources: what happens if there is no deacon.
In concelebrated Mass, GIRM states:
If there are no other ministers either, the GIRM provides a further step:
This “ladder” (deacon → concelebrants → suitable faithful) is significant:
Even when substitution is permitted, the liturgical action must remain faithful to the books. The USCCB’s National Directory stresses that deacons (and, by extension, those assisting) should faithfully observe the rubrics without adding, omitting, or changing anything “of his own volition” what the liturgical books require.
This matters for delegation because arbitrary “practical solutions” often arise as informal customs (e.g., giving to lay ministers what the books reserve to the deacon, or reassigning deaconal actions in a way not foreseen by the rubrics). The Church’s explicit approach in GIRM is to permit certain entrustments (especially when ministers are lacking), but within the structure that the books already describe.
While your question focuses on “delegation in Catholic liturgy,” it helps to note that deacons also have authorized liturgical roles beyond Mass. The USCCB National Directory states that other liturgical roles for which the deacon is authorized include things like solemnly baptizing, witnessing marriages, bringing viaticum to the dying, and presiding over funerals and burials.
It further notes that the deacon can preside at Liturgies of the Word and communion services in the absence of a priest, and may officiate at Liturgies of the Hours and at exposition/benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
This reinforces a key point for delegation logic: