Presider’s Guide
PREPARATION
Checklist of Liturgical Items
Vesture: • Cassock and surplice, or alb and cincture • White or gold cope • Humeral veil
Monstrance Consecrated host in luna in the tabernacle Corporal on the altar Candles — at least four Thurible (and stand if desired), incense, charcoal Prie-dieu (kneeler) if desired Card or booklet with presider prayers
Immediate Preparation
• Light coal in the thurible 10 minutes before the hour begins. • Place corporal, candles, and monstrance on the altar. • Place the prie-dieu in front of the altar at the base of the steps. • Place presider prayers near the prie-dieu or base of the steps. • Place the thurible stand near the prie-dieu or base of the steps. • Place the humeral veil near the prie-dieu (for example, draped over a front pew). • Light the candles. • Put the key in the tabernacle.
Instructions for Servers
Servers vest in cassock and surplice, or alb and cincture.
If one server: • Carries the thurible in procession and kneels at the base of the steps. • Lights a new coal 10 minutes before Benediction. • Assists the presider with the humeral veil. • Incenses the monstrance three times during Benediction.
If two servers: • One server assists with the thurible as detailed above. • The other server assists with the humeral veil and rings the bells three times during Benediction.
Presider: Only a priest or deacon may preside over a communal Holy Hour with Eucharistic Exposition and Benediction.
EXPOSITION
Procession
• The procession may begin from the sacristy or from the back of the church. • The servers process first, beginning with the thurifer carrying the thurible, followed by the presider. • During the procession, nothing is sung, but an organist or pianist may play an instrumental accompaniment (for example, an improvisation or instrumental version of O Salutaris). The procession may also take place in silence. • The servers kneel at the base of the sanctuary next to the place where the priest will kneel. • The presider goes to the tabernacle, opens the door, and genuflects.
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
• The presider takes the luna from the tabernacle and brings it to the monstrance on the altar. • As the presider places the luna in the monstrance and turns the monstrance to face the people, O Salutaris begins (see Hymns below). • The presider kneels in front of the altar. The server brings him the thurible and the incense boat. He puts incense on the coal and incenses the monstrance with three sets of swings as O Salutaris is sung. • The thurible is then placed on the stand, or brought back into the sacristy. • The presider remains in silence before the Blessed Sacrament for a short period of time. He may also recite an invocation such as “O Sacrament Most Holy…” (traditionally repeated three times). • The presider may then be seated, either in the presider’s chair, or if its location is distracting, in a front pew.
O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, All Praise and All Thanksgiving Be Every Moment Thine.
ADORATION
Options for Communal Prayer
• Liturgy of the Hours (Morning, Evening, or Night Prayer) • Scripture reading followed by a brief homily (“fervorino”) • Rosary • Songs that adore, praise, and thank God, drawing the heart to love Him and surrender one’s life to Him
Scripture Reading and Fervorino
• The Scripture reading and fervorino should occur at the beginning of the Holy Hour and lead into a period of silent reflection and adoration. • A daily reading, seasonal reading, or a Eucharistic reading such as one of the following could be used: • (1 Corinthians 10:16-17) — we are one body • (Hebrews 9:11-15) — blood of Christ purifies our hearts • (Hebrews 12:22-24) — you have come to Mount Zion • (Luke 9:11)b-17 — they all ate and were satisfied • (Luke 24:12-35) — recognized Jesus in the breaking of bread • (John 6:41-51) — I am the living bread from heaven • (John 6:51-58) — my flesh and blood true food and drink • (John 19:31-37) — blood and water flow from Christ’s side • The presider goes to the ambo, invites the congregation to sit (or stand for a Gospel reading), and proclaims the reading. • The presider gives a short homily, or “fervorino,” between 5 and 10 minutes. He uses the reading to draw the people into an encounter with the person of Jesus before them in the Eucharist.
Importance of Silent Prayer
A substantial portion of the Holy Hour should be set aside for silent prayer. An encounter with the Eucharist is an encounter with the person of Jesus Christ, who speaks to each heart in a unique and personal way. Silence may be interspersed with singing or communal prayer, but should never be omitted.
“If I am truly to communicate with another person I must know him, I must be able to be in silence close to him, to listen to him and look at him lovingly.” — Pope Benedict XVI, Homily, 7 June 2012
Liturgy of the Hours
• The Liturgy of the Hours may be prayed at the beginning or end of the Holy Hour (at the end, before Benediction). • The instructions given are for Morning or Evening Prayer. They may be simplified for Night Prayer (Intercessions and Our Father are omitted). For Morning Prayer, the Invitatory Psalm replaces the introduction. • Introduction and Hymn: The presider stands at the presider’s chair, or another location if this is distracting. The people stand. He leads the introduction and the hymn (a cantor may lead the hymn). • Psalms: The presider and people may sit or stand for the psalms. The presider or a cantor recites or chants the antiphon and the first line of each psalm. The people then join in, typically “in choir” (one side of the church recites a stanza, then the other). All join in the antiphon at the end of each psalm. • Reading: If not already seated, all should sit for the reading and responsory. A reader other than the presider may read the reading and the responsory. If the presider preaches, he does so between the reading and the responsory. • Gospel Canticle: All stand for the gospel canticle. It is led by the presider or a cantor in the same manner as the psalms. If desired, all may recite or chant it together rather than in choir. • Intercessions: The presider leads the first of the intercessions. The reader leads the subsequent intercessions. If additional intercessions are added, they should be added before the final petition for the dead, which always comes last. • Our Father: The presider leads the Our Father. • Closing Prayer: The closing prayer is prayed as given for that hour. The final blessing is omitted, being replaced by Benediction.
Rosary
• The Rosary may be prayed at the beginning or end of the Holy Hour (at the end, before Benediction). • The Rosary may be led by anyone, not necessarily the presider. • A suggested option is to have the presider lead the Introduction to the Rosary (Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, three Hail Marys, Glory Be) and other attendees take turns leading the five decades.
BENEDICTION
Incensing the Blessed Sacrament
• A new coal is added to the thurible 10 minutes before Benediction. • The presider and servers kneel at the base of the altar. • The Tantum Ergo (see Hymns below) is sung during the incensing. • The server hands the presider the thurible and incense boat. The presider puts incense in the thurible, kneels in front of the Blessed Sacrament, and incenses it with three sets of swings. • He returns the thurible to the server, who either holds it or replaces it on the stand if he is also assisting with the humeral veil. • Then the presider stands.
Versicle
Presider: You have given them bread from heaven (Easter: alleluia). All: Having within it all sweetness (Easter: alleluia).
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, you gave us the Eucharist as the memorial of your suffering and death. May our worship of this sacrament of your Body and Blood help us to experience the salvation you won for us and the peace of the kingdom where you live with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. All: Amen.
Or the following translation from the Roman Missal, Third Edition:
O God, who in this wonderful Sacrament have left us a memorial of your Passion, grant us, we pray, so to revere the sacred mysteries of your Body and Blood that we may always experience in ourselves the fruits of your redemption. Who live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. All: Amen.
Benediction with the Monstrance
• The presider kneels. The server brings him the humeral veil and helps him put it on. • The presider approaches the altar, genuflecting. • The server with the thurible kneels before the altar. • If there are two servers, the other server remains kneeling slightly to the side, and prepares to ring the bells. • The presider picks up the monstrance with his hands in the pockets of the humeral veil, and, facing the people, makes a large, slow sign of the cross with it. • At the same time, the server with the thurible incenses the monstrance with three sets of swings: first, when the presider lifts it up; second, when the presider brings it down; third, when the presider crosses it from side to side. • If there are two servers, the server with the bells rings them three times at the same points when the thurifer is incensing. • The presider replaces the monstrance on the altar, returns to his place, and kneels. • At the same time, the server with the thurible moves to his own place to the side of the presider, putting the thurible on the stand if he must also help with the humeral veil. • The server takes the humeral veil and puts it back in its place.
Divine Praises
• The Divine Praises (see Hymns below) may then be prayed, led by the presider. These are best done all together (not repeating them) if all have a printed copy to read. • The prayer “May the heart of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament…” may optionally follow the Divine Praises.
REPOSITION
• The presider then goes to the altar, genuflects, and takes the luna out of the monstrance, returning it to the tabernacle. • A hymn may be sung, such as “Holy God, We Praise Thy Name.” • It is also an option to recite the Divine Praises during Reposition. • Once the tabernacle door is closed, all may stand.
HYMNS AND PRAISES
O Salutaris Hostia
O salutaris Hostia, Quae caeli pandis ostium: Bella premunt hostilia, Da robur, fer auxilium.
Uni trinoque Domino Sit sempiterna gloria, Qui vitam sine termino Nobis donet in patria. Amen.
Tantum Ergo
Tantum ergo Sacramentum Veneremur cernui: Et antiquum documentum Novo cedat ritui: Praestet fides supplementum Sensuum defectui.
Genitori, Genitoque Laus et jubilatio, Salus, honor, virtus quoque Sit et benedictio: Procedenti ab utroque Compar sit laudatio. Amen.
The Divine Praises
Blessed be God. Blessed be his holy name. Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man. Blessed be the name of Jesus. Blessed be his Most Sacred Heart. Blessed be his Most Precious Blood. Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete. Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary Most Holy. Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception. Blessed be her glorious Assumption. Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother. Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse. Blessed be God in his angels and in his saints.
Holy God, We Praise Thy Name
Holy God, we praise Thy Name; Lord of all, we bow before Thee! All on earth Thy scepter claim, All in Heaven above adore Thee; Infinite Thy vast domain, Everlasting is Thy reign.
Hark! the loud celestial hymn Angel choirs above are raising, Cherubim and seraphim, In unceasing chorus praising; Fill the heavens with sweet accord: Holy, holy, holy, Lord.