The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, established the principle that “each person, minister or layman, who has an office to perform, should do all of, but only, those parts which pertain to his office” (28). This principle is repeated in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM): “All, therefore, whether ordained ministers or lay Christian faithful, in fulfilling their function or their duty, should carry out solely but totally that which pertains to them” (91). But in the case of a concelebrated Mass with no deacon present, the GIRM seems to contradict itself, saying, “If a Deacon is not present, the functions proper to him are to be carried out by some of the concelebrants” (208). Given the insistence of Sacrosanctum Concilium and the GIRM that distinct roles in the liturgy are to be respected, it is not obvious how this apparent contradiction within the GIRM is to be resolved. How is a priest concelebrant meant to carry out diaconal functions at Mass while remaining in his role as a concelebrant?

Unfortunately, this question cannot be resolved by an appeal to the historic practice of the Roman Rite. Prior to the Second Vatican Council, concelebration only took place at priestly ordinations in a manner that does not correspond to the present practice. In addition, whenever priests formerly assumed all the functions of a deacon at a solemn Mass, they did not act as priests in any way. Therefore, the only way to resolve the confusion raised by these seemingly contradictory principles in the revised missal is by a careful reading of the portions of the GIRM and the Ceremonial of Bishops that apply in this case. In taking this approach, perhaps it is best to begin by stating how concelebrants participate as priests at a concelebrated Mass before examining how they might simultaneously fulfill certain diaconal functions in both presbyteral and pontifical liturgies.

Concelebrants When a Deacon is Present

Priests concelebrate Mass with a principal celebrant according to the provisions of the GIRM (199-251). Presuming the presence of a deacon and other ministers, the external acts of the concelebrants, their words and gestures, are limited largely to the Eucharistic Prayer itself and to the Communion rite. For example, concelebrants have almost no role in the opening rites, except for venerating the altar with a bow (when the Blessed Sacrament is not reserved in the sanctuary) and with a kiss. When Mass is celebrated with the ministry of readers, a psalmist, and a deacon, concelebrants have no ministerial role at all during the entire Liturgy of the Word or during the preparation of the gifts and the altar. (It must be noted, however, that a principal celebrant can choose to confide the preaching of the homily to a concelebrant. See GIRM, 66, 213.)

In contrast, during the Eucharistic Prayer, concelebrants do join the principal celebrant vocally and with certain gestures. During the Communion rite, they adopt the same posture as the celebrant when praying the Our Father. Prior to the reception of Holy Communion, a concelebrant may help the celebrant break the hosts and distribute the Body of Christ to the other concelebrants unless the principal celebrant chooses to do so himself (GIRM, 240, 242). Concelebrants may distribute Holy Communion to the faithful under either species and may purify the vessels afterward as needed. During the concluding rites, they reverence the altar with the celebrant by a bow. But apart from these very limited functions, concelebrants otherwise respond to the celebrant’s dialogues in the same manner as the lay faithful and adopt the same postures as those in the assembly.

Functions of a Deacon

A concelebrated Mass without a deacon presumes the presence and participation of other ministers (GIRM, 120-170, 199-251). However, in the absence of a deacon, concelebrants take on some additional roles normally associated with the deacon of the Mass. Why is this the case? In reality, the practice is not as contradictory as it may seem at first glance. The priest’s exercise of diaconal duties on some occasions is simply an expression of the Church’s teaching on holy orders. Priests share in both the priestly and ministerial dimensions of the sacrament of holy orders, while deacons are ordained “not unto the priesthood, but unto a ministry of service” (Lumen Gentium, 29). In the absence of a deacon, the priest celebrant himself, in virtue of both the ministerial and the sacerdotal dimensions received in priestly ordination, supplies for the absent deacon. Paragraph 208 of the GIRM simply extends this practice to one or more of the concelebrants. In order that the priestly role of the principal celebrant might stand out more clearly, certain ministerial functions during Mass, not properly sacerdotal functions, are carried out by a deacon, first and foremost. In the deacon’s absence, however, some ministerial functions are carried out by a concelebrant acting as a priest who is likewise called to a ministerial role—a diaconal role—in the Church by virtue of his ordination. Other diaconal functions are carried out by lay persons in the deacon’s absence in virtue of the priestly dimensions of their baptism.

Establishing which functions should be assigned to concelebrants and which functions should be assigned to lay ministers takes a measure of discernment. Both the GIRM and the Order of Mass assign various functions to the deacon (GIRM, 171a-f). In broad terms, the deacon of the Mass:

_{^{a) assists the Priest and walks at his side;}}

_{^{b) ministers at the altar, both as regards the chalice and the book;}}

_{^{c) proclaims the Gospel and may, at the direction of the Priest Celebrant, give the homily (cf. GIRM, 66);}}

_{^{d) guides the faithful people by giving appropriate instructions, and announces the intentions of the Universal Prayer;}}

_{^{e) assists the Priest Celebrant in distributing Communion, and purifies and arranges the sacred vessels;}}

_{^{f) carries out the duties of other ministers himself, if necessary, when none of them is present.}}

Which of these are “proper functions” of the deacon as mentioned in GIRM, 208, and therefore “are to be carried out by some of the concelebrants” in his absence? Which are more suitably exercised by lay ministers? Here, the tradition of the Roman Rite can help to sort out what functions a deacon should always fulfill, and other functions which he may fulfill as the occasion warrants. This may, in turn, help to distinguish which functions a concelebrating priest should always fulfill in the absence of a deacon and which functions he may fulfill.

For example, in the solemn form of the Mass according to the Roman tradition, the deacon always proclaims the Gospel since the proclamation of the Scriptures is a ministerial function, not a presidential one. The deacon prepares the altar for the gifts, pours wine into the chalice, and elevates it with the celebrant, saying the prayer Offerimus tibi with the celebrant, and assists the priest with the censer, the pall, and the missal. The deacon also directs the postures of the people, e.g., “Flectamus genua,” “Levate,” “Humiliate capita vestra Deo,” and “Ite missa est.” These are the functions that were considered proper to the deacon in the liturgical tradition.

How does this compare to the functions of the deacon according to the Missal of Paul VI-John Paul II now? Some of the functions of a deacon have disappeared, e.g., elevating the chalice at the offertory. Others have been added, e.g., elevating the chalice at the doxology to the Eucharistic Prayer instead, or offering the tropes to the Penitential Act in form C. Not all of these are strictly speaking proper to the deacon if a lay minister can accomplish them in his absence. Concelebrants would not ordinarily fulfill other diaconal functions that can be assumed by lay ministers who are present at the same Mass. For example, these duties include carrying the Book of the Gospels in the opening procession (GIRM, 120), offering the tropes to the Penitential Act (Order of Mass, 6), announcing the intentions of the Universal Prayer (GIRM, 138), preparing the altar for the sacrifice (GIRM, 139), receiving the gifts with the celebrant (GIRM, 140), and incensing the celebrant and others at the preparation (GIRM, 144). On the other hand, those functions that a layperson would not perform in the absence of a deacon would be considered proper to the deacon. By extension, those proper diaconal functions are the functions that concelebrants likewise should always be called upon to fulfill.

Concelebrants Carrying Out Diaconal Functions

Therefore, when readers, servers, cantors, and singers are present, the functions that concelebrants assume in the absence of a deacon are rather limited. A concelebrant should read the Gospel since that is a role proper to the deacon (GIRM, 212). (This is also true even in the case where another priest is present at Mass who is not concelebrating. See Ceremonial of Bishops, 172.) Whenever a deacon is present at a concelebrated Mass, the GIRM does not foresee that a concelebrant will take on any role during the preparation of the gifts: “The Preparation of the Gifts is carried out by the principal celebrant while the other concelebrants remain at their places” (GIRM, 214, emphasis added). As if to make the point even clearer, the GIRM goes on to say: “After the Prayer over the Offerings has been said by the principal celebrant, the concelebrants approach the altar and stand around it…” (GIRM, 215, emphasis added).

In the absence of a deacon at a concelebrated Mass, however, a single concelebrant (vested as all other concelebrating priests) might indeed assist a principal celebrant at the altar during the preparation of the gifts. The group of concelebrants would remain at their places during the preparation of the gifts as the GIRM indicates, but one among them could approach the celebrant and altar. The concelebrant would assist the principal celebrant to receive the gifts, hand him the paten, prepare the chalice, and make ready the incense, if used. Commentators argue that these duties were explicitly entrusted to a concelebrant by the Ritus servandus in concelebratione missae of 1965 (29, 73), thus establishing the precedent for concelebrated Masses according to the Ordo missae of 1970.¹ The principal celebrant is still “carrying out the preparation of the gifts,” as the GIRM demands. He is simply being assisted by a concelebrant in the same manner in which a deacon would assist him.

After approaching the altar, following the prayer over the gifts, and now standing at the side of the celebrant, a concelebrant could then be in a position to assist the celebrant by placing and removing the pall over the chalice and elevating the chalice at the doxology, if so desired. One of the concelebrants may direct the faithful by saying: “Let us offer each other the sign of peace” (GIRM, 239). Like the deacon, the concelebrants closest to the principal celebrant receive the sign of peace from him (GIRM, 239).

The GIRM does not demand, nor does it necessarily assume, that any concelebrants are seated immediately next to the celebrant in a presbyteral liturgy (see GIRM, 207a, 211, 214, 215, 250). Nevertheless, assuming that a concelebrant is in a position in the sanctuary where he can be seen and heard by the assembly, ideally next to the principal celebrant, he could offer the other directions to the people which are proper to the deacon, such as “Let us kneel,” “Let us stand,” “Bow down for the blessing,” and the dismissal. However, where the concelebrants might neither be standing near the principal celebrant nor even in sight of the assembly during the Litany of the Saints or at the dismissal, for example, it seems impractical and potentially disorienting to the assembly to insist that a concelebrant must offer all these directions to the faithful. And if a concelebrant does not offer all the possible directions to the faithful during the entire course of Mass, why should a concelebrant only invite the faithful to offer one another the sign of peace? The assembly is likely to find this disorienting as well.

By way of summary, in the absence of a deacon, a concelebrant:

• Should read the Gospel.
• May assist with the reception of the gifts.
• May hand the principal celebrant the paten and prepare the chalice.
• May assist the celebrant in preparing the incense.
• May remove the pall over the chalice and elevate the chalice at the doxology.
• May assist by turning the pages of the missal.
• May direct the faithful by saying: “Let us offer each other the sign of peace.”
• May distribute the Body of the Lord to other concelebrants and hold the chalice for their communion.
• May distribute Holy Communion under either species and purify the vessels afterward, as needed.
• May, if near the principal celebrant, invite the faithful to “Bow down for the blessing” and dismiss the people at the end of Mass.

Pontifical Celebrations without a Deacon

The Ceremonial of Bishops provides a somewhat larger role for concelebrants at the Pontifical Liturgy in the absence of deacons. Like the GIRM, it foresees that concelebrants will function in the place of absent deacons at the Mass of a bishop (Ceremonial of Bishops, 122). In this case, it means that one concelebrant will fulfill the responsibilities which the deacon of the Mass would normally fulfill, and two other concelebrants would serve in the place of the two absent assisting deacons to the bishop. These two concelebrants, acting as his assistants, accompany the bishop as he incenses the altar (Ceremonial of Bishops, 131). They may accompany him on either side during the sprinkling rite (Ceremonial of Bishops, 133). Normally, they are seated next to the bishop at the chair (Ceremonial of Bishops, 131).

During the Liturgy of the Word, the concelebrant who is replacing the deacon of the Mass, and who is distinct from the two concelebrants assisting the bishop, asks for the bishop’s blessing before reading the Gospel (Ceremonial of Bishops, 140). After the proclamation of the Gospel, that concelebrant may take the Book of the Gospels to the bishop for the bishop to kiss it (Ceremonial of Bishops, 141).

During the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the two concelebrants attending the bishop assist him in receiving the gifts from the faithful either at the chair or at the entrance to the sanctuary and accompany him to the altar for the preparation of the gifts (Ceremonial of Bishops, 172). The concelebrant acting in the place of the deacon of the Mass likewise accompanies the bishop to the altar where he hands the bishop the paten, prepares the chalice with wine and water for the bishop, assists with the imposition of incense, and accompanies the bishop as he incenses the altar (Ceremonial of Bishops, 149). He may then incense the bishop before handing the thurible to the thurifer to complete the incensations of the clergy and faithful. The two concelebrants assisting the bishop in the place of deacons stand on either side of him at the altar. One may remove the bishop’s ring during the washing of the hands (cf. Ceremonial of Bishops, 150) and remove the zucchetto after the prayer over the gifts (Ceremonial of Bishops, 153). The concelebrant standing at the bishop’s side assists with the pall and the elevation of the chalice. The concelebrant standing at the bishop’s left assists by turning the pages of the missal (although chances are the bishop may have a master of ceremonies to perform some of these functions). The concelebrant replacing the deacon of the Mass, provided he is standing near the bishop, would direct the faithful in the course of Mass by saying, “Let us kneel, let us stand,” during the Litany of the Saints; “Let us offer each other the sign of peace;” “Bow down for the blessing;” and the dismissal.

A (Possible) Conclusion

The concelebration of priests with a principal celebrant at Mass expresses the unity of the priesthood and the collegial nature of the presbyterate. In the absence of a deacon at Mass, concelebrants offer some diaconal ministry to the faithful principally by their proclamation of the Gospel. Concelebrants fulfill their primary sacerdotal ministry by jointly offering the Eucharistic sacrifice to God and by distributing Holy Communion. In addition, during the Eucharistic Prayer and during the Communion rite, concelebrants offer some assistance to the principal celebrant at the altar when there is no deacon present to do so. They assume the specific functions which the principal celebrant himself would have to perform given the absence of a deacon. In this way, the sacerdotal role of the principal celebrant can stand out more clearly than if he were to perform diaconal tasks as well. This practice does not contradict the liturgical principle enunciated in Sacrosanctum Concilium and in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal whereby each minister performs those functions and only those functions specific to him. Priests are ordained both to ministerial functions in the Church and to sacerdotal ones. In the absence of a deacon, they are called upon to exercise some of these ministerial functions whether they are the lone celebrant or a concelebrant.

1. See Peter J. Elliott, Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite, rev. ed. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1995), 160-161; Andre Philippe M. Mutel and Peter Freeman, Ceremonial de la Sainte Messe a l’usage ordinaire des paroisses (Perpignan, France: Editions Artege, 2012), 191, n.31.