CNP Feedback -
Sprinkling-Penance-Renewal

The "Feedback Box" on the CanticaNOVA Publications website has proven quite effective in promoting communications on a variety of subjects, and expressing concerns of liturgists and musicians. From time to time, we'll compile a few of these questions or comments and put them in public view, with the hope that others with similar concerns may benefit from their content.

Q. Dear CNP:

On Easter Sunday, if there is the Renewal of Baptismal Promises (replacing the Creed) followed by Sprinkling, does this Sprinkling replace the Penitential Act earlier in the Mass? I've had conflicting info on this.

Juan O'Sprinkle

A. Dear Juan:

Confusion is understandable.

The 1988 Circular Letter Concerning the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts from the Congregation for Divine Worship says:

B. Easter Day

97. Mass is to be celebrated on Easter Day with great solemnity. It is appropriate that the penitential rite on this day take the form of a sprinkling with water blessed at the Vigil, during which the antiphon Vidi aquam, or some other song of baptismal character should be sung.

Other than at the Easter Vigil, no mention is made of the Renewal of Baptismal Promises in the above document.

The 2010 GIRM says,

Sunday of the Resurrection: Mass during the Day

The Creed is said. However, in Easter Sunday Masses which are celebrated with a congregation, the rite of the renewal of baptismal promises may take place after the Homily, according to the text used at the Easter Vigil. In that case the Creed is omitted.

Both these rites are optional: ("…it is appropriate…" "… may take place…"). It would, of course, be ludicrous to use them both.

So… one can replace the Penitential Act with Sprinkling (using water from the previous night) … or … one can renew baptismal promises and sprinkle after the homily. In the second case, no mention is made of omitting the Penitential Act (only the Creed).

Thus the sprinkling after the homily is not meant as a replacement for a Penitential Act; rather, it is a complement to the baptismal promises.

If I'm not mistaken, this use of the renewal on Easter Sunday is an adaptation for the United States.

Hope this sheds some light on the murky issue.

Gary Penkala
CanticaNOVA Publications
Article written 23 February 2019